TEENAGE striker Alex Rhodes has signed professional terms with York City.

Rhodes, 17, made his first team debut as a second-half substitute at Altrincham in April and was a regular for the Minstermen's reserve team last season.

The Kelfield-based forward joined the KitKat Crescent club last autumn from York College's youth development programme, where he was coached by former City forward Gordon Staniforth.

City youth development director Steve Beck said: "We are delighted Alex Rhodes has signed for the club. He is an exciting, young player with great potential.

"This signing underlines the club's commitment to seeking and developing young local talent, something we aim to continue in the future."

City will have to wait until the end of June to find out whether they will be participating in the newly-named Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Having finished eighth last season, the Minstermen would normally have been one of 12 Conference clubs invited to play in the competition, according to its qualifying criteria of recent years.

Previously known as the LDV Vans Trophy, the competition has seen a select group of Conference sides, dependant on their finishing position, compete for the last six seasons against clubs from the bottom two divisions of the Football League.

But Football League spokesman John Nagle has admitted the non-League clubs' participation will be under review after Johnstone's seven-year sponsorship deal was announced.

Nagle said: "We are looking at a number of things concerning the competition and whether Conference teams play in it is one of a number of issues that will be reviewed at the end of June."

Updated: 11:35 Tuesday, May 16, 2006