THE fight to save York City Football Club took its first significant stride forward today.

A public meeting giving fans a chance to have their say on the future of the club has been arranged for Monday, January 7, 2002.

It will be held in Tempest Anderson Hall, Museum Gardens, York, starting at 7.30pm, after City of York Council agreed to make the venue available.

The meeting will give supporters their first opportunity to come together, voice their concerns and put forward their ideas for the future of the football club since last week's shock announcement that City was being put up for sale.

Today's announcement of a date and venue for a public debate follows a meeting co-ordinated by the Evening Press and held in our Walmgate offices this morning.

In attendance were Ray Wynn, Robert Havercroft, Stan Collins and Steve Beck as representatives of York City Supporters' Club, and Paul Rawnsley, a City fan with specialist knowledge of football finances through his work with Deloitte and Touche, City director Josh Easby, who also edits the There's Only One Arthur Bottom electronic newsletter, City fan Joe Haining, who has in-depth knowledge of Supporters' Direct and Supporters' Trust initiatives, also took part.

Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Footballer Supporters' Association, was invited but the bad weather meant he was unable to attend.

Evening Press Sports Editor Martin Jarred chaired the meeting, organised to get the campaign to save the Minstermen up and running.

"Hopefully, the public meeting will answer a lot of the fans' questions and look for the best way forward for the club," said Jarred.

One possible outcome of next month's meeting could see fans agreeing to form a Supporters' Trust to take over the running of the club.

Time is of the essence, however.

Having put the club up for sale last week, the City board, who have announced they will step down at the end of the season, have issued a deadline of January 17, 2002 for interested parties to make contact.

As revealed in the Evening Press this week, a Manchester-based business consortium has already expressed an interest in the club.

Chairman Douglas Craig has also confirmed he had received three inquiries from prospective buyers - including two from abroad.

Flamingo Land co-owner Gordon Gibb and local businessman Adam Sinclair, whose father, Michael, was chairman of the club from 1978 to 1991, have also shown an interest in taking over City.

- City's match this afternoon at home to Shrewsbury was set to go ahead despite last night's freezing temperatures and light snow.

City secretary Keith Usher said that no inspection was planned and the pitch was fit for play.

Updated: 12:00 Saturday, December 29, 2001