Protect and survive (From York Press)

Protect and survive

8:20am Saturday 20th March 2010 in

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York City youth team coach Steve Torpey has joined the Protect Football’s Future (PFF) Group in an attempt to secure vital funding for the club’s successful under-18 side.

The body is the brainchild of Cambridge United director of football Jez George and aims to address the complete withdrawal of central funding for apprentice football at relegated Football League clubs who fail to regain promotion from the Blue Square Premier within two seasons.

Football League clubs currently benefit from annual donations of £138,000 to assist in the running of their junior teams.

That figure is initially halved during the first two years after clubs drop out of League Two and then reduced to nothing.

Representatives from City and Cambridge’s fellow former League clubs Wrexham, Mansfield, Rushden, Luton and Oxford have also joined George’s crusade, which will see him walking 410 miles in 19 days to raise awareness of the problem.

Billing his mission as “Wrexham to Wembley”, the Cambridge coach will trek from North Wales to Bootham Crescent for a planned April 26 arrival and also stop off at Mansfield, Rushden, Luton and Oxford en route to the hallowed home of English football for the FA Trophy final.

Former England international Andy Sinton and the likes of West Ham defender Jack Collison and Wolves striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake all progressed through the Abbey Stadium ranks before going on to ply their trade at the highest level.

City, of course, nurtured the talents of current Premier League pair Jonathan Greening and David Stockdale while Luton helped launch the careers of World Cup hopeful Matthew Upson and fellow top-flight performers Matthew Taylor and Kevin Foley.

Stoke pair Liam Lawrence and Dean Whitehead, meanwhile, spent their formative years at Mansfield and Oxford respectively.

With the youth teams of all these clubs now under financial threat, Torpey is hoping George’s efforts will strike a chord with the cash-laden Premier League.

Under Torpey’s stewardship, City’s youth team are currently out-performing their counterparts in a Youth Alliance North East Conference table containing the likes of Premier League Hull City and Championship pair Doncaster and Scunthorpe.

Pledging his support for the PFF, Torpey said: “We don’t think young footballers should be affected by how the first team performs. There hasn’t been a great deal of support from the Football League so the message is now being taken to the Premier League.

“We are operating on a shoestring at York City. The scholars’ parents have been fantastic helping to subsidise the team but I don’t know whether it’s realistic to expect them to keep doing that.

“But we have got a fighting chance of winning the title and I think we have players capable of playing in the Football League.”

People can add their name to an online petition at www.protectfootballsfuture.co.uk

Pitt pushes his claims

TUESDAY night goal hero Courtney Pitt has surged to the top of The Press Player of the Month standings for March.

Pitt collected three points towards the contest after scoring his first goal in City colours during a Press man-of-the-match performance in the 1-0 midweek win at Mansfield.

He went on to receive the most man-of-the-match votes from visitors to our website to pick up those two bonus points on offer.

The former Chelsea trainee also topped the internet poll during Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Altrincham to receive the same reward.

Against Mansfield, the other Press points went to Luke Graham (two) and Jamie Clarke (one).

At Altrincham, Press man-of-the match Graham (three points), Adam Smith (two) and James Meredith (one) were rewarded for their efforts.

Graham’s displays during the last two matches have also lifted him up to sixth place in the Press Player of the Year competition.

To be in with a chance of presenting the next Player of the Month with his prize on the pitch at a City home game, register your man-of-the-match vote by visiting yorkpress.co.uk The Press Player of the Year standings: McGurk 37 points, Brodie 31, Rankine 23, Mackin 21, Ingham 19, Graham 17, Ferrell 15, Lawless 15, Parslow 15, Meredith 14, Sangare 14, Barrett 13, Purkiss 13, Gash 6, Smith 6, Carruthers 5, Pitt 4, Boyes 2, Nelthorpe 2, Pacquette 2, Clarke 1, Mimms 1.

The Press Player of the Month for March latest standings: Pitt 10 points, Graham 5, Mackin 5, Barrett 3, McGurk 3, Rankine 3, Ingham 2, Pacquette 2, Sangare 2, Smith 2, Brodie 1, Clarke 1, Meredith 1.

Goals: Brodie 27, Rankine 7, Gash 6, Pacquette 4, Barrett 3, Sangare 3, Carruthers 2, Smith 2, Ferrell 1, Lawless 1, Mackin 1, Pitt 1, Purkiss 1.

Assists: Lawless 9, Brodie 7, Rankine 6, Smith 5, Barrett 4, Carruthers 4, Ferrell 4, Purkiss 4, Meredith 3, Sangare 3, McGurk 2, Parslow 2, Gash 1, Graham 1, Harsley 1, Ingham 1, Mackin 1, Nelthorpe 1.

Bad boys: Brodie 12 yellow cards, 1 red; Mackin 10 yellow; Ferrell 8 yellow; Meredith 1 red, 6 yellow; Barrett, McGurk both 5 yellow; Ingham, Lawless both 4 yellow; Carruthers, Rankine, Sangare, Smith all 3 yellow; Gash, Graham both 2 yellow; Pacquette 1 red; Nelthorpe, Parslow both 1 yellow.