York City boss Terry Dolan was hoping to add a touch of international class to his red ranks today by landing 'keeper Alan Fettis.

RULED OUT: City's hot prospect Christian Fox, seen taking on Exeter's Kofi Nyamah last Saturday, will miss the trip to Peterborough after sustaining a foot injury in training

And the City chief's Bootham Crescent rebuilding work looks set to continue with a total of four trialists, including former Leeds United player Peter Swan, featuring for the reserves in their home encounter with Shrewsbury Town tonight.

As first mooted in the Evening Press on Saturday, Dolan was expecting to sign the vastly experienced Northern Ireland shot stopper Fettis until the end of the season.

No fee will be involved in bringing him from Blackburn Rovers and should the deal finally go through Fettis will come straight into the side for Saturday's trip to Peterborough.

Dolan admitted he had been monitoring the goalkeeping situation at Bootham Crescent after an injury to Bobby Mimms last month left him short of cover in the number one position.

Teenager Russ Howarth is rated highly by the club and put in a solid showing in Saturday's 0-0 draw at home to Exeter.

However, he is still only 17 years of age, while Fettis certainly fits the bill in terms of top-flight experience.

The 29-year-old, who will be out of contract at Ewood Park at the end of the season, has been capped more than 20 times by Northern Ireland.

He began his career with Dolan at Hull City before spells at West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest.

He is currently fourth choice at Blackburn, however, behind Alan Kelly, John Filan and Alan Miller, a recent £70,000 recruit from West Bromwich Albion.

Earlier this season, Fettis spent a period on loan at Worthington Cup winners Leicester City.

Dolan, who revealed young midfielder Christian Fox is definitely out of Saturday's trip to London Road with a foot injury, admitted he was very hopeful of finally getting his man.

"I brought him through at Hull City so from a point of view of knowing the lad there is no problem. He is an international 'keeper who has suffered from a lack of first team football over the years because he has been number two at Nottingham Forest and Blackburn. He wants first team football."

Fettis would be the latest in a string of Dolan recruits from near the pinnacle of the footballing pyramid, following in the loan steps of Bradford City's Mark Bower and Wimbledon's Peter Hawkins.,

Should City ever need an emergency striker Fettis could also come in handy - he scored two goals for Hull City in the 1994-95 season.

Mimms will now play in goal for City's second string in their Pontin's League division one encounter with Shrewsbury at Bootham Crescent tonight, kick-off 7pm.

The match will give Dolan another chance to check on Newcastle United full-back Paul Arnison and Pontefract Collieries midfielder Richard Merchant.

Both youngsters featured for the reserves in last week's 3-0 defeat at Lincoln.

Also playing tonight will be Newcastle United left-sided midfielder Paul Talbot, 21, and the vastly experienced Swan, 33, who was released by Burnley last week.

"He will play tonight and will probably train with us for a couple of days," said Dolan on Swan, who will play at centre-half but can also play as a striker.

City Reserves (v Shrewsbury, at Bootham Crescent, kick-off 7pm): Mimms, Arnison, Reed, Rennison, Swan, Dawson, Merchant, Garratt, Talbot, M Williams, J Williams, Marshall, Turley, Walters, Hakami, Collinson.

l City players Barry Conlon and Matt Hocking will be in attendance at a Junior Reds evening of fun and games tonight, in the Smarties Room at Bootham Crescent, from 6pm to 8pm.

l The quality and value of York City's match day programme has been recognised.

The programme, edited by City's commercial manager James Richardson, has come joint fourth in Programme Monthly's annual Division Three awards.

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