YORK City ended a week of frenzied speculation today when they unveiled former England and AC Milan striker Luther Blissett as their new coach.

The 44-year-old Watford legend will form a 'dream-team' coaching set-up working with City manager Terry Dolan and first-team coach Adie Shaw.

Blissett's arrival - as first predicted in the Evening Press back in April - ends a week of rumours about who the 'big name' chairman John Batchelor had promised would be joining the club.

Paul Gascoigne, Stuart McCall and Jon McCarthy were all linked with the club, but it is the much-travelled Blissett who has swept into the club.

Having worked under some of the most respected managers and coaches - including Graham Taylor and Bobby Robson - in the game, Blissett is hoping to add something extra to the Minstermen, especially up-front.

"What I hope to bring is a little bit of experience that I have picked up over the years playing for people like Graham Taylor and other managers at England level," he said. "Just little insights into the game, if I can.

"I'm here as a coach and in that role what you try and do is improve the players that you have and get the team organised and in a position where they win more games than you lose.

"There is always room for improvement unless you are champions or Man Utd. I'm going to try and instil one or two attacking ideas mainly into the forwards, from things I've picked up at clubs I've been at."

City supremo Batchelor was delighted to have Blissett on board after weeks of talks.

"I look upon it as a pyramid with Terry at the top running the team and looking at the overall picture," he said. "Luther will look after the forwards with Adie looking after the defence. Everybody is happy with the arrangement.

"Luther will do two things in particular. He will be able to identify players from his experience.

"Having identified players that we can bring to the club, he can work with them to give them the benefit of his experience.

"We needed a specialist in an area where we have perhaps not been particularly good.

"And based on what Luther says we will add people to the squad that can give us more options in terms of the strikers."

Batchelor said Blissett's experience of climbing through the divisions with Watford could prove particularly invaluable as he plots a similar path for City.

"Luther has got a Graham Taylor training," said Batchelor. "Whatever you think of Graham Taylor, at club level his record is superb. He took Watford from the bottom of the League to the very top in a short space of time. That is what we want to do here.

"But it is not just about that. It is also about the general attitude of the club and getting a very positive air about the place.

"That is not to say the playing side has not been. But I just think we can add to it and build on it. I do not want to undermine Terry and he is completely happy with it. It is just building on what we have got."

Dolan said he was more than happy with the appointment of a new coach to work under him, especially one with the experience of Blissett.

"I'm delighted because it will give me a rest as I've got two coaches to work with me!" he said. "Seriously I think it is a sign of the exciting times that are ahead.

"As Luther has said, he has got a lot of experience as a striker, while Adie (Shaw) who has been here with me, is experienced with defenders so I've got the best of both worlds.

"Hopefully York are now in a much better position than they have been in the past few years.

"I'll be overseeing everything out I'll be out on the training ground as well. But if you've got two coaches you let them do the work, that is what they are good at."

Updated: 14:18 Monday, May 27, 2002