York City's FA Cup dream is dead - but the club went out with heads held high in a 2-0 defeat by Premiership giants Fulham.

The team's fight against odds which were stacked massively against them reflected their supporters' determination not to lose the club.

The fans left Bootham Crescent proud of a team which would not give up.

"We did not disgrace ourselves," said Colin Fawcett from Haxby, a City supporter for more than 43 years.

"That was a team we can be proud of and that was a support that we can be proud of."

The knowledge that this could be the last big-team game at Bootham Crescent created an atmosphere which couldn't fail to impress Fulham fans.

And the fact that the whole of Terry Dolan's squad was named man of the match showed the players shared the determination to make it a spectacle to remember.

Fulham's fans draped a banner over the visiting stand proclaiming "Fulham Fans Say Save York City," a solidarity made stronger by the fact that the team now ninth from the Premiership's top only started its climb out of football's lower divisions in 1999.

"The team played with bags of heart, and the fans were great," said Nigel Mitchell, of Layerthorpe.

"People realise they could be seeing the end of York City at Bootham Crescent, and they turned out in force. Even the rival fans were great. There wasn't a bit of animosity.

The sell out game saw more than 7,000 fans inside the ground. Hundreds more were unable to get tickets. Young boys desperate to see the game perched in a tree outside the David Longhurst Memorial stand.

"Fulham were always the better side, but we certainly took the fight to them," said Richard Donkin, from Pocklington.

And Chris Wilson, 29, said it was worth every penny of his £300 flight from Cyprus.

A supporter for more than 24 years, he flew back from the RAF's island base where he works, determined not to miss the clash.

"It was definitely worth it," he said.

"The lads did us really proud. We lost, but they didn't disappoint one little bit."

Updated: 08:28 Monday, January 28, 2002