BILLY McEwan is the new first-team manager of York City following caretaker boss Viv Busby's departure by "mutual consent".

The former Rotherham United, Sheffield United and Scarborough boss met the players today, held his first training session and will take charge of his first game against Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.

McEwan, who has a reputation in the game as a firm disciplinarian, has been employed in various capacities at Derby County for the last nine years, assisting John Gregory and leading the reserves to back-to-back championship campaigns.

He left Pride Park in October after a takeover at the club and was holding his first press conference at KitKat Crescent this afternoon.

No announcement has yet been made regarding the future of player-coach Lee Nogan although it is believed that McEwan is ready to work alone without an assistant.

Busby's departure was announced today in a club statement.

Commenting on McEwan's arrival, City managing director Jason McGill said: "The board of York City Football Club believes this is a very good appointment and are pleased to welcome Billy McEwan to the club."

McEwan, 53, had been recently mooted as a possible successor to Ronnie Moore at his former club Rotherham United, who he guided to the old Fourth Division title in 1989.

The news came just a day after the deal to acquire a majority shareholding of Bootham Crescent Holdings was finalised, meaning the club own their traditional home again.

Jason McGill, Terry Doyle and Mike Shannon have now formally taken over from Douglas Craig, Barry Swallow and Colin Webb as the directors of BCH after a £2.1million deal.

Busby, who worked as Denis Smith's number two at Bootham Crescent from 1982 to 1987, was brought in as former player boss Chris Brass' new assistant in mid-September.

He was given the managerial reins on a caretaker basis in November after Brass was relieved of his duties following the 3-1 home defeat to Forest Green Rovers.

Busby has since won four of his 14 matches in charge but offered his resignation last month after a 3-0 FA Trophy defeat at Burton Albion.

He was coaching youngsters in Sheffield before returning to York and is likely to stay based at his Rotherham home.

How the Busby news was broken

YORK City FC today announced caretaker manager Viv Busby has left the club by mutual consent.

Commenting on Viv Busby's departure managing director Jason McGill said : "On behalf of the club and our supporters I would like to thank Viv Busby for the positive contribution he has made to York City Football Club under extremely difficult circumstances."

McGill added: "We greatly appreciate his efforts in helping to stabilise playing performance and his helpful and enthusiastic approach to the role of caretaker manager. We would like to wish Viv all the best for the future."

- York City FC club statement

McEwan factfile

Born: 20 June 1951

Spent his playing career as a midfielder starting out at Hibernian before going south of the border in 1973 after missing out on the 1972 Scottish Cup fina. His main achievement was helping Mansfield earn promotion to division two in 1977.

Playing career: Blackpool (May 73 to February 74); Brighton & Hove Albion (February to November 74); Chesterfield (November 74 to January 77); Mansfield Town (January to November 77); Peterborough (November 77 to July 79); Rotherham United (July 79 to 1984).

Coaching career: McEwan's first coaching position was at Sheffield United when he became the youth team boss in 1984, where he made a big enough impression to be handed the first team reins in March 1986 but he quit in January 1988 following a 5-0 defeat to Oldham Athletic which left the Blades staring at relegation.

Three months later, he was snapped up by Rotherham United, where he had spent five years as a player. With the season practically over, there was nothing he could do to stop the slide out of Division Three, but he turned things around and led the Millers to the Fourth Division championship in the following season.

A top half finish ensued but the 1990-91 season brought with it another relegation and McEwan was sacked.

He then spent a season at Darlington where they finished 15th in division three.

He joined Derby in April 1995 and left the Rams in October last year after nine years as a coach that included a turbulent spell under current first team manager John Gregory where he was sacked for no apparent reason in March 2003 but reinstated on appeal some weeks later.

In the last few weeks, he has again been linked with the Millers after it was announced that Ronnie Moore would not be offered a new contract at the end of the season.

Updated: 11:11 Thursday, February 10, 2005