FOOTBALL fans have called with one voice for people power to run York City Football Club.

A unanimous show of 300 hands at a packed city centre meeting gave a ringing endorsement for a Supporters' Trust to save the club from extinction.

The fans crammed into Tempest Anderson hall last night also established a Save City Committee to see how they could take closer control of their club.

More than 20 people from a variety of backgrounds were nominated to the working party, with more supporters signing up at the end of an emotional meeting dubbed 'the most important 90 minutes in the club's history'.

In fact, such was the fervour that the meeting went into extra time and lasted for more than two hours.

Fans started queuing at the Tempest Anderson Hall at 6pm for a meeting scheduled to start at 7.30pm.

By around 7pm the venue was close to full and when the meeting finally got under way more than 120 supporters were unable to get in.

Those fans locked out underlined their commitment to the cause by holding an impromptu debate in Museum Gardens, which later moved to a nearby pub.

Ian Yeowart, chairman of Chesterfield Football Club and a guest speaker at the meeting, backed the venue and praised supporters for turning out in such numbers.

"It is unfortunate some supporters were unable to get in but it is better to have that than have empty seats," he said.

City of York Council, which loaned the venue for free after being contacted by the Evening Press, pledged its support to the idea of a Supporters' Trust.

Coun Alan Jones, executive member of the council's leisure and heritage committee, said: "We are very concerned about the future of the club but we are looking forward to working with you and providing whatever support we can."

The cash-starved council would not be able to offer any financial support, he said.

But he added: "We certainly have expertise you can use in this exciting venture and we wish you every success."

Brian Lomax, of Supporters' Direct, the body that offers advice to fans looking to set up a Supporters' Trust, warned such take-overs were no "panacea" for football's ills but still urged City followers to 'go for it'.

Lomax, who ten years ago this week helped establish Britain's first Supporters' Trust at Northampton, said: "Chairmen and directors come and go, players come and go but supporters are there for life and they really are the moral owners of professional football clubs.

"The idea of a trust is to translate that moral ownership into some form of legal ownership.

"Supporters, through the gate and in other ways, put more money into professional football clubs than any directors and yet over the years they have simply been treated as turnstile fodder."

City skipper Chris Brass and midfielder Nick Richardson took seats alongside supporters at the meeting.

First team coach Adie Shaw and club physio Jeff Miller, together with a number of other Bootham Crescent staff, were also there.

The first meeting of the Save City Committee will take place this Saturday, ahead of the club's Division Three encounter between the Minstermen and Torquay United.

Further public meetings will follow, giving all fans the chance to discuss the working party's findings and recommendations.

The committee and the proposed Supporters' Trust must race against time to get a trust up and running.

All those interested in buying the club have until Thursday, January 17, to contact the board, who will step down at the end of the season.

If no buyer can then be found the club will fold at the end of the campaign.

With City losing around £24,000 a week at the last count, Paul Rawnsley, chairman of last night's meeting, said supporters faced a massive task should they take control.

He said: "Any new owner will have the task of eradicating an annual operating loss in the region of £750,000 to £1 million.

"It won't be easy and it will take a lot more than a few raffles and a few coffee mornings to turn it around."

Updated: 09:46 Tuesday, January 08, 2002