Fans' favourite Barry Jones is banking on a red rise to spark a permanent return to the York City fold.

The City defender has been a notable omission from the starting line-up over the last two months.

Jones, 30, has even struggled to earn a place on the bench in recent weeks and with his contract up at the end of the season looked to be heading out of the Bootham Crescent exit door.

However, manager Terry Dolan has always insisted no player's future has been decided and last night Jones, voted City's player of the year for the last two seasons, made a surprise return to the team.

While the 1-0 defeat at the hands of Division Three leaders Chesterfield stretched City's losing streak to five games Jones believes the future looks brighter - for both him and the team.

"It was a surprise to come back but all along I have been trying to do the right thing, even when I was playing in the reserves," he said.

"All I have got to do now is every time I put a York City shirt on is give 100 per cent. I am not the greatest player skill wise but I will always give 100 per cent and that is all I can do."

Updated: 11:27 Wednesday, January 24, 2001