York City's top goalscorer David McNiven will return to the Minstermen's starting line-up for the first time in more than six weeks at Shrewsbury Town tonight.

The ten-goal ace, who has not started a match since the 3-1 triumph over Mansfield in March, will come in for Colin Alcide.

"I am just giving Colin a rest," explained Dolan.

"It has probably been the longest run of consecutive games for Colin and he has been finishing a lot of those games whereas previously he may have been substituted and so perhaps needs a breather."

It is a perfectly-timed return to front line duties for former Oldham striker McNiven.

His contract is up at the end of the season and after an impressive start to his City career his form has faded since Christmas.

However, Dolan insisted tonight's encounter is not make or break for McNiven, nor any of the other players whose futures remain uncertain.

The City manager has revealed he has put on hold making contract decisions until after Saturday's final game of the season against Kidderminster at Bootham Crescent but then plans to work quickly.

"I want to get as much sorted between next Saturday and the Saturday after so within a week of the season finishing I have as much finalised as possible," said Dolan.

As well McNiven, the other players who contracts are up are Steve Agnew, Neville Stamp, Wayne Hall, Barry Jones, Mike Basham and Lee Nogan.

Central defender Mark Bower's loan from Bradford City is also due to come to an end while Second Division Colchester United are expected to reveal whether they plan to keep on-loan City striker Barry Conlon after Saturday.

With City's status safe, Dolan has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes for tonight with McNiven the only change.

It means City skipper Steve Agnew, who came on as a substitute at Torquay on Saturday, will have to settle for a place on the bench again.

And despite City now being safe Dolan stressed tonight's game at Gay Meadow is a far from meaningless one for the Minstermen.

A good team would go out and put in a good performance even if points are no longer vital, insisted the City chief.

He added: "I think the result on Saturday and what it meant has been a relief to everybody more than anything.

"But there is still something at stake because we want to get three more points and I want to get 53 points."

Updated: 09:32 Tuesday, May 01, 2001