YORK City's board are fully aware an improvement in results will provide a much-needed increase in supporters through the turnstiles.

Frustrating fixture tampering by Setanta, a dearth in Saturday afternoon KitKat Crescent clashes, increased television exposure, high admission prices and bad weather have all been cited as contributing factors to a concerning drop in attendances which reached a trough when only 1,784 fans turned up for Tuesday night's 2-0 victory over Stafford.

That gate was the lowest for a home league fixture in more than three years. It fell well short of the 2,500 a game the club are believed to have based their budget on for the season.

The Minstermen's current average of 2,215 is also worryingly close to the lowest-ever figure for a single season.

That ignominious record of 2,139 belongs to the Minstermen's 1977/78 side, managed by Wilf McGuinness until November and then Charlie Wright.

During that old Fourth Division campaign, hordes of fans grew disillusioned after back-to-back relegations just three years after Bootham Crescent had drawn five-figure attendances when playing host to the likes of Manchester United, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday.

That team went on to finish 22nd and eight of the club's all-time top ten lowest gates were recorded during the season.

Apathy was also reflected in the city when the club finished bottom of the same division under Barry Lyons in 1981 with an average home crowd of 2,162, while the club's disappointing first Conference campaign is currently the third lowest with an average of 2,333.

As community and communications director Sophie McGill appreciates when plunging attendances have afflicted the club, there has always been one overriding factor in common - poor results.

However, with the club already losing £150,000 a year in Football Foundation loan repayments and running repairs to the KitKat Crescent stadium each season, improved results could be just as important for the club's balance sheets as it is for their Blue Square Premier standing.

Board member McGill said: "The recent attendance figures at KitKat Crescent have been below the average figure the board has prudently budgeted for this season. Therefore, at present, the club's finances are not performing as we would have expected.

"Clearly, disappointing on-pitch results have had an impact, as well as the fixture changes we have had to endure as a result of the Conference board's television deal with Setanta. We have a very loyal core of supporters who we greatly appreciate.

"The challenge is trying to persuade the people of York to attend games.

"As we can see from our promotion push last season, which created a great deal of interest locally, people will come and support York City, but they expect to see a winning team.

"With an improvement in our results, we would expect to see an increase in attendance figures."

Supermac's tilt

ON-LOAN Scunthorpe United striker Daniel McBreen is the early frontrunner in our October Player of the Month contest.

McBreen was our second highest-rated player in both of his first two games against Histon and Stafford to collect four points towards the standings.

The Australian attacker also shared the two bonus points on offer for our readers' nomination as man of the match against Stafford, polling the same number of email votes as fellow forward Onome Sodje.

Stuart Elliott was The Press' top man against Stafford, meaning he collects three points towards the Player of the Month and Player of the Year standings, while Martyn Woolford picked up the remaining point on offer.

Against Histon, the efforts of man-of-the-match Darren Kelly (three) and Tom Evans (one) were also recognised.

To be in with a chance of presenting the October Player of the Month with his prize before a City home game please email your man-of-the-match selections to dave.flett@ycp.co.uk up to 48 hours after any of City's forthcoming fixtures.

Press Player of the Year standings: McGurk 13 points, Woolford 13, Elliott 12, Sodje 9, Panther 8, Brayson 5, Craddock 5, Robinson 5, Hegarty 4, Kelly 4, McBreen 4, Evans 3, Farrell 2, Brodie 1, Jones 1, Purkiss 1.

Press Player of the Month for October standings: McBreen 5, Elliott 3, Kelly 3, Wroe 2, Evans 1, Sodje 1, Woolford 1.

Goals: Sodje 5, Brayson 3, Woolford 3, Elliott 2, Farrell 2, Brodie 1, McBreen 1, own goal 1, Wroe 1.

Assists: Woolford 7, Brayson 3, Sodje 3, Brodie 2, Panther 2, Greenwood 1, McBreen 1.

Bad boys: McGurk 4 yellow; Elliott 1 red, 2 yellow; Brodie 1 red, 1 yellow, Craddock 2 yellow, Panther 2 yellow; Robinson 1 red; Beardsley 1 yellow, Brayson 1 yellow; Kelly 1 yellow, Parslow 1 yellow.