FORMER York City manager Colin Walker has expressed sympathy for his successor in the Bootham Crescent hot- seat.

Walker, now working as Doncaster Rovers’ Centre of Excellence technical development officer, believes the City job is a “highly-pressurised” position and can understand Martin Foyle’s decision to step down from the role.

The ex-New Zealand international can also relate to Foyle’s loss of Richard Brodie with minutes to spare before the August transfer window closed, having also witnessed the sale of his star man Martyn Woolford on the eve of the 2008/9 campaign.

Walker, who struggled to cope with the level of personal abuse before his sacking as City chief in November 2008, said: “I heard somebody say the other day that you don’t enjoy 70 per cent of the work you have to do as a football manager but the 30 per cent when you are winning games and coaching is great and that sounds about right.

“I would never say I regretted taking on the job at York as I would have regretted not taking it on and it’s never entered my head whether I’d have done anything differently if I could do it all again. I did it the way I wanted to do it.

“Whether that was the right way, I guess the record books suggest not but it’s a highly-pressurised job at a very traditional football club.”

Speaking about the repercussions of replacing key players such as Brodie and Woolford at short notice, Walker added: “It has a major impact.

“I can’t speak for Martin (Foyle) but, when we sold Martyn Woolford, we had to change our whole way of playing in one week and I was not able to replace his quality, which has been highlighted by what he has achieved since the move.

“They still have some good players at York City though as I keep an eye on how they are doing and I think if the rest of the squad stays together they won’t be far off.”

Since leaving the Minstermen, Walker had a brief spell at Forest Green Rovers, assisting then caretaker manager David Brown before scouting for Charlton.

He began work at the Keepmoat earlier this year and is enjoying life at the Championship club, saying: “It’s a role I’ve done before at Barnsley.

“I’m overseeing 17 coaches five nights a week and during games over the weekend. My job is to ensure the coaches are delivering the technical programme we have devised at the club for the under-nine to under-16 teams and to give them some help.

“The department is only four years old. While the first team have made massive strides, we have made really good strides and everybody at Doncaster Rovers understands we are having to catch up a little bit.”

While Doncaster benefit from central funding for their youth programme, the Minstermen continue to bridge that financial gap through a mixture of sponsorship and fundraising initiatives from apprentices and their parents.

Despite such constraints, runners-up City finished above their south Yorkshire neighbours in the Football League Youth Alliance North-East Conference last season and Walker retains great admiration for the efforts of those involved at his old club.

He said: “It’s a totally different kettle of fish at Doncaster. In the close season, we are not spending lots of nights trying to raise money to keep the department going, as we needed to do at York.

“The funding is in place and the emphasis is just on making the coaches and players better. To keep York City’s youth department going is unbelievable considering the resources and full credit to people like John Stockton and Graham Kilby.

“They were lovely people to work with, who I still speak to and look forward to seeing when York and Doncaster play each other in two weeks’ time. I’ve also been impressed with the website that’s been set up and the parents’ committee that raise money now.”

Walker has, meanwhile, been reunited with old pal Paul Stancliffe at Rovers.

The former City youth coach now fills the same position at Doncaster and he and Walker share a friendship stretching back 40 years.

As schoolboys, they played together for years as boys for Hillsborough Celtic, a junior team that was run by Stancliffe’s dad and have kept in contact ever since.

Walker added: “To be at Doncaster with Stan is like working with one of your best mates. What he did at York City stands up for itself in terms of the players he brought through like Jonathan Greening and Richard Cresswell.

“His standing as a youth-team coach in the game is high and he brings a lot of knowledge and experience to the role now.”

While Walker might feel the City managerial job had its drawbacks, more interested candidates have been in touch with The Press this week to put their names forward for the vacant position.

Among them was former Welsh international Leighton James, currently scouting for Swansea City.

James, now 57, last managed at Welsh first division club Aberaman Athletic and his biggest recent honour was being named Swansea Council’s Rookie Lollipop Man of the Year winner for 2007.

September’s a big hit for Pars

DANIEL Parslow has scooped The Press Player of the Month award for September.

The former Wales Under-21 international pipped Peter Till to the honour after three Press man-of-the-match performances during the last four fixtures.

Parslow’s latest starring role came in Monday night’s 0-0 draw with Darlington, taking a maximum three points to clinch the monthly prize.

The other Press points against Darlo went to Neil Barrett (two) and Michael Gash (one) as our second and third-highest rated players respectively.

All those points also count towards the Player of the Year standings with Parslow now moving up to third in that contest.

Gash, meanwhile, received the two Player of the Month bonus points up for grabs after receiving the most online man-of-the-match votes from visitors to our website.

He also enjoyed that distinction after Saturday’s 3-1 victory at Tamworth.

The Press points at the Lamb Stadium were shared between our man-of-the-match Alex Lawless (three), goalscoring debutant Jamal Fyfield (two) and Danny Racchi (one).

Don’t forget to register your man-of-the-match vote to be in with a chance of presenting the Player of the Month with a framed photograph on the pitch before a City home encounter.

The Press Player of the Year standings: Lawless 14 points, Gash 11, Parslow 10, Till 8, McGurk 4, Meredith 4, Ingham 3, Rankine 3, Young 3, Barrett 2, Carruthers 2, Constantine 2, Fyfield 2, Smith 2, McDermott 1, Racchi 1.

The Press Player of the Month for September final standings: Parslow 11, Till 10, Gash 9, Lawless 4, Rankine 3, Barrett 2, Constantine 2, Fyfield 2, McGurk 2, Ingham 1, McDermott 1, Racchi 1.

Goals: Rankine 5, Till 3, Constantine 2, Brodie 1, Fyfield 1, Gash 1, Lawless 1, Young 1.

Assists: Gash 4, Lawless 3, Rankine 2, Barrett 1, Brodie 1, Carruthers 1, Constantine 1, Parslow 1, Till 1.

Bad boys: Lawless 5 yellow cards; Smith one red , two yellow; Brodie, Gash, McGurk, Rankine all two yellow; Carruthers, Parslow, Young all one yellow.