High five youth lift City’s strength

1:56pm Saturday 26th April 2008

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YORK City boss Colin Walker has hailed the success of this season's youth team ahead of their final 2007/2008 fixture at home to Hartlepool today.

The Minstermites have already secured fifth place in the 13-strong Youth Alliance League North East Conference, representing significant progress on last season's finish of 11th.

Such an achievement also goes a long way to justifying the £4,850 in donations already made by supporters to ensure the junior side's survival next season.

Neil Redfearn's Under-19s, who started the season under Eric Winstanley before his promotion to first-team coach, have left youngsters from the likes of Championship outfit Scunthorpe and former Premier League neighbours Bradford City trailing in their wake.

What makes their achievement even more impressive is the fact that City have been competing against other youth teams that benefit from £69,000 in funding from the Football League every year.

Andy McWilliams, Adam Boyes and Liam Shepherd have also graduated into the first team this season from a side that reached the third round proper of the FA Youth Cup, beating Bury on the way before bowing out to Chester City.

Summing up their season, Walker said: "To finish in the top half of the table is an absolute credit to Eric, Redders' and the players, especially when all the other teams get the funding and we get nothing.

"I've counted on having a smaller squad next season but, because of the youth players who will be good first-year pros, that small squad could be a bit bigger which can only help me and the football club."

The appeal, launched by first-team coach driver Colin Swann to raise enough money to meet the £10,000 shortfall in funding for next season's youth team, is now almost half-way to reaching its target.

Director of youth Steve Beck, inspired by the recent performances of McWilliams, has pledged £500 in return for the Youth Team Player of the Year's first-team shirt.

Club historian Dave Batters has also handed over £100 and there has been a donation of £250 from an anonymous season-ticket holder.

Earlier last week, a member of the match-day medical team, who works as a volunteer, also contributed £500.

Anybody wishing to make a donation should contact club secretary Nick Bassett on 0870 777 1922.

Wizardry of Woolford wings to win

MARTYN Woolford has won this season's The Press Player of the Year award.

The former Frickley winger, who has scored 17 goals and claimed 19 assists this season, had an unassailable lead of four points over nearest rival David McGurk going into today's final game at Salisbury.

Woolford secured the accolade with two points as our second-highest rated player during Tuesday's 4-1 victory over Farsley.

Man-of-the-match Leo Fortune-West (three) and Richard Brodie (one) picked up the other points.

McGurk had earlier given himself a chance of claiming the trophy with a three-point haul as our man of the match during the 0-0 draw at Torquay.

The other points went to fellow defenders Danny Parslow (two) and Darren Craddock (one), who were our second and third-highest rated players respectively.

All the points count towards the final The Press Player of the Month award which is now a straight shoot-out between Woolford and teenage left-back Andy McWilliams.

The 18-year-old defender collected the two bonus points on offer for the player who received the most man-of-the-match votes against Farsley from visitors to our website.

He also shared the poll with Jimmy Beadle against Torquay, the pair bagging a point apiece.

To be in with a chance of presenting the April Player of the Month award, vote for today's man of the match>> Latest Press Player of the Year standings: Woolford 46 points, McGurk 42, Elliott 26, Purkiss 22, Parslow 21, Sodje 21, Panther 19, Robinson 18, Brodie 17, Craddock 16, Kelly 14, Wroe 14, Farrell 12, Evans 10, Brayson 9, McBreen 7, Lloyd 6, Hegarty 4, McWilliams 4, Fortune-West 3, Beadle 2, Rusk 2, Jones 1.

Press Player of the Month for April latest standings: Woolford 13, McWilliams 9, Craddock 6, Elliott 6, Brodie 4, Fortune-West 3, McGurk 3, Sodje 3, Beadle 3, Evans 2, Parslow 2, Wroe 2.

Goals: Sodje 17, Woolford 17, Farrell 14, Brodie 13, Wroe 10, Brayson 5, Elliott 3, Fortune-West 2, Kelly 2, McBreen 2, own goal 2, Parslow 2, Robinson 2, Lloyd 1, McGurk 1, Panther 1.

Assists: Woolford 19, Brodie 11, Sodje 11, Wroe 9, Panther 8, Brayson 6, Elliott 5, Farrell 5, Purkiss 5, Fortune-West 4, McBreen 3, Robinson 2, Beardsley 1, Craddock 2, Fry 1, Greenwood 1, Rusk 1.

Bad boys: Elliott 2 red cards, 9 yellow; McGurk 8 yellow; Brodie 1 red, 6 yellow, Craddock 1 red, 6 yellow; Panther 4 yellow; Robinson 1 red, 2 yellow; Kelly 3 yellow, Rusk 3 yellow; Brayson 2 yellow, Parslow 2 yellow, Sodje 2 yellow, Wroe 2 yellow; Evans 1 red; Beadle 1 yellow, Beardsley 1 yellow, Fortune-West 1 yellow, Greenwood 1 yellow, Lloyd 1 yellow, Purkiss 1 yellow, Woolford 1 yellow.