York City's Youth Development Fund is being wound up and its cash moved directly to the football club.

In 14 years of fund-raising, more than £170,000 has been raised to aid City's Centre Of Excellence and Junior Reds supporters' group.

During the season which has just ended, the YDF raised £28,874 but fund founder and current treasurer Graham Kilby didn't know changes were in the pipeline.

He met with club officials and parents of boys who attend the Centre of Excellence last week to discuss fund-raising for 2006-07 only to receive a letter from the club the next day informing him that the YDF accounts should be transferred then closed.

The letter, from City club secretary Nick Bassett, said: "The board has decided that with immediate effect, they wish to bring the Centre Of Excellence finances directly under the club's control. We would therefore request that you transfer all funds from the current accounts to the football club at the earliest opportunity. The relevant accounts should then be closed and all future payments made to York City Football Club.

"I have been asked to emphasise that this decision in no way reflects upon you personally in terms of your honesty, integrity or performance and indeed the service you have given the club over many years is greatly appreciated. It simply makes better financial sense to have all the funds in one place at the earliest opportunity."

Kilby said: "The fund's appeal was that all of the people who made donations to it did so in the knowledge that the money was ring fenced for youth development expenditure only. The problem with having all of the funds in one place is that it could get used for something else.

"Last season the response from parents, sponsors and supporters who adopted the role of 'Friends Of York City Youth Development' was magnificent with outstanding donations made by the York Minstermen (£4,664) and the Towton Minstermen, who have provided an average of £1,500 each year for the past ten years."

Kilby said he was disappointed that no one told him of the decision face-to-face and that the letter was ill-timed because he only decided to step down from the Trust Board at the last annual general meeting so he could concentrate more of his time to the fund.

"Perhaps if I had still been on the Trust Board this would not have happened," he said.

Kilby thanked everyone who has helped to make the fund a success over the years.

He added: "If by any small chance our donations have helped with the football development of the likes of the (Richard) Cresswells, (Nick) Culkins and (Jonathan) Greenings of this world then all of our efforts have been worthwhile."

Updated: 11:41 Monday, May 15, 2006