BY IAN APPLEYARD

GARY Mills wants to repay the love of the York City fans by smashing the club's unwanted away record at Southport tonight.

It is now 30 games since the Minstermen won or even kept a clean sheet away from Bootham Crescent in the league and manager Mills is desperate to put that right.

Back at the helm after three and a half years away, Mills admits that he was moved by the warmth of the reception from York fans prior to last weekend's home game with Chester.

Speaking ahead of tonight's first away game in the National League since his return, he said: "What happened on Saturday will spur me on and motivate me to get it right for those supporters. It was the best welcome I have ever had at a football club and told me that they want me here. I want to say a massive 'thankyou'.

"My family and friends at the game said they shed the odd tear - there's nothing wrong with that because it shows what it means," he added. "The supporters feel I am the right man to come and do this job and now I want to go and prove them right."

Mills was re-appointed manager just 24 hours before a defeat last week at Curzon Ashton in the FA Cup but tonight will mark his first away league game as York manager since a 1-1 draw at Rotherham United in League Two on February 26, 2013. The club's last win and clean sheet on the road came against Newport County 13 months ago.

"It's a fresh start for me and I don't have those statistics in my head. We have to get rid of the belief that we can't go away from home and get a result. Once we get one, we will go and get some more," he insisted.

"You can't do anything about the past, you can only affect things going forward. The players don't need reminders that we have not won away for 30 games because it puts added pressure on their shoulders.

"The most important thing is a clean sheet - if we get that, we don't lose - and if we go 1-0 up at Southport we have got to have the confidence to go 2-0 up. Getting that away win is important. We just have to show the drive and mental strength to put all the negative stuff right."

Struggling Southport moved off the bottom of the table this weekend thanks to a 1-1 draw with Sutton United.

York, who were denied victory over Chester by a stoppage time equaliser, are four points better off and could move seven clear of the relegation zone by winning at Haig Avenue tonight.

"They might be sitting where they are but they are just below us," said Mills. "We have to get a result because that creates a seven point gap. If they win, it is a one point gap and we know the difference that makes.

"Can we get that gap between us and the bottom four? It's not the place we want to be - we want to be looking up - but that's where we are now and we have to make sure that changes."

Defender Lanre Oyebanjo will miss the game with a hamstring injury picked up on Saturday while Richard Brodie, Shaun Rooney, and Daniel Nti are all doubtful due to illness. Winger Aidan Connolly, who has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, is still 'two to three weeks away' from a return to action.

Mills had nothing to report in terms of new arrivals and confirmed that Darren Caskey, his assistant at previous club Wrexham, was still working without a contract.

"It's not a trial. He's doing a job for me. No title at the moment. No contract," said Mills. "Hopefully, before long, we can sort something."

Supporters, meanwhile, will be given an opportunity to question Mills, chairman Jason McGill, and chief executive Jackie McNamara at an open forum to be held at York Sports Club on Thursday November 3.

The event, hosted by BBC Look North's Phil Bodmer, will be free to enter on a first come, first served basis and starts at 8pm.