WITH a vacant seat in the KitKat Crescent boardroom following Steve Beck’s resignation, this year’s Supporters’ Trust annual general meeting has taken on greater significance.

Volunteers for places on the Trust board have proven few and far between in recent years but that is likely to change because of Beck’s departure with any successful election candidate having the subsequent opportunity to become a York City director.

With Beck standing down from his role as youth development and fans’ liaison director, Sophie Hicks is currently the only Trust representative serving on the club board.

A new face is, therefore, needed to restore the Trust’s one-third presence in the boardroom. Peter Rookes, Simon Mallett, David Brewis and Ian Hey are the four current Trust board members working alongside chairman Beck and Hicks.

Any member of that quartet is entitled to put forward their claims to a place on the club board along with anybody elected on to the Trust board on Wednesday, March 25 – the date of this year’s AGM in KitKat Crescent Social Club.

Interested candidates must be a member of the Trust before Saturday, January 31 and lodge a nomination form with the club no later than Monday, February 16.

Forms are available on the club website www.ycfc.net or can be posted by calling 01904 624447, extension 1.

Every candidate will need to be nominated by three other Trust members and must be over the age of 16 as on November 20, 2008.

Election statements – 200 words or less in length – can also be provided by nominees and circulated to Trust members in advance of the AGM.

No doubt, anybody with a passion for and knowledge of junior football would be a welcome candidate for election on to the club board with a possible remit of working closely alongside youth-team coach Steve Torpey and the Centre of Excellence.

The Trust would also benefit from people who can boost its profile at the club, which has diminished in recent times.

Trust chairman Beck added: “There are now only six individuals on the Supporters’ Trust board and we feel the organisation needs to be reinvigorated.

“We are therefore encouraging Trust members to step forward and get involved by nominating themselves for a position on the Trust board.

“We recognise we need to be more active but feel we need more board members to do this.

“Involvement in the Trust board could also lead to a position on the club board and the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the club’s operations.”

The AGM will start at 7pm and will also include a question-and-answer session with special guests from the club.

Watch out McGurk, we’re in hot pursuit

NEAREST rivals Danny Parslow and Richard Brodie have both made inroads into David McGurk’s lead at the top of the Press Player of the Year standings.

In McGurk’s absence due to a calf injury, Brodie enjoyed another man-of-the-match performance during last Saturday’s 3-0 win at Lewes.

That accolade earned him three more points towards the contest, moving him to within five of McGurk.

Liam Shepherd (two points) and debutant Simon Brown (one) were also recognised as our second and third-highest rated players.

Second-placed Parslow, meanwhile, picked up a point at Barrow in the 3-1 Setanta Shield defeat.

Mark Robinson (three) and Simon Russell (two) were our first and second-rated players in that game.

The two Player of the Month bonus points on offer to the players who received the most man-of-the-match votes from both games also went to Brodie and Robinson.

England ‘C’ international Brodie currently heads that leaderboard, having taken the honours in December.

To be in with a chance of presenting the next Player of the Month award on the pitch before a home game, nominate your man of the match for any of City’s forthcoming fixtures by visiting thepress.co.uk Press Player of the Year latest standings: McGurk 26 points, Parslow 23, Brodie 21, Purkiss 18, Robinson 16, Greaves 15, McBreen 10, Rusk 10, Ingham 9, Sodje 9, A Smith 7, Hogg 5, Holmes 5, Kelly 5, Russell 5, Farrell 4, McWilliams 4, Dyer 3, Shepherd 2, Brown 1.

Press Player of the Month for January latest standings: Brodie 9, McGurk 5, Robinson 5, Kelly 3, McBreen 3, Russell 2, Shepherd 2, Brown 1, Parslow 1, A Smith 1.

Goals: Brodie 13, Sodje 6, McBreen 5, Farrell 3, Greaves 3, own goal 2, Smith 2, Wilkinson 2, Holmes 1, Purkiss 1, Robinson 1, Russell 1, C Smith 1.

Assists: Purkiss 6, McBreen 5, Farrell 4, Rusk 4, Sodje 4, Brodie 3, Hogg 2, McGurk 2, McWilliams 2, Shepherd 2, Bore 1, Brown 1, Dyer 1, Greaves 1, Ingham 1, Parslow 1, A Smith 1.

Bad boys: Brodie 1 red card, 7 yellows; Rusk 5 yellows; Greaves, McBreen, Robinson all 4 yellows; Hogg, Holmes, Kelly, McGurk all 2 yellows; Farrell, McWilliams, Parslow, C Smith, Wilkinson all 1 yellow.