York City's administrators are set to meet this week with three parties interested in stepping in to save the club from extinction.

Matthew Bowker, David Willis and Liam Cotter, from the administrators Jacksons Jolliffe Cork, will hold on-going discussions with two consortiums and one individual who have all expressed 'firm interests' in assuming control of the Minstermen.

The trio of inquiries have all come since the club was put into administration on December 18.

The Evening Press believes that one of the two yet to firm up their interest is the consortium of local York businessmen and the City of York Council that had previously attempted to buy the club from former chairman Douglas Craig back in the spring.

But with a deadline of January 18, 2003, set for someone to come forward and rescue York City, there is a tight time-scale to be met.

Willis told the Evening Press: "We have been contacted by three parties since the administration who have expressed firm interests in the club.

"Meetings will now be set up over the course of the next couple of days with each of them.

"We had contacted all the parties who had previously expressed an interest prior to the administration and two have said that they are still interested and are having their own meetings. They have said they would contact us in the new year.

"The three new parties believe they can now move quickly enough to come up with a deal.

"The meetings will be on-going processes. We will meet with them, then there will be some follow-up information and more meetings.

"We remain hopeful that a deal to save the club can be done in time. The number of parties that have come forward is encouraging especially considering the Bank Holidays, but everyone has been working over Christmas to save the club.

"The meetings will be conducted over the course of the next week, so by the beginning of next week we should be in a better position."

Willis added the bumper attendance of 7,856 for the action-packed 1-1 derby draw against Hull City had been encouraging not only for the administrators but for potential buyers.

"It was fantastic. If we could get that every week, York City would not have such problems," he said. "We had budgeted for around that figure but you can never be entirely sure until you get the bums on the seats.

"But to see so many home fans and away supporters was great. It was all very pleasing."

Updated: 11:23 Tuesday, December 31, 2002