GOALKEEPER Peter Jameson has revealed that he turned down offers from higher up the football pyramid this summer to stay and help York City secure promotion.

Jameson joined York in the summer of 2019 and had a stand-out campaign in his first season following his arrival from Blyth Spartans.

The 28-year-old endured a tough spell though last term and admitted that the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic affected his performances.

Despite that, Jameson was subject to interest from National League clubs, but he insisted that his overriding desire was to finish the job he started when arriving at York - securing promotion from Vanarama National League North.

“Without going into it too much, a loan offer came in when our season ended to go on loan into the league above,” Jameson explained.

“But that didn’t come off. I did have offers to go elsewhere and go higher in the summer.

“But when you’re at a club of York’s stature and playing for a club like York, that doesn’t come around very often.

“The gaffer as well was also one of the main reasons why I stayed.

“But it was also because that at this club, if we get promotion out of this league, we’re still one of the big fishes in the league above.

“That’s why I wanted to get promotion with this club first (of all).”

Looking back on the 2020/21 season, which, like the previous campaign, was declared null and void amid the pandemic, Jameson is disappointed with his personal performances after making such a bright start to life with the Minstermen.

“In my first season here, I got in the team of the season and I got 16 clean sheets,” he said.

“I came in on a high from Blyth, kicked on again and then last season was just a mess from start to finish.

“We had no fans in and training was still limited on certain things. It was just a mess.

“Mentally, I still tried to do the right things and win. I’m not trying to make any excuses and at the end of the day I’ve not gone into a game trying to make a mistake.

“But mentally I probably wasn’t in the right shape of mind.”

Jameson has hailed fellow shot-stopper Ryan Whitley, who is now out on loan at Scarborough Athletic, for his upturn in form.

The pair were competing for starting place over the summer and that competition for places brought the best out of both, Jameson believes.

“Ryan has certainly helped me and has given me a kick up the backside to start playing well.

“Me and Ryan were battling it out for the number one spot and I think that definitely helped me, because I have come out on top of that competition.

“But I also know that, with Ryan going out on loan, I can’t fall into complacency because I know that if I go back there, he’s going to come back from loan.

“I know that it’s down to me, I’ve got the shirt and it’s mine to keep. I want to keep it, I want to do well for this club and I want to see this club get promoted.”

City continue their promotion charge with a trip to Jameson’s former club Darlington on Saturday.

“I still know a lot of people there and I played under the manager Alun Armstrong at Blyth,” he said.

“I know they haven’t had the best of starts but we can’t just turn up and get three points. If we go into the game with the right attitude, I think we’ll come away fine.”