THE man charged with turning York City from goalscoring zeroes to heroes has hailed the spirit at Bootham Crescent as second to none.

And while it might be a number that most superstitious footballers dread, Peter Duffield is positively basking in the number 13.

York marks the diminutive poacher's 13th club in a 13-year career that has taken him the length and breadth of England and Scotland.

But the buoyant atmosphere at Bootham Crescent is by far the best he has ever experienced.

The 31-year-old said: "I have been at quite a few clubs in my time and this has been the quickest I have been able to settle in.

"The lads are a good set, there is a good blend of youth and experience and there are players who have done it but are not 'Billy-big' times about it.

"We are just looking forward to getting started."

Duffield is one of four new faces whom manager Terry Dolan has brought in during the summer.

He has been joined on the Minstermen's roll call by wing back Graham Potter from West Brom, defender Gary Hobson from Chester, and striker David McNiven, who was released by Oldham.

After missing out on promotion with Darlington last season, Duffield is hopeful that he will be able to go one better with a well-balanced City.

"You need to have a blend of youth and experience in this division," he said.

"If you look at all the teams that went up last season they did have that experience in key areas.

"At York we have got Steve Agnew, Peter Swan and Chris Fairclough amongst others.

"In the last five minutes and you're 1-0 up someone like Steve Agnew, who is very experienced, can put his foot on the ball and keep it.

"The perfect example was when Darlington played here last season.

"Kevin Hulme got sent off but Aggers got hold of the ball and started spraying it around and at times it looked like York had the 11 men and Darlington had just ten.

"The last dozen games of last season gave the fans hope and we would like to build on that.

"We have got to learn from things and go on to the next step.

"Last year York tightened up at the back which they had to do but that sometimes takes things away from the forwards. Hopefully the balance will be addressed this year."

Duffield's small stature and amiable demeanour deflect from a fierce, unswerving determination to find the back of the opposition's net.

And the fact the pressure will be on to resurrect the Minstermen's fortunes in front of goal - last season a shot-shy City scored just 39 goals - holds no fear.

"It's either goals or nothing with me and that's okay, if people only remember my goals then fair enough. That is what has got me my move here, my goals rather than my football," he explained.

"I can play well and not score and people will say 'Duffield was quiet' or I can have an absolute nightmare and score a goal and people will say 'Duffield had a great game today'. That seems to follow me around."

Despite not setting himself a target for the season, Duffield admitted such is the competition up front that he cannot afford a sluggish start to the season in front of goal.

"There's no guarantee I will start at Chesterfield because there is so much competition here. At the end of the day, there are only two lads who can play up front together at the same time.

"If I don't score the other boys will be knocking and so I have got make sure I am playing well and giving 100 per cent."

Fellow frontman David McNiven could have been carved from the same mould as Duffield. The bustling former Oldham striker has signed a one-year deal after also underlining his goal threat in pre-season.

Two goals, including a stunning winner against Marske United, were enough to convince Dolan that McNiven deserved a prolonged stay, and he caught the eye again as a second-half substitute against North Ferriby.

It seems that McNiven will serve as Duffield's understudy for the season, but his arrival brings City's attacking options to eight alongside Barry Conlon, Colin Alcide, John Williams, James Turley, Mark Sertori and Marc Williams.

Not that forward thinking has occupied all of Dolan's summer rebuild.

With defenders Mark Bower and Peter Hawkins returning to their Premiership clubs after successful loan spells at the end of last season, filling the left-sided void topped City's list of priorities.

Step forward former England Under-21 international Potter, 25, who in his wing-back role will be charged with delivering the crosses that Duffield and co will thrive on.

Former Hull man Hobson, 27, bares more than a passing resemblance to Bradford's Bower and like the young defender is a left-sided central defender by trade.

PICTURES: Top - THREE MUSKETEERS: York City new signings Graham Potter (left), Peter Duffield and Gary Hobson take a break from training

Bottom - UP FRONT: David McNiven, understudy to Peter Duffield