JANUARY has been a particularly testing month for everyone concerned with York City.

The tension on Tuesday night against Carlisle was as harrowing as the match was uninspiring.

In the past, the fans at Bootham Crescent have come in for criticism for their failure to back the team and venting their frustration at the earliest opportunity.

Indeed, not long back former City chief Alan Little, during his time in charge at Southend, admitted visiting managers knew if they could keep things tight for the first 30 minutes or so the home support would turn and the confidence would crumble.

It has been particularly refreshing then to hear the fans getting behind the players in spite of recent performances.

Of course, there have been growing grumblings of discontent but they have largely been saved for the final whistle.

The noise and positive vibes generated on Tuesday night in particular far outweighed the excitement and can only help the players as they try to get back on track.

Long may it continue.

GEORGE Clegg, the Manchester United striker who has played a couple of games for City's reserves recently, underlined his potential this week.

Clegg scored two goals as the Red Devils' second string, including former City player Jonathan Greening, strolled to a 3-0 win over Leeds United at Bury's Gigg Lane on Thursday.

Clegg could be back in City colours on Wednesday when City reserves welcome Sheffield United to Bootham Crescent.

BOOTHAM Crescent was awash with trench coats on Tuesday night.

Surprisingly for a match against two of the three bottom clubs in the Football League, a mini-army of scouts and managers took a watching brief.

Not only are they instantly recognisable by their standard issue jackets but also by the fact they always leave at least ten minutes before the full-time whistle.

The list included: David Hodgson, the former Darlington manager, ex-City boss and now Scarborough chief Neil Thompson, current Quakers assistant manager Jim Montgomery, ex-Chesterfield supremo John Duncan, former City defender and Hull assistant Kevan Smith, Wigan manager Bruce Rioch, Stoke City coach Peter Shirtliff, Everton coach Archie Knox and Bobby Mimms, the ex-City keeper.

IN the aftermath of Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Carlisle, manager Terry Dolan admitted he feared the worst as David McNiven stepped up to take his first-half penalty.

McNiven's spot-kick was saved by Cumbrian 'keeper Matt Glennon and ensured the Minstermen had to settle for a point.

"To be honest, he only took a couple of steps in his run up and I wasn't too confident," confided the City chief.

"We've not had many this season and I think it is the first one David has taken.

"But he's been practising in training and he is always the first to say if we get a penalty 'I'll take it'."

Needless to say, the City players were practising their penalties in training and it was perhaps no surprise that McNiven found the back of the net every time.

THIS week's performances and results have done little to lift the gloom at Bootham Crescent.

The one genuine ray of light has been the rise to prominence of youngsters Leigh Wood and Scott Emmerson.

Their promotion to the first team has certainly enhanced the duo's prospects of earning a contract come the end of the season.

Together with the rest of the second-year trainees, Wood and Emmerson will soon learn whether they will be released, kept on to serve the final year of their scholarship or seconded to the senior ranks permanently.

While the prospect of the latter must be good, Wood for one is certainly taking nothing for granted.

"It could go either way so it is a good opportunity to impress people," he insisted.

And certainly the club are doing their utmost to keep the level-headed youngster's feet on the ground.

After his promising debut against Blackpool a mini-army of journalists waited hoping to have a word with the youngster as the players left the dressing room.

No such luck. While his team mates made their way to the bus, Wood was left behind to clear up the kit.