As a York City supporter and season ticket holder imagine my delight to open the sports supplement of the Guardian on Friday, November 20, to find an article, plus large photograph, on the manager of my team and his brother.

I read the article about the Little brothers with interest and relative early morning composure until I reached the last two paragraphs which filled me with a sense of gloom.

Stoke City and their manager are described as being "only satisfied with promotion this season, whereas "York, lying just above relegation position, will continue to take pride in good husbandry and a highly regarded youth system".

Highly commendable on York's part but please, Alan Little, reassure me (and my fellow season ticket holder daughter), that City have the desire, the passion and the will from the management to ensure that it will not be as quoted, "excitement for Brian, equilibrium for Alan".

I do appreciate the difficulties of a limited budget and the season's injuries, but it worries me that this is the general perception of York City. The supporters may be critical and show this verbally at matches, but it is only because they care about the team that they support week-in, week-out.

In any area of life the flair and excitement must come first and foremost, from the top, the management, so please think about it and, if possible, do something.Mrs Jennifer M McNally,

The Beeches,

Pocklington

Lack of imagination

I refer to the letter in Sportsmail on Friday, November 20 headlined 'Support Your Club', written by Anonymous.

Apart from the fact that this letter has been given more space than any other letter I can think of on the subject of York City's performances, its contents read like the interview with the chairman, recently featuring in the match programmes.

As a supporter of many, many years standing I can assure Anonymous that the real supporters are tired at the apparent lack of imagination shown week-in and week-out.

I could, just, bring myself to back manager Alan Little, but not our chairman Douglas Craig. Yes the youth policy is one of the best and the finances are in excellent health for such a poorly supported team, but why have we lost so many players of quality whenever contracts are discussed?

I do not believe it is necessary to spend millions on new players - just look after the ones we've already got - give them some security and the motivation will follow.

The Anonymous correspondent also mentions teams like Doncaster and Hull. Well, we are now on course to follow them as the richest non-League club around.

Alan Fairley,

Main Street,

Sutton-on-the-Forest

Jimmy's a real whizz

What a treat to read 'Five Star Finisher' all about Alf Patrick and Youth Watch - James Turley - by your (better than champagne any day) chief sports writer Tony Kelly (Evening Press, Saturday, November 21).

It's my intention to keep this letter as brief as possible in order to avoid acting the perfect sissy, becoming sentimental about City and waxing lyrical over Jimmy Rudd - spectacular on the wing. And - as Alf Patrick says: "a sort of George Best of our day."

Looking forward to the rest of this series. I only wish my dad was still with me to read it and all your other first class sports reports.

Margaret Lawson,

Aldborough House,

The Groves,

York

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