JOHN Batchelor admitted today the curtain had all but been brought down on his 12-month rollercoaster York City tenure.

Batchelor made his confession in the wake of yesterday's announcement that the Supporters' Trust's bid to take over the club had been accepted by the administrator.

The motor-racing chief said in terms of being chairman he was no longer involved at Bootham Crescent.

"It is almost a year to the day exactly since I took over and you could say it has been quite a year," said Batchelor, who welcomed the news of the Trust bid moving nearer to completion.

"I am just pleased the club is continuing because they are doing so well on the pitch," he said.

Batchelor, who arrived at Bootham Crescent hailed as a saviour but has since been heavily criticised by supporters following the club's plunge into near financial catastrophe, insisted he was still working behind the scenes to raise cash for the Trust.

"I am trying to raise funding for the Trust and it is just a case of assisting them anyway we can through this CVA (Company Voluntary Arrangement).

"I am not a contractual party in any of this but if there is anything I can do I am doing it."

City's plight, meanwhile, has attracted the interest of a 'dot.com millionaire' on the very day the Trust had their offer to take over the Minstermen accepted.

Little over an hour after receiving details from the Trust and administrator David Willis confirming the fans' body were on course to complete a deal for City, the Evening Press were contacted by a representative of a 'wealthy young businessman' interested in investing in a football team.

It was claimed the mystery individual, who has family links to Yorkshire and made his money in computers and telecommunications, has also looked at the possibility of taking over Notts County and Lincoln City.

The spokesman claimed he had already spoken to Jacksons Jolliffe Cork, the company dealing with the Minstermen's administration, and was looking for background information about the club before deciding which avenue to take.

The Evening Press understands the same spokesman also approached the Lincolnshire Echo newspaper yesterday, claiming that his employer had £1.5million to plough into the Imps and would move them to a new stadium.

Bootham Crescent is playing host to a representative football match tonight when a North Riding FA Ladies Xl take on their East Riding counterparts, kick-off 7.30pm. Admission is free.

A young York City reserves side were beaten by Hull City's second string 4-0 at Bootham Crescent yesterday.

Midfielder Stephen Brackstone and defender Gary Hobson both completed 90 minutes on their return after illness and injury.

Striker Anthony Shandran's loan from Burnley has been extended extended by another month.

Updated: 12:01 Thursday, February 27, 2003