York City fans have been flocking to Bootham Crescent to snap up next year's season tickets at half price - just as the club prepares to announce 'a major new sponsorship deal'.

The club was swamped by fans at Saturday's home defeat against Oxford wanting to take up the opportunity of watching the Minstermen - potentially in Division Two - for less than a fiver a game.

Going into the game, only 250 tickets had been sold, but after a few days mulling over the offer, fans decided to make Saturday the day they paid out for next season.

And such has been the demand that the ticket office has still been snowed under by requests, with officials at the club not expecting to know the final figures until later this week.

However chairman John Batchelor believes the figure is already close to a 1,000 and he is hoping it will rise to closer 1,600 by the time the offer closes at 5pm today.

"The response has been exceptional," Batchelor told the Evening Press. "Everybody here is working on the season tickets at the moment.

"We've been so busy that we haven't been able to get exact figures yet, but it is well on to being over 1,000.

"On Saturday, we were under siege by fans trying to get their season tickets.

"I'm hoping that the majority of the existing season ticket holders will take up the deal, as well a few more on top of that.

"Our regular attendance have noticed the improved atmosphere at the ground and I think people are responding to that."

The season ticket offer had been met by scepticism by some supporters, believing the club was cashing now on the good will of the fans, but Batchelor has revealed a major new sponsorship deal means he can reward the fans with this one-off offer.

"This is being paid for by our major new sponsors, who we can't reveal just yet," he said. "It is all part of their marketing strategy, so hopefully we can reveal more in the next three or four weeks.

"It is a major deal that covers the football club and motor racing team - in fact all things York City.

"We've been looking globally as we can't rely on gate receipts alone to fund the club."

The deal will hopefully breathe life into City's season with Batchelor has already claiming that the sponsorship could free up cash for squad strengthening.

"With sponsorship pending, this means that income achieved now can be used to strengthen the squad as we push towards promotion this season," he added.

Updated: 11:17 Tuesday, October 01, 2002