"George Swan can be our leader," says York City boss Jackie McNamara

The former Manchester City captain was handed his professional debut by McNamara during Tuesday night's 2-1 Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat at Barnsley.

Swan is now in line to start his first Football League game against table-topping Plymouth on Saturday, having jumped ahead of senior trio Dave Winfield, Keith Lowe and John McCombe in the pecking order for a central-defensive starting spot.

On Swan's promotion, McNamara said: "I think everybody's been looking around for most of the season to see who's next in defensively and, when we set up with different combinations in training on Monday, young George was the one who was leading. His age doesn't interest me because he can only get better and I want my defenders to be organising, keeping shape and having a real pride in stopping people from getting shots away.

"Those simple things are very important and he talked and organised well for his first game."

The Minstermen have only fielded an unchanged back four in one of their last six matches and Marvin McCoy's one-game suspension means McNamara will be trialling another combination in an effort to stop the flow of goals conceded.

He added: "We're looking for a solid display without any silly mistakes. That has to be stamped out and the players who want to do that will be involved going forward.

"If you want something enough, you will make sure you're not the one who makes the mistake that proves the difference between winning and losing. That has to be the mentality otherwise the club will just keep bringing manager after manager in."

On his right-back options, McNamara pondered: "Eddie Nolan's done well at left back but he could switch and somebody like David Tutonda could come in. We've got a young kid in Taron (Hare) who I've not seen much of who could play there but that would be a big ask and we could also go with a centre back there like Keith (Lowe).

"There are a lot of things to think about but, hopefully, we can find the best solution."

Just over a week into his new job, McNamara went on to reveal that he was already forming opinions on his inherited squad and warned players that their Bootham Crescent futures are now on the line.

"I've learned a lot in a week so I feel ahead of the game in terms of seeing individuals and making decisions on them," the ex-Dundee United chief declared. "Everything was never going to be tickety-boo when I came here and decisions have to be made to improve the team but that's something I am looking forward to.

"Players have got to show me they want to play every week and be here next season because a lot are out of contract. Regardless of where the club is or has been, I want to be chasing promotion to League One and, if everybody wants that enough, we will succeed."

Luke Summerfield (head), Russell Penn (ankle), Reece Thompson (virus) and Bryn Morris (England under-20 duty) all remain unavailable for the Pilgrims clash but Vadaine Oliver, Ben Godfrey and Emile Sinclair, who all picked up knocks at Oakwell, should be fit.

Saturday's game will see McNamara pitted against fellow Scot Derek Adams who took over at Home Park in the summer after leaving Ross County.

On the task ahead for his team, the City boss said: "I know their manager and his assistant Craig Brewster very well. We've come up against each other a few times and they have started the season excellently.

"They don't concede many goals and are well-organised. He's brought in one or two players from up there who have done well like Graham Carey but they do have weaknesses that we can hopefully exploit."

McNamara has also instructed the players that they must earn the support of the Bootham Crescent faithful as he prepares for his first home match at the helm.

"It's important to start winning games of football and there would be no better place to start," he reasoned. "The away support has been great in both cup games and, at home, I don't want to be giving teams a nice friendly welcome where clubs feel they can take three points.

"I want the ground to be somewhere people dread coming to, but the home fans will only react to what they are seeing on the pitch. The players need to be positive and give everything but, if they are apprehensive and don't take responsibility, then the crowd will turn on them and that's understandable because I would be frustrated watching that."