FORMER York City chairman Douglas Craig has blasted fans for fighting plans to redevelop Bootham Crescent.

He claims supporters' opposition to Persimmon Homes' application to build 93 homes is making it more difficult for current chairman John Batchelor to acquire the football ground.

"All the agitation against the planning application makes it very difficult for him to raise the necessary finance to buy the ground," Mr Craig, chairman of ground owners Bootham Crescent Holdings (BCH), told the Evening Press.

His comments came after York City Supporters' Trust and the supporters' club both recently lodged formal objections to Persimmon's application.

The trust said it did not want permission to be granted unless an alternative, superior stadium was available for York City.

Persimmon has since said that it had no control over whether York continued to play at Bootham Crescent, saying this was a matter between the club and BCH. Asked whether he could give fans an assurance that City would be able to continue playing at Bootham Crescent next season, Mr Craig said: "What supporters of York City should be concerned about is that the average attendance is now significantly under 4,000, and in order to break even, the attendance needs to be nearer 6,000. Despite all the hype and publicity, the cold, hard reality is that the attendance figure is averaging 4,000 when it needs to be 6,000." He suggested York was not a "footballing city", adding: "I have feared that for years. Supporters must support the team whether they are doing well or doing badly."

York City are currently playing at Bootham Crescent rent-free. Asked if that arrangement would continue next season, Mr Craig said: "That remains to be seen," and declined to comment further.

Mr Batchelor said in his Evening Press column on Thursday that he was "confident categorically" that York would still be playing at Bootham Crescent next season, and also said the club was probably going to need to own the ground.

He repeated yesterday that planning consent would give the ground its value, which would enable the club to borrow money so it could obtain Bootham Crescent from BCH and then deal directly with the prospective developers.

Supporters' trust spokesman Richard Willis said: "The supporters trust is committed to continue working in the best interests of the football club and the York community. We still hope that other parties will clearly demonstrate the same commitment."

Updated: 11:46 Saturday, November 02, 2002