YORK City's new head of youth development Ian Kerr intends to instil a winning mentality into the club's junior ranks.

As Scarborough youth-team coach in 2000, Kerr helped the Seadogs become the only Conference club to ever win the merit division of the Football League Division One, finishing above the likes of Bradford City, then in the Premiership, and Preston North End.

During his last post, the experienced Scotsman also guided Hartlepool to victory in the prestigious Dallas Cup competition in 2004, overcoming the challenges of teams from top Mexican clubs, as well as other sides from Brazil, USA and Japan.

Kerr now hopes to fill some space in the recently desolate KitKat Crescent trophy cabinet.

The Scarborough-based, UEFA 'A'-licensed coach has stressed that an equal emphasis will be placed on results and player development and he does not adhere to the common theory that wins at junior level are of secondary importance.

He said: "It was pleasing last season at Hartlepool that we had five players in the starting line-up of one first-team game that had come up through the youth programme. In another match, there were eight from the squad of 16.

"As a youth development officer, you are primarily looking to provide that continuous flow of players through to the professional ranks but I also want to instil a winning mentality because I still feel there's a need for young players learning, at an early age, the importance of winning. I don't feel one consideration has to be at the expense of the other and want to marry both together which I feel I have done at my previous clubs."

League One Hartlepool have already promoted Kerr's promising teenage graduates James Brown and Carl Jones to the first team squad and City's new coach also shares manager Billy McEwan's ideal vision of a future Minstermen team entirely selected from home-grown talent.

He said: "That's the intention and hopefully it could happen one day. It makes sense in terms of avoiding signing-on fees and you don't have agents to deal with. The boys know the pulse of the club as well and don't have to take time to settle."

Kerr worked as a civil servant for several years after serving an apprenticeship with Aberdeen but never being given an opportunity to make the professional grade.

He was employed at Scarborough when McEwan was first-team coach at the McCain Stadium under Ray McHale and also encountered Colin Walker, then with Barnsley, as their career paths followed similar paths from Football in the Community Officer status to youth-team coaching.

City's latest coaching addition is looking forward to working alongside both men, saying: "I know how ambitious Billy and Colin are and that they would not put their name to anything they did not think could be a success.

"Billy knows where he wants to be and he won't take route 'Z' to get there. You either rise to the high standards he sets you or you get left behind.

"There's no in between. He's very thorough and you have to always be on your toes just to keep up with what he expects from you."

City reserves play host to Doncaster Rovers tonight, kick-off 7pm.

Updated: 10:30 Wednesday, September 07, 2005