CHILDHOOD icons like David Batty and Paul Ince can add a certain slant to any career.

A hard-edged slant, if you like.

But home-again York boy Ross Greenwood has picked up a certain finesse on his early-career travels - and he's hoping to give City fans everything they want to see en route to promotion.

"They were the players I used to love watching," said the former Tadcaster Grammar student of his characteristically physical midfield heroes. "But I would like to think that there's a bit more to me than that!"

The 20-year-old first kicked a ball in Copmanthorpe colours before joining York's Centre of Excellence where he played alongside Graeme Law and Bryan Stewart in the year above.

He said: "I thought it was brilliant playing at York. I have always checked for the results and that because you never really want to see your home town doing badly."

Then came the switch - to Manchester United's development scheme - followed by a scholarship at Sheffield Wednesday.

He made his league debut at Wednesday in a 3-0 away win at Wrexham after coming on for Jon-Paul McGovern in the last six minutes.

Greenwood may only have made a handful of other appearances for the blue and white half of the Steel city - but he did enough to convince Chris Turner that he was worth a move to Stockport County after he was appointed boss there.

The Hatters became big break territory for the midfielder.

But then the managerial swing doors turned once more and he found himself out of Jim Gannon's plans with an offer of a contract indicating this season would be spent elsewhere on loan.

Turner tipped him off that Minstermen boss Billy McEwan had wanted him on loan last season so Greenwood put a call into the Minstermen and a trial materialised at the same time as a letter withdrawing the Stockport offer landed on his doormat.

Their loss, though, could now prove to be York's gain.

He said: "I am happier here. It's ideal for me at the moment. It would be nice to get a big move on a personal level but our first job is to get York promoted and that's the priority.

"My main aim is definitely to get York in the league again. They are a big club and they don't deserve to be in the Conference."

The move has seen him return to the family home in York to save the hours he had to put in travelling from Sheffield to Stockport and back.

But it's not all perfect.

"I think they like having me back at home," said Greenwood. "But they are not that happy though because of the TV situation."

Apparently, the rest of the Greenwoods aren't Big Brother fans.