RELEASED utility man Richard Cooper has admitted that he would like to return to York City in the summer.

Cooper, 24, had the remainder of his contract paid up last week and was told that he is free to talk to other clubs.

But the former Nottingham Forest apprentice is still training with the Minstermen and manager Chris Brass has said that he would consider bringing Cooper back to Bootham Crescent next season if his squad is incomplete or the player has not found another club.

It is an offer that Cooper hopes might come to fruition, saying: "I still don't know whether there will be something for me in the summer but the manager has told me the door is still open and there might be a possibility I will come back. It's a case of whether the situation arises.

"I think the procedure of paying me up releases me to speak to other people and the gaffer and 'Nogs' (assistant manager Lee Nogan) have said to me that if I end up talking to somebody else and can better myself then there's nothing they can do about it.

"But if the club were to offer me something I would seriously consider it. I've experienced a lot in three years at York and have still got a lot of mates there so I would be happy to stay."

Cooper was one of City's highest earners having signed for the club three years ago but he was prepared to take a drop in salary to stay at Bootham Crescent and help the club in its attempts to bounce back into the Football League at the first attempt.

He said: "I know some of us were on bigger money and the club needed to get some people off the wage bill after going down but I spoke to the gaffer about it and I am realistic enough to know that football has changed since I first signed three years ago when Douglas Craig was still in charge."

Brass admitted the decision over Cooper's future was the hardest he had to make, having played his former room-mate 40 times last season.

Cooper appreciated the words of praise as well as the award he was given as the Supporters' Club's Player of the Year before last Saturday's final home match against Leyton Orient but admitted he would have swapped both in return for avoiding relegation.

He said: "It was nice for the gaffer to say what he did but it does not change the circumstances that I was part of a team, as much as anybody else, that got relegated from the Football League. I was not expecting the award at all and I'm glad it was from the fans. It was a nice way for my season to end but keeping us in the league and not winning the trophy would have been preferable.

"It was a bit strange watching the game on Saturday but the young lads did really well as they have done all season when asked to play and I think they will get better.

"They have turned their results around in the youth team and I'm sure they can bring that into the first team in what promises to be a big season for them."

Updated: 10:01 Saturday, May 08, 2004