LONG-SERVING defender David McGurk believes York City will never return to the Blue Square Bet Premier under the present Bootham Crescent regime.

McGurk played in all eight of the Minstermen’s Conference campaigns following relegation from the Football League in 2004 – the first two as a loan player before joining permanently under Billy McEwan.

The 29-year-old centre-back also made 56 appearances for first club Darlington at League Two level – where City will ply their trade next season following last month’s 2-1 play-off final win over Luton.

And, drawing on past experiences, McGurk, pictured, reckons Gary Mills’ team can complete back-to-back promotions with chairman Jason McGill and his family at the helm.

He said: “This is the best squad I have played in and that’s including my time at Darlington. I never got in the play-offs when I was there and they were always knocking around mid-table but we would have easily competed with those teams back then and I am sure the gaffer will strengthen over the summer.

“I would be surprised if we are not in the top half of the table next season and it’s an easier league to get out of. There are a lot more places to go at with three automatic promotion spots and play-off places going down to seventh position.

“The mistakes that happened here when the club went down will never happen again. I am sure this board will make sure we are at least in League Two for the rest of the time they are here.

“At the beginning of every season in the Conference, I always thought we had a chance of going up but then you look at how difficult it is with the other teams you are up against but we have done it now.

“We have done the hardest part and we have got to kick on. Nobody wants to settle for being a League Two club.

“You look at clubs like Wigan and York are a similar size.

“They have gone through the leagues and, hopefully, we can do that now.

“When you get a good feeling at a club that momentum can take you into the following season and, you never know, we could go up again.”

City will be leaving non-League rivals Luton behind when they kick off the new campaign and McGurk now admits he is relieved the club rejected his transfer request when the Hatters expressed an interest in his services the season before last.

He is also relieved that he went on to sign a new contract with the Minstermen.

Former team-mate Alex Lawless, meanwhile, has suffered consecutive play-off final defeats with the Bedfordshire club since leaving Bootham Crescent, leading to sympathy from McGurk, if not from many City supporters.

“Staying here was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” McGurk confessed. “I’ve thought about Alex Lawless being on the other side of things and he’s gutted.

“I feel for him. I know the fans give him a bit of stick now, but he’s a great lad and a very good player.

“He had the opportunity to go and thought he was furthering his career but he’s still in the Conference now and we’re in the League.”

McGurk, who has been sidelined with a variety of injuries since New Year’s Day, also now empathises with the average lot of a football supporter, having shared the anxiety of the closing minutes against Luton with the Minstermen faithful.

He said: “It was agonising watching. It’s normally a lot worse if we are losing but, for the last five minutes at Wembley when we were 2-1 up, I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous and, when you’re playing, you don’t feel that. It takes a bit of the shine off for me not playing but I would not swap what has happened at the club for anything. It means everything.

“Promotion has dominated everything that has been talked about since I first came to the club so, while winning the Trophy final was brilliant, winning the play-off final the following weekend was different altogether. The amount of people that then came out for the parade was frightening. I just hope they all come back next season now.”

The performances of Chris Smith, Chris Doig, Dan Parslow and Jamal Fyfield have ensured that McGurk’s absence during the second half of the season was not as keenly felt as might have been expected.

McGurk feels that demonstrated the strength in depth which was typical in all areas of the squad, adding: “A few players went in defence and they all played very well but it’s been the same in any position. When somebody has dropped out, somebody has come in and replaced them.”

McGurk is now hoping his injury-plagued 2012 is behind him and that he will be ready for pre-season next month. He has fully recovered from calf and throat ailments and is a fortnight away from getting the all clear on his knee problem.

“I’ve been told I need to rest it until the middle of the month and then I can work on getting fit again,” he said.