Town target McGurk set to return

HATTERS transfer target David McGurk is set for a return to the York City defence for their trip to Kenilworth Road this evening.

The 28-year-old missed the Minstermen’s 2-1 win at Histon on Saturday due to illness, but could reclaim his starting place tonight.

Town have made numerous bids for the former Darlington trainee, but have seen them rebuffed by City manager Gary Mills, who doesn’t believe the speculation will affect his centre-half.

He said: “I’m not concerned about that at all and it hasn’t even entered my mind.”

The relationship between both clubs has become rather strained in recent weeks after the original match between the two sides was abandoned due to snow and since then, the Conference board has decided that Luton season-ticket holders must pay for admission into tonight’s game and gate receipts will be split 50-50 between the two clubs.

Town will defy the ruling and not charge season-ticket holders, and after York knocked Hatters out of the Conference play-offs last season, then there is sure to be an extra edge to the atmosphere when the two teams take the field.

Mills is preferring to concentrate on the task in hand though, saying: “Things have happened but we have to remain professional and get on with the job ahead.

“People make decisions and you have to abide by them. All I am worrying about is preparing a team to win at Luton.

“If there’s a good atmosphere then that will be fantastic. I just hope everybody is sensible and goes to the game for the right reasons.”

Town haven’t beaten their Conference rivals in the last four attempts, not including the abandonment last month and haven’t scored for over four hours, since Asa Hall netted in the 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road back in October 2009.

Mills is hoping that sequence will start to have an affect on the Town players.

He added: “It’s good to hear that record against Luton because, in football, there are teams that, for whatever reason, you can have trouble beating and it can become a mental thing.

“We won’t be hiding from the fact though that they are a strong side who are third in the table but we started the abandoned match well and I was pleased with the way we went about our jobs.”