SYMMETRY strikes York City today. Precisely one year on from eking out a draw away to Gillingham the Minstermen were back at the Gills' Priestfield Road outpost.

And the record of points garnered before this afternoon's visit to Kent is almost identical to that of 12 months ago.

City entered the Gills' home on 34 points, just three adrift of their total a year ago before they shared the honours in a goal-less draw.

Anything from this afternoon's reprise would nudge City nearer the 50 points mark that manager Alan Little regards as City's first and foremost target.

"Once you get 50 points you can then think about what's going to happen. It's the benchmark to work from. The quicker we get to that total then obviously we can look to a higher finish."

Last season though he will remember how City got to 50 points courtesy of a Richard Cresswell winner in the 2-1 triumph at Bristol Rovers in the second week of March.

But from the next five games City mustered just one more point and play-off promise, albeit thin, perished to be replaced by a brief appearance of the relegation spectre.CITY officials admitted they were caught unawares by the number of Preston fans at Bootham Crescent a week ago.

Pre-match forecasts suggested a following of between 1,000-1,500, but the Lancashire club contingent was a substantial 2,400.And that yielded a healthy treble for the club not experienced for more than five seasons.

The 5,744 attendance was the third successive Bootham Crescent gate to top 5,000 following on from the 7,527 for Manchester city and 5,630 for Burnley.

The last time City managed such a welcome three-timer was at the tail-end of the 1993-94 season, the first in Division Two.

That Bootham Crescent sequence drew crowds of 5,740, 8,642 and 5,894 for the respective visits of Blackpool, Burnley and Wrexham. They were the prelude, of course, to a crowd of 8,744 that crammed into the Crescent for the first leg play-off semi-final against Stockport.City manager Alan Little has dispatched answers to 76 questions posed by fans from across the globe on the Internet.

The question and answer venture appears on the 'There's Only One Arthur Bottom' website and follow a similar format, which was completed by club chairman Douglas Craig earlier in the season.

Many of Little's replies echo those of the previous electronic questionnaire, with very little in the way of revelation. However, there were several notable contributions, especially that the City boss does not consider 'survival to be a success', and that he has never harboured any thoughts of quitting.

In answer to the query of who the 'most talented and the most dedicated/committed player coached at the club' the City boss declared it to be former wing flier Jon McCarthy on both counts.MORE than £1,000 was the net gains from a penalty session staged by York City's Football In The Community programme.

The event, the second held by the club, was staged at Dringhouses School and was also attended by City player-coach Neil Thompson.

Children at Dringhouses school were invited to raise sponsorship cash for their penalty-taking exploits, any youngster raising more than £25 entitled to a autographed York City football. The final total of money is split equally between the school and the FITC scheme and was proving a big hit with youngsters.

Any other schools wishing to take part are asked to contact City's FITC liaison officer Paul Olsson tel York 613017. THERE is another benefit available to youngsters. City are offering a 'kid for a quid' scheme for the visit of high-flying Walsall to Bootham Crescent on February 13.

But to take advantage of the offer match tickets have to be bought in advance from the City ticket office and a valid Junior Red or City Red card must be produced.FORMER City goalkeeper Dean Kiely could be back in action in North Yorkshire for the first time in several seasons.

Kiely, who moved to Bury for a tribunal-fixed £125,000 fee in August, 1996, may be in the Shakers' line-up to play at Pickering Town next Wednesday as part of a fund-raiser for the Pikes' new stand. The game kicks-off at the Recreation Ground at 7.30pm.THERE was a veritable clutch of ex-City players in the ranks of ambitious Conference side Rushden and Diamonds on their FA Cup sortie to Leeds United in midweek.

Besides Darren Bradshaw propping up the Diamonds' defence, the visitors numbered Ray Warburton and Paul Wilson in their watching party.

The North Yorkshire connection was even stronger, Rushden also boasting former Scarborough duo Michael McElhatton and Carel van der Velden.HURRY, hurry, hurry. Fans who desire City's navy blue change strip can snap up the look at trimmed cost. While stocks last shirts will go for £18, shorts £7, and socks £4 or the whole combination for a one-off £25. THANK God it's Friday, might be the expression for those England watchers belonging to City.

To avoid clashing with the England Euro 2,000 qualifier at home to Poland on Saturday, March 27, City's trip to Lincoln City that day has been brought forward to Friday, March 26, with a 7.45pm kick-off.

And on the fixture front, should City's youngsters get past Ipswich Town in their FA Youth Cup 4th round away tie on January 26, they will have to travel yet again. The draw for the 5th round sends the winners to either Tottenham, Walsall, or West Ham.

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