IT IS said all things come in threes, but York City will be hoping they've seen the last of referee Mike Thorpe for the remainder of the season for fear of sealing a very unwanted hat-trick.

The Ipswich official was the man in the middle on Boxing Day when City crashed to their 3-0 defeat at Boston United.

He was also the man in charge when City lost by the same scoreline at Cambridge United back in September, their heaviest defeat of the season up until Thursday.

STILL suffering from the post-Christmas Day blues? Fretting over the future of York City?

Laughter is of course the best medicine, so issue number five of Ginners' Left Foot, the independent City fanzine, should prove the perfect cure.

Light-hearted, informative and thought-provoking, GLF gives it a slightly skew-whiff take on all the current uncertainties and is well worth a read.

Furthermore, all proceeds from this edition will be donated to the City Supporters' Trust.

Priced £1, it can be bought from vendors prior to kick-off, with copies also usually on sale in the social club after the game.

TODAY'S visitors Hull City may well be feeling snug and smug amid the sumptuous surroundings of their new home.

But given the fact their new stadium - which housed a Division Three record crowd of 23,000 on Boxing Day - is called the Kingston Communications Stadium, you would have thought the Tigers could have ensured the lines of communication were open.

Trying to get through to the new ground this week via the telephone has proved nigh on impossible - the phone rings through to the main switchboard but it seems there is no-one at home.

Updated: 11:30 Saturday, December 28, 2002