Students have banned York City from their annual freshers' fair due to the club's failure to sign up to the Kick Racism Out of Football campaign, the Evening Press has learned.

The Students' Union at the University of York has told the club they will not be allowed to run a stall at the event, a week on Saturday, which will attract the majority of the 2,500 new arrivals for the university's new term.

Taking place at the end of the first week of the new year, the fair gives the students a taste of life at university with various clubs and societies tempting the freshers to sign up for activities.

Bruno Araujo, of the Students' Union, told the Evening Press: "We are an equal opportunities organisation and everything we do most be in keeping with our mission statement.

"I wouldn't feel comfortable letting the club attend the fair bearing in mind the situation at Bootham Crescent."

York City's public relations officer, Sophie McGill said: "We have begun to develop a good relationship with the university recently, offering discounted admission for selected matches and giving the student paper access to players and the managers as well as tickets to games.

"This is a setback in the relationship but we would like to continue working with the student population of the city.

"We have carried anti-racism messages in the programme and have recently worked closely with the Racial Equality Network in York."

She said the club did agree with the principles of Kick It Out, but believed the scheme was "flawed".