OFFERS of support have been flooding in since York City's Centre of Excellence cash shortfall was revealed.

A sports kit retailer has stepped in with the offer of a full kit for one of the teams and City supporter Clive Booth has pledged to help generate the cash among the business community.

Booth, who is also standing in the General Election next week, said he would turn his specialist fundraising skills to help meet the shortfall of parents who cannot afford the £200 donation to ensure the youth set-up stays alive. And he yesterday handed over a cheque for £200 - enough to fund ten players for one month.

He said: "I have supported the club since I was a schoolboy at Bootham and I have a lot of memories of watching them play.

"It was an arrow through the heart of the city when they got relegated and my response to Thursday's story was that if we don't invest in the future then things will only get worse.

"I think it's absolutely bonkers that it could potentially lead to the end of the youth set-up. Yes, I am a prospective Parliamentary candidate for the Conservatives and there is an election coming up next week. But this will carry on beyond that."

Up-and-coming retailer Joe Gardham has promised to kit out the Under-12s for next season.

The York born-and-bred 25-year-old used to play for York City Schoolboys and North Yorkshire when he was younger and now plays for Bishopthorpe United after a cruciate ligament injury while playing for Frickley Athletic three years ago ended his hopes of playing at a higher level.

He is now running a sportswear firm specialising in team kits while finishing off a degree at York St John's and has offered a full team kit for the U12s.

He said: "While I appreciate this may not alleviate the £69,000 withdrawal of funding, I hope it will show that local businesses are in support of our football club.

"We cannot all afford to make the substantial and generous donations offered by other, larger York companies, but will chip in where we can.

"Parents should not have to pay for their gifted children to attend the Centre of Excellence, and hopefully my donation will spur other local businesses into helping relieve the burden of £200 per parent."

Updated: 10:23 Saturday, April 30, 2005