DAVE Winfield has been hailed as a worthy back-to-back Press Player of the Month winner.

The 27-year-old defender scooped the honours in December and January, having established himself as a first XI regular under Jackie McNamara.

While the former Dundee United chief has offloaded experienced pair Keith Lowe and John McCombe - Winfield's long-time rivals for a centre-back place at Bootham Crescent - the ex-Wycombe captain has been a mainstay during the last seven matches.

His two goals, supplemented by a couple of goal-line clearances during that time, have also earned the team SIX points, meaning that without such vital contributions the club would now be ten adrift from safety.

On Winfield's inspirational form during testing times, McNamara said: "He's been excellent and a really good leader for me. I spoke to him a couple of weeks after I came to the club and told him what I expected from him in terms of his leadership qualities, physique and his experience because he's been part of a promotion-winning team at this level.

"I wanted to try and get that out of him because he didn't quite seem himself. Maybe that was down to there being lots of players in his position all going for one place, but I think we're getting the best out of him now and his goals and clearances have won us some vital points."

McNamara also believes Winfield has been a strong mentor for the on-loan rookie defenders the City manager has successfully integrated into the team at Bootham Crescent.

"The likes of Will Boyle before and now Kyle Cameron and Luke Hendrie, who are all desperate to improve, learn and do well, have all benefited from playing alongside him," the City boss reasoned. "He helps them with his talking and organising and Russell Penn does the same in midfield with his shouting or, rather, high-pitch screaming."

McNamara went on to insist that winger Danny Galbraith - last weekend's match-winner against Stevenage - can become a regular marksman for the Minstermen despite the goal being only his second in 78 professional English and Scottish matches.

"It does surprise me that he hasn't scored more goals in his career because his first touch always takes him towards the opposition and I like that," the City boss confessed. "There are definitely more goals in him, because he's good technically although last weekend's goal was with his weaker foot.

"I think he just needs somebody to believe in him and give him an opportunity. We've done that and we just need to make sure we manage his niggling groin problem right now."

McNamara will be a guest of York Minstermen, meanwhile, in the 1922 Bar at Bootham Crescent on Thursday.

A question-and-answer session will begin at 7.30pm with the doors opening half-an-hour earlier.