YORK City youth-team coach Steve Torpey has declared himself ready if required by the Blue Square Premier strugglers.

The Minstermen have been plunged into relegation trouble having only scored one goal – a Mark Robinson penalty – in their last seven matches.

Torpey, now 38, netted 183 times during an 18-year long career with Millwall, Bradford, Swansea, Bristol City, Notts County, Scunthorpe, Lincoln and Farsley Celtic.

The former £400,000 man played at KitKat Crescent for Farsley last April and was turning out for North Ferriby United in the UniBond League premier division for the first half of this season before taking the post with City’s juniors at Christmas.

He has now played during the Minstermen’s last three reserve matches, including a one-hour run-out during yesterday’s 3-0 defeat against Huddersfield Town and, while Torpey’s legs might look a little heavy now, the 6ft 3in target man still posed the visitors’ greatest goal threat and won his fair share of headers, while also holding the ball up well.

City boss Martin Foyle has already hinted that Torpey could be an option for his misfiring first team and, even though the one-time Championship forward believes he will only be required in an injury crisis, he feels he could still cut in in the highest echelon of non-League football.

Torpey said: “I don’t know about 90 minutes but I could definitely do a job somewhere down the line. I think experience alone is worth a lot.

“I don’t want to be needed really but, if it came to it, I would be available.

“It’s purely down to the manager. He’s told me to get myself fit and you never know, so that’s what I’ve done.

“Obviously, the first team are in a bit of a mess but I think my reserve games are just in case of injuries really. The transfer window has closed so the manager has told me to keep myself fit and have one or two games so, if I’m called upon, I can come in.

“I’ve had three reserve games now and my fitness levels are good. I’m quite lucky from that perspective because I don’t put much weight on and I look after myself.

“I am really enjoying it. I’ve not played for a few months but at the start of the season I was still playing at a decent standard.”

Daniel McBreen has failed to net in 21 league games for City, while teenage striker Adam Boyes is yet to open his Blue Square Premier account in 22 senior outings.

Top scorer Richard Brodie has netted in only one of his last nine league matches and fellow forward Onome Sodje can only claim one deflected goal in 16 fixtures.

Torpey said: “The strikers need a bit of belief. We are creating chances so that’s a good thing. We just need to start taking them, especially the half-chances – they need to be converted into goals.”

Having played at the old Wembley twice, in an Auto Windscreen Shield final and a 1997 play-off with Swansea, Torpey is not even thinking, however, about completing a hat-trick of visits to the famous stadium with City in the FA Trophy.

He said: “Nobody’s even talking about Wembley. It’s two weeks after the end of the season and has been put to bed because the next four league games are massively important.

“Wembley is a poor second to staying up and our main aim is to be in the Blue Square Premier next season.”

Winger Simon Russell limped out of the action against Huddersfield after a heavy touchline challenge 15 minutes into the game.

Steven Hogg completed the full match while fellow midfielder Simon Rusk played 85 minutes.