Strife of Brian

Disenchanted Brian Houghton has quit as a director of York City.

The lifelong supporter of the club has resigned from the board he has served for 20 years, claiming he had grown 'disillusioned' with football and his role at Bootham Crescent.

The 60-year-old Houghton said he would remain a supporter of the club, but declared he would 'stay away' for a about a year.

Houghton maintained there was 'not a great problem' within the boardroom at City insisting it was democratically run.

But he added: "I am little bit disillusioned with the way football is going in general and with my role within York City Football Club and so have decided that it was time to move on and devote my interests elsewhere."

He will keep a small number of his 12,500 shares each valued at £1. Under club rules the remaining shares have to be first offered at that face value price to the rest of the existing board.

Describing his resignation as the end of an era Houghton conceded he had recently not been happy about 'his lot' at City, or about overall trends in the game on which he did not want to elaborate.

He insisted though it was not a case of 'taking his bat home'. That was far from the case, said the head of a building and joinery firm in Dunnington. "There ain't a great problem on the board," he said.

Houghton explained that in his 20 years as a director there had been disagreements during the chairmanships of both Michael Sinclair and Douglas Craig.

"We do have honest to God debate within the board, which is to the benefit of York City Football Club. Everybody has been able to put their own point of view," he said.

"But I feel I have probably taken it as far as I can go and so have decided to call it a day. Regrettably it's the end of an era, but the club ain't going to fold because I have left."

Houghton said he had wholly enjoyed his two decades of duty as a director. He was especially proud of the re-development of Bootham Crescent.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed working at York City and for York City. I think that during that time the club has achieved quite a lot, particularly with the development of the ground which was my main responsibility."

As for the playing side City's appearance at Wembley just over five years ago when they clinched promotion to the Second Division lives long in Houghton's memory.

"I go to Wembley every year for the FA Cup final, but to get there with your own club and to sit in the Royal Box and then greet your players as they come up after victory, that was fantastic."

As he sought time out Houghton revealed he would keep clear of the club he has supported since a nine-year-old.

"It's a wrench, but it might be better if I just stay away for a year. maybe to just steer away and get it out of my system. However, I will still remain a supporter of York City."

Houghton's share-holding - he owned the least number of shares among the five directors - will now have to be discussed by the rest of the board, confirmed club secretary Keith Usher.

Among the options would be to buy out the remainder or offer them to a potential newcomer.

The total share-holding (all ordinary shares) of the remainder of the City board at last December's annual meeting was: Douglas Craig 123,000, Colin Webb 21,500; Barry Swallow 16,504 and John Quickfall 16,500.

Former City and Scarborough defender Paul Atkin has opted to sign for Gainsborough Trinity instead of Whitby Town.

Atkin played in Whitby's 3-0 friendly win over Scarborough this week, but has gone to Gainsborough, with whom he trained for the last two weeks. Atkin intends to combine playing as a part-time professional with a new career as a driving instructor.

Gainsborough are managed by ex-City and Scarborough player Steve Richards, whose assistant is Paul Olsson, City's Football in the Community liaison officer.

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