Forward thinking Terry Dolan received a massive boost today with teenage starlets Christian Fox and Lee Bullock pledging their allegiances to the Minstermen.

The midfield duo, who still had a year to run on their current deals at Bootham Crescent, have put pen to paper on fresh three-year contracts.

Young midfielder Marc Thompson has also been awarded a two-year contract, despite still having a year to serve under the terms of his youth trainee scholarship.

Dolan said he hoped the news that both Fox and Bullock had committed themselves to City despite speculation linking them to top clubs would be a shot in the arm for supporters.

"I see them both as very much part of the future at Bootham Crescent," said Dolan.

"I have been assured by people at the club I have not seen the best of either of them yet but I see this as a very positive step."

Bullock, 18, and Fox, 19, in particular, have enjoyed excellent first season's professionals having progressed through the youth ranks at City.

Dolan said the club had moved quickly to offer York-born Thompson a pro's contract as reward for a number of fine performances since breaking into the team under the new boss.

Meanwhile, an independent fans' group have praised their long-time foe - the York City board of directors - and urged Minstermen followers to join the official Bootham Crescent supporters' club.

The change of tack from FACT - Fans Assisting City Together - comes after the City directors' invitation for a fan representative to sit on the board providing the supporters' club saw its numbers swell by 1,500.

After an initially cool reception to City chairman Douglas Craig's announcement, FACT spokesman Greg Stone was now prepared to welcome it.

"What is on offer is a genuinely progressive offer by the board, although the language it was presented in was still a little frosty," said Stone.

"If successful, this scheme would offer fans more of a role than at many other clubs and the board deserves credit for this.

"It perhaps doesn't go quite as far as we'd hoped, but we have to be realistic."

Stone, who does not forecast a repeat of this season's run-ins with the chairman, announced he would be applying for membership of the supporters' club and urged fellow FACT members and other City fans to do the same.