YORK City boss Russ Wilcox is on the verge of signing a new right back after abandoning hope of bringing Brad Halliday back to Bootham Crescent.

Halliday, who played 24 games and scored one goal for the Minstermen last season on loan from Middlesbrough, has signalled his intention to press his claims for first-team duty at the Championship play-off finalists during pre-season.

That means Wilcox has now decided to look elsewhere for reinforcements in an area where transfer-listed Antigua & Barbuda international Marvin McCoy is the only current option.

Halliday, 19, is expected to be among the Boro squad that will visit Bootham Crescent on Saturday for City’s first pre-season friendly and Wilcox said: “We’re still hoping to do a bit more business if we possibly can and there could be something in the pipeline.

“I think it’s important we do something in the right-back/right-wing back position. Everything has gone very quiet in terms of bringing Brad Halliday back and we can’t just wait and wait.

“We’ve only got Marvin McCoy for that role at the moment, so we’ve got to add to that area and that’s what we’re hoping to do. Brad was a breath of fresh air when he came into the building last season but he’s not our player, so everything is out of our control.

“He’s gone back to Middlesbrough, where he wants to spend pre-season and see what happens, so we’ve got to try and act quickly because I don’t want to go into the new season without bringing somebody else in for that position.”

McCoy remains on the transfer list, along with Femi Ilesanmi and Lindon Meikle, although unwanted third-choice keeper Jason Mooney’s move to Accrington Stanley has freed up a little more space on City’s wage bill with Wilcox adding: “Jason’s move was good for all parties.

“I had told him I couldn’t promise him first-team football and he needs that to keep developing. Hopefully, he will get that at Accrington and I wish him all best apart from in the games against us.

“It’s been difficult since the end of last season having the four lads on the transfer list and, while Jason has moved on now, that still leaves the other three and we continue to try to juggle things with the support of the chairman and the board.”

Released City striker Ryan Jarvis, meanwhile, has completed his move to Conference North outfit Lowestoft Town, where he will team up with his brother Rossi.