I MUST take issue with your leader writer in the Press comment column concerning York City's parlous financial state (February 23).

In my opinion, he dismisses far too lightly the part played by the major previous directors, when he says "It is tempting to blame these difficulties on the legacy of the previous regimes. But the York City Supporters' Trust knew the score when they took it over".

Of course they knew the score, but the facts are, and I hope true City fans will never ever forget them, that Douglas Craig (a reported £1.2 million), Barry Swallow and Colin Webb (£176,000 each) have walked away, albeit quite legally, with a vast sum of money which I feel was to the detriment of the club.

If Craig had done as the previous chairman has done in selling shares for £1 when he decided to quit, there would have been no need for Dave Flett to write his back page feature headlined City's Cash Crisis with sub headings "Projected six-figure loss for the club this season", "£300,000 loan repayment not set to be met in time", and "First £100,000 payment on Foundation loan not yet paid".

I think Craig, Swallow and Webb should be ashamed of themselves, especially after working hard in previous years to keep the flag flying. It is hard to imagine anyone making such a U-turn. They should give some money back to their club in its hour of need. But I expect to see snowballs in the Sahara and pigs flying first.

Martin Durham,

Cherrywood Crescent,

Fulford, York.

Updated: 10:08 Wednesday, March 01, 2006