YORK City chairman Jason McGill has insisted that he will never transfer any of his 75 per cent stake in the football club to chief executive Jackie McNamara.

McGill issued the statement during his response to the Supporters Trust’s online question-and-answer session.

The continued employment of McNamara at the club continues to attract suspicion, concern and multiple conspiracy theories, given the former Scotland international’s unpopularity among City supporters after his hand in back-to-back relegations and status as the second-worst manager statistically in the club’s history behind Bobby Saxton, who took charge at a higher level.

But McGill has reiterated that McNamara’s presence at Bootham Crescent allows him to concentrate on the club’s parent company JM Packaging, while the football club’s operations are in the hands of somebody he can trust.

Answering fans’ questions about McNamara, McGill said: “None of the shares will be transferred by JM Packaging to CEO Jackie McNamara, now or in the future,” before adding: “I need someone I can trust to run the club and protect the club’s interests on a day-to-day basis while I concentrate on running my business.

“It is vital to understand it is the success of JM Packaging that continues to keep paying salaries and the club’s financial commitments.”

McGill’s comments were made ahead of the Trust’s special general meeting on Thursday at Millthorpe School, where members will vote on whether to hand the fans’ body’s 25 per cent shareholding in the club to JM Packaging under the Golden Share Proposal.

That ballot will be overseen by an independent team, consisting of nobody that is a Trust member or current supporter of York City.

The Trust, meanwhile, have revealed that there was not sufficient time to gain an independent valuation of Bootham Crescent to inform members of the ground’s current market price ahead of the shares vote.

This could be undertaken in the future, though, with the Trust having received a quote of £7,500 from a valuer.

The last valuation on the ground of £4.5million was undertaken by the City of York Council in February 2012

There is, however, as agreement with Persimmon Homes that the building company will get a ten per cent discount on the valuation when they buy the land.

McGill also pointed out: “The value of Bootham Crescent is dependent on many factors, such as the amount of affordable housing, which have not been agreed yet and are unlikely to be known for some time.”