Midfield enforcer Kevin Hulme fears he may have played his last game for York City.

Hulme accepts his season is almost certainly over after being stretchered from the pitch during Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Barnet.

Medical scans have revealed that the 33-year-old has torn a medial knee ligament.

But with his contract due to expire at the end of the campaign Hulme believes his Bootham Crescent tenure could also be at an end too.

City manager Terry Dolan has already indicated he is planning a big summer clear-out when a number of players' contracts are up.

Hulme reckons he could be one of those heading out of the exit door.

Speaking to the Evening Press, he said: "I want to be there next season but having spoken to the manager on the matter it doesn't look good for me, to be fair.

"I think I will be playing elsewhere at the moment, that is the feeling I have got."

Hulme, who was signed by Dolan's predecessor Neil Thompson from Halifax Town 15 months ago, is due to see a specialist today when it will be decided whether he will have to go under the surgeon's knife.

"But even if I don't and it is just a matter of rest and recuperation I don't think I will play again this season," he said.

"The specialist has said I won't kick a ball again this season, but at the moment it is a minimum of four weeks rest, so I cannot do anything at all."

Aside from his own personal disappointment at being injured, Hulme admitted he would have loved to have been fit to try and help the Minstermen climb out of their rut.

His absence is a blow for City who, as first revealed in later editions of yesterday's Evening Press, are set to be without Hulme's fellow midfielder Christian Fox for up to seven months as he undergoes surgery to reconstruct a ligament in his knee.

"It is a case of trying to get the blend," ventured Hulme as he pondered City's current problems.

"The gaffer has had to change it from one formation to another and he is playing lads in different positions and they are not doing it for him.

"It is like he said, if players can't knock a simple pass into the channel then they don't deserve to be professional footballers.

"A lot of people are hiding at the moment when we need everyone fighting for the ball.

"That is my type of game - I will never back down from a challenge - and perhaps if we had a few more like me on the pitch we wouldn't be in the position we are in."

As if the injury was not bad enough, Hulme remains convinced he would have scored on Saturday if it had not been for the block from Barnet's Warren Goodhind that has brought his season to a near certain close.

"I shouted to Chris Iwelumo to leave it and I had a good view of the net," he recalled.

"But the lad has made up a lot of ground to be fair and when he slid in he had all his weight behind it.

"As soon as I hit it I knew something was wrong."

City reserves' Avon Insurance League Cup clash with Huddersfield Town at Bootham Crescent last night fell victim to the big freeze. The match was postponed at 5.30pm after a pitch inspection by the match referee.

* Ex-City midfielder Steve Bushell has been transfer-listed by fellow basement rivals Blackpool.

The 28-year-old Bushell left City two years ago for the Tangerines on a Bosman ruling.

He has fallen out with the Lancashire club, whom City visit in nine days' time, over a new deal.

Updated: 11:53 Thursday, January 18, 2001