YORK City will field a full-strength side for the July 30 friendly match at Melbourne.

The Minstermen will play one half against the newly-formed village team and another 45 minutes against Wilberfoss.

It means the villagers will be able to get a glimpse of City's new signings Steve Davis, Kevin Donovan, Paul Groves, Gary Pearson and Paul Robinson during a charity night that will see proceeds split between the professional and village clubs.

Tickets are now on sale for the match and cost £4 for adults and £2 for children. Under sixes will be admitted free of charge.

Melboure Primary School will kick off the night with a match against a City School of Excellence XI, featuring Marco Gabbiadini's son Jules, at 6pm before the main event begins at 7pm.

Afterwards, there will be a hog roast, a bar and a bouncy castle followed by music from local bands Independent State and Haze.

City finance director Terry Doyle also illustrated how important the game is in terms of closing City youth team's shortfall in funding following the first team's relegation from the Football League.

He said: "When I raised the possibility with Chris Brass he shared my enthusiasm and undertook that there would be a strong representation from the first team. We hope this match will be the first of many similar.

"It will help both our youth team and a local club and we are also attracted by the involvement of the young musicians who are very talented. As well as losing, some of our Football League grant we also lost our youth grant which was a combination of funds from four or five different parties including the government. There is, therefore, a funding shortfall.

"The grants contributed to the costs of our trainees in terms of housing facilities, travelling and education but we have decided that it's very important, as a club, that we maintain the same youth policy that saw four players - Lev Yalcin, Graeme Law, Sean Davies and Matthew Coad -- offered first-year professional contracts at the end of last season."

Doyle is also keen to see the quality of amateur football in York improve, adding: "I am keen to see a stronger local network of teams in the area. It's something we lack in this part of the country.

"There's not really a strong second team in York that people who don't quite make it here can go. If we can help in any way towards improving that situation we will."

All of City's directors have agreed to devise one fundraising idea each this season with Doyle's scheme being the friendly at Melbourne.

He said: "This will be my contribution and all the money Sophie McGill is receiving for her Saturday column in the Evening Press is going straight into the football club. Every one of our directors and members of the youth coaching staff will also be coming up with ideas and I think Mike Brown is contemplating an Internet auction.

"We hope these fresh, interesting ideas will show how committed the board of directors are towards the youth set-up."

City mascot Yorkie will also be at Melbourne to entertain young fans.

City's squad for the Melbourne and Wilberfoss games is: Chris Porter, Paul Crichton, Adam Arthur, Kane Ashcroft, Andy Bishop, Chris Brass, Matthew Coad, Sean Davies, Steve Davis, Kevin Donovan, Darren Dunning, Paul Groves, Graeme Law, Dave Merris, Lee Nogan, Gary Pearson, Paul Robinson, Bryan Stewart.

Updated: 12:14 Friday, July 16, 2004