York City's Bootham Crescent ground could be worth a ball-park figure of at least £4million if it were to be sold as building land.

Peter Moody, a partner in Hudson Moody who valued the site for the new housing development at the former Lumley Barracks alongside Bootham Crescent, said he was not able to commit himself to a precise valuation of the club's ground.

He said that any value would depend on what could be built on such a site and then whether planning authorities would be restrictive.

But in agreeing that Bootham Crescent was 'prime' building land he explained: "Development land is selling in the region of £1million an acre."

With City's ground covering an area of 4.23 acres then that would put it in the £4million-plus bracket.

The ground is owned by Bootham Crescent Holdings, whose other assets include the training ground at Wigginton Road; a property on Grovesnor Terrace, where some of the club's trainees are housed; and land near the Bumper Castle public-house on the Wigginton road, where the training complex was to be originally sited.

All those assets would command a sale closer to £5million, though Craig announced at last month's shareholders' meeting that it was the football club - entirely separate from Bootham Crescent Holdings - that was up for sale.

Meanwhile, the City chairman has declined - as yet - to answer a series of questions put to him by the Evening Press about the role of Bootham Crescent Holdings and its relationship with the football club.

The Evening Press will publish some of these questions in tomorrow's editions as part of a big preview of Monday's public meeting at the Tempest Anderson Hall, Museum Gardens, York (7.30pm).

One of the key points of the meeting will be to form a Supporters' Trust.

Fans are reminded that the hall has a capacity of 300. Entry will be on a first come, first served basis.

Updated: 12:02 Friday, January 04, 2002