YORK City youth coach Ian Kerr has warned fans of his former club not to expect another derby double over Christmas.

Kerr, who was in charge of Scarborough's juniors from 1998 to 2002 and even had a spell as caretaker first-team manager, still lives in the seaside town and is currently being reminded - daily by his neighbours - of last season's results against the Minstermen.

City, then managed by Viv Busby, were defeated 5-1 at the McCain Stadium on Boxing Day before being sunk by late goals in a 2-0 home defeat on January 2.

The games have been arranged for the same dates, but in reverse order this time around, and Kerr is also predicting different outcomes.

He said: "Last season meant a lot to the Scarborough supporters and I think they were surprised with the results they got but, hopefully, we can reverse those scorelines. Living in Scarborough, I want both teams to do well because it's good for the area but, come the two games, we will be looking for six points.

"The Scarborough fans are looking forward to the games very much and the people I speak to are all having a bit of a go. They want to repeat the scorelines but I've told them that won't happen.

"We are all desperate to get the right results for the city and get the club back on track and back in a play-off place. Everybody's looking forward to the games and preparing right."

Kerr did not attend last season's matches as he was working with Hartlepool at the time but was in the Scarborough camp for one of their fondest derby-day victories in December 1992.

The Seadogs beat a City team boasting the likes of Dean Kiely, Paul Barnes and Paul Stancliffe 4-2 at home on that occasion with Darren Foreman becoming the first - and only - player to claim a hat-trick in the fixture.

Kerr, in fact, has been present at many of the Football League derbies between the two clubs and is hoping for a happy ending to his first Conference duels.

He said: "I think the game is a great one for the area. Our club secretary (Nick Bassett) has told me that we are expecting 5,000 supporters for the Boxing Day game and that's great from a revenue point of view but also in terms of the atmosphere such an occasion will create. A lot of rivalry has built up over the years and both sides will be out to get one over the other."

Kerr could also prove an important spy in City's camp having overseen the development of current first-team players Ashley Lyth, Carl Cook and Michael Coulson during his four-year spell at Scarborough.

During that period, Boro became the first Conference team to win a Football League merit division title and, building on Kerr's legacy, the Northern Alliance North-East championship was clinched last season.

Cook and Coulson are products from that side, having been schoolboys in the Centre of Excellence programme under Kerr, while Lyth was a member of the current City coach's youth team before being sold to Leicester, then in the Premiership, for £100,000 only to return to Boro in 2003.

Kerr, who remains good friends with Scarborough community officer Mitch Cook, said: "Scarborough have got a good blend of players who have come through the Centre of Excellence programme and been with the club together for a number of years.

"They are now reaping the rewards from that with the number of players who have come through into the first team."

Updated: 10:45 Thursday, December 22, 2005