Dolan looks to bright future

As exclusively revealed on this website the City manager yesterday kick-started the next stage of his red revolution with the departure of three strikers from Bootham Crescent.

Dolan confirmed he would not be extending striker Neil Tarrant's loan from Aston Villa when it ends on Saturday.

Also leaving the club are strikers Marc and John Williams after their contracts were terminated by "mutual consent".

Ironically, the Williams' were Dolan's chosen strikeforce for his first game in charge of City - at Plymouth back in February.

Tomorrow City are back at Home Park with only three players - Mark Sertori, Mark Bower and Kevin Hulme - who started Dolan's first game in charge likely to start again.

"It shows you the turnaround that has happened in a fairly short space of time," admitted Dolan.

"A lot has happened in the last nine months with regards to turnover of play-ers and it is no secret that come the summer there will be an even greater turnover.

"The disappointing thing is we are in a similar situation as far as the league table is concerned but I think as a club overall we are in far better shape.

"I knew when I came it wasn't going to be a case of changing it straight away. It has been a gradual process."

Dolan admitted the departure of both John and Marc Williams left him a lot happier with the size of his squad.

It now boasts 27 players, although Peter Duffield, Gary Hobson and Chris Fair-clough are all still on the injury list while Craig Skinner remains on the transfer-list.

"It is probably the first stage of trimming the squad which I said was going to happen anyway," said Dolan, who added the departures did not mean new arrivals were imminent.

"It gives people like James Turley an opportunity while John Fielding (a trainee) would have been on the bench against Darlington in midweek," he explained

"We have got to be able to create a little bit of room to bring the youngsters through and this is the start of it."

dave.stanford@ycp.co.uk