YORK City's new boss Billy McEwan has claimed he actually first landed the job 14 years ago.

Former City chairman Douglas Craig and director Barry Swallow interviewed McEwan for the managerial vacancy in 1991 after John Bird's departure from Bootham Crescent.

McEwan, who had just left Rotherham United as manager, was told he had been successful until a later phone call from then England boss Graham Taylor persuaded the Minstermen board to change their mind.City's new manager said: "I met with Douglas Craig and Barry Swallow and, afterwards, Douglas Craig said 'great interview' and they told me I had the job. However, they rang me the next morning and said that Graham Taylor had since called them to recommend John Ward and they appointed him instead.

"I was disappointed at the time because I always felt York was a good, friendly club which, at that time, was well run financially. It would have been a good move for me in terms of location having just left Rotherham but I'm here now and it's funny how these things happen."

Ward spent two years with City before being replaced by Alan Little and is now in the Cheltenham Town hot seat.

McEwan, meanwhile, went on to take charge at Darlington before coaching at Scarborough and Derby.

Craig denied that he had a change in mind regarding City's managerial appointment in 1991 but admitted that McEwan was a strong contender.

He said: "We interviewed a few people and offered the job to John Ward but Billy McEwan was a good candidate. He had good experience but had a reputation for being a bit wild which I suspect he still has."

When asked what he felt about the current board's decision to appoint McEwan, Craig added: "That's not for me to comment on."

McEwan is now looking forward to his first home game as York manager against Woking tomorrow.

He has already called Chris Wilder for information about Woking, having been youth-team coach at Sheffield United when the Halifax manager was starting out on his professional career.

But McEwan will be getting no tips from another former Bramall Lane protg Glenn Cockerill, who will be sat in the adjacent dugout at KitKat Crescent tomorrow as manager of Woking."

Updated: 11:35 Friday, February 18, 2005