OUT-OF-CONTRACT skipper Russell Penn has admitted York City have a "big advantage" over any other clubs who might offer him a deal this summer.

Penn has confessed that his love for the club and city, where his family are based, would make leaving Bootham Crescent a wrench.

Manager Jackie McNamara has already suggested that he would like to extend the 30-year-old midfielder's two-and-a-half year career with the Minstermen.

Whether the club would be able to offer the same terms should they drop out of the Football League, though, could present a stumbling block, but Penn said: "I love York City and York as a whole.

"My family up are up here with me now, so that's a big advantage, location wise, over anyone else who might be interested in me."

Penn added that he welcomed chairman Jason McGill's recent assertion that McNamara will continue as manager next season even if the club are plying their trade back in non-League football.

"I don't like swapping and changing," the former England C international explained. "If we go down, then it has been a disaster, but the gaffer has only been here six months and he knows what he wants to do.

"Hopefully, he will get a full season to do that. Jason and the gaffer have their meetings together and we, as players, just have to get on with it.

"If we get relegated and bring a new manager in, what does that solve at the end of the day? That's my opinion anyway."

Penn is also hoping to defy medical opinion and return to action within a fortnight from the knee injury that saw him stretchered off during the 3-2 Easter Monday defeat at Plymouth.

"It was an injury that happened on impact and I think a nerve was trapped after I struck the ball and then their player's leg," he pointed out. "I thought it might be my medial ligaments, but it looks like bone bruising, so I've had a bit of stick from the lads for being a wimp.

"I don't care though. I would rather be in this situation, than in hospital.

"It's very frustrating because I just want to be out there helping the club, especially in the position we are in, but I was thinking about whether I would play football again after the injury, so to perhaps be back in a fortnight is really good.

"The specialists are saying I will be out for four weeks, but I'm hoping to be back for the Hartlepool game (on April 16) or Portsmouth (three days later)."

With Penn sidelined, James Berrett was given his first start in six matches during Saturday's 1-1 home draw against Leyton Orient.

Five-goal Berrett gave City some forward impetus prior to Scot Bennett being shifted from an anchoring role to left back and Penn feels recruiting the on-loan Notts County utility man has been an attacking boost for all the squad's midfielders.

Penn, who has netted twice himself since Bennett's arrival last month, reasoned: "He had a very good start to the season before playing a bit part for the last month or so, but I like James. He scores goals and it probably helped him, like myself and Luke (Summerfield), having Scot behind him to be a free ranger up there to do what he wants to do in midfield.

"I love having that assurance behind me and think I can score more goals between now and the end of the season."

With the club now nine points adrift of third-bottom Stevenage, on the prospects of beating the drop, Penn confessed: "It's obviously looking bleak but, whether people believe we are down or not, we've just got to keep trying to win each game."

* City striker Emile Sinclair’s loan spell with National League Guiseley has been extended until the end of the season when the 28-year-old striker will be out of contract at Bootham Crescent.

Sinclair has scored two goals in nine outings for the West Yorkshire outfit.