WOKING will arrive at York City in turmoil tomorrow after a week of sackings and resignations.

Manager Kim Grant was shown the door following Tuesday night’s 1-1 home draw with fellow strugglers Lewes after just seven games in charge of the Cardinals.

Colin Lippiatt has also left his director of football post, while chairman David Taylor offered his resignation only for the rest of the board to reject it.

A bullish Taylor previously promised Woking promotion to the Football League but, having appointed Grant in the summer, the Surrey club have taken just two points from a possible 21 with only Northwich below them in the Blue Square Premier table.

Amid the chaos, Grant’s assistant Phil Gilchrist has been placed in temporary charge of the team along with sports therapist Andy Cook.

Gilchrist is a contender for the job on a permanent basis, although ex-Grays manager Justin Edinburgh, short-listed by Woking along with Grant in the summer, is also being linked with the position.

Former Oxford and West Brom defender Gilchrist, 35, is still registered as a player but is likely to name himself as a substitute tomorrow despite fellow centre-backs Paul Lorraine and Colin Miles both being injury doubts.

Striker Joel Ledgister is also expected to be sidelined with a broken wrist, along with Abdou El-Kholti and former Arsenal midfielder Paolo Vernazza, who limped out of the action against Lewes with a hamstring injury.

Ex-Luton and QPR forward Tony Thorpe, meanwhile, has been released after just one match having failed to impress against Lewes.

Sam Yorkie is lined up to partner Wilfried Domoraud instead.

Despite their poor start to the season, Woking are yet to lose by more than a one-goal margin.

Their return of five goals, however, is the lowest tally in the division although England ‘C’ international Giuseppe Sole has managed to find the target three times.

Woking have won just two of their 16 away games in 2008 with their last coming at KitKat Crescent in April.

City (probable): Ingham, Purkiss, McGurk, Parslow, Robinson, Bore, Greaves, Wilkinson, Russell, McBreen, Brodie. Subs: Mimms, Kelly, Farrell, Shepherd, McWilliams.

Woking (probable): Pidgeley, Quamina, Mondon-Conan, Hutchinson, Bunce, Lambu, Pattison, Salou, Sole, Domoraud, Sam-Yorke. Subs: Gilchrist, Marun, Worner, Williams, Lorraine.

Referee: Billy Khatib (Tyne & Wear).


Match facts

Woking have won on three of their four previous visits.

City’s only home success was in 2005-06 when Andy Bishop (pen) and James Dudgeon scored in a 2-1 win.

In the last two games between the clubs at York, which Woking won 1-0 and 3-2, City have had five players dismissed. In December 2006, Nathan Peat and Dudgeon were sent off and last term Darren Craddock, Tom Evans and Stuart Elliott received their marching orders.

City lined up for this fixture on April 12, 2008 as follows: Evans, Craddock, Parslow, McGurk, Purkiss, Elliott, Panther (Shepherd), (Mimms), Woolford, Lloyd, Brodie, Sodje (McWilliams).

It happened on September 6

1947: Jimmy Rudd was the scorer in a 1-0 home win over Oldham Athletic in Division Three North watched by 10,899.

1958: Terry Farmer scored both goals in a 2-2 draw at Port Vale in Division Four.

1975: In a Second Division (Championship) encounter, Jimmy Seal and Chris Jones, left, scored in a 2-2 draw at West Bromwich Albion. The crowd at the Hawthorns was 11,028.

1986: Tony Canham netted the goal in a 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers at Bootham Crescent.

Compiled by David Batters