Grounds for hope

The work of the Supporters' Trust has been deservedly well-docmented but elsewhere other supporters have been doing their bit, rallying to the cause and proving just how much the club means to them.

More evidence of that came this week with the formation of a new branch of the City Supporters' Club, the Harrogate Minstermen, for fans in and around the Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, Boroughbridge and Wetherby areas.

Formed by Paul Outhwaite, his father, Nigel, and Stephen Gartside, the branch's membership already stands at 31.

The recruitment drive is planning to kick into top gear over the next few weeks and already membership includes two 'honorary life members' - Sophie McGill, of the Trust, and Yorkie the Lion.

Prospective new owner John Batchelor has also been approached and asked to become 'honorary president'.

The branch plans to have monthly meetings, probably alternating between Harrogate and Knaresborough, the first of which is on Monday, March 18, at the Board Inn, Knaresborough at 8pm.

One of the aims of the Harrogate Minstermen is to offer regular and affordable travel to away fixtures.

A minibus has been organised for Macclesfield Town on Saturday, March 30.

The minibus will depart Knaresborough Bus Station at 10.30am, Harrogate Odeon at 10.40am and The New Inn, Wetherby at 10.50am.

The cost will be £10 per adult and £8 for under-16s, with only three seats remaining.

"There may also be another away day this season," said Stephen. "Next term we will intensify the travel to matches and take in games regularly, should the demand be there. We firmly believe it will.

"We actively encourage all fans of the club within this area to join. Travel is not compulsory, basically the individual is free to decide, you can be involved as much or as little as you want.

"We also encourage potential new fans to enrol, York City are always on the look-out for more support, so this is the time for those people to step

forward.

This is a wonderful football club that must be preserved and cherished at all costs."

Harrogate Minstermen can be contacted on

harrogateminstermen@hotmail.com or telephone Steve on 07944 717398 or Paul on 07730 775193 after 6pm.

STILL on the subject of fan support, a football tournament has helped raise around £1,200 for the York City Supporters' Trust.

Organised by Marcus Cerny, of the London and the South Branch of the City Supporters' Club, the tournament on London's famous Hackney Marshes attracted 16 teams and around 250 footballers.

The York City South side brushed aside the terrible weather to reach the semi-finals.

The Yorkie Bars, made up of City fans brought together by the Internet, crashed out in the first round but recorded their first-ever competitive victory by seeing off Leyton Orient 1-0.

Michael Stockdale grabbed the history-making goal for the Bars.

The final was won on penalties by Inter Champ Man, a Sunday league outfit who knocked City South out in the last four.

The final was won against a spirited BBC London team who fought all the way despite rapidly running out of players as the day wore on.

Cerny said: "Thanks to all of those who participated. The teams played the tournament in a generally good spirit, despite there being a few 'local issues' to settle, and made the day enjoyable in spite of the conditions.

"Thanks go to the sponsors, Sports Interactive and Racing & Football Outlook, who covered all the costs for the tournament.

"Particular thanks must go to the referees and officials, who subjected themselves to a soaking and a torrent of abuse for absolutely no reward."

CITY goalkeeper Russ Howarth's hopes of being snapped up by Premiership Sunderland took a bit of a nose dive this week - at Bootham Crescent of all places.

Howarth, who after today's game at Cheltenham was due to link up with his England Under-20 team mates ahead of their game against Finland on Wednesday, spent a period on trial at Sunderland earlier this season.

He also played in a couple of trial matches with First Division Wolves.

It seems it is only a matter of time before a top club snaps the 18-year-old up but he may have to wait a while longer, particularly as it looks like the Black Cats have turned their attention elsewhere.

Lining-up for Sunderland's reserves in their clash with Leeds United's second-string at Bootham Crescent on Wednesday was Denmark's Under-21 international Stephan Andersen.

The 20-year-old is on trial at the Stadium of Light from Danish First Division outfit Hvidovre - a club where City front-man Michael Proctor spent a period on loan last season.

According to reports from the north-east, Andersen acquitted himself well in Sunderland's 3-1 win over United at Bootham Crescent, making a couple of vital saves, and Black Cats' boss Peter Reid is now mulling over whether to make a £600,000 bid.

ONE-TIME City loanee Chris Iwelumo has signed a new two-year deal with Stoke City.

The giant striker was not the biggest of favourites with City faithful during his three-month stay at Bootham Crescent last season, scoring just three goals in 16 appearances.

He was later shipped out on loan to City's opponents today, Cheltenham, but again hardly pulled up any trees making just four appearances for the Robins.

However, this season has seen Iwelumo establish himself as a first team regular at the Britannia Stadium.

The Scottish striker is Stoke's leading scorer with 11 in 21 starts.

ATTENTION collectors of football memorabilia.

The York City Programme Shop is hosting a programme fair at the Bootham Crescent social club on Sunday, April 7, from 11am to 2pm.

Fettis takes firmer grip

THE race for the Evening Press player of the year award looks set to go down to the wire.

With leader Michael Proctor suspended at Plymouth in mid-week, goalkeeper, and last year's winner, Alan Fettis closed the gap after his two-point haul from Home Park.

The man of the match award and three points went to last season's runner-up, Matt Hocking, who has now moved up on to the coat-tails of the chasing pack.

New signing Jon Parkin celebrated his permanent switch from Barnsley to Bootham Crescent by picking up the remaining point at Argyle.

Latest standings

Proctor 42pts, Fettis 41, Nogan 30, Bullock 26, Basham 17, Edmondson 16, Brass 16, Hocking 15, Fielding 12, Duffield 7, Smith 7, Cooper 6, Parkin 6, Hobson 4, Potter 4, Richardson 4, Howarth 3, Fox 1.

Tough turf task

AS we head towards the season's end, it must be hoped York City's recent pitch problems are a thing of the past.

After today's game at Cheltenham, City face a gruelling run-in of two games a week until the end of the season.

Of those 11 League games, seven are at home. There are also six reserve fixtures to play, four of them at Bootham Crescent.

On top of that, Leeds United second-string have four games at City.

If any more games were to be postponed then an already congested programme would become a severe headache.

It is already a gruelling order for the Bootham Crescent surface. The wet winters of the last two years have certainly left their mark.

Club secretary Keith Usher said it had been a major cause of frustration. He added that the club had explored every avenue in trying to improve the surface and sort out the problems but they remain largely in the laps of the gods.

In the summer, the club forked out for new drains under the pitch. Remedial work has been carried out with new turf being laid in problem areas and new links installed between existing drains.

The club has also regularly employed a verti-drain machine, which spikes the turf to help water to seep away. "We have done as much as possible and exhausted all possibilities," said Usher.

"It has simply been an unusual amount of rain that has fallen."

Usher was at pains to point out the club played no part in the decision to postpone last Saturday's home game with Bristol Rovers on Friday, almost 30 hours before kick-off.

It was the only League game in the whole of England and Scotland to be postponed.

He said: "The club has no authority to call any Football League game off and the official who comes to inspect the pitch is arranged by the Football League.

"The club has no bearing on the decision whatsoever."

A provisional further inspection had been planned for Saturday but that was not necessary after Leeds-based referee Craig Barker deemed the pitch unplayable on Friday morning.

Updated: 11:39 Saturday, March 09, 2002