YORK City boss Terry Dolan today revealed utility player Marc Thompson is not part of his long-term plans.

The City boss, who handed Thompson his Football League debut when he arrived at the club in February 1999, has confirmed the 19-year-old's contract will not be renewed when it runs out at the end of the season.

Although he remains contracted to the Minstermen and will play for the reserves in tonight's game with Blackpool, Dolan said Thompson is free to fix himself up with another club.

Thompson burst onto the City scene after making his debut at Plymouth Argyle in Dolan's first game in charge.

Still only a second-year trainee at the time, he became an integral part of Dolan's team as it staved off the threat of relegation and was crowned the club's first players' young player of the season.

His form earned him a two-year professional contract and for a time the York-born youngster looked set to become an established Bootham Crescent star.

However, Thompson's progress was hampered last season due to injury when he made just 13 starts.

This season Thompson has fallen further down the pecking order at Bootham Crescent.

He has failed to make an appearance in the first team and has been named in the senior squad just once when he was an unused sub in the first round FA Cup tie at Colchester.

Dolan told the Evening Press: "He is not in my long term plans.

"I just feel Marc hasn't made the progress that we had hoped for and if he can get himself fixed up with another club we won't stand in his way."

Dolan also confirmed today Richard Cooper will be suspended for the eagerly anticipated Boxing Day derby clash with Hull City at Bootham Crescent.

Cooper picked up his fifth booking of the season in Saturday's 2-0 FA Cup victory over Reading and must now watch the tussle with the Tigers from the stands.

The Boxing Day clash looks certain to give the Bootham Crescent coffers a timely boost after it was confirmed the Tigers have sold all their allocation of tickets.

Hull were given 3,700 tickets for the game, which were snapped up within a week of going on sale at Boothferry Park.

City's squad could also be given a timely boost tonight with striker Peter Duffield set for his first competitive action since breaking his leg for a second time at the start of the season.

Duffield is named alongside Thompson in the starting line-up for tonight's reserves team encounter with Blackpool at Bootham Crescent, kick-off 7pm.

After breaking his leg in September last year, the former Darlington hitman was just making his way back to full fitness when he suffered another break in a freak training ground accident in August.

City reserves: Howarth, Rhodes, Wise, Hocking, Stamp, Thompson, Fox, O'Kane, Darlow, Mathie, Duffield

Subs: Collinson, Emmerson, Davies, Vasey, Ibbetson.

Former Chelsea and Swansea boss John Hollins was today expected to be named as the new manager of City's Third Division rivals Rochdale, who entertain the Minstermen on December 22.

David Hamilton, who has been caretaker manager following Steve Parkin's departure for Barnsley, is expected to take over as first-team coach with Jamie Hoyland reverting to his duties with the youth team.

Updated: 09:21 Wednesday, December 12, 2001