YORK City's superfans have proved it's not only the big Premiership clubs who can boast worldwide support.

Of course, the numbers may be greater for the giants of the English game, but when it comes to having true fans at every corner of the globe, then the Minstermen are up there with the best of them.

With City's supporters club aiming to top the 1,500 membership needed to get a fans' representative on the Minstermen's board, they have begun keeping tabs on where their members live.

And while they have set up a huge map of Great Britain in the club shop at Bootham Crescent to display where their mainland fans can be found, they have also compiled an impressive list of overseas support.

Keen Minstermen followers, said supporters club press officer Rob Havercroft, can be found as far afield as Australia, USA, Japan, Finland, Ireland and even Ukraine.

The map itself is punctured almost in every corner of Britain, with the majority of pins, of course, in and around York.

The most northerly club member lives in Stirling, Scotland, while the most southerly resides in Tiverton, Somerset, the most easterly in Harwich and the most westerly in the Isle of Man.

The list of members also includes BBC football commentator Jon Champion, and stretches even further into the showbiz world.

Comedian Richard Herring of Sunday show This Morning With Richard Not Judy is a lifelong City fan, while popular York-based rock band Shed Seven are honorary members.

Fellow rocker Dave Hattee is also a keen Minstermen follower. For those of you who don't know, Hattee is the drummer out of T'Pau, the band fronted by fiery redhead Carol Decker, who had 1980s hits with China In Your Hand and Heart And Soul.

Fans may have noticed storm clouds brewing over Bootham Crescent during City's match with Barnet on Monday.

It had nothing to do with the football, of course, rather a meteorological phenomenon looming over North Yorkshire.

Evening Press chief photographer Garry Atkinson was at the match to picture the action, and while there snapped a cracking shot of a tornado spiralling down above the York skyline - after fans and City mascot Yorkie pointed it out to him.

As regular readers of the Evening Press will know, Garry's superb picture made its way onto the front page of Tuesday's editions. But for most supporters, it provided less of a twist than Colin Alcide's late winner!

How coincidental it was that Kevin Hulme missed Monday's match against the Bees because of a bee sting.

It begs the question, do Barnet get their nickname because of the colour of their kit - orange and black - or do they have some other, more sinister, connection with the furry flyers?

You see, as City's fearless midfielder would normally be the last person opponents would like to clash with, one wonders whether the Bees asked for a little Apoidean aid in ruling him out of the game!

Of course, it wasn't enough to deny City the victory - as the match itself had an even bigger sting in the tail.

Talking of late goals, Carlisle United's equaliser against City last Friday night was so late that it beat not only Alan Fettis between the City sticks but also members of the national press.

A number of daily papers incorrectly published a 1-0 scoreline in City's favour, while even teletext reports originally stated that Peter Duffield's penalty had won the game for the Minstermen.

Optimistic City fans either at the game or listening on radio could have seen the printed errors and believed that the last-gasp equaliser had been ruled out without their realising it - or that they had imagined it in the first place.

Unfortunately, however, the late strike stood and denied City their first three-point haul of the season.

Naturally, the Evening Press was on the ball, although it all goes to show that even journalists have to play until the final whistle.

It's not every week that City enjoy national media exposure, but they did so on Thursday when Radio 5 Live broadcast a special behind-the-scenes looks at Bootham Crescent.

The ten-minute feature was recorded by local radio journalist Jerry Ibbotson before, during and after City's 1-0 win over Barnet on Monday, and was broadcast during the Ian Payne afternoon show.

And it went down so well with the club that they've ordered a CD version of it from the BBC to pass on to everyone featured, including chairman Douglas Craig, groundsman Bryan Horner, fans, backroom staff, player Mark Sertori and even club mascot Yorkie.

Public relations officer Sophie McGill said: "Various characters at the club were featured and it came across really well. It painted a good all-round picture of the club."

Popular defender Wayne Hall's testimonial events continue next month when the London and South branch of City's supporters' club hold a special dinner in his honour.

The "Ginner Dinner" will be held on the night of City's match at Southend, on October 14, at a pub curiously named Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, in Fleet Street, London.

Ginner himself will be attending and there is an open invite for all City fans down at the game or living in the area.

It starts at 8pm, priced £26.50, and bookings are being taken by David Wood on 01379 898741. Further details can be found on the London and South branch's website www.yorkcitysouth.co.uk

On a heavier note, I'm sure most City fans would like to wish former defender Andy McMillan all the best now that his football career appears to be over.

As reported in the Evening Press, the likeable full-back, who left City in October last year, has been unable find a new club after being released by Ayr United.

The 32-year-old has acknowledged that his playing days are probably over and is now turning his sights away from football.

Hopefully a fruitful new career is just around the corner.

PICTURE: FANS ON THE MAP: City's supporters club press officer Rob Havercroft holds the map of Great Britain which shows where club members can be found