WHEN archaeologists spotted traces of Roman ruins in the vicinity of Bootham Crescent not too long ago it ensured the home of York City Football Club remained the same.

But, while one battle may have been won, nothing could stop the Minstermen from losing their Football League status.

York's final home game of their catastrophic Third Division campaign was against Leyton Orient on Saturday, with optimism about the club's future surprisingly high.

Defeat to leaders Doncaster Rovers the previous week condemned York to the Conference after an 18-match run of games without success.

It is a far cry from the start to the season enjoyed by Chris Brass's men when they were in the top four for much of the early part of the campaign.

Even in mid-January York were still sitting pretty and in contention for a play-off place but then they picked up just four points from a possible 54 that has eventually led to them even slipping below Carlisle United.

The writing was perhaps on the wall as soon as former chairman Douglas Craig sold the ground to his own holding company and passed ten per cent of his shares onto Persimmon Homes.

In the end the archaeologists came up trumps for York's suffering fans but the price has been high with the £2.3m wage bill having to be slashed to just £650,000.

When York - who had feared they would have to play in the Northern Counties East League when they looked like folding - kick off in the Conference next season they will start with just player-manager Brass, Lee Nogan and Darren Dunning left from a depressing campaign.

"It's tough being a manager and I found it difficult telling a lot of the players that they are not going to have a job," said Brass, who put eight players on the scrapheap last Thursday.

"But that's the job and that's what I have got to do. Now I have to make sure that this football club moves forwards and upwards."

Hundreds of fans invaded the pitch at the final whistle to salute the players, leading Brass to say: ''I've never seen anything like it in my footballing career.

''It feels like we've just won promotion from the Third Division and not relegation, but that's testimony to the fans who certainly don't deserve this.

''It's been a hard day and it hit home here today unfortunately. There's a lot of emotion and I'm disappointed - you feel like you've let people down but the fans aren't stupid, they know where the problems lie.''

Brass, at 28, is the youngest League manager for 50 years and critics will point to his age as one of the reasons why York failed to preserve their Football League status.

But the club's unpaid director of communications Sophie McGill, herself only 27, is convinced the future is bright at Bootham.

"It was a desperately disappointing day for this club when we were relegated," said McGill. "There were certainly a few tears at the final whistle against Doncaster.

"But now we know our plight and we have to make sure that we are geared for a successful season in the Conference.

"The key issue is that we have to put the whole situation into perspective. Twelve months ago we did not even think we would have a football club.

"We were looking like we would be playing our football in the Northern Counties East League, never mind the Conference."