PETER Swan is bidding to relaunch his career with York City after finally losing his battle to force his way back into the first-team picture at Turf Moor.

Swan's second spell at Burnley came to an end when his monthly contract wasn't renewed and he last night linked up again with former manager Terry Dolan to play a game for York's reserve side.

He will continue to train with the Third Division club and play for them in the Pontins League again next week before a decision is made on his longer term future.

The 33-year-old, who played as a central defender in last night's 1-1 draw but has also operated as a striker down his career, believes he still has plenty to offer once he regains his match fitness following almost a year out of Nationwide League action through injury.

"I would never let anybody down. I have had a couple of clubs in contact but York is the one I've taken up to go and play.

"I am looking for a contract for this year and next year or I will be in the same position," said Swan, who played under Dolan at Hull City and lives just half-an-hour's drive from Bootham Crescent.

Swan hadn't started a senior game for the Clarets since last February when he sustained a serious knee injury at Wycombe.

He has fought back from that set-back but feels that his rush to play again without the security of a longer contract has ultimately cost him. Swan said: "When I look back at it now with being out of contract I tried to get back quicker than I should have done. I pushed myself and played after seven months where some people with that injury wouldn't play for 12 months. I was getting little niggles here and there and I couldn't get back (into contention).

"I needed my fitness back and perhaps I was training and playing when I shouldn't have been. But I was trying to give something back."

He added: "I had been expecting it to be honest. I was out of contract when I had the operation (last summer) and thought I would be out on my ear.

"But Stan said he would stand by me while I get fit and he has done that.

"The gaffer said he would ring round to try and get me sorted out and Terry Dolan said come and have a game in the reserves and see how things go. I just need matches now."

A longer recuperation period at Burnley would have taken Swan beyond the transfer deadline in three weeks' time and given him less chance of getting fixed up in the scramble for players in the summer.

And manager Stan Ternent confirmed that the former Leeds, Hull and Port Vale man, who started 11 games last season and saw his last senior action in a Burnley shirt as a substitute at Stoke in January, had been released now to help him find another club. Despite an ill-fated time with injury, Swan was pleased he returned to Turf Moor from Bury in August, 1998. "It was a dream come true coming back. I have been with the gaffer three times and I knew it was only a matter of time before he turned things round.

"It never happens straight away and look what's happening now and the players that want to come to the club.

"There's no bad feeling. All I want is for Burnley to get promoted and all being well I will get back and play somewhere," he added.

While suspension for Mitchell Thomas forces Burnley into one change for Saturday's derby showdown with promotion rivals Preston, North End boss David Moyes may be tempted to re-shuffle his resources on the back of last weekend's home defeat to Gillingham.

Striker Bjarki Gunnlaugsson hasn't scored a league goal and he could be replaced as Jonathan Macken's strike partner by Steve Basham, with Brett Angell again on the bench.

Basham, whose season has been disrupted by injury, scored for the reserves against Burnley on Monday night and was withdrawn at half-time as a possible pointer towards the weekend.

Dominic Ludden also impressed in the reserves and could be putting pressure on Rob Edwards at left-back.

Ryan Kidd is a candidate to replace Colin Murdock if Moyes looks to stiffen up his defence further, while winger Lee Cartwright is also expected to be back in the squad after injury.

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