Those of us who actually pay to watch York City have endured some football matches of terrible quality at home this season.

Only four wins, and often there has seemed to be a lack of any spirit or effort among the players.

Experienced players have looked 'has-beens' and we have the unbelievable spectacle of seeing a key midfield player being sent off three times, thereby missing crucial games.

Neil Thompson, the acting manager, says this is no time for fancy football. It certainly is not the time for a return to Division Three "kick and rush" tactics. Surely we've learnt over the past 20 years that "possession football" is the way to play.

This requires players who can control the ball, pass accurately and with vision.

We are told that because City are so poorly supported, we have to be a "selling club". But we will never fit into Division One and attract bigger gates if we persist in selling all our best players and replacing them with a succession of people "hoping to kick-start their career at York."

In the past two or three seasons, it has seemed to long-suffering City supporters that there is no ambition for us to have a really good team at Bootham Crescent. Players with the ability to excite us have departed.

No wonder the fans approach Bootham Crescent with heavy hearts.

M W Escritt,

Heslington Lane,

York.

Alan Little should not have been sacked as York City's manager.

If you saw the first team he selected with names like Dean Kiely, Andy McMillan, Nigel Pepper, Jon McCarthy, Tony Canham, Paul Barnes and Ian Blackstone - to name just a few - it is no wonder that City went on to the Wembley play-offs.

But what happens? Chairman Douglas Craig sells them at a bargain giveaway price.

I know people moan about the fans not being at Bootham Crescent to back City, but can you blame them?

To get more fans to attend City need one of three things:

1) Get a good run going to get in a decent League place

Sign some big names or talented young players

If City cut the admission price to matches at Bootham Crescent more fans would go to games. There is still a large amount of unemployment. Fans cannot afford to keep going to City.

Stephen Benton,

Hamilton Drive East

Holgate Road

Hollybank

York

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