York City are set to use their prestigious clash with Manchester United as the launch-pad for a fan-friendly new season at Bootham Crescent.

Sir Alex Ferguson's Premiership champions take on the Minstermen in an eagerly anticipated curtain raiser on July 29.

With just a handful of seating tickets still available the indications are the match could be a 9,500 sell-out.

Now the club has unveiled ambitious plans to turn the glamorous tie into one massive party.

Some 500 kazoos, 1,000-branded York City balloons and 5,000 honey-combed Yorkie chocolate bars, courtesy of Nestle, will be handed out prior to kick-off.

And in echoes of Euro 2000, when the Dutch team played in front of stadiums full of orange-clad fans, the club is urging supporters to don their Minstermen replica tops and turn Bootham Crescent into a sea of red and white.

The club's long-awaited new public address system will also be up and running with disc-jockeys from Minster FM orchestrating the festivities.

A brass band will provide pre-match entertainment with ten mascots - including City's loveable rogue, Yorkie - joining in the fun and dishing out the goodies.

The mascots, including Ronnie the Rhino, of rugby league club Leeds Rhinos, Scorch, from Yorkshire Cricket Club, and Fred the Red, United's famous cheerleader, will also take part in a half-time five-a-side match.

"It is a way of launching the new season, showcasing our new players and getting the season off to a brilliant start," explained Sophie McGill, the Minstermen's public relations executive.

"Manchester United are arguably the biggest club in the world, but we want to make the day all about York and York City.

"It is a way of saying thank-you to our existing fans and giving them a day to remember.

"But we also hope those who decide to come to Bootham Crescent for the first time will enjoy the occasion enough to come back again and again.

"We want to make the day a positive experience. It will be a friendly so there will be no pressure involved - just a great party atmosphere."

Although United have yet to declare whether any of their big names, including international stars David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Jaap Stam or new signing and World Cup and Euro 2000 winner Fabien Barthez, will be playing in the match, McGill said she was quietly confident the Red Devils will not disappoint.

"York City have a good professional relationship with Manchester United following the transfers of Nick Culkin and Jonathan Greening to Old Trafford but also on a personal level too," she explained.

"We are looking forward to welcoming both Jonno and Nick back to their roots and I know Yorkie is already looking forward to kissing Barthez's head."

City will be wearing their new white change colours for the match, and United will more than likely be wearing their new red home strip.

United's own television company, MUTV, have confirmed that they will be covering the friendly game and have already been in York to film the ground and the city as part of the pre-match build-up.