York City manager Gary Mills would prefer Luton Town to win this afternoon’s Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final against AFC Wimbledon at Eastlands.

The Minstermen have built up a somewhat tetchy rivalry with the Hatters during the last two seasons, emanating from the 2010 play-off semi-final between the two sides that ended the Bedfordshire club’s hopes of bouncing back to the Football League at the first attempt.

Mills is not one to bear grudges though and, taking a pragmatic outlook, would like to see Luton triumph at the home of Premier League Manchester City to lose their promotion threat next season.

With an average crowd of 6,242 this season, Luton regularly attract almost 3,000 more fans than the next-best supported club in the Conference – today’s opponents Wimbledon, whose average is 3,434.

Luton’s attendances dwarfed City’s average of 2,485 in 2010/11 and Mills believes it is in his club’s best interests to be rid of the Blue Square Bet Premier’s perennial promotion favourites. The City chief said: “Whoever goes up will deserve to get promoted but, without taking anything away from Wimbledon, with Luton’s fan base and the size of the club you would possibly prefer to get them out of the equation. They will always be a force at this level and, if I am being honest, I would rather go to Wimbledon next season than Luton.”

Bootham Crescent old boys Alex Lawless and Luke Graham will be hoping to go one better at the City of Manchester Stadium having been members of the Minstermen side defeated 3-1 at Wembley by Oxford United in last season’s final.

Lawless, who left for Luton in November, is certain to start this afternoon but Graham will need to be content with a place on the bench with George Pilkington and Zdenek Kroca the Hatters’ preferred central-defensive partnership.

Today’s losers will join 23 other clubs confirmed as Blue Square Bet Premier members for next season, including 13 former Football League outfits.

The 23 are Alfreton Town, Barrow, Bath City, Braintree Town, Cambridge United, Darlington, Ebbsfleet, Fleetwood Town, Grimsby Town, Forest Green Rovers, Gateshead, Hayes and Yeading United, Kettering, Kidderminster Harriers, Lincoln City, Mansfield Town, Newport County, Rushden and Diamonds, Stockport County, Tamworth, Telford, Wrexham, York City.

Elsewhere, ex-City midfielder Danny Racchi, released by the Minstermen last month, has been offered a two-year deal at Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock.

• GATESHEAD have signed released Grimsby Town midfielder Michael Cummins.

Fellow Blue Square Bet Premier outfit Bath City, meanwhile, have recruited former Wales international goalkeeper Glyn Garner as their first summer signing after he was made surplus to requirements at Newport.