A PARLIAMENTARY inquiry into football could prevent York City's financial crisis happening anywhere else, it was claimed today.

Chairman of the all-party Parliamentary Football Committee Alan Keen, met members of the York City Supporters' Trust at Bootham Crescent.

Mr Keen, who had travelled from London for the meeting, told the Trust that he was keen for football authorities to learn lessons from the problems York City faced.

He said: "The formal inquiry won't help York City, only the Supporters' Trust can do that now. But we hope it will stop this situation being repeated elsewhere. Our inquiry will look into how football authorities can use their rules to make sure these problems aren't allowed to happen again."

He praised the Trust and its efforts to save the club.

He said: "Football is all about the fans, especially in a city like York. Football plays a big part in people's lives, and I hope the Trust is successful in saving York City."

Steve Beck, vice chairman of the Supporters' Trust, said that today's meeting was a history lesson. He said the objective of meeting Mr Keen was to bring him up-to-date with York's situation so the information could be used in the inquiry.

He said: "We want other clubs to be safeguarded in the future."

York MP Hugh Bayley, who was also present at the meeting, welcomed the Parliamentary inquiry, and he invited the Supporters' Trust to write to the committee stating how they thought the FA's rules should be changed to help small clubs.

Updated: 12:12 Saturday, March 15, 2003