THE thorny issue of York City moving to Huntington Stadium was first mooted almost a year ago to the day by former club chairman Douglas Craig.

In a document circulated to parties who had expressed an interest in purchasing the football club, which was put up for sale in December 2001, Craig revealed Bootham Crescent Holdings - the club's owners - had already investigated the possibility of just such a move.

The sales prospectus said BCH had held 'informal discussions' with Cannons Leisure Management, who have a long lease on the Huntington sports complex from City of York Council, and they would welcome the Minstermen as tenants.

The document admitted the ground would need to be improved to meet Football League standards but said the conversion of a covered Popular Stand into a seated stand for approximately 1,600 supporters would be a "comparatively simple process although more costly".

The document admitted the number of turnstiles and the quality of floodlighting would also have to be addressed at Huntington.

But it also stated any new owner of the football club relocating to the sports complex would be able to take from Bootham Crescent "the floodlights, the existing seating, all fixtures, equipment, furniture, machinery and these can be removed at no cost other than removal and re-fixing expenses".

The sales document said the floodlights at Huntington could then be transferred to the club's training ground at Wigginton.

Significantly the document, published on January 9, 2002 and two months before John Batchelor became City chairman, stated BCH would be prepared to "make a contribution to the prospective owner(s) of the football club of either £400,000 or the difference between the amount of the overdraft and/or bridging loan at June 30, 2002 and £1,000,000 whichever is the greater.

"This contribution will be for the sole purchase of improving Huntington Stadium and the training ground.

"It will not be available unless a bona fide supporters' group has a significant holding in the new ownership of the football club."

On December 19, 2002, and just days after the club had been placed in administration, BCH and Persimmon issued a statement inviting the club to continue playing rent-free at Bootham Crescent for a limited period.

However, the statement stipulated the club and its new owners would have to sign a contract agreeing to upgrade Huntington Stadium within a set time-scale and City then moving there.

If the club did not agree it would be made homeless on June 30, 2003.

The agreement for City to leave Bootham Crescent by that date was agreed by John Batchelor when he took over the club from BCH.

Updated: 14:00 Friday, January 10, 2003