Evening Press Sports Mail

On Saturday I sat and watched enviously the highlights of the FA Cup on Match Of The Day as I saw before me the team who rumbled York City in the dismal first round defeat, Hereford United, in a big money high profile game against a Premiership team.

They earned themselves a replay against Leicester City at Filbert Street.

I also saw Wigan take on Wolves and I saw our dear rivals Hull City in a high profile game against Chelsea, which they duly lost heavily.

Each of those teams defeated us in the first round of cup competitions, some of questionable value for different reasons, but nevertheless cup competitions are the chance for lower league sides to make an impact, a bit of money, gain a bit of fame and pride - and give the fans something to shout about.

I then saw another of our local rivals, dubbed the lucky losers, getting a second shot at the FA Cup against another big Premiership side Aston Villa.

Darlington, as we all know, have a substantial contingent of ex-York players, including the third division's top scorer Marco Gabbiadini.

While most of the City "rejects" were absent, the team gave a battling performance and went down fighting and did not lose face in the process.

All the players, managers, fans and chairmen of these clubs were rubbing their hands in glee as they got their 15 minutes worth of fame in the cup competitions.

My concern is for fans of York City.

We are struggling in division three, we have been knocked out of all the cup competitions at the first hurdle - what have we got to shout about?

There is no wonder that Greg Stone and his FACT group are protesting!

Even those fans who do not share the sentiments of the FACT group cannot say they are happy at the position we are in. If they are then I question their ambitions.

It is ambition, success, competing and achieving that define a football club, or did someone forget that when they were making up the numbers in the Football League?

Shane Knott

Hope Street

York

Fans will stay

Douglas Craig, the chairman of York City, what an arrogant man!

He was quoted in the Evening Press on Saturday (December 11): "I should use my shareholding to start a campaign to close the club down'.

Does he not realise that his position at the head of our club is just a transient position and that eventually

someone who is prepared to invest in the club and not just see it as

another business interest will replace him?

Supporters of over 30 years standing will still be around when we have a more supporter friendly administration, which fosters good relations with all sections of supporters, as opposed to the current situation.

He says he is addressing the minority who are against his methods of running the club.

Does he not realise that with current gates, he is actually addressing the majority who do not attend because of his autocratic running of our club?

He seems not to let other members of the board question his methods of running the club, or are they just shouted down by the man with 61.68 per cent holding?

Is it right that we have a man, who by his own admission "is too blunt and forthright and not very good at small talk and meaningless platitudes", in charge of a leisure organisation that attracts support by performances on the field and the ability to convince people it is worth spending their money coming through the turnstiles? I think not.

Finally can I question the chairman on his plans for Bootham Cresent?

Will it eventually become a housing estate and we will join York RL at the Ryedale Stadium?

John Tiplady

Delamere Close,

Wigginton,

York

Silly excuses

YORK City's defeat at Swansea was another day, another game lost.

There were more excuses or apologies from City manager Neil Thompson and players' silly remarks such as: "We are only a few points off the play-offs".

Doesn't anybody at Bootham Crescent, know that if the team doesn't stamp some authority on the league during the Christmas games then they are destined to struggle or be demoted to the Conference and can forget about the play-offs.

York City has lived on a wing and a prayer for the last few seasons and still chairman Douglas Craig fails to hear the alarm bells that are ringing.

When Alan Little was sacked Mr Craig gave Tommo the job, an ex-player with no managerial experience.

Will Mr Craig listen to the alarm bells or will he just sit back and say nothing until the end of the season and start all over again?

Money in the bank is all very well, Mr Craig, but as the saying goes you have to speculate to accumulate.

City also lost to a scratch team from Hull City in the Auto Windscreens Shield. It sounds by reports in the Evening Press that the City manager has run out of ideas and doesn't know what to do next.

I would urge Mr Craig for the good of the club and the supporters, act now before it is too late.

C O'Hara,

Jamieson Terrace,

York.

Spirit killed

On the sports page in the Evening Press on Saturday (December 11), Mr Douglas Craig, the chairman and major shareholder of York City stated that if the fans want him out, then he has an alternative in selling his shares in the club.

That alternative, he says, is to start a campaign to close down the club. Mr Craig, you started that campaign some time ago.

I could go on for many pages about the "problem" players that have left us and shone in other teams.

Although you have turned the club's financial position around by astute management you have in effect killed the spirit of the club and forgotten that it is a game of intense loyalties.

Anyone who has attended the 'open forums' will be aware that to have

an opposing view to our chairman is to become a "loudmouth moron".

To throw insults is to pamper to his personality, which he openly admits is "blunt and forthright and not very good at meaningless platitudes".

I do not stand in the David Longhurst Stand and chant obscenities, I have just been a supporter of the TEAM for 40 years along with my sons.

I did not attend the Hull game, although it hurt to listen to it at

home.

When a large or even a small company has employees that are not motivated to do their job or if the company in question has a large turnover of staff, it is usually spread by the attitude of the top management.

I've only seen glimpses of Mr Craig's management style, others have it on a daily basis.

I therefore rest my case and unfortunately cannot raise sufficient funds to stop the alternative plan gaining momentum.

Alan Fairley,

Main Street,

Sutton on the Forest,

York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.