YORK City managing director Jason McGill has warned the Supporters' Trust that it will have to bail the club out financially if home crowds drop below 2,000.

McGill realises that poor performances will lead to falling gates which, as well as necessitating possible managerial changes would also mean a shortfall in budgeted income, would need to be met.

The City board member is also concerned that the terms of the loan acquired from the Football Foundation to retain ownership of Bootham Crescent need to be fulfilled.

Speaking at last night's York Minstermen Fans' Forum at Bootham Crescent Social Club, McGill said: "The on-pitch performances need to match what's happened off the pitch. In the short time since we have taken over there's been miraculous things that have happened.

"The club have had massive support from the Trust so far and, if gates go down, there's a limit to what individual can do. As club directors, we have all put in loans to keep the wolves from the door but the Trust have got to come up with more ways of helping us out.

"If crowds drop below 2,000 then Terry (Doyle) needs to sleep and so do I. The owners of the club, the Trust, has to support the club financially. That might be through buckets again or whatever.

"Everybody needs to talk about what happens if gates drop below 2,000 - it can't be up to just five people on the board. We have made a commitment to the Football Foundation, who were the only people that would loan us money to buy the ground back, and we need to meet it.

"We need people to come through the gates and if we don't we have a big problem. We realise that in the short-term that mean getting matters right on the pitch."

Finance director Doyle also added that this year's budget had been based on a worse-case scenario of City being knocked out of every cup competition in the first round and not having a televised match on Sky.

Discussions are still being held to decide whether a Supporters Trust board member should replace Mike Brown as a director of the football club. A report on this aspect of last night's meeting will appear in tomorrow's Evening Press.

Updated: 10:46 Friday, August 27, 2004