York City chief Chris Brass has hit back at an unprovoked attack by the League Managers' Association by being asked to be judged at the end of the season.

Brass, who was celebrating his 28th birthday today, became the youngest manager in the League when he replaced Terry Dolan back in May.

However, LMA chief executive John Barnwell has accused City of bringing the 'manager's role into disrepute' and, despite Brass himself being part of the bosses' union, he questioned his abilities by claiming player-managers are rarely successful.

Barnwell said: "There is no doubt in my mind that the appointments of Chris Coleman, at Fulham, and Chris Brass, at York City, were made for financial reasons and not on management ability.

"Leaving personalities out of this, these appointments are for the wrong reason.

"In the case of Chris Brass, who was given the role of player-manager following the hugely disappointing sacking of Terry Dolan, after more than three-and-a-half years of working against the odds at Bootham Crescent, we find it incredulous that such a difficult post be given to a young man with absolutely no experience in the field.

"Player-managers are rarely successful; the appointment of a 27-year-old (Brass is today 28 years of age), no matter the state of financial affairs at the club, brings the manager's role into disrepute."

But the mild-mannered Brass was determined to rise above the comments and prove his points on the pitch - something echoed in City's superb 1-1 draw with Leeds last night.

Brass told the Evening Press today: "In an ideal world you would have a manager and a player, but that is not possible here. Everyone is well aware of the state of the finances.

"As a manager I will be judged on results, but this was a shock. I am still young and cutting my teeth in the trade, but it is only the same as giving a young player his chance.

"I can understand some of the points that he (Barnwell) has said, but I should be judged at the end of the season.

"If I have done well and the club has been successful, who is to say the club have made the wrong decision then?"

Barnwell's claim that player-managers are rarely successful will come as a surprise to many, with Kenny Dalglish the king of the dual-role having led Liverpool to the League and FA Cup double in 1986 - even scoring the winner against Chelsea to clinch the League title.

In recent years, Glenn Hoddle, Andy Hessenthaler, Grame Souness, Peter Reid, Ruud Gullit and Gianluca Vialli have all proved themselves to be successful at varying levels of the game while combining both roles.

Brass is not York's first player-boss either, with Denis Smith briefly enjoying a stint in both jobs before hanging up his boots and guiding the club to the then Fourth Division Championship.

Updated: 11:25 Thursday, July 24, 2003