York City groundsman Bryan Horner is an official grassmaster.

The devoted spade work of the City tsar of the turf has been recognised with Bootham Crescent scooping a major award.

As revealed in the Evening Press last month, City's green arena had been selected alongside Preston North End's Deepdale and the Adams Park home of Wycombe Wanderers as the leading three playing-surfaces in the Nationwide League Second Division.

Over the past few weeks, Horner and his Preston and Wycombe counterparts have been visited by Doctor Stephen Baker, head of the soils and sports surface division of the Sports Turf Research Institute at Bingley, to decide the top of the trio.

And it was Horner and City who reaped their as yet undisclosed award to ensure the Bootham Crescent trophy cabinet will have some sort of silverware this season.

Horner took charge at the Crescent in 1994 and has since overseen the development of the club's 18-acre training complex out at Wigginton.

When it was announced he had made it through to the final three, Horner paid tribute to the backing he had received from the club.

"There have been no short cuts and the club have realised that you have to put something in to get something out," he said.

Horner also praised Wilberfoss company Inturf, and their managing director Derek Edwards, for their help in keeping the pitch in tip-top shape.

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