YORK City's season ticket sales have been boosted by last Friday's Bootham Crescent announcement.

The club revealed last week the full details of the deal that secured a majority ownership of their 72-year-old home venue as well as plans to move to a new stadium in ten years' time.

And the impact at the ticket office since the news was broken has been very significant.

Prior to last Friday, the Minstermen had sold 250 season tickets for their first campaign as a non-League club since 1929.

But 400 have now been sold with 13 days still to go until the discount deadline.

Chief executive Keith Usher said: "We are pleased with the figure at this time and would just like to remind supporters that the cheap prices are still operative until the last day of the month."

Season-ticket sales are currently a thousand down on this time last year but that figure was grossly inflated due to previous chairman John Batchelor's ill-conceived half-price offer.

Communications director Sophie McGill said: "We are delighted that we have had an absolute deluge of season-ticket sales following last week's ground announcement because it helps to secure both the short-term and long-term future of the club. We had 1,400 season-ticket holders last season but that was not a true reflection.

"We normally have 700 to 750 and are hoping that will be the case again next season."

City supporters can save £32 on an adult Main Stand season ticket by paying before June 30 with the discounted price £256.

A seat in the Popular Stand currently costs £224, representing a saving of £28, while David Longhurst Stand regulars can buy their season tickets now for £208, which is £26 less than the price from July onwards.

Fans entitled to concession prices can also save £20, £34 and £16 respectively by shelling out before the end of the month.

The current concession costs are £160 (Main Stand) and £128 (Popular Stand and David Longhurst Stand).

Updated: 10:34 Thursday, June 17, 2004