For the first time in several seasons young York footballers are to net the bonus of playing at Bootham Crescent.

Two nights of junior football finals are to be staged at the Bootham Crescent ground at the end of the current campaign.

The Ryedale Junior Football League under 11's finals will be held on Tuesday, May 5. And the next night a brace of York and District Schools' FA finals will follow at the Minstermen's base.

The double night of junior football at Bootham Crescent is a huge fillip for local youngsters and ends several seasons in which York players have not figured at the ground of their home-city's professional football team.

During that spell City have come under fire from several quarters in local amateur football for not agreeing to stage finals at the end of the season.

But club secretary Keith Usher maintained that City have always been open to applications from various leagues to consider hosting end of season showdowns.

Said Usher: "We have had two applications to stage local finals this season and we have been able to grant both requests.

"They are the only applications we have received."

The first two finals on May 5, which are three days after the end of City's Nationwide Division Two campaign at home to Northampton Town, will feature the Ryedale Junior League's Plate Duel between Huby Corinthians and Hamilton Panthers, kicking off at 6pm.

The League Cup Final will follow featuring Brooklyn (Malton) and Heworth, which starts at 7pm. There will be a presentation of awards to all the finalists and other Ryedale Junior trophy winners after both finals.

The York Schools' showdowns will feature under 11's and under 15's.

City Keep on Young Trio

by Lorne Hayhurst, Deputy Sports Editor

York City's conveyor belt of youth talent has continued to turn with the club taking on three of their second year Youth Training Scheme players as professionals.

This means that seven of the group of 10 are being released, but City boss Alan Little declared himself well pleased with the additions to his professional ranks.

The three new professionals are midfielder Martin Garratt, centre back Graham Rennison, and Andrew Dawson, who can play right back or centre back.

Dawson was drafted into City's injury-hit senior squad for the trip to Blackpool last November just before his 18th birthday, and he has been on the substitutes' bench for the last two home matches against Fulham and Blackpool without being called into action.

Little said: "Some difficult decisions have had to be made, but three from 10 is quite a high ratio. I expect them to progress well. They have shown good quality all the way through their YTS time."

City's juniors beat Doncaster Rovers 4-1 in the Northern Intermediate League yesterday - a result which help erase the memory of an unlucky 1-0 defeat against Rotherham on Saturday.

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