SO the York City board has acted quickly for once and made the correct choice in appointing Neil Thompson as manager.

But only time will tell if they have the desire and ambition to take the much-needed step of making money available to allow him to rebuild a team which, as he puts it, have "just not been good enough".

Over the last few weeks of the season the fans have seen the effort and commitment put in by Neil Thompson and some of the players, the result of this has been support and encouragement.

Should adequate funds be made available by the board it may go a long way to providing the commitment at the club.

It will be no good thinking that we should do a lot better next season against Third Division teams.

We must take every possible step to ensure that we do. If that means taking risks by smashing our modest transfer record, or moving towards meeting some of the out of contract players wage requests, then so be it.

I know we are not a well supported club and that the money coming in falls short of that which is going out, but the time has come to take that risk.

If we don't then the gates will fall even further, and the fans' suspicions that there really is a lack of ambition at the club will be confirmed.

Who knows, there may be another 1,500 - 2,000 fans out there that would come to watch a winning side. The only way we will find out is by becoming one, and that will take money.

Andy Hunter,

Willow Lodge,

Ellerton,

York

FOUR years ago York City finished above Bradford in Division Two.

Since then City have fought relegation every year and now, have inevitably gone down.

So while Bradford face some of Europe's best teams in the Premier League, City face the real threat of non-league football.

Alan Little, who was sacked two years too late, and chairman Douglas Craig have to take the blame for this.

Quality players such as Jon McCarthy, Paul Barnes, Dean Kiely, Ray Warburton, Nigel Pepper, Darren Williams, Jon Greening, Paul Stephenson, Richard Cresswell and Marco Gabbiadini have all been given away.

Martin Garratt and Alan Pouton will probably be next.

In return we have a water-tank and a new mascot.

City have to stop selling every single good prospect.

Crewe, Stockport, Walsall and Bury prove small clubs can make it, so why can't City be ambitious Mr Craig?

Good luck 'Thommo', you'll need it!

Tim Smith,

Keble Park South,

Bishopthorpe,

YorkIT is astonishing to read comments from self-professed York City supporters that Alan Little's sacking could be to blame for City's relegation.

Unfortunately his dismissal came too late to save the club.

The club's weak chairman and his apathetic board of 'yes' men have spent too long concentrating on the club's youth policy and training facilities.

In the meantime, the first team has declined and the stadium has fallen behind the standards of our peers.

Securing the long term financial future of the club is a laudable objective, but a bit more short term planning would not have been misplaced.

The only people associated with the club who emerge from the past season with any credit are the much maligned supporters.

Dismissed as "boo boys", we at least could see what was coming and tried to do something about it.

In this we have not been helped by the local press and radio, who act only as apologists for the club management. What ever happened to objective reporting?

The comments of the Lord Mayor are surprising, but well timed and accurate.

Somebody needs to publicly state the shortcomings of the club board. One thing is for sure, no criticism will be forthcoming from the likes of Barry Parker at Radio York or Tony Kelly at the Evening Press.

Nick Martin,

Didsbury, ManchesterKEVIN KEEGAN'S Fulham departure shows again that his commitment is about as reliable as York City's defence.

Mention of City prompts me to wonder if chairman Douglas Craig will see the 1998-99 season as satisfactory? He may well do so - after all his club raked in plenty of money from transfer activity.

I also wonder if Mr Craig, his board of directors, and some of the Bootham Crescent supporters realise that at least three-dozen other lower division clubs are also struggling to survive financially. Yet, such problems haven't prevented some of them from being ambitious and successful.

Good examples are Cambridge United, Gillingham, Scunthorpe United, Wigan, and particularly Walsall. The West Midlanders were the bookmakers' favourites for relegation at the start of the season.

However, the bookies judged it right with their second favourites for relegation - York City.

Colin S Jeffrey,

East Mount Road,

YorkI UNDERSTAND that Scarborough FC are to appeal to the Football League regarding the use of an on loan goalkeeper in a crucial relegation match.

Can anyone please tell me why York City FC is not joining forces with Northampton Town to appeal against Brian Little leaving out seven regular first teamers in the match at Oldham which Oldham managed to win 1-0 thereby effectively consigning City to the Third Division?

Far be it from me to suggest that Brian Little might have been doing his brother Alan (the former City manager) a favour, but it makes you think doesn't it?

On another related subject I wish to make it known that I am now not going to kick off a campaign to rename Radio York, Radio Scarborough in the light of football at the 'Stadium of Chips' being played in the Conference League.

The number of times I have tuned in to Radio York (yes that's York) only to hear extended commentary from the coast. Can Radio York please get its priorities right.

Barry Hutchinson,

Acomb Wood Drive,

YorkI AM writing in response to Derek Smallwood's comments about York City Football Club's lack of ambition (Evening Press, May 10).

I wonder if he, along with the many others who share his view, will put his money where his mouth is next season. In other words get off his backside on a Saturday afternoon and put some money into the club by attending some games. This may give the club a chance to keep its better players.

It doesn't take a monkey, let alone a Lord Mayor, to understand that the club cannot survive without selling players.

Colin Clarke,

Milner Street,

Acomb, York

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