WHAT a marvellous idea and gesture by organisers of the bucket collection staged at City's recent home game against Lincoln City to donate half the proceeds to the club's non-playing staff.

It has been well documented that the staff received only half their monthly wages because of City's parlous financial state.

However, such a bitter blow - all the more harshly felt because of Christmas - was softened by fan fundraisers.

Ian Savage, spokesperson for pressure group Friends of Bootham Crescent and one of the organisers of bucket collections, pledged 50 per cent of the proceeds would be handed over to the staff as a Christmas gift from supporters and in recognition of their sterling efforts amid such difficult times.

And on Monday, vouchers worth £70 were handed over to every member of the non-playing staff at Bootham Crescent.

Keith Usher, City's chief executive, spoke on behalf of all staff when he said: "It was a tremendous gesture by all the supporters, but especially by Ian Savage for organising the gifts.

"On behalf of the staff I would also like to thank the Harrogate Minstermen and the Supporters' Trust who contributed to the fundraising effort."

The remaining £1100 collected in the buckets will be donated to the Trust.

I WONDER what the odds are of the directors of Bootham Crescent Holdings following the lead of supporters with their own gesture of goodwill to the club's administration staff.

After all, it could be argued that, by their actions in separating the ground from the club, the BCH 'gang of four' have brought about the club's current predicament and ensured the staff, worried for their jobs, have had little to cheer this Christmas.

BCH can hardly complain of lacking the cash - a donation of £70 to every member of staff would be just a drop in the ocean of the £350,000 they received following their sale of shares to Persimmon.

Bah, humbug!

Updated: 11:30 Saturday, December 28, 2002