Goal-shy York City are homing in on Wigan Athletic battering-ram Graeme Jones.

City manager Neil Thompson confirmed he was interested in the 29-year-old marksman, but the club would likely have to break their record transfer fee to land Jones.

It is believed Wigan, currently lording it near the top of the Nationwide League second division, would seek a fee of around £200,000 for Jones, who has hit a career total of 70 goals in 185 League games.

Thompson, and City's goalkeeping coach Bobby Mimms, both checked out the form of the striker in Wigan reserves' 2-1 win at Chester City yesterday. It was the fourth time Jones had been watched by Thompson.

Confirmed the City manager: "Yes, we are interested in Graeme Jones.

"He is a strong lad who is a proven goalscorer at this level.

"He is down the order at Wigan, where he has not played much in the last six months. We are struggling for goals and he wants first-team football."

However, City could find themselves in a Yorkshire tug-of-war for the Gateshead-born striker.

Basement rivals Hull City are also keen on Jones, the Tigers resurrecting interest in the forward who almost went to Boothferry Park last spring. But just as a deal was about to go through Latics' £600,000 man Simon Haworth suffered an injury, which KO'd the deal.

Tigers' boss Warren Joyce, who lives not far from Wigan, last month tried to revive a deal for the man who two seasons ago topped the Division Three scoring charts.

However, that has blown over offering York the chance to firm up their interest, though Thompson added that no firm inquiry had yet been made for the north easterner.

Jones first came to prominence playing for now defunct Bridlington Trinity before going to Doncaster in 1993. He struck 26 goals in 92 League games earning a £150,000 move to Wigan in 1996.

His first season at the then Springfield Park home of the Latics was a massive success.

In a goals-fest he plundered 31 goals in 40 League games, a striking feat that helped steer Wigan into Division Two.

However, the recruitment of more than a £1million worth of strikers in Welsh under-21 international Haworth, Stuart Barlow and Andy Liddell in the move to a higher division dropped Jones down the pecking order.

He has largely been confined to a back-up role since, but Latics' boss John Benson recognises that Jones is the only senior forward on his books to supplement his front-three strike-force and so a considerable fee would be needed to prise him from the JJB Stadium.

Coincidentally at yesterday's reserves game Thompson was also spotted talking to Chester City's current top scorer Luke Beckett, who spurned a trio of chances at Bootham Crescent five days ago.

The 22-year-old, who was on Barnsley's books when Thompson was at Oakwell, is thought to be unsettled at Chester City. But it is understood Beckett would command a fee in the region of £500,000.

Meanwhile, City's two form-seeking forwards Marc Williams and John Williams starred in City's Pontin's league triumph at Stockport County last night.

Enthused the City manager: "The two lads up front were outstanding in what was a terrific display and result."

Against a County side that included experienced strikers Brett Angell and Tony Ellis, City went behind in the first ten minutes, but levelled through the impressive Steve Agnew.

James Turley, a late replacement for Marc Williams, poached a winner.

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