Goal-starved York City are lining up a man who dealt a hat-trick of stunning blows to them last season.

Desperately seeking a striker to beef up their armoury, I understand City have had talks with former Crystal Palace and Stockport County striker Andy Preece.

The 31-year-old spearhead is available as a free agent after being released by Second Division rivals Blackpool for whom he scored twice against City in last term's League meetings.

He was also unwittingly involved in the accidental collision in York's 1-0 November defeat at Bloomfield Road which left then City goalkeeper Mark Samways injured and subsequently sidelined for almost three months.

City manager Alan Little resolutely refused to speak on any speculation linking the club with the Evesham-born Preece. ''No comment'' was his lone response.

But sources suggest he has sounded out the 6ft 1in forward as one of several targets tracked these past few weeks.

It is no secret that the priority in Little's summer recruitment drive is an experienced goal-scorer. Preece would fit that bill.

The end of season release of both Gary Bull and Marco Gabbiadini has deprived City of valuable know-how reducing Little's front-line options to Rodney Rowe, Neil Tolson and Richard Cresswell.

And the City boss has gone on record declaring: "A large part of our problem last season was not having someone up front to match Rodney Rowe for his tally of goals.

"If he was not contributing then we struggled. It was the difference between where we finished and where we could have been. Having two players regularly weighing in with goals would have enabled us to pinch more games."

Preece certainly displayed that knack at the expense of the Minstermen last season. His goal after just five minutes of the 1-1 draw at Bootham Crescent at the tail-end of March was notched just a day after being told he no longer had a future at Blackpool.

Other clubs have also fallen foul of the ungainly striker's net-busting tendency since he returned to the professional ranks after a brief stint from Worcester City whom he joined from his first club Northampton Town.

He began to make a significant impact up front for Wrexham from 1989 to 1992 leading to a £10,000 transfer to Stockport County. His strike-rate for County was an impressive one every two games.

That sparked a £250,000 move in the summer of 1994 to then top-flight Crystal Palace. But he had just one season at Selhurst Park, and he returned north linking up with the Tangerines in a £50,000 deal three years ago.

City, meanwhile, are still waiting to hear a decision from midfield powerhouse and last season's player-of-the-year Steve Bushell.

He is stalling on the offer of a new contract tying him to Bootham Crescent for another three years.

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