YORK City manager Terry Dolan's blueprint for next season should become clearer tomorrow.

Writing in his Evening Press Team Talk column today, the City manager confirmed he intends to announce the players he wants to retain before the end of the week.

With Marc Thompson already informed his contract will not be renewed, it leaves the futures of Matt Hocking, Russ Howarth, Nick Richardson, Peter Duffield, Neville Stamp, Darren Edmondson, John Fielding, Stephen Brackstone to be decided.

The City manager may also reveal tomorrow whether he intends to make on-loan defender Scott Jones' stay at Bootham Crescent permanent.

Fielding was on target last night as City reserves ended their Avon Insurance League division one season with a 2-1 win over Stoke City at Bootham Crescent.

Levent Yalcin scored City's other goal as Richard Cooper continued his comeback from a broken leg.

But the win was not enough to stop the team from being relegated.

On-trial striker Craig Wilding, who has been released from Chesterfield, featured and Dolan may yet decide to have another look at the youngster.

Dolan also revealed today that City have arranged a pre-season friendly with Premiership outfit Middlesbrough, bossed by York-born Steve McClaren, in July.

It has also emerged that the club's head of youth development Paul Stancliffe is to be rewarded with a testimonial next season.

Stancliffe joined the club in 1991 as a player, and has also served as player-coach and assistant manager with the Minstermen.

City will be keeping their fingers crossed for a Royal coronation at the weekend when Reading take on Brentford in their massive Second Division promotion clash at Griffin Park.

As revealed in the Evening Press last season, City stand to earn £50,000 if Reading, who currently occupy second spot in Division Two, clinch promotion to the First.

A clause in the deal which saw ex-City winger Graeme Murty move to Reading in 1997 said the Royals would pay City £50,000 if they earned promotion with the Middlesbrough-born player in their ranks.

Ironically, City missed out on the cash last season when Reading's promotion push ended in the play-off final.

However, a point on Saturday would be enough to ensure automatic promotion this time around for Reading and Murty, who this week was named in the PFA Division Two team.

Updated: 12:05 Thursday, April 18, 2002