OUT-OF-CONTRACT York City keeper Adam Bartlett has admitted that he might have to forego his summer break and look for a new job next month.

The 33-year-old net-minder has played every minute of the 70 first-team Minstermen matches since his arrival from Darlington in November 2017, but his current deal at Bootham Crescent lapses at the end of the campaign with manager Steve Watson signalling that no decisions on individual’s futures will be made before then.

Bartlett has confessed to The Press that his preferred option would be to carry on playing for City next term, but also declared that he cannot afford to be out of work and, if he isn’t handed a new deal, might need to seek immediate employment elsewhere - inside or outside of football.

The ex-England C international, who lies a close second behind Jordan Burrow in The Press Player of the Year standings, said: “I understand the manager has had a limited time to assess things and he’s got seven contracted players that he will have to incorporate into his plans for next season, so he still needs to see players in games and on the training pitch, as well as what they are like as characters, as he thinks about the squad he wants to put together.

“That’s how it should be, so I won’t be knocking on his door, even though I’ve no idea at the moment what I’ll be doing five weeks down the line. I could be in a full-time job next month and that’s the reality of football at this level.

“Whatever will be, will be, and I will take it as it comes. I’ve not had any contact from clubs or made contact with any.

“It will just be a case of waiting to see if York would like to do anything and, of course, that would be my first option, because I have enjoyed representing the club and we get fantastic backing. The biggest disappointment is that our results over the last two seasons in National League North have not been good enough, so I can understand the fans’ frustrations and why they might not want the majority of players here any more.

“If I got the chance to represent the club during the last games at Bootham Crescent and, then, during the move to the new stadium, I’d be delighted. If that’s not the case, then once word gets out that you are available, you might get a phone call or you might not.

“I coach part-time at Newcastle United at the moment and I’d have to hope that another door opens up for me, but there’s no guarantees and all footballers have got mortgages, so it might be a case of not having summer off as, after my contract expires at the end of this month, there will be bills to pay. I’d love to carry on playing and, if not that, I’d love to carry on being involved in the game, but you’re not always in control of that.”

Despite his ever-present record between the sticks, Bartlett would not be averse to surrendering the gloves to teenage understudy Ryan Whitley at some stage during the run-in, as has been mooted by Watson.

Whitley is also out of contract this summer and would receive full backing from Bartlett if he is given a first senior opportunity.

“I obviously want to a play as many games as I can, but I am 33 now and like to think the gaffer will have something in his mind in terms of what he wants to do with the goalkeeping position from what he has seen from me since being here,” the ex-England C shot-stopper reasoned. “Ryan is great and has massive potential if you look at the size of him.

“He’s also been on fire in training of late so, if anybody deserves a chance, it’s Ryan and I think he could come in and really impress a few people. With where we are and the play-offs being virtually out of reach and relegation not a threat then, if the manager does decide to play him, I will back him 100 per cent.”

Bartlett has revealed, meanwhile, that his personal motivation for the rest of the campaign is to secure a final league position that beats the 11th place the team ended last term in - the lowest standing in the club’s history.

“We want to finish the season strongly and one thing that the gaffer has mentioned that stuck in my mind was that we are currently on course to finish in the lowest position in York City’s history,” Bartlett said. “We have five games left to avoid that and have got to try and pick up maximum points from as many as possible.”

The former Hereford and Gateshead keeper went on to applaud centre-half Joe Tait for his performance during only his second appearance since Boxing Day in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Guiseley.

“I thought Joe was dominant in the air and he’s a composed character on the ball as well,” Bartlett added. “He takes it out of the sky sometimes and that can give you an intake of breath, but he also plays some good forward passes.

“I was disappointed for Joe that we didn’t keep a clean sheet because it would have been a great way for him to come back into the team but his performance was a credit to him after being out for so long.”

Bartlett went on to confess that the final result represented another occasion in which the Minstermen failed to kill off opponents, declaring: “I thought we were completely dominant in the first half and had some great chances. We could have been 3-0 up, but we didn’t put the game to bed and that can come back to bite you at any level.”