COULDN’T York City and York Knights follow the Holgate lead and set up a free school at Monk’s Cross, under the Government’s free schools scheme? In time it would become a centre of excellence equal to the Royal Ballet School.

Using money taken from state schools it could have a purpose built school capable of seating 6,000.

The curriculum could be tailored to provide in-house work experience, such as handling gate-money, counting the goals, selling programmes, with basics taught by fixed term teachers who double-up as players. Laws of the game and how to evade them, choral chanting, with opportunities for parental contributions , acting, boxing and diving would be taught under the direction of experts recruited from former playing staff. There would never be a problem with marking.

Sixth formers could augment the playing-staff. Other year groups could release key staff by taking on mundane admin work and these could be released for vital front-line work, or dispensed with. Compulsory accompanied match attendance would ensure that the school paid its way.

What better use for this wonderful progressive scheme!

Anthony Still, Barbers Drive, Copmanthorpe, York.