KYLE Letheren has insisted York City’s players are paying no attention to the National League table just ten fixtures into the new season.

The Minstermen currently lie 16th in the standings – six points adrift of the play-off places and three above the relegation zone.

But keeper Letheren has reasoned the time to study league positions will be next spring.

“Nobody is worried about where we are in the table now,” the former Blackpool net-minder argued. “It’s not even being mentioned and we’ll look at it when it comes to the point we need to.

“It only matters in April and May. There’s a long way to go and some tough games to play but, if we can start picking up away points, then that will pull us up the league and, hopefully, come March and April, we will be in a prime position to pounce.”

Letheren has kept two clean sheets in his five outings for the Minstermen but, following on from Scott Flinders, his predecessor between the sticks, conceded the third goal his team have shipped from a punched clearance this season at Torquay.

On the debate concerning when to punch or catch a ball, Letheren added: “In my position, you make a decision when the ball comes in and don’t change your mind, because that’s when mistakes happen. In my eyes, if the keeper clears the box and it goes 40 yards, which is two boxes, then that’s decent.

“If you asked any keeper, they’d agree with that, but everybody has their own opinion. Could I have held the one against Torquay? Maybe so, but I made my decision and stuck with it.

“I will do that all season and then you live or die by the sword. If it proves to be the wrong decision, you need to have a thick skin, because you will get criticism and that’s part and parcel of the game, but nobody would have been saying anything at Torquay if nothing had happened from the second ball.

“When a keeper punches, you have to clear the box as quickly as you can, but we were lethargic and you can’t defend like that, because there are some decent players in this league and you will get punished. If we hadn’t been four or five yards too deep, I could have come for the second ball that came in as well but, with so many bodies still in there, I couldn’t.

“We’re looking at improving on that though. I’ve only played five games, so partnerships will be formed and we’ll go from there.”

Letheren also reasoned that with Flinders due to serve the final game of his five-match suspension this weekend and ex-Watford shot-stopper Luke Simpson on the Bootham Crescent books too, City chief McNamara is spoilt for choice in terms of his options between the sticks.

“We’ve got three decent keepers and there won’t be many teams in this league with three better,” Letheren said.

Having played behind defenders all aged 25 or younger, Letheren is the back line’s elder statesman at 28, even if he doesn’t feel it.

“I feel comfortable with all of them,” he explained. “We’ve got a mix of experience and youth, which can only be a good thing.

“All our defenders know how to play the game and there are players a bit more experienced than me in this league. I’m only 28 but, if people want to look on me as experienced, that’s great.”

Letheren is hoping for a better rub of the green, meanwhile, in terms of officials’ decisions in coming games.

“There are fine margins in football and we’ve since been told that Aidan Connolly’s goal at Torquay was onside and should have been allowed,” he explained. “Decisions like that can go against you, but you have to hope they even themselves over the course of a season and we get a few in our favour over the next few games.”