THE York City faithful saluted their Sunderland counterparts amid emotional scenes at Bootham Crescent.

With the Premiership strugglers without a match at the weekend, a mini-army of Black Cat supporters were in attendance at Saturday's City game to lend their support to the Minstermen.

But as well as cheering on City in their 3-1 win over Cambridge United, the Sunderland fans also conducted their own bucket collection for the Supporters' Trust during the game.

The Sunderland supporters worked their way across the Main Stand to collect cash, even climbing into the directors' box where Bootham Crescent Holdings director Barry Swallow was seen to put money into the buckets.

When they finished, virtually all of Bootham Crescent rose as one to give the Black Cat supporters, who last month collected £2,000 at the Stadium of Light in aid of the City Supporters' Trust, a standing ovation.

It is estimated the Sunderland fans' impromptu bucket collection raised around £800, with up to £3,000 in total collected on Saturday.

Around 200 National Lottery lucky dip tickets were also thrown into the collection buckets.

As reported in the Evening Press on Friday, City fan Dave Potter had urged supporters to buy a £1 ticket and drop it in the buckets with the proceeds from any winning tickets - including jackpot ones - donated to the Trust.

Potter said today the tickets had raised £31 for the Trust.

Updated: 11:32 Monday, March 10, 2003