A LITTLE over a year ago he was trying to keep his burgeoning football career alive with York City.

Now he is making waves on national television.

Andy Douglas's face is now familiar to millions as one of the stars of Channel Four's voyeuristic Shipwrecked programme.

The 'fly-on-the-wall', Big Brother-type programme charts the fortunes of a gang of 17 teenagers and twenty-somethings who have been left to survive on the deserted South Pacific island of Nuku.

Few, however, will realise Douglas was wearing the colours of the Minstermen, albeit for 90 minutes, little more than a year ago.

As reported in the Evening Press at the time, Douglas played in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Scarborough at the City training ground in January last year.

Douglas, then 19, was a first year professional with Sheffield Wednesday at the time but was told he was going to be released at the end of the season.

Douglas, whose brother, Stuart, plays for Luton, impressed in the 2-1 win over the Seasiders but Neil Thompson, who was then in charge at City, didn't follow up his interest in the youngster.

Douglas has no doubt spent some of his time on the idyllic island, surrounded by soft white sand and a sea of turquoise water, contemplating what might have been.

Given City's current troubles, its hard to believe he will have many regrets.

NEWS filtered through this week that former York City favourite Paul Barnes is making tentative strides towards a possible coaching career.

The ex-City strike ace is struggling for a first team berth at Second Division strugglers Bury.

And while Barnes has yet to hang up his boots, he is obviously making preparations for when his playing career comes to an end.

Barnes is working his way through the various FA coaching schemes and has already joined the coaching staff at Gigg Lane, where he is passing on his tips from the top to youngsters involved in the club's centre of excellence.

Former City player Shaun Reid, meanwhile, has joined the coaching staff at Second Division Swindon.

The gritty midfielder donned the captain's armband during his Bootham Crescent tenure which stretched from 1988 to 1992 and resulted in around 150 appearances.

Reid, brother to Sunderland boss Peter, was previously serving as number two at Carlisle United before linking up with Andy King at Swindon. He had also previously worked as a coach at Chester City.

CROCKED City midfielder Christian Fox endured arguably the most important fixture of his burgeoning career yesterday.

The teenager finally underwent surgery to reconstruct the cruciate ligament in his knee.

It promises to be a long haul back for the youngster, who was due to go into hospital a couple of weeks ago only for the operation to be cancelled at the 11th hour.

He is not expected to return to the fray until pre-season at the earliest but if Fox can reproduce the diligence he shows on the pitch in his fight for fitness there can be no doubt he will make a full recovery.

LIVERPOOL supporters insist their team will Never Walk Alone and nor will a group of hardy Hartlepool fans next week.

The 15 supporters, including club mascot H'Angus the Monkey, will be walking from Hartlepool to York during the three days leading up to next Saturday's game at Bootham Crescent.

The walk is in aid of John Robert Collingwood, a former Hartlepool trainee, who was involved in a car crash and is now paralysed from the neck down.

Day one will see the Hartlepool fans walk to Northallerton, then on to Easingwold on day two before walking the final stretch to Bootham Crescent on day three.

Yorkie the Lion will be joining them for the final leg from the Riverside Pub, on the outer ring road, to the ground.

The walkers will be introduced to the crowd during half-time at the game.

THE York City Supporters' club had double cause for celebration this week.

The club's membership drive has seen its total break the 700 barrier to stand at 702.

The group is striving for 1500 signed-up supporters to earn fan representation on the City board.

The Supporters' Club also toasted success of sorts in the first leg of the 11th David Longhurst Challenge.

The annual sports and general knowledge quiz will now take place over two legs following the decision of Hull fans to pull out of this year's competition.

The first round of brain teasers went ahead in their absence and saw City tie with Scarborough on 197 points each.

But the top team on the night, the Fired Phiffers Fearsome Follies, were from York, giving City something to crow about.

The second and now final leg of the quiz will be staged on April 26 at the Bootham Crescent social club.

dave.stanford@ycp.co.uk