York City's board of directors are hoping that a new stadium will bring in seven-days-a-week income to the football club.

The Minstermen aim to move into a new stadium in ten years' time and are currently seeking a suitable site.

Relocation is a condition of the £2million Football Foundation loan the club have been given to buy back Bootham Crescent but all five of the club's current board members at last night's Trust annual meeting agreed a new stadium would have to make a lot more money than their current base.

Managing director Jason McGill said: "We need to generate income seven days a week and a new stadium will give us that opportunity because it could be tied in with conference, banqueting and leisure facilities."

Stadium development director Ian McAndrew added that a bigger social club would also increase the club's money-making potential and communications director Sophie McGill pointed out the absurdity that all three of Bootham Crescent's hospitality boxes look on to the car park and not the football pitch - even if that might have been a blessing over the past 12 months.

Finance director Terry Doyle, meanwhile, added that the Minstermen could learn a few commercial lessons from clubs with more modest traditions and fan bases.

He said: "Macclesfield Town got lower gates than us last season but their income was greater than ours because they made their ground work all week. We currently have relatively poor facilities that don't meet modern requirements."

City are now seeking measures to bring more money into Bootham Crescent until the proposed move to a new stadium in 2014.

As well as searching for a commercial and marketing director, the board are hoping the newly-formed business network York City Foundation will raise £50,000 a year from hospitality and catering at the ground has already been made three-times more profitable this season.

City will lose the parachute payment given to relegated Football League clubs during their first season in the Conference.

But Doyle stressed that should be offset by the kicking in of the club's first payment from the Conference contribution if City are in the same league during 2005/2006.

Updated: 11:15 Friday, December 03, 2004