ONE question was answered even before the York City meeting kicked off last night. Any doubts about the depth of the club's support were erased by the sight of fans queuing for an hour and a half on a grim January night. More than 100 could not get in.

This devotion to City was eloquently and passionately articulated by fans in the two-hour debate inside Tempest Anderson Hall.

It was that most rare moment in modern professional football: a fixture that put fans first. Brian Lomax, from Supporters' Direct, put it beautifully when he described supporters as the "moral owners" of football clubs.

His words helped to win unanimous backing for the launch of a Supporters' Trust to save York City from extinction. If successful, the trust could see the fans become legal as well as moral owners of their club.

The decision to set up the trust could prove to be momentous. But no one is under any illusions. This is just the beginning.

The scale of the task ahead was starkly outlined during a presentation of City's finances. Its outgoings far surpass its income. Any new owners must cut costs drastically and increase revenues if they are to turn around the club's annual loss in the region of £1 million.

So, while the desire to save City comes from the heart, the means to do so must come from the head. This is a business on the brink of going bust. If it is to survive, some tough decisions must be taken.

Many questions about the sale of the club remain. It is to be hoped the answers will be found within the prospectus being drawn up by the directors.

After seeing that, it may be that members of the Supporters' Trust choose to seek partners to help them in their bid to take over York City. Last night's meeting demonstrated the support, expertise and goodwill that already surrounds the Save City campaign. This may be enough to persuade local business leaders to throw their weight behind it.

Updated: 10:34 Tuesday, January 08, 2002