York's Lord Mayor today launched a scathing attack on York City chairman Douglas Craig following the club's shock relegation to the Third Division. Coun Derek Smallwood claimed York City's ambition seemed to die when Mr Craig took over from Michael Sinclair in 1990.

He said the club always seemed to be selling its best players, and even questioned whether the right man had gone when Alan Little was sacked as manager earlier this season.

The Lord Mayor, who would normally steer away from controversy during his term of office, spoke out after York were thrashed 4-0 at Manchester City in front of the Lancashire club's biggest crowd for five years, dropping the Minstermen into the relegation zone for the first time all season.

On one of the worst days in North Yorkshire's football history, Scarborough tumbled from Division Three to lose their status after 12 years in the Football League"I feel it's a very disappointing time for the fans and also for the city," said Coun Smallwood.

"If a football team does well, so does the city."

Councillor Smallwood said he used to be a regular spectator at York games when Michael Sinclair was chairman.

"I have to say that when Mr Sinclair went and the new chairman took over, the ambition of the club seemed to die and so did my enthusiasm."

He said that every time the club had a good player, it sold him - a reference to the sale of stars such as Richard Cresswell, who went to Sheffield Wednesday earlier this season, of Jonathan Greening, who left last season for Manchester United, and also previously of players such as winger Jon McCarthy and striker Paul Barnes.

"It seems so unfair to the fans who spend their money to go and see the team if the ambition isn't there at the very top.

"I just wonder whether the wrong fellow went when the manager went."

Mr Craig said today: "Smallwood is entitled to his opinion. Whether he should place the Lord Mayor's office in this situation is a matter for his judgement."

He strongly denied suggestions that the club did not have ambitions, but said that it had to remain viable.

It had won promotion under the current board but had unfortunately now been relegated. "The big difference is that we are being relegated with sufficient financial backing to remain viable.

"If you are running an organisation where losses are between £300,000 and £400,000 per annum, the only way to remain viable is to sell. And if someone is good enough to play in a higher division, we don't have the right to deprive them of such an opportunity."

York City President and Ryedale MP John Greenway said he understood fans' frustrations, but felt the vast majority understood the club's position.

He added: "York are perfectly capable of bouncing back next season.

York MP Hugh Bayley said simply: "We will fight our way back. I predict that next season will be our last in the Third Division."

Scarborough MP Lawrie Quinn said that if the team could show the same "gutsy determination" next season they could come straight back into the Third Division.

Dismay and anger as City relegated

by Janet Hewison

There was a mixture of dismay and resignation on the streets at the news of York City's relegation to Division Three.

While there was debate about whether Alan Little, now manager at Southend, should have been sacked, the message to York City's directors which came through loud and clear from supporters was that more money should be spent on players.

Duane McCue, 17, from Stamford Bridge, was at the game at Maine Road on Saturday when the news came through.

He said: "It's terrible really - everything went wrong for them. I didn't expect Wycombe and Oldham to win."

Duane, a student at All Saints' RC School in York, put the defeat down to "getting rid of all the good players" and now hoped the club would hold on to its team to help them get back into the Second Division next year.

Sales assistant Andrew Lambeth, 20, from Heworth, said: "I was annoyed because basically they are too good to go down.

"City has the potential to be a decent club but the board need to buy more decent players.

"They need more fans and more support. You can't blame Alan Little because he was a good manager."

Insurance clerk Gary Foster, 20, from Haxby, said Alan Little should not have been sacked.

"They always seem to do well then go back again - they take one step forward then two steps back," he said.

But Meika Wilson, assistant manageress at the Golden Fleece in Pavement, disagreed.

"They got rid of Alan Little too late in the season. He should have gone a long time ago.

"I was quite gutted - I know a lot of the players and I was surprised - they usually manage to scrape back most seasons." Meika, 24, said what the club needed now was more money to spend.

Oaklands School pupil James Etherington, said he had been upset because the team had done well at the beginning of the season.

"They should have got rid of the manager earlier - they are good enough but they need to start to pull together more," said the 14-year-old from Acomb. "They need to find more money for more players."

John Willsden, 71, also from Acomb, went along with that."They won't spend money on players. The directors should put their hands in their pockets a bit more and splash out," he said.

His son Mick, 37, said: "It was a shame to see the way it happened but every time they get a decent player, they're snapped up."

see COMMENT 'City deserves better than this'

see SPORT 'Down!: Determined Tommo vows to wield axe'

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