Born in Leeds 56 years ago, I am a Leeds United supporter.

My club is bottom of the Premiership, could be relegated next May, and is over £50 million in debt. How depressing. Fortunately, I live in York so things could be ten times worse.

York City FC has never won a major trophy, never even played in the top League, and has a supporter base of no more than 4,000 stalwarts. Leeds, having previously won seven major honours, has 35,000 loyal supporters.

Of course, most York City fans would say that York is only a small city. I say look at another Yorkshire club in Division Three - Huddersfield Town. That town still provides a supporter base of around 9,000 who watch their club play in a superb modern stadium.

I'm sorry to say that if York City went out of existence as a professional League club, the football world in general would hardly notice.

Colin Jeffrey,

East Mount Road,

York.

Updated: 12:04 Friday, November 07, 2003