KYLE Letheren will be allowed to leave York City on loan after losing his place in goal to Scott Flinders.

The 28-year-old, net-minder still leads The Press’ Player of the Year standings and was a clear winner of the October Player of the Month award.

But Flinders has impressed during the last four fixtures after replacing an injured Letheren during the 2-0 defeat at Southport.

The ex-Blackpool shot-stopper made a swift recovery from his hip problem and is now desperate for first-team football.

Fellow keeper Luke Simpson, who has made two appearances for City this season, is also keen for senior exposure and, on his inherited surplus of shot-stoppers, Bootham Crescent chief Gary Mills said: “I’ve never gone into a club at this level before where I’ve had two good goalkeepers, let alone three, who should be playing at this level or higher. Normally, you’d have your number one and a number two who is OK to fill in for a game, but then you can bring somebody in on loan if you need to.

“Scotty has been a bit lucky, because Kyle picked up an injury, but he has done well. The other two want to play and I understand that and don’t have a problem with it so, if the right club comes along, they can move on. “All I ask is for them to stay professional and work hard, because you never know when things will change. I wouldn’t say Scotty is my number one, because I think him and Kyle are actually quite equal.

“Kyle is itching to get back in and that could happen if Scott dips in form or gets injured, but I’ve told him he can go out on loan and I also agreed that I would let Scotty stay at Macclesfield when he was there, because he was getting games and wants to play.

“If you’re a keeper, you go into the world of football happy to sit on the bench or you want to play and our keepers want to play.”

Mills’ pursuit of a new forward, meanwhile, continues with the Minstermen chief having loaned Richard Brodie out to Macclesfield and been unimpressed with Scott Fenwick, who was hauled off after an hour against Dagenham at the weekend.

The City boss also stressed that defender Sean Newton is likely to be pressed into forward duty, as he was for the final minutes against the Daggers, if he cannot find an alternative from outside the club in time for tomorrow night’s home clash with Lincoln.

Mills reasoned: “We’re going into December soon and need to appreciate that anybody who is playing week in, week out and scoring 15 or 20 goals will either cost an absolute fortune or won’t be let out, so we’ve got to find a striker that’s sitting on the bench somewhere or can, maybe, make the step up from the league below.

“Sometimes, you can get lucky with strikers and somebody, who hasn’t scored all season for one club, might come in and get you 20 goals. Sean Newton might also get me 15 if he plays up there.

“When I played for Leicester, we had Steve Walsh, who was also a left-sided centre half who went up front and scored an abundance of goals, including a lot of headers. He went on to get two goals against Derby at Wembley to get us promoted after Brian Little had seen something in him.

“I was the opposite - a striker who moved on to the wing and then played 700 games at full-back so, just because somebody is moved elsewhere on the pitch, it doesn’t mean it won’t become their position. The reason I am playing Yan Klukowski in defence is because I think he’s the best centre half we’ve got here.

“Sean Newton is possibly one of our best centre halves as well, but I’m thinking he could give me more as a striker because I know what I can get from him. That might upset people, but it’s just me being honest because I need big hearts and Newts has one.

“I can trust him and, those I can trust, will play for the club. Those I can’t won’t or will be moved on.

“Sometimes, you have to produce that bit of magic as a manager and it comes off but, what we do need are people who are hungry to work hard and get around a pitch for 94 minutes, not just ten.”

On Fenwick’s Dagenham display, Mills added: “He’d done well in training and the reserves, but I don’t think he gave us enough and that’s why we brought him off.”

City are expected to be without Aidan Connolly against Lincoln, after he picked up a thigh strain having just returned from an eight-game absence with hamstring trouble.

But Simon Lappin will be given his City debut after serving a one-match ban, while Mills suggested that Adriano Moke, who starts a three-game suspension following his red card against Dagenham, will also face disciplinary action from the club.

“I’m still waiting for the referee’s report as the video evidence wasn’t clear but, if he has put his arms around somebody’s throat, then he knows you can’t do that and he will be punished,” Mills declared.