YORK City chiefs have been handed a letter from solicitors acting for the City Supporters' Trust - and say this has prevented them from answering any questions relating to the Trust.

The City board this week agreed to take part in a question-and-answer session with supporters via The Press, and the first batch of responses to fans' questions can be found inside today's edition, with more to be published tomorrow and next week.

However, managing director Steve Kilmartin says they are "regrettably" unable to comment on questions connected to the Trust following advice from their own lawyers, who will "provide appropriate responses in due course".

Trust chairman Mike Brown, meanwhile, insisted the timing of the letter had nothing to do with the Q&A.

No further details have been made available, other than a statement from Kilmartin and a short statement from Brown.

Kilmartin said: "The York City board of directors recently agreed, in good faith with The Press newspaper, to answer all questions raised by supporters.

"Regrettably, a nine-page letter dated 29 October 2018 was received immediately prior to the game at Spennymoor Town on Tuesday 30 October 2018 from global legal advisers DLA Piper confirming they had been appointed by York City Supporters’ Society Limited referred to in their letter as 'the Trust'.

"The football club has instructed lawyers in this respect who will provide appropriate responses in due course although we have been advised costs associated with attending to the matters raised will, in all probability, run into tens of thousands of pounds.

"Accordingly, in view of the club’s financial position, where support is generously provided by the chairman’s company each month, and the absolute necessity to bring this extremely regrettable course of action to a closure, the board of directors has been advised that no responses to questions regarding the York City Supporters Society Limited should be provided."

Brown said: "At a critical time in the club's history, the Supporters' Trust is duty bound to fulfil certain contractual, constitutional and moral obligations in the interests of York City FC, and it's on that basis we've instructed our solicitors."