YORK City boss Steve Watson has vowed to engage more with the Minstermen's young players.

The City chief has not been shy in giving his youngsters game time, with 19-year-old Josh King, pictured, the latest to appear competitively this season.

Nathan Dyer and Harry Spratt have had run-outs before, while a host of youth players were deployed in pre-season, notably against Pickering Town in the final friendly.

But injury to centre-back Steve McNulty has forced Watson to consider his options among the youth ranks more deeply, with defenders King and Spratt frontrunners to stand in.

And after seeing the youth team in action against a Nottingham-based academy side - coached by former City defender Josh Law - Watson said: "I really enjoyed it. I'm going to spend a lot more time getting involved with the youth side and taking lads into training with us when they do well.

"We've already had Charlie Jebson-King, Kiari (Ventura), Jake Watson. Nathan (Dyer) played another 45 minutes (against Spennymoor Town) which was great, Harry Spratt, Josh King both got valuable minutes in.

"Some of the younger lads I haven't seen much of."