York City fans are being urged to step forward and offer their skills to set up a Supporters' Trust.

The club is in dire financial straits and faces closure at the end of the season unless a buyer can be found or some body, like a Supporters' Trust, comes forward to offer to run the club.

A Save City Committee is being formed at a public meeting at the Tempest Anderson Hall, Museum Gardens, York, next Monday (7.30pm) and wants to set up a Supporters' Trust to run the Bootham Crescent club.

Nominations for the committee are being sought ahead of the meeting to speed up the process.

The committee is looking for a group of people with the relevant skills to put themselves forward to help take the Trust and the Save City campaign forward.

They are particularly looking for those with financial, business, marketing, legal and secretarial skills as well as people with a football background.

City fan Paul Rawnsley, an accountant who has specialist knowledge of football finances and works in the football industry, will chair Monday's meeting.

He said: "Just because people aren't on the committee doesn't mean they can't contribute. Everyone has a part to play."

When the Trust is formed, democratic elections will take place.

Anyone who feels they can help can contact the Evening Press by writing to Sports Editor Martin Jarred at Sports Desk, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN, fax 01904 628239 or e-mail using the link above.

Their nomination should include a brief resume will require a seconder and should arrive no later than noon on the day of the public meeting.

The nominations will be collected by members of York City Supporters' Club and presented to the meeting.

It will still be possible for people to be nominated at the meeting to seek election for the committee.

Chesterfield chairman Ian Yeowart, who lives in Earswick, has agreed to speak at Monday's meeting about setting up a Supporters' Trust with the backing of Supporters Direct.

Dave Boyle, research officer of Supporters' Direct, has also been invited the speak.

Yeowart, who is on the look out for a new manager at Saltergate after Spireites boss Nicky Law took charge at Bradford City on New Year's Eve, has already urged York fans to follow the Supporters' Trust blueprint.

"It bridges the divisions among all the supporters," he said.

Each member at Chesterfield has just one vote, no matter how much money they have put forward, with nine being elected to the board.

Every three years, the board stands for re-election, while the chairman is elected from within.

Updated: 08:55 Wednesday, January 02, 2002