York City manager Billy McEwan has got just 11 weeks to assemble a fully-functioning squad before his dealing hands are tied by the first ever transfer window in non-League football.

Conference clubs were dealt a blow this week with the news that all player transactions will be frozen from August 31 to January 1 in line with the rest of the Football League.

It comes following a mandatory ruling by FIFA that the English FA have been forced to adopt including the National Conference - despite several clubs being only part-time.

The new regulations could spell big trouble for clubs on a small budget like York City, who have often been forced to rely on short-term fixes during injury and relegation fears.

Under the new rules, for example, David McGurk, Lee Grant, Jon Maloney and Paul Robinson would all have had to delay their moves to KitKat Crescent, while the likes of Ben Jackson and Kyle Armstrong would have been ruled out altogether with their spells that started in March and April both falling after the end of the January window.

York City finance director Terry Doyle heard the news first hand at the Conference annual meeting. He said: "I think we share the disappointment of all the clubs in our division at this news, although only time will tell how it actually has an impact on the way we do things.

"You have got to question why it should apply so far down the league infrastructure. We haven't got the capacity to carry larger squads at this level so it works against us.

"One thing we are not entirely sure on is how it will impact on non-contract players but that's just one thing we will have to learn."

Harrogate Town will be exempt from the restrictions along with the rest of the Nationwide North and South clubs.

York City's match-day programme picked up a second award of the season on Saturday.

It was hailed as the best in the Conference earning the club a trophy and £1,000 cash, which will be ploughed into work on the car park.

Editor Doyle said: "It was good for everybody involved and for the club. Over the years we have not been renowned for having a good programme so it's good to be well-recognised now."

It was the second award in days for the match-day publication, coming on the back of a second-place from the Wirral Programme Collectors Club.

Updated: 09:50 Tuesday, June 14, 2005