Culkin the brave

FORMER York City youth ace Nick Culkin faces the biggest screen test of his fledgling career tonight.

Goalkeeper Culkin will be the last man standing for Scottish Premier League surprise package Livingston at home to the mighty Glasgow Rangers - and all in front of the Sky Television cameras.

The game is the live match on Sky Television at 5.30pm tonight and the 23-year-old Culkin, who is on-loan at Livingston from Manchester United, will be hoping for a far less disconcerting outcome than suffered on his previous live Sky appearance.

Back last year during his season-long loan stint at Bristol Rovers he was between the posts when the Pirates conceded five goals to Cardiff.

However, despite the star-studded nature of the Gers' ranks in tonight's tussle Culkin and his new Livvy Lions team-mates will be chock-full of confidence.

Since he moved north to the West Lothian Courier Stadium on a three-month loan Culkin has been part of a side not simply unbeaten, but ramming in goals for fun as Ron Atkinson might enthuse.

With Culkin in goal on his debut, Livingston licked Aberdeen 6-1 in the third round of the CIS League Cup to set up a possible confrontation with champions Celtic. They then drew 2-2 with Aberdeen in the league before clattering Kilmarnock 5-1 last week after going down to an early goal. Currently the club lie third behind the Glasgow titans of Celtic and Rangers.

Culkin headed north to Almondvale Road to answer a Livingston S-0-S after their number one Javier Broto suffered a broken ankle.

The move also afforded Culkin valuable senior experience as his chances of capturing the Red Devils' number one slot were squeezed out by the £2million acquisition of Northern Ireland international Roy Carroll from Wigan to act as number two to World Cup winner Fabien Barthez.

Now in Culkin's sights are the Gers and a striking force that includes Norwegian international Tor Andr Flo. The York-born stopper will be out to ensure there's no flow of inspiration for tonight's big-time visitors.

ANOTHER former York City player to make the headlines is former striker Rodney Rowe.

The 26-year-old, who netted 20 goals in 90 appearances for the Minstermen before heading south to Gillingham, kept alive Hull City's promotion push with the equalising goal in the Tigers' 3-3 draw at Rushden and Diamonds.

Hull trailed 3-1 lead, only for Rowe to top their dramatic fight-back.

FOOTBALL this week mourned the death of Bertie Mee, the legendary manager of Arsenal, who guided them to their first double in 1971.

Four years later Mee was still in charge of the north London side when they entertained City in an FA Cup third round tie at Highbury. City eked out a superb 1-1 draw thanks to a Jimmy Seal goal before losing the replay 3-1 in extra time three days later at Bootham Crescent.

PICKERING Town boss Jimmy Reid will have to do without the services of coach Steve Brown after he decided to take up the role as the Minstermen's kitman.

"It is a sad loss, for me and for the club. Steve has done a marvellous job for us in the two-a-and-a-half years we've been together," said Reid.

"His coaching has been absolutely brilliant and we wish him our best."

THE bangs of Bonfire Night will still be reverberating around Bootham Crescent a day after the main event.

A City Reds fireworks party is being staged in the social club at the ground on Tuesday, November 6, starting at 6pm.

The party is free to City Red members but tickets are £2 for non-members and will be available on a first come, first served basis from the club shop.

YORK City chief Terry Dolan's ex-Huddersfield Town team-mate Frank Worthington will be the main speaker at City's sporting dinner later this year.

Held at the York Racecourse, Mike Farrell will provide the comedy for the night with David Kendall the MC. The dinner will be staged on Wednesday, December 5.

For further details, telephone on (01904) 624447 extension 4.

THE City Travel Club coach for Oxford United next Saturday leaves Bootham Crescent at 10am.

Prices are £15 for members, £17 non-members. For further details, telephone the club shop on (01904) 624447 ext 4.

STRIKE duo Lee Nogan and Michael Proctor are neck-and-neck in the race to be the Evening Press player of the year.

Nogan picked up three points from the games against Southend and Kidderminster.

A scorer in both games, he netted two points for his tireless display against Southend, and one at Kidderminster.

However, two stirring displays from Alan Fettis moved the Ireland international menacingly up the table in defence of his crown.

Third-placed Lee Bullock kept the heat on the front-runners with two-points from the Southend game, while skipper Chris Brass picked up one against the Harriers.

This season's player of the year format sees City's man of the match in each game receive three points, the second best two and the third one.

Latest standings - Michael Proctor 19; Lee Nogan 19; Lee Bullock 15; Darren Edmondson 13; John Fielding 12; Alan Fettis 10; Chris Brass 8; Russ Howarth 3; Richard Cooper 2; Graham Potter 2; Chris Smith 2; Mike Basham 1; Christian Fox 1; Matt Hocking 1.