STEVE Watson has questioned the need for “wholesale changes” at York City as he looks to mount a promotion challenge next season.

The Minstermen ended 2018/19 in their lowest-ever league position after a 1-0 home win over play-off hopefuls Telford failed to lift them higher than 12th in National League North’s final standings.

But, since Watson’s appointment as manager in January, City have demonstrated top-seven form, with the former Gateshead chief arguing that there is already the “basis of a very good team” at Bootham Crescent.

Seven senior players – Tom Allan, Jordan Burrow, David Ferguson, Kallum Griffiths, Sean Newton, Jake Wright and Wes York – have Minstermen deals beyond this summer.

Watson is also now deciding on whether another dozen out-of-contract professionals - Adam Bartlett, Hamza Bencherif, Alex Harris, Simon Heslop, Alex Kempster, Macaulay Langstaff, Josh Law, Adriano Moke, Jon Parkin, Dan Parslow, Joe Tait and Ryan Whitley – should be retained and has admitted some of those judgements were still in the balance prior playing Telford.

The futures of on-loan quintet Tom Bradbury, Scott Burgess, Paddy McLaughlin, David Mirfin and Jasper Moon will be open for discussion too, and Watson appears opposed to widespread upheaval.

“Everyone seems to be talking about wholesale changes but, whilst it will be added to, there’s the basis of a very good team here,” the City chief declared. “Our form has been good from February onwards.

“We’ve spurned a lot of chances and conceded a lot of goals from set-pieces, but nobody has outplayed us, and we were up against two top strikers for Telford, but our shape was very good, and we kept a clean sheet. The players have all got better since we came here, and nobody’s fitness levels or attitudes have worsened.

“We’ve spoken to a lot of the players already about nest season, but still need to speak to a few that I left until after this game so I could have another look at them.”

Watson added that he was impressed by the home crowd’s rousing response to the final-day victory and hopes that positivity can now be carried into next season.

“It was a fantastic atmosphere and a taste of what can be achieved at the club,” he reasoned. “The aim is to get promoted next season and we want everybody on board because there’s lots to look forward to.

“The plan is to get out of this league and, then, the next one, and we will definitely be moving in the right direction.”

City’s victory denied Telford of a play-off place on goal difference, just behind a Bradford Park Avenue team that Watson’s side also defeated 3-1 on Easter Monday.

On the significance of those results, the former Gateshead boss said: “I’ve been wanting the players to put a solid 90 minutes together ever since I came here, and I think we’ve had that during the last two games. I was really happy with the performance (against Telford).

“I thought we played some great stuff and there were plenty of positives. We pressed, won second balls and got in and around their goal so many times but, as has been the story a bit since I came here, we didn’t quite have that clinical edge.

“It was another game that we should have had dead and buried and I don’t think there could have been many arguments if we had won 3-0 or 4-0, but it was still good to finish on a high, as I desperately wanted to do that going into the summer.”

Skipper Burrow scored the only goal of the game to take his season’s tally to 19, with Watson admitting: “I’m really pleased for Jordan. He chases everything down for us and has scored two really good goals in the last two games to win us six points.”

Former Spennymoor centre-back Tait, meanwhile, headed the plaudits as Watson praised other individuals.

“Joe Tait was outstanding,” the City boss enthused. “He’s played three or four games for me and not really put a foot wrong.

“David Ferguson was also a constant threat as well as being excellent defensively and the midfield three covered so much ground and were very creative.”

Striker Langstaff did not feature in the game after failing a late fitness test due to a hamstring pull.