Brass' babes

Fledglings Bryan Stewart, Adam Arthur and Graeme Law will all be handed full debuts against Leyton Orient on Saturday with fit-again striker Lev Yalcin also returning to the starting line-up.

But midfielder Matthew Coad will miss out after picking up an injury.

The match will represent the end of 75 years of League football in York and Brass will select players who he believes can help the club in its attempts to bounce back from the Nationwide Conference.

With player-coach Lee Nogan injured and defender Richard Hope suspended, Brass will field a side that can lay a legitimate claim to being the club's youngest ever.

The average age will only be just over 21 with Brass the elder statesman at 28.

Liam George is the next oldest at 25, followed by Chris Porter (24) and 23-year-old pair Darren Dunning and David Merris.

The six other players in the team will be aged 20 or under.

It is a side that has only scored 35 career League goals with George responsible for 25 of them.

Brass (six) and Dunning (four) are the only other players that have found the net.

The same trio are also the only three players to have started more than 50 League games with Brass (259) by far the most experienced.

Brass has turned to the youngsters after releasing senior professionals Mark Ovendale, Darren Edmondson, Chris Smith, Mitch Ward, Christian Fox, Stephen Brackstone and Stephen Downes this week and he said: "The team I put out might be a bit younger than next season but it will be the start of me being able to stamp my authority on what a team should be because when the team runs out in August it will be Chris Brass' side and I will have nothing to hide behind. I have talked with the board and the future's a lot rosier than last July when I had just seven lads signed and three weeks to get a team out.

"These youngsters might not quite be ready for the first team but they have been banging on the door and stood out in the reserves week in, week out and have got better. I will be looking for experienced players to come in and help them because, unfortunately, this season they were not helped enough.

"I want them to express themselves against Orient because if they are good enough they will be coming back in the summer to fight for a first-team spot. It gives them an opportunity and some people don't get that. They have a chance to take this club forward."

The last of 18-year-old left-winger Stewart's nine first-team substitute appearances came in September's 2-0 defeat at Bury and he has since being left out for his own protection and development.

Law, 19, and Arthur, 18, have only just made the breakthrough but both look set to play on the right-hand side of a 4-4-2 formation, having finished last weekend's game at Doncaster.

Brass said: "Graeme's a young lad who loves the club and he showed a lot of passion and pride in 45 minutes at Doncaster. You could see it hurt him even though he's blameless in what's happened this season.

"Adam Arthur also played without fear and, although I don't like to single young ones out, Bryan Stewart will be given the opportunity because he has a tremendous amount of ability. He had a dip but he just needs nurturing because his ability is second to none at the football club.

"It's the mental and physical aspects that need developing with experience but he has shone this week in training and I hope that comes through on Saturday."

Brass has also called on fans to make one last effort to turn up in numbers at Bootham Crescent and cheer on the youngsters on what looks certain to be an emotional day.

He said: "I want the crowd to get behind them. The fans have nothing to be ashamed of this season and can only be proud of their efforts. I don't want them to feel sorry for themselves because it's not their fault."

It is bound to be an emotional occasion, whatever the result, as York bids farewell to League football after 75 years.

Squads:

York City

Probable: Porter, Law, Wise, Wood, Merris, Arthur, Brass, Dunning, Stewart, Yalcin, George. Subs include Stockdale, Bell, Davies, Ashcroft

Leyton Orient

Probable: Morris, Cooper, Peters, Mackie or Zakuani, Lockwood, Purser, Barnard, Hunt, Scott, Alexander, Ibehere. Subs include Harrison, Saah, Miller, Zakuani

Ref: Colin Webster (Tyne and Wear)

Kick-off: 3pm

Match points:

- City have an excellent recent record over Orient and are unbeaten, both home and away, in the last 12 League encounters between the clubs - eight wins and four draws.

- The London club won on their first two visits to Bootham Crescent in the old Second Division in the 1970s. But on their subsequent eight trips have managed just two draws with six defeats.

- City's biggest wins in the series have been 3-0 in 1993-94 and 4-1 in 1994-95.

- The corresponding game last term was staged on November 9, 2002, and City won 3-1 with Chris Brass, Jon Parkin and Lee Bullock on target. In City's line-up was Jon McCarthy, making his first appearance for the club since May 1995. City: Fettis, Edmondson (Nogan), Brass, Parkin, Potter, McCarthy, Brackstone, Bullock, Cook, Duffield, Reddy.

- Players to have represented both clubs include David Dunmore, Keith Houchen, Derrick Downing and Paul Atkin.

Statistics by David Batters

Updated: 11:10 Friday, April 30, 2004