YORK City’s new manager Steve Watson has challenged his players to give Bootham Crescent a “proper send-off”.

After 87 years as the club’s home, the much-cherished venue is now scheduled to host just nine more Minstermen matches before this summer’s move to the Community Stadium in Monks Cross.

City currently sit sixth-bottom in the National League North standings – six points above the relegation zone and 12 adrift of the play-off spots.

But, as he prepares to take charge of a game in front of the Minstermen faithful for a first time with the visit of table-topping Chorley this weekend, Watson has stressed the importance of striving to go out on a high.

“I’d love to give the place a proper send-off,” the ex-Everton and Newcastle right-back admitted. “It would be fantastic to go on a run of home wins and go out in a bit of style.

“Your home ground should be somewhere that teams fear and, in the nine games we have left, we need to make it a very difficult place for opposition clubs to come. That comes with your style of play and mentality more than anything.

“I’ve played at Bootham Crescent in pre-season, been a coach here and watched lots of matches, so I know all about it. It’s a great place and a proper football ground in the middle of a beautiful, well-supported city.

“But times move on. At any club that changes grounds, there will be people who don’t want to leave, but it’s just progress and we’ve got to try and create more good memories during these final nine games to add to those everybody has enjoyed down the years.”

Watson, meanwhile, added that changes among the existing personnel will be considered for the Chorley contest, following the first starting XI he selected for Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Stockport.

Former skipper Sean Newton’s inclusion as a centre back for only the second time this season was probably the biggest surprise in Watson’s team and, explaining that decision, the former England under-21 international reasoned: “I’m a big fan of balance, so I went with a left-sided centre half and I didn’t think anybody else had put themselves forward to definitely play during the game against Redcar.

“That’s not to say we might change things again this weekend, but we thought that balance was the best way to go against Stockport.”