NEW commercial manager Gary Hall's generous gesture to help out the club he loves for no financial reward is just the kind of spirit York Wasps need to survive.

Now he is hoping other fans may follow his lead by using their expertise to aid the cash-strapped club.

"I've got a little bit of expertise and I will give it my best shot. I'm sure there are other people out there who have got expertise they can put in," he said.

"There is a lot of interest in York Rugby League and that just needs harnessing again."

Hall, 46, has supported the Wasps since he was a youngster when he used to stand on the terraces at Clarence Street. For 26 years he never missed a home match.

He is now a successful international sales executive for a large Oxfordshire-based company, a job which takes him on trips around the world several times a year.

But he still makes a point of getting to Huntington Stadium whenever he can. And he has decided to put the skills he has learned to good use by helping the Wasps in their hour of need.

Hall has put together a range of sponsorship packages ranging from the main shirt sponsor through to advertising hoardings, players, matches and match ball sponsors and programme advertising.

He will be approaching national companies in a bid to get some high-profile backing and has already got off the mark by selling his first perimeter board advert in his first week.

The York Wasps Summer Draw will take place in the bar after tomorrow's game at 6pm.

Please bring all tickets to ensure you have a chance of winning one of the fabulous prizes which include a mountain bike, colour television supplied by York electrical company Herbert Todd, and first class rail travel to London.

The Supporters Club will also be giving out voting slips for the player of the year at the match.

They will be available around the ground and in the bar and must be handed in on the same day.

With three games to go, the race is on for the title of York's top try-scorer for the 2000 season.

Craig Booth with nine and Mark Cain with eight were the run-away leaders but, with both now departed to pastures new, which of the current bunch are in contention?

There is a three-way tie for top spot between Andrew Lambert, Spencer Hargrave and Andy Hill who have all scored five. They are closely followed by Darren Callaghan and Max Ryce with four and Matt Woodcock on three.

IT'S a wonder doctors in Featherstone haven't been besieged with an unusually high number of requests for hearing aids and ear plugs this season.

I'm all for a bit of music to gee the fans into action but the PA system at Lionheart Stadium last week was of deafening proportions.

Each Fev try was met with a grimace in the press box - not because they was adding to the Wasps woes but because they were followed by another blast of ear-shattering music.

Most interesting were the goalkicks which prompted the playing of The Osmonds' number Crazy Horses, accompanied by audience participation. Just one question - why?

POOR York Academy wrote themselves into the records books for all the wrong reasons at Featherstone last week. Rovers' 84-4 success was their biggest ever Academy win.

Despite the scoreline it was still a brave effort from the York lads. They never gave up trying and were rewarded with a fine consolation try from winger Richard Scott well into the second half.

Maybe now all the amateur competitions are over, and coach Dean Thomas finally has a full-strength squad, they will start reaping the benefits.

Featherstone's victory over York last week was followed by a 12-month contract extension for Rovers coach Peter Roe to keep him at the Lionheart Stadium until the end of the 2001 season.

dianne.hillaby@ycp.co.uk