Kick-off to a new era

ON THE WAY OUT: Alan Little leaves Bootham Crescent for the last time after a discussion with Andy McMillan (left)

A new reign, a new era beckons for the Minstermen now that the six-year command of Alan Little has ended in that four-letter word every manager dreads - sack.

For the present Neil Thompson is the man in charge. His stewardship may be of the caretaker variety, but he is installed in the hot-seat. As such he has a significant advantage over would-be contenders, whose merits and demerits will be rigorously dissected in the next few weeks.

And his efforts to secure the job on a permanent basis were never more emphasised than by his double swoop in the transfer market to bring former Leeds star defender Chris Fairclough in on loan and spend £30,000 on Wales 'B' striker Marc Williams.

Other names as manager have already been floated in speculative air and until a decision is made then that uncertainty and second-guessing will continue.

Chairman Douglas Craig said there would be no immediate push for a permanent successor to Little so as to ensure complete focus on the job of getting the win the club so desperately needs, hopefully starting with today's visit by Wigan Athletic. That makes sense, as does any delay while new recruits are delivered between now and next Thursday's transfer deadline.

It may well be that City might want to wait until the end of the season as by then they would know which division they would be in, so parlous is their present plight after the ten-game run without a win that eventually brought about Little's downfall. That ploy has its dangers, none more than that of potential missed opportunity.

In charge then, Thompson deserves the utmost support he can muster. He has inherited a difficult situation and has only been at the club himself for just over a year.

Initially on the field his influence has been considerable. In the backroom his impact has increased steadily. Everyone who was at the fans' forum, at which the news of Little's sacking was so dramatically relayed, had to be impressed by the cool manner of Thompson.

At the outset of his career he recovered from a setback at the lowest level to flourish in the top strata. A quick and willing learner he has the capacity to transfer that success to his new direction. It could be hail to the Neil king sooner than expected.

WHAT of the old king? Alan Little's exit, if not altogether surprising, was nonetheless stunning in its timing.

Few of the 300 or so supporters at the fans' forum would have put money on him not being there. He certainly expected to be in the firing line as he candidly disclosed in the mournful moments after the 4-2 fall at Notts County a week ago.

Instant reaction of war-whoops and applause did not do credit to those fans who hollered, however much aggrieved they might have felt about the man.

In support of the 'friend' he had just sacked City chairman Douglas Craig vehemently lambasted the celebrants. His listing of the finer points of Little's reign quickly restored the balance and provoked acclaim from the meeting, no mean achievement.

And the subject of the week that was, proved to be a model of dignity and integrity as he bade farewell to a club he had served for more than a decade.

His parting statements were not laced with wrath, or regret, or recrimination.

His desire was for the club to regain an upswing in fortunes for which he had strived so hard without success in the past ten weeks of woe. That took courage and character, qualities Alan Little always displayed in his City rule.

IF City's beleaguered rearguard - so far only Burnley have proved more brittle - could show the defence which chairman Douglas Craig made for the axed Alan Little.

His was the sincere tribute of a friend, a regard for whom he termed a 'good guy'.

But again the chairman did himself no favours during large spells of the second fans' forum at Queen Anne's School.

There is more than an element of truth in one fan's verdict that the venue was a fitting one for someone who addressed the assembly as if talking to 'scolded schoolchildren'.

And Craig's comments about the late Robert Gibb, a potential major investor in the club before Craig succeeded Michael Sinclair as chairman were uncalled for, unwarranted, and unsuitable.

SOME 24 hours after the heated forum, temperatures rose even higher at Bootham Crescent, where City's combative colts continued their love affair with the FA Youth Cup.

If there is a trophy for pluck then the names of the City youngsters would already be at the engravers.

Against West Ham, reckoned favourites for the competition, City did not know the meaning of second-best, and refused to embrace the idea that they were on their way out as they trailed 1-0 with just four minutes left.

Christian Fox rescued them with the sort of strike every schoolboy dreams of and then, when he was sent off and the Hammers awarded a penalty, goalkeeper John Mohan intervened with a stunning save to set up a replay at Upton Park in four night's time.

Almost as worthy too was the dearth of criticism from chairman Douglas Craig, whose previous disapproving tones were slammed during the fans' forum. Encouragement was the name of the day and never better deserved.

SHOULD those wannabe stars of the City youth side ever dip in their ambition they should take a leaf out of the book of current first-team goal chief Richard Cresswell.

In a sound testament to his striking talent Cresswell was retained in the England under-21 squad for next week's Euro 2000 qualifier against Poland at Southampton's ground.

Just last month Cresswell became the player in City history to net major England recognition. Yet several seasons ago he too was an Intermediates' regular.

As City's head of youth development Adie Shaw is constantly reminding his young charges, the rewards are there for hard work.The scouts were there too. Among the spectators for the West Ham tie were representatives of Arsenal, Everton, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and soon to be in the Premiership, Sunderland.

THERE was one observer at the youth cup-tie who was arguably more exultant than stand-firm goalkeeper John Mohan.

Malcolm Huntington, one-time Evening Press chief sports writer, was thrilled at the replay. It enables him now to see a City team in action at Upton Park, thereby completing a full house of arenas in which he has witnessed his favourite club play.

NOT everyone who intended to take in the attractive FA Youth Cup tie reached their destination.

Among a quartet who did not make it to Bootham Crescent was Evening Press field sales executive Barry Sellers. As they indulged in some pre-match refreshment within walking distance of the Crescent someone remarked how they thought they were bound for the match. 'Yes,' was the reply. "But we've got plenty of time. It's only 20 past seven."

Back came the observer reading the back page of the Evening Press. "But it says in here - and the Press is always right - that the game kicks off at 7pm." Faces redder than City's shirts all round then Baz.

YORKSHIRE Television came under fire at the fans' forum.

Why, asked one indignant supporter, did the regional channel signally fail to adequately cover the Minstermen.

While City's weekend goals - scored and against - featured in the round-up slot on YTV's 'Goals On Sunday' programme the club had not appeared as the main match in which more extensive highlights are shown. As Lloyd Grosman might drone: 'YTV - it's over to you."

FURTHER proof that technology is not all it's cracked up to be was visibly displayed at Notts County last week.

The Magpies' electronic scoreboard individually named each player in the City line-up. But unless they were a Rowe or a Jones or a Reed then they literally suffered short shrift.

For instance at number 1 was 'A. Warring', followed by 'A. McMilla', 'G. Connell', 'R. Cresswe' and, bizarrely of all, 'M. Tinkle'. Better sticking to the programme.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.