GARRY Naylor has joined Doncaster Rovers' coaching team after the end of his 21-year association with York City.

The York-based UEFA 'B'-qualified coach will look after the League One club's Under-16 side next season and renew acquaintances with former Minstermen youth team coach Paul Stancliffe, who was also recently appointed at Belle Vue.

Naylor received inquiries from three other clubs following his departure from KitKat Crescent but has chosen to work with Rovers' youngsters on two weekday nights and oversee Sunday matches.

He preferred not to comment on the reasons for his parting with City but added: "It's a massive disappointment to leave the club. I have enjoyed working with all the players and it was great to see them getting into the first team, right through to David Stockdale, Bryan Stewart and Bryon Webster last season.

"There are some very good players at the club now in all age groups and I hope they continue to develop and reach their fruition in the first team. I'm sad to be leaving but I'm happy to be teaming up again with Paul Stancliffe.

"I enjoy being involved with the kids and I will carry on for as long as my legs allow me."

Naylor was invited to help set up City's Centre of Excellence in 1984 along with Barry Tait, by former Minstermen favourite Ricky Sbragia, who is now part of Alex Ferguson's Manchester United backroom staff.

Both Tait and Naylor had previously been on City's books and played for local amateur team Cliftonville together.

Naylor went on to combine his City coaching duties with his full-time job at Portakabin for the next two decades with future stars such as Jonathan Greening, Richard Cresswell and Lee Bullock all progressing under his watchful eye.

He said: "We have had a lot of good players come through and probably my most satisfying moment was when I went to Huddersfield Town to watch an England Under-21 match and there were seven players who I had worked with. They were Jonno (Greening), Cressy (Cresswell), Paul Robinson, Curtis Woodhouse, Darren Williams, Darren Holloway and Lee Morris. They all came over for a chat and I am still in contact with a lot of them."

Current England number one Robinson, of course, is one that slipped the City net having been released at the age of 14.

But every club boasts a similar story with Naylor's new employers Doncaster similarly rejecting homegrown-talent Kevin Keegan as a youngster because he was too small.

Naylor was also proud to see son Glenn come through the City ranks and score 32 goals in 129 first-team games between 1988 and 1996 but adds: "I was happy to see him leave at that stage in his career as I knew he would develop more as a player under David Hodgson at Darlington."

Aside from coaching City's youngsters, Naylor and his family have also housed the club's apprentices over the years, including Steve Bushell, who stayed for five years.

Second-year scholar Darren Hollingsworth is the latest lodger at the Appletree Village home and Naylor joked: "Darren's 6ft 4in and I'm 5ft 3in but luckily he's been as good as gold so we haven't had any problems. In fact, none of the players have been any trouble whatsoever."

Updated: 10:39 Wednesday, August 03, 2005