UPBEAT York City chairman John Batchelor is urging a new red and white army to invade Bootham Crescent - at the double.

Jubilant at the start the Minstermen have made to his first full season in the City hot-seat, the club's self-styled cheer-leader is now looking to the next brace of games for all-round elevation.

Batchelor wants the attendances at Saturday's visit of current Division Three leaders Rushden & Diamonds - followed four days later by the hosting of Darlington - to soar to the season's best and thereby help to inspire the Minstermen to seizing the divisional heights.

Declared the City supremo: "the incentive for us is that if we can beat Rushden then we can go to the top. Then if we can do the same to Darlington we can start to create a gap."

To aid City's summit aspiration then the crowds will have to come to the Crescent in their droves, insisted the City chairman.

"If we can build a wall of sound then we can make Bootham Crescent a fortress," insisted Batchelor in his 'come all ye faithful' broadcast.

"So , if there was any time when we needed as many fans as possible to turn up then this is it.

"I would say to those people who have not come to the ground before that if you are going to visit just once then do so on Saturday."

Batchelor believed that once newcomers sampled the new Bootham Crescent experience' they would come back for more.

"The response of the fans so far this season has been fantastic. We've had crowds touching the 4,500 mark," he crowed.

"But if we can get between 6,000-7,000 then we can get out of this division, I am certain of that.

"We are only a point off the top place. Now we have those two big games coming up."

Batchelor added that the City players had told him how they had been 'fired' by the growing intensity of the City support as the team's fortunes had risen.

"We are trying our hardest at the club on and off the field. If everyone else can help then we can do it. he crowd can really be a part of all what we are trying to do."

- Former City defender Neville Stamp, who was released from the club last summer, has linked up with Ryman Premier League side Basingstoke Town.

Updated: 08:50 Thursday, September 12, 2002