YESTERDAY a prominent anniversary in the history of York City FC sailed by without even the hint of a celebration.

December 20, 2001 was the day that the lives of the Minstermen supporters, players and staff were well and truly turned upside down at the annual general meetings of Bootham Crescent Holdings and the football club.

As one of the privileged few who managed to attend the meeting, I was as stunned as those present as the shareholders, armed with questions over the then state of the accounts, were cut down by Douglas Craig's bombshell that the club was up for sale.

Little did anyone know the true extent the statement made by Craig would have on the football club - and throughout the past year, he, along with his fellow BCH directors, have remained as the villains of this whole debacle.

But out of it all one thing shone through - the determination of the City fans to ensure their beloved club would not follow Aldershot and Maidstone in going to the wall.

The formation of the Supporters' Trust, with the first tentative meeting held here at the Evening Press within days of the announcement, has been used as a benchmark for other clubs.

Meanwhile, the efforts of every fan cannot be glossed over - with everyone joining together and vowing to fight on.

However, all that hard work has been undone in the space of 12 dramatic months.

Today's date of December 21, 2002 sees York City and its loyal following back at square one, if not further back - and for that the finger of blame points clearly at the door of John Batchelor, whose nine-month spell has done much to damage the club.

What City have done to deserve two people of this ilk, I don't know, but topping every fan's Christmas list will surely be a saviour who is not going to sell them further up the river.

Unlike a year ago, the club has now got people in looking for a buyer with the best interests of the club at heart. And while the administrators may not be York City fans themselves, they are not in this for their own gain.

And should someone take up the mantle and save the club within the next five weeks, City fans will finally have something to celebrate.

THERE was one celebration City players were willing to mark yesterday and that was the 34th birthday of Alex Mathie.

The Bathgate-born former Celtic and Newcastle star now unfortunately shares the date with the day City were put up for sale.

THE quiet, good-humoured protest organised by the Friends of Bootham Crescent outside the ground on Monday went off well - despite the police being called out.

The hardcore band who hung on until the death remained in good spirits throughout the evening, even when the police asked them to move aside to let the BCH directors out of the car park.

And while the police dealt with the crowd, one passing cyclist was grateful that the two officers were otherwise occupied.

With no lights on his bike, the mystery pedaller risked the wrath of the law but despite waggish shouts of 'someone stop him' from the City fans, he escaped into the night.

ONE-TIME City manager Alan Little was full of praise for the way the Minstermen had performed this season.

Ahead of last night's clash at home to Lincoln City, Little enthused about how the team were thriving among the basement's leading pack, attributing that to the spirit within the camp and the work put in by current boss Terry Dolan.

Said Little: "I have seen them play three times this season and you've got to give them credit that for all the problems off the park they are in the best position they have been in for three or four years on the field.

"I've been impressed with the way they have played. They are trying to play the right way.

"It's a very difficult situation with all the problems around the club.

"They may well be thinking that their jobs are on the line and that can give a bit more to the levels of adrenalin.

"But the manager has pulled them around and they are blossoming. Hopefully, they can keep that going."

Updated: 12:51 Saturday, December 21, 2002