York City's "Millennium Hero", Barry Swallow, today broke his silence over the sale of the club and ground he graced for seven years.

In a letter to the Evening Press, Mr Swallow, one of the three Bootham Crescent Holdings directors who, together with chairman Douglas Craig, have put a £4.5 million price tag on the ground, expressed his "regret" at the club's predicament.

He also insisted a solution was being "actively being sought that will hopefully ensure York City FC continues well into the future".

The letter states: "Recent comments in the Press have prompted me to write.

"I very much regret the current situation in which York City FC finds itself, and wish to extend that regret to the hardcore fans who, like me, have consistently supported the club over the last 32 years.

"Unfortunately, as you are now aware, the overall support for the club has dwindled to levels insufficient to maintain it in its current state.

"A solution is actively being sought that will hopefully ensure York City FC continues well into the future.

"I understand the frustration and disappointment that many of you are feeling and I sincerely hope that a solution can be found."

In 1999, Mr Swallow was voted City's Millennium Hero - the club's most celebrated player in history - by the fans, who on match days have now voiced their frustration and anger at the BCH directors, targeting Mr Swallow and Mr Craig in particular.

Mr Swallow, 59, and his fellow BCH directors, Colin Webb and John Quickfall, each own more than 21,500 shares in the holding company.

Chairman Craig has 123,366 shares, meaning the quartet hold 94 per cent of the total share-holding.

BCH is in talks with two potential buyers, but has served 'provisional notice' to quit the Football League on April 1.

Mr Swallow skippered City from the Fourth Division to the Second in the 1970s.

He retired in 1976 with more than 500 League appearances to his credit - more than half of them in City colours, having signed for the club from Bradford City in October 1969 for £3,000.

He became a publican and hotelier in the York area, and was appointed to the City board in 1981.

After Barry Lyons was relieved of the manager's role Mr Swallow acted as caretaker manager, before playing a vital role in bringing Denis Smith to the club.

He had a spell as caretaker manager for a couple of months in 1988 before the appointment of John Bird, and later helped Alan Little run the team before the arrival of John Ward.

Updated: 10:50 Tuesday, January 22, 2002