YORK City have decided on the preferred location for a new stadium for the football club.

Minstermen chiefs are remaining tight-lipped about the venue but have revealed that two sites have now been identified as suitable new homes after close consultation with City of York Council.

The Evening Press believes that the new ground will be situated either in the area behind York Railway Station in the Leeman Road area, known as York Central, or the current site of the Terry's Factory.

Green-belt complications over the land in the Fulford area, where Naburn Hospital and Fulford Maternity Hospital once stood, make that once-mooted consideration now unlikely.

Speaking at last night's City Road Show at Knaresborough Working Men's Club, managing director Jason McGill said: "Along with the council, we have looked at five sites and have identified two to focus on and one of them would suit us better as a football club.

"We have got to get things moving with the stadium now but we are well on the way."

Finance director Terry Doyle added that the club are currently losing income by staying at KitKat Crescent because of the maintenance and repair costs incurred at an ageing stadium.

Fellow board member Sophie McGill also emphasised the importance of relocating as soon as possible although added that it is unlikely to happen before 2013.

She said: "The sooner we leave the better really even though moving from Bootham Crescent will be very emotional for all of us. It holds a lot of nostalgia but we have got three hospitality boxes that look on to the car park rather than the pitch.

"A new stadium brings commercial opportunities and conference hospitality. At the moment, we have a 1937 stadium that needs updating but we are reluctant to invest too much money into it when we are going to move."

McGill also added that a new stadium is likely to attract a more family-orientated audience with a recent survey revealing that the average age of a City season-ticket holder is 58.

Meanwhile, manager Billy McEwan re-iterated that former player-boss Chris Brass will not be in his plans next season.

Brass was not included in this week's photo-call and has not been given a squad number despite having two years of his KitKat Crescent contract left to run.

McEwan said: "It's nothing personal with him. If he was the best player at the club, it's not the point. We just can't afford his wages."

Jason McGill confirmed that Brass will visit a surgeon on Friday to check that his knee has fully recovered from last season's operation and said: "Chris is still at the football club and training very hard. He needs to get fully fit and will see a surgeon this week to give him a final okay and then we will see what happens."

In a message to fans, McGill added: "As a board, we have made mistakes on the footballing side. It was our decision to appoint the previous manager and we have learnt from that.

"We have got somebody in now with experience and a football managing pedigree.

"It won't be done overnight but the signs look good and I think we will see a team that plays with heart, passion and pride because they will respect the manager."

Updated: 10:38 Wednesday, August 10, 2005