YORK City skipper Sean Newton is determined to make amends for three frustrating seasons by bidding farewell to Bootham Crescent with a promotion.

The Minstermen will relocate to Monks Cross in the summer of 2019 and, while Newton is painfully aware that securing a place in the National League would not be cause for celebration at any other point in the club’s history, he wants the famous 86-year-old stadium to receive a fitting send-off.

City’s lingering outsiders’ chance of making this term’s play-offs are likely to be extinguished this week should Spennymoor defeat either Telford or bottom-of-the-table North Ferriby.

Newton, therefore, is already plotting a much-improved tilt at National League North success next term.

“It would be nice to finish off at Bootham Crescent with a promotion, especially after the last few years,” Newton pointed out. “It wouldn’t be from the league the fans would want, but it would give them a good goodbye to a ground they have loved for years.

“The fans have had three frustrating seasons now, so I can honestly understand why they have abused in some games this season, because we’ve deserved it. But, hopefully, it will do them good to be away from the club this summer and, then, hopefully everybody can come back after the gaffer has made some signings that the fans take to and we can move together in the right direction, because there has been no real togetherness anywhere in the club this season.”

Newton’s current deal means he is on City’s books until 2020 and, despite his popularity having declined among supporters since winning last season’s Clubman of the Year award, he remains determined to silence his critics next term, saying: “I don’t know what the gaffer will decide for next season, but I’m more than willing to roll my sleeves up and prove my doubters wrong.

“I’ve had a stop-start season, like every player. I don’t think anybody has been consistent, other than Parky (Jon Parkin), because he’s done his job and scored regularly even if he’s played poorly. I’ll just work hard over the summer, get myself fit and, until I’m told otherwise, come back next season and give my all, whether I’m starting or coming off the bench.”

Newton went on to insist that he believes underfire manager Martin Gray will oversee better fortunes next season and that the players should be held fully culpable for this term’s failings.

“The way we have gone about things this season, the manager has been angry a few times but, after Saturday, it was the worst I have seen him,” Newton revealed. “He was fuming, but it wasn’t that match that’s cost us.

“We’ve won three of our last 15 games and that’s ridiculous. We have underachieved massively and the manager couldn’t have done any more.

“We’ve made the mistakes as players, so it’s down to us. We work tirelessly on defending as a team and at set-plays but, all of us including myself, have let ourselves down.

“We’ve made terrible, terrible errors at crucial points in games all season and we’re never going to be able to get out of this league if we can’t keep clean sheets. Some of the goals we concede are embarrassing, but I’ve never had such a thorough manager and I’d back him to do well next season, because he works so hard and won’t settle for this again.

“We can’t beat Salford one week and then get turned over by Curzon the next. That has to stop.

“There are some good players at every club who choose to play at this level because they’ve got well-paid jobs, so you can’t underperform against anybody.”

Newton also confessed that he is no longer certain of his best position on a football pitch following a season-and-a-half at City where he has played at full-back, centre-half, wing-back and in midfield, before operating as a striker during the last three games, scoring twice in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Leamington.

“I think I’ve got better with each game,” Newton reasoned about his forward role. “At Gainsborough, I struggled a bit in the second half, but I’ve also been playing as a striker in training so you get used to it.

“I always back myself to score goals and, even though I haven’t had the best of seasons, I’ve still got ten, but I honestly don’t know what’s my best position at the minute.

“I’m a bit lost and I need to clear my head over the summer and maybe discuss with the manager where I’d like to play or fight for a place. I was renowned in the division above for being a left back who did well most years, but I think I’ve only played there twice here, so I don’t know whether I’d be the same player if I played there now.”