City woo back fans

So far this season, some 23,086 fans have witnessed City's six home matches, meaning an average gate of 3,847.

That is way under 50 per cent of capacity and way below John Batchelor's calls for crowds of 8,000. Crucially, it is still some way short of a break-even figure of around 5,500.

However, Rome wasn't built in a day and the statistics should actually be a cause for celebration.

Last season's average attendance was City's highest since their return to Division Three but at only 3,144 it was the sixth smallest in Division Three.

Significantly, it is more than 700 less than this campaign's figure.

In percentage terms, that is a 22 per cent increase - an outstanding rise that most clubs would give their right arm for.

Significantly too, it has all been done largely on the back of 'cosmetic' changes - a new kit, image and match-day atmosphere and change in customer approach.

Of course, the results and performances, up until the last few weeks, have been much improved too.

But the season is still in its infancy, City have not won anything yet and the play-offs or automatic promotion are but a dot on the horizon.

Interestingly, this season's average is just under 100 less than the average gate of the 1992-93 season, the last time City won promotion.

That could be deemed a negative, given that even when City were successful less than 4,000 turned up to watch.

But at least City appear to have won back those fans disenchanted with the lack of success in recent seasons, and they've done it quicker than could ever of been hoped.

The task now is to bring in the 'new' supporter, the uninitiated, and to keep them coming back.

It is a sizeable task, implausible maybe, but given the progress so far it should no longer be viewed as mission impossible.

Indeed, the new half-price season ticket offer shows City are on the right track. Around 1,000 season tickets were bough, of which 815 were purchased by existing ticket holders.

That means almost 200 new buyers have ivested in next season and show City are on the right lines.

FORMER City goalkeeper Marlon Beresford is hoping to extend his stay at Burnley.

Beresford is on month to month terms at Turf Moor after rejecting a more permanent deal offered by City.

Given his spurning of the Minstermen, it seems strange the former Middlesbrough star is worried about his lack of security at Burnley.

"It is not ideal being on a month to month," he told Burnley's official website.

"I have got a family and a new baby on the way and you do want to have that bit of security."

York City better than Sunderland? Well almost, sort of, according to Cambridge boss John Taylor.

He was speaking in the aftermath of his side being crushed 7-0 by the Black Cats and just ten days after United beat City 3-0.

"That's how to finish isn't it?" said the Cambridge chief.

"York City had 11 chances in the first-half against us and didn't score one. Sunderland had no more than ten chances in the whole game and scored seven."

Harrogate Minstermen, a branch of the City Supporters' Club, stage their next meeting on Monday, at the Board Inn, Knaresborough, starting at 8pm.

Speed factor

THE arrival of winger Lee Cook (pictured right) at Bootham Crescent could prove a masterstroke for the club's finances and points tally.

No doubt about it, the one thing guaranteed to get fans on the edge of their seats is a player willing to go past opponents and change defence into attack in a blink of an eye.

And despite City's bright start to the season, just such a player to unlock mean-spirited defences has been a notable absence in City's armoury, never more so than in their last few outings.

Cook's 45-minute appearance for the reserves in midweek suggested the youngster has the pace and ability to become a real crowd pleaser.

One winger who would very definitely be a crowd pleaser is 'super' Jon McCarthy.

It would be fantastic to see the Northern Ireland international, released by Port Vale this week, patrolling the flank at City once more.

Of course, they say you should never go back and whether McCarthy's wage demands would fall within City's new pay structure is not clear.

He's also not played regular first team football for a number of years now following successive leg-breaks, and given the fact City's first team squad is now 26-strong there's little space for additional bodies.

But there's no doubting his quality, or the high regard he is still held in by the fans.

In any case, dreams are the staple diet of football fans and it does no harm to let the imagination run riot.

IT'S an indication of City's current goal-shy predicament that defenders are ruling the roost in the Evening Press player of the year rankings.

Skipper Chris Brass picked up a point following the 1-0 defeat at home to Oxford United, to move clear of second-placed Chris Smith.

Tom Cowan won the man of the match award and three points, however, to catapult him up to joint third-place with Peter Duffield. Cowan was also named in this week's Nationwide Division Three team of the week.

Goalkeeper Alan Fettis picked up the remaining two points for two excellent saves against United to keep him in the hunt.

Scores: Brass 14pts, Smith 13, Cowan 8, Duffield 8, Parkin 7, Beresford 5, Brackstone 5, Fettis 5, Nogan 3, Edmondson 3 Jones 1

YORK City Ladies hopes of continuing their free-scoring, win-happy start to the season suffered a set-back last Sunday.

The girls were due to be in action against Doncaster but the game was postponed with the hosts in cup action.

The City Ladies are next in Yorkshire and Humberside Premier League action tomorrow when they entertain Morley at Civil Service, Boroughbridge Road (11am).

IF AT first you don't succeed.

City are organising another dinner and dance for next month after cancelling one planned for September.

The event will be staged at York Racecourse on Wednesday, November 20, and will feature former Leeds United legend Norman Hunter as guest speaker.

Comedian for the evening will be Barry Cheese.

Tickets are priced £32 each and are also available in tables of ten. For further details 0870 7771922 extension six.

GOOD Luck to City's communications manager James Richardson who will be looking to put his best foot forward in tomorrow's Great North Run.

It will be Richardson's six GNR - his eighth half-marathon in total - and he will be raising money for St Leonard's Hospice and the York City Youth Development Fund.

Kitted out for every weather

DRESSED to impress this season are the York City ball-boys thanks to a new sponsorship agreement.

The on-the-ball youngsters are all members of Junior Reds scheme at Bootham Crescent.

Their sweatshirts are once again being sponsored by Acomb Travel but their new waterproof jackets are being sponsored for the first time by the York City Youth Development Fund.

Fund founder Graham Kilby explained: "All Junior Red membership fees are paid into the fund, so it's a pleasure to provide the tops for the Reds to wear when they carry out their ball boy duties."

With Kilby in attendance, Maria Brewers, one of the organisers of the Junior Reds and who runs the tea-bar in the Family Room on match days that raises funds for the YDF, presented the jackets to the ball boys and their match day supervisor, Colin Sanderson, prior to kick-off at last Saturday's game with Oxford United.

Updated: 10:08 Saturday, October 05, 2002