I HAVE followed the York City Football Club ground saga in the Evening Press over the last year with increasing alarm and despondency.

It must be obvious to everyone that our beloved football club is in a desperate position.

Unless solutions can be found to the many problems outlined concerning Huntington Stadium, particularly over the last week, the demise of the club is a real possibility.

If my memory serves me correctly, I seem to recall that when Bootham Crescent Holdings was formed some four years ago, it was announced that the move had been made in the best interests of the club, and it would safeguard its future should the bailiffs be called in.

All one could add to that is some safeguard following BCH's decision to "flog the family silver", albeit perfectly legally.

There is, of course, a simple solution. That is for the three remaining BCH directors, Douglas Craig, Barry Swallow and Colin Webb to follow the lead of their former colleague John Quickfall, who did the honourable thing by saying that he had no intention of making money out of the sale of the ground as he announced his resignation from the board.

So come on then BCH, take out the share money you put in, plus a bit of interest perhaps, and then see that the ground is returned where it should belong - hopefully for ever.

Meanwhile, at this Christmas time may I wish York City the best of luck and congratulate the Trust directors on the monumental effort they have put in to keep this fine club going. Long may it continue to live.

Martin Durham,

Cherrywood Crescent,

Fulford Road,

York.

Updated: 10:15 Saturday, December 20, 2003