DOES Billy McEwan not realise that a good percentage of crowds at a football match are made up of travelling supporters?

As we have only one derby game against Scarborough there is no way on earth that we will see Conference crowds in the region of 6,000 unless we give away tickets for the World Cup final.

Just look at the attendances ranging from 400 to 3,000. Even in League Two usually only Carlisle get that sort of crowd, mainly because if you aren't into counting sheep there is nothing else to do in Cumbria.

The answer is not to give KitKats away at half-time but to get out of the Conference.

The bottom line is that the club is skint and are liable to struggle in the foreseeable future.

I remember one game at home last season on a Tuesday night when there were 16 away supporters, and one of those was the coach driver.

The young lads are flogging themselves for the cause, but at the end of the day they are average players.

The last time Billy McEwan complained about the home gate, England were playing Argentina on the same day - a difficult choice to make.

Only when we get back into the Football League will the crowds start to come back.

I recently got a complimentary ticket for a home game, which I gave to a friend. When I asked him if he had enjoyed the game he replied that the only good thing about it was that he had a restricted view.

Stephen Lickley,

The Garlands,

Clifton,

York.

Updated: 10:21 Saturday, January 21, 2006