York City bidders John Batchelor and rival John Stabler today pledged their commitment to the Minstermen as the future of Third Division rivals Halifax Town was thrown into doubt.

City chairman Douglas Craig meanwhile has confirmed that the views of the Supporters' Trust will be taken into account when deciding on who City will be sold to.

As reported in the Evening Press, the board of directors at Halifax have put the club up for sale and have pleaded for an injection of cash or a would-be buyer to step-in.

However, motor-racing tycoon Batchelor has moved quickly to scupper suggestions he may be tempted to make a move for Halifax while his bid to buy City remains under consideration.

"I know nothing about Halifax as a club or what position financially they are in," he told the Evening Press.

"I have got enough on my mind trying to sort out a deal for York so I am not going to go chasing off down the road to Halifax.

"As far as I am concerned I am interested in York City and York City alone."

Stabler, meanwhile, has reiterated that he and bidding partner Russell Greenfield were York through and through.

"We're not in the slightest interested (in Halifax Town)," he said. "I'm a York person and our concern is about the future of professional sport in York. Halifax will have to find their own people, though we wish them all the best, of course."

Batchelor and York Wasps RL chiefs Stabler and Greenfield have both made separate bids to buy the Minstermen from chairman Craig and parent company Bootham Crescent Holdings.

The newly-formed York City Supporters' Trust have met both parties to discuss their plans for the club.

The Trust is currently weighing up both bids before deciding which one, if any, to back.

Craig, who has issued a deadline of March 31 for a deal to buy the club to be concluded, today admitted "time was of the essence".

He said: "We will give the views of the Trust the weight that they deserve.

"They will have no powers of veto but they do have the ability to influence, which was the whole point of getting them to speak to both parties involved."

Halifax co-director Ray Crabtree stressed the Shaymen's situation was not as bad as City or even Exeter, where their players had not been paid.

"This would be an inappropriate place to start discussing figures," said Crabtree.

"For anyone who is interested in an investment in the club, we are talking a relatively modest sum, we are talking a couple of hundred thousand rather than a couple of million.

"But our financial situation is nowhere near as bad as York City's, Exeter's or even Hull's last season.

"We have to look at our assets and those are our playing staff, plus, although we don't own the ground, there is a stand in the process of being built which, when completed, will offer corporate hospitality and conference facilities.

"There are several players who have attracted interest from higher clubs, but at the moment interest is all it is."

Updated: 11:46 Friday, February 15, 2002