YORK City midfielder Gary Pearson will be fined two weeks' wages if Chris Brass deems him guilty of attempting a head butt at Aldershot.

That was the offence cited by referee Martin Yearby in his report concerning Pearson's red card on Saturday and, if Brass agrees with the Kent official's interpretation after studying video evidence, the former Darlington player will receive the maximum fine a club can impose under Football Association rulings.

Pearson's dismissal for violent conduct against Aldershot's Adam Miller means he will be suspended for tonight's home match with Tamworth, as well as Saturday's Bootham Crescent clash against Hereford and the following weekend's trip to Gravesend and Northfleet.

The 27-year-old midfielder, who was sent off twice in ten days for Darlington last season, serves his ban immediately because of a new FIFA directive.

About the Pearson incident, City boss Brass said: "If it looks like it's clear what he's done, he will be hit with a maximum fine. The maximum fine is two weeks because you can't fine players any more than that.

"People are fully aware of the stance we take here and I fined myself last season when I thought I was harshly done to against Boston. He will be disciplined. If it does not look clear it will be a lesser fine but he will certainly be fined.

"There was provocation and you would not be able to publish what their player said to him but I will deal with it as I see fit after seeing the video."

Brass has also warned his players to expect stricter refereeing in the Conference this season than that normally expected in the Football League, as officials seek promotion.

He said: "You have to be cleaner than clean in this league and have to do things in a professional manner. Referees in the lower leagues want to be fast-tracked so they apply the letter of the law more often than not but, at the end of the day, they are only doing their jobs."

Pearson's three-match ban leaves Brass short of right-midfield options because of Kevin Donovan's injury.

The City boss may even consider selecting himself in that role with teenage defender Graeme Law drafted in at right back or Levent Yalcin could start with the home team switching to a 4-3-3 formation.

Brass said: "It's frustrating to lose somebody for three games and, doubly so, because it is in an area where we've already lost Kevin Donovan. It's ironic but that's how it often happens and we will have to reshuffle."

Trialist Gerry Harrison can play on the right flank but Brass wants to see him play in the reserve games at Huddersfield tomorrow afternoon and at home to Notts County next Monday night before making any contractual decisions and assessments on his fitness.

Brass also believes Tamworth's part-time status will not necessarily lead to contrasting levels of fitness between the two teams tonight.

The City boss believes that factor will become more apparent later in the season, saying: "At the start of the season everybody's willing and everybody's quite fit. I think come the latter part of September then the difference in fitness levels between full-time and part-time clubs might show and, especially, over the Christmas period possibly in the last ten minutes of games.

"We will have to make sure we take advantage of that. The benefit we have at the moment over part-time teams is that we have more time to work on things during the week."

Brass also stressed the importance of a good home record this season as the Minstermen return to league action at Bootham Crescent.

His team had lost just one home match before Boxing Day last season but failed to win any of their last ten fixtures in York and City's player manager said: "With budgets being pro-rata to the crowds coming through the turnstiles we have to make sure we are entertaining but, ultimately, people will be going home happy with good results."

Squads:

City v Tamworth

Nationwide Conference

(at Bootham Crescent)

City (probable): Crichton, Brass, Clarke, Davis, Smith, Groves, Dunning, Stewart, Yalcin, Bishop, Robinson. Subs from: Porter, Law, Merris, Coad, Davies, Nogan, Arthur.

Tamworth (probable) Price, A Smith, Redmile, Brown, Stamps, Sheppard, Ebdon, Cooper, Blunt, Ross, Whitman. Subs from: Colkin,Bampton, N Smith, May,Ayres, Storer, Johnson, Sylla, Turner.

Referee: Paul Canadine (South Yorks)

Kick-off: 7.45pm

Match points:

City v Tamworth

The clubs have met once before and that was in 1970/71 when they were paired in the first round of the FA Cup.

The game at Tamworth ended goalless and City won the replay at Bootham Crescent 5-0 in front of 5,390. Paul Aimson netted a hat-trick with Phil Boyer and Dick Hewitt the other scorers.

The line-up on November 23, 1970 was: Hillyard, Mackin, Burrows, Davidson, Swallow, Topping, Taylor, Boyer, Aimson, Hewitt, Jones.

City went on to beat Boston United 2-1, Bolton Wanderers 2-0 before losing to Southampton in a fourth round replay 3-2 after a 3-3 draw at Bootham Crescent.

August 17

Exactly 30 years to the day City played their first game in the old Second Division. A crowd of 9,396 saw City draw 1-1 with Aston Villa at Bootham Crescent. Barry Lyons was the scorer and the line-up was: Crawford, Stone, Oliver, Holmes, Swallow, Topping, Lyons, Cave, Seal (Hinch), Jones, Butler.

Compiled by David Batters

Updated: 11:03 Tuesday, August 17, 2004