YORK City chairman Jason McGill believes new manager Gary Mills knows the key to success in the Blue Square Bet Premier.

The Minstermen have illustrated their faith in Mills by agreeing a compensation package with his former employers Tamworth to secure the former Nottingham Forest midfielder’s services.

Earlier this season, the modest Midlands outfit were among the early frontrunners under Mills’ guidance but have tailed away into mid-table having picked up just two points from the last 18.

That run included City’s 3-1 win at the Lamb Ground during Andy Porter’s first game as caretaker chief.

About Mills’ arrival, McGill said: “Gary is a highly-regarded manager and has extensive experience of Conference football. He knows what is required to succeed in this league and we have appointed him because of his considerable football knowledge and his enthusiasm and drive as a manager to replicate his successful playing career.”

At the age of only 18, Mills played in the 1980 European Cup final that saw Brian Clough’s Forest overcome a Hamburg side featuring Kevin Keegan.

He went on to win two England Under-21 caps and played for Seattle Sounders, Derby County, Notts County and Leicester before taking up his first managerial post with Grantham, whom he led to the Southern League midland division title in 1998.

Mills moved to Kings Lynn and, in a first spell with Tamworth, led the Lambs to the 2002 runners-up spot in the Southern League’s premier division.

Shortly afterwards, he joined former Leicester team-mate Gary McAllister’s coaching team at Coventry before embarking on his only taste of Football League management, replacing Bill Dearden as Notts County boss in January 2004.

Mills could not, however, save the Meadow Lane club from relegation to League Two, and was sacked after a disappointing first three months of the following season.

After a spell with Alfreton, he returned to Tamworth in January 2007, only to suffer another relegation.

But the Lambs bounced back at the second attempt as the Blue Square North’s 2009 champions before finishing four points above the relegation zone last season.