CHAIRMAN Jason McGill insists York City will not become a selling club under new boss Jackie McNamara - but they do want to make the academy more profitable in the long-term.

Former Celtic and Scotland star McNamara made a name for himself with Partick Thistle and Dundee United as a manager who not only gave youth a chance and improved players but also helped to balance books.

McGill said an ability to get the best out of individuals was one of the reasons he and assistant Simon Donnelly were brought to Bootham Crescent, but dismissed any idea the club might look to utilise that in order to sell players on for profit.

"That's not part of their remit," said the City supremo.

"York City have not been a selling club unless it's been to the benefit of the player and the club.

"Our philosophy has always been that, to be successful, you don't sell your best players.

"There are times when it gets to a point where, if they develop a player who can play higher up the leagues, it's very difficult to keep hold of that player. If any player got to that point, the board would have the final decision."

Asked about improving the conveyor belt of talent coming through the system, McGill said: "I think long-term it has to be our aim.

"There's no point having an academy if we're not bringing through players that can benefit the first team or be sold on to give them a career higher up the football pyramid.

"These guys (McNamara and Donnelly) believe in youth and in younger players.

"But they also have contacts at other football clubs through which we can bring in players who have good footballing educations and give them a second chance.

"I think they believe there can be a good mixed squad, a balanced squad, of older players mixed with youth.

"I don't think they will be frightened to get young players in if they feel they're good enough to improve the team."

He added: "Long-term there are things we would like them to help us improve from the footballing side of things, not just with the first team but with the age groups leading up to it and with a footballing philosophy that stays with the club going forward."

McNamara's time at previous club Dundee United ended under a cloud after a clause in his contract - which meant he earned a bonus related to transfer fees - became public knowledge, fuelling discontent among fans when leading players were sold on.

The revelation coincided with a poor run of form as the club, heavily in debt, cashed in on star men Ryan Gauld, Andy Robertson, Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven. Armstrong and Mackay-Steven went to Celtic shortly before the Scottish League Cup final between the sides, won by Celtic.

McGill would not say if any such a clause was in McNamara's Bootham Crescent contract but pointed out that, in any case, the board would have the final say on whether they sold a prized player.

Asked about the furore surrounding that clause at United, McGill said: "In my opinion I don't think people should be discussing an individual's contract. It needs to be kept in house.

"What I would say is if a chairman gives a manager a contract, it's the chairman that has agreed to it, so you can't really go off and be critical if it's been your decision to put a clause in a contract."

McNamara, meanwhile, also defended his United contract on his arrival at Bootham Crescent.

"Regrettably these things got into the public domain," said the 42-year-old, who was reportedly fuming last spring when the clause at Tannadice became known.

"Celtic took three players, two before the cup final. People can make of it what they will. For me it's all gone and I move forward now and I'm looking forward to this challenge at York.

"It was all said at the time, the reason why they had done it that way, and people sometimes need to understand that.

"I had no decision on players getting sold. My job was to make them win games and develop players. Unfortunately some went to other places. The main thing is I was not party to negotiations regarding selling players. That's down to the board."