Defiant caretaker chief Neil Thompson insisted his York City men can walk the relegation high wire in front of the biggest crowd of the season.

If midweek results fall against City their salvation will hinge on eking out at least a draw away to Manchester City on the last day of term this Saturday.

The hosts, already guaranteed one of the Second Division's play-off places, have informed City they are expecting their biggest attendance of their first ever campaign at this level.

A crowd of more than 33,000 is expected to cram into Maine Road to herald the hosts' preparations for the helter-skelter of the play-offs. That crowd will be swelled by as many as 1,500 York fans who have snapped up tickets for the climactic conclusion of the season in which they hope to witness a third great escape in the last four years.

The game is the first League visit by the Minstermen to Maine Road and its importance was heightened after York suffered their first defeat in six games when they crashed 2-1 in their last home outing to Bournemouth.

Despite that setback Thompson was confident his Minstermen could prevail in Saturday's roar of the roses swansong.

"It's a big game, a massive game, and there's going to be a great atmosphere. But if my lads can't handle it then they should not be playing," declared Thompson.

"We should have no fear going into this game. If you cannot go to Manchester City in front of a 33,000-plus crowd and not get pumped up to give a good performance then you are struggling. They should be wanting to play in full stadiums like these."

Results involving Northampton Town, Wycombe Wanderers and Oldham Athletic, who all play their games in hand over the next three days, could yet ensure that York do not need to get a profitable result from their Maine Road mission.

But Thompson refused to pay any heed to that, preferring to focus his players on the need to be resolute against the division's best supported outfit.

"We will be preparing right all this week and we will be going there to be strong."

As he surveyed the blows caused by Bournemouth's win in City's last home outing Thompson conceded that City were second best.

"We fell short. We lacked quality in certain areas. We restricted them to hardly anything in the way of chances, but we did not create much ourselves," said Thompson.

"My lads worked their socks off, that never came into question, but we just fell short.

I thought that overall we were second best against a Bournemouth side who are well-drilled and have quality in all areas."

As he plotted to safeguard City's Second Division status Thompson cited the Cherries as an example to follow.

"They represent the standard we should aspire to. They know exactly what they are doing and everyone knows their job. If we want to progress as a club we have got to raise our standards."

CAPTAIN MARVEL: City skipper Barry Jones hoists aloft the Billy Fenton Memorial Clubman of the Year award before Saturday's game against Bournemouth at Bootham Crescent

Jones lifts award

Captain Barry Jones led the parade of honour in York City's end of season awards.

Jones topped the fans' votes to lift the 26th annual Billy Fenton Memorial Clubman of the Year award.

The centre-back, whose gritty displays at the heart of defence were capped by another man-of-the-match display against Bournemouth, finished in first place ahead of runner-up Wayne Hall and caretaker-manager Neil Thompson in third place.

Mrs Margot Fenton, who donated the award in memory of her husband, presented the major prize.

Midfielder Mark Tinkler meanwhile scooped the York City Supporters' Clubs' player of the year prize, while the young player of the year award went to teenage midfielder Lee Bullock, who has just signed a two-year contract with the club.

The Junior Reds' player of the year went to striker Neil Tolson.

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