YORK City fans could be forgiven for believing they were studying a London bus timetable rather than their club's fixture list in recent times.

The Minstermen faithful will have waited 39 days for a home game by the time their team runs out for next Saturday's FA Trophy first round meeting with Northwich Victoria.

But, following that fallow period, KitKat Crescent could host seven matches in the space of the next 38 days.

Six home games are already planned from the Boxing Day clash with Scarborough to Tuesday, January 24 when Billy McEwan's men entertain Southport.

Should the Minstermen overcome Northwich, there is also the possibility of a home draw in the second round of the Trophy on January 14 which would mean four KitKat Crescent fixtures in just 14 days.

City have now re-arranged the twice-postponed match against Stevenage for Tuesday, January 10 and also have successive home games on a Saturday and Tuesday with Grays Athletic and Southport the confirmed visitors on January 21 and 24 respectively.

It is a fixture quirk that, on first sight, might appear the perfect solution to KitKat Crescent's recent inactivity but, as finance director Terry Doyle pointed out, home fixture overkill can also present income-generating problems especially during the first month after Christmas.

Doyle said: "We could soon have a rush of home games in a short period of time when fans don't always have the money to come.

"I've never liked having Saturday and Tuesday games together at home because it's unfair to people who get paid weekly.

"People often choose to go to one game or the other when there's a Saturday and a Tuesday home match and it will be very difficult to get people to all the fixtures."

City's long run without a home game has been caused by Stevenage's continued involvement in the FA Cup.

The Hertfordshire side were originally scheduled to visit KitKat Crescent on Saturday, December 3 but that match was postponed after their progress to the second round.

Southport then refused to bring their trip to York forward to fill a free weekend for both teams and the first re-arranged date for the Stevenage game of Tuesday, December 13 could not be fulfilled with the Broadhall Way team facing an FA Cup replay at Northampton Town.

And Stevenage expressed their reluctance to travel to North Yorkshire on Tuesday, December 20 before both clubs reached an agreement on the new date as Conference rules state that every possible effort must be made to play postponed games within seven weeks of the original date.

A new date is also usually required within seven days of a postponement.

Doyle added: "We have done our utmost to solve our recent shortage of home fixtures but Southport categorically refused to bring the game forward and we tried five different dates with Stevenage."

City's finance director also thanked the patience of the club's creditors who have agreed to the deferring of payments in recent weeks.

He said: "We are grateful to out main creditors because we have had fantastic support from local businesses. They have been very sympathetic when we have had any problems.

"We are trying to ensure that our key suppliers get paid and everybody has shown understanding because the fixture situation has caused a major problem following on from the poor gate against Burton and the cost of postponing that game five days earlier."

Doyle has now appealed for supporters to help improve the financial outlook by turning out in their droves for the Trophy home clash against Northwich next weekend - traditionally the worst-attended in football's calendar - and buying their Christmas presents from the club shop.

He said: "Our income comes from our supporter base and we have to cut our cloth accordingly and clearly not being able to stagger games could hit us, so, quite simply, we are urging everybody to come and support their local club against Northwich because it's vital we improve the cash flow coming into the club.

"It's an attractive home draw and we want to be successful in the competition.

"It's also the only opportunity between now and Christmas for people to buy presents from the club shop at a match rather than making a special trip to the ground."

Doyle confirmed that the club would have considered granting an overnight stay for this afternoon's home game with Hereford had it not been for the recent drop in revenue but, instead, McEwan's men made the three-and-a-half hour trip to Shropshire this morning.

"That was one consequence of the position we are in," Doyle admitted.

"Hereford would normally be a borderline decision and we have not stayed overnight there in recent times but, in an ideal world, the team would."

Accountant Doyle is also concerned that the Christmas and New Year clashes with Scarborough, as well as the New Year's Eve home match with Morecambe, could have been placed in greater danger of postponement by the police and Conference's insistence in bringing the game's kick-offs forward to 1pm.

Doyle reasons that any overnight frost would be more likely to have thawed by 3pm.

City could also have two further home matches postponed depending on their progress in the FA Trophy and that of their opponents.

KitKat Crescent league clashes are currently planned for Saturday, February 25 against Forest Green Rovers and Saturday, March 25 against Accrington Stanley, which are dates set aside respectively for the fourth round and semi-final, second leg of the Trophy.

Updated: 10:01 Saturday, December 10, 2005