YORK CITY chairman Douglas Craig is confident a takeover of both Bootham Crescent and the club will be concluded in the next few weeks.

Negotiations with two potential buyers are said to be "serious", with Mr Craig believing the cash-strapped Minstermen will be saved from extinction.

However, Mr Craig insisted Flamingo Land owner Gordon Gibb was not one of the two interested parties.

He said the bid that most favoured the future well-being of the football club would get prime consideration.

"The preferred candidate will be the one that gives the best position so far as the football club is concerned," said Mr Craig.

"That is within the context we have set out in the sales document in terms of conditions and obligations."

City went on sale for £4.5 million last week and served provisional notice to quit the Football League on April 1 unless a buyer was found.

Mr Craig said: "I am very hopeful a deal will be concluded shortly, and I have to say I will be disappointed if we don't manage to get something sensible worked out.

"I would like to reassure fans the talks are regarding the purchase of the whole company (Bootham Crescent Holdings). We've given our price for that.

"I would like to add, myself and the directors will go out as a body. We will not take any part in the running of the place.

"However, we have indicated if any assistance or guidance is asked for in any way to help the parties concerned understand the rules and regulations of the league then we will do that."

Mr Gibb said today he had still not ruled out buying the club and ground - providing more financial information was released.

He told the Evening Press: "The two-page document we received from BCH following our letter of interest was not enough to go on.

"I sent a letter back yesterday saying we need to be given more financial information before we can realistically make an offer.

"We're definitely still interested."

Mr Craig, who has come in for fierce criticism since announcing the decision to sell, feels stay-away fans have contributed towards City's plight.

Of City's 1-0 FA Cup performance against Grimsby, which earned the Minstermen a crack at mega-rich Fulham, he said: "My conscience is quite clear - as is that of all the directors, although I can understand why some of the fans might want to get themselves a bit aerated."

The Fulham tie will not be screened by television, depriving York of a much-needed £265,000 boost - much to Mr Craig's annoyance.

"I don't understand how television can ignore the possibility of screening us," said Mr Craig.

"You're talking about a team 91st in the Football League and up for sale, against a team of millionaires. If that isn't an attractive fixture for television, then I don't know what is."

Updated: 11:43 Thursday, January 17, 2002