Relegated York City ask fans to help find up to £1m

Chairman Jason McGill, speaking after York's 3-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley on Saturday confirmed their relegation from the Football League, called for everyone to get behind the club and revealed he had asked the supporters' trust for help until the move to the planned new community stadium.

He said: "If we are in the National League for two seasons before we move into the new stadium in 2018, £1 million is needed to run the club for those two seasons if we are to have a competitive playing budget.

Jason McGill

"This was put to the supporters trust at the end of last week for any ideas they may have to help fund the club for the next two seasons. I met with the trust and made them aware of the financial requirements and showed them the forecasts.

"I asked them what help they could offer and they are to discuss this and come back to me."

Asked if the financial problems were a result of relegation or of delays in building the new community stadium at Huntington, he said: "It is a result of getting relegated but obviously if the stadium was ready in July this year, as was promised, the financial requirement would be mitigated by the income and the cost reductions the new stadium provides York City Football Club."

York City fans at Accrington

He said that as far as he was aware, the stadium plans would not be affected by the club's relegation.

Asked whether he was confident the money could be raised, given the support's disappointment with recent performances and results, he said: "All relegated clubs have disenchantment at the time but it is about everyone pulling together to achieve success.

"In order to bounce back immediately, like Bristol Rovers and Cheltenham, we need to get everyone behind the club."

He said there were no off-pitch problems at the club. "The problems have all been on-pitch related this season."

Stewards alongside angry York City fans at full-time on Saturday

He added: "We look forward to a wonderful new stadium and we have a fantastic city to encourage players to sign for the club."

Trust chairman Ian Hey said it was considering the options available to secure additional funding to get the club to the new stadium, and a further meeting was planned within the next few days to discuss the matter further.

He said that in 2006, a five-year funding package had been agreed between the trust and JMP Ltd to cover operational losses pending resolution of the stadium issues.

"An extension and a further five- year funding package was then agreed that expires in June 2016," he said.

Above: Some fans remain in good voice on a bad day for the Minstermen

"This was agreed at the time on the reasonable expectation that the new stadium would be fully operational and ready for occupation by season commencing August 2016.

"Unfortunately as we now know, there have been delays to the stadium project beyond the control of both the trust and the football club and the stadium will not be ready until 2018.

"Forecast budgets for York City FC have been prepared for next season and the season beyond showing an ongoing funding requirement of approximately £500,000 per year to include a competitive playing budget."