FORMER Hull City striker Clayton Donaldson has become Billy McEwan's second summer signing.

Donaldson, 21, has joined fellow KitKat Crescent new boy Mark Hotte in putting pen to paper for York City after being released by the Tigers, who were promoted to the League Championship last season.

The 6ft 1in tall striker has previously spent two spells on loan at City's non-League neighbours Harrogate Town.

His most recent stay at Wetherby Road saw Bradford-born Donaldson voted the Conference North Player of the Month last October after he netted three goals in five games.

Prior to that, he netted five times in ten matches for Harrogate during an equally successful three-month temporary stint in 2003/2004, when he also played on loan at Conference clubs Scarborough and Halifax Town.

McEwan is glad to have bolstered his striking options for next season with Andy Bishop and the transfer-listed Paul Robinson currently the only recognised professional attackers on City's books.

The Minstermen manager said: "He will bring competition up front and has a bit of pace and penetration. He's a young player who is very hungry for this chance."

McEwan is also looking to strengthen his defence but admitted that last season's on-loan centre-back Jon Maloney is not his number one target, saying: "He's not on my priority list. We haven't ruled him out but we are still looking and I've got other irons in the fire."

One of those irons had been Simon Weaver, who has since signed for Scarborough, but McEwan corrected comments made by the former Lincoln and Kidderminster defender that he had favoured a move to the McCain Stadium over joining the Minstermen.

McEwan said: "He never turned down York as we were only in negotiations with him.

"We were not prepared to give him what he wanted and I also wanted a bit more time to consider our options but he felt he was getting a better offer elsewhere and that might have been at Scarborough."

The City manager also pointed out that the club would exercise their right to a compensation fee should Lev Yalcin and David Stockdale turn down their new contract offers and join another club.

Dave Merris, 24, will be a free agent under the Bosman ruling when his current contract expires at the end of June but both Yalcin and Stockdale are too young to leave KitKat Crescent without a fee.

McEwan also stressed that any club wanting to sign either youngster would need to pay a price that reflected the potential suggested by their respective Turkish youth and England National Game XI honours.

City could demand a figure approaching six figures for both players and if interested clubs were not prepared to meet any asking price then the matter would be settled by a tribunal.

McEwan said: "I want both of them to stay and am not contemplating them leaving but, if somebody does come in for them, we won't be giving players away and I would want big money for them.

"They might want to try and look elsewhere but they won't get a better club than us."

Updated: 11:09 Thursday, June 23, 2005