YORK City boss Russ Wilcox is committed to bringing reserve-team football to Bootham Crescent next season - even if it is not in an organised league.

The Minstermen chief is meeting the board to discuss how the club approach second-string fixtures in 2015/16 and would consider organising more regular behind-closed-doors games against neighbouring professional outfits.

Wilcox regards reserve football as essential for developing young players and providing important match fitness for any players suspended, out-of-favour or returning from injury.

He said: “There will definitely be more reserve games next season, whether we go into a league or just organise more matches. We've got clubs like Middlesbrough, Hull, Barnsley, Doncaster and Leeds all around us and we can arrange games with them if needed.

“It will be important to get something in place. Hopefully, having more reserve games will give us that stepping stone between the youth team and the first team.

“I also think all players benefit from having a reserve side - young and old. If you’ve been injured, suspended or out of favour then it serves its purpose by getting or keeping you up to speed because we had to send Dave Winfield to Wimbledon for him to be able to do that last season.”

The City boss added that whether the team continue to employ the 3-5-2 formation that was used for the final nine fixtures of last season may depend on the personnel drafted in over the summer.

“The 3-5-2 formation is not set in stone and what system we play could be dictated by who we are able to recruit and who stays at the club,” Wilcox reasoned. “You then fit the system around the players.

“I like 3-5-2. It helped us get some important points and go on our longest unbeaten run of the season but we've still got to be flexible and adaptable enough to consider other systems.”