York City's football ground is to be renamed KitKat Crescent under a new £100,000 rescue deal with Nestl Rowntree, the Evening Press can reveal today.

The historic Bootham Crescent name will be changed immediately, for at least the duration of the two-year partnership, which effectively secures the short-term future of the club.

The £100,000 was the final amount required to raise the £2.1million needed to acquire the controlling interest of Bootham Crescent Holdings, the club's landlords.

BCH agreed a deal which will see the club buy back the ground at their annual meeting last week.

Nestl's managing director Chris White initiated the rescue package with the club's managing director Jason McGill as many employees at the Wigginton Road factory are avid fans of the Minstermen.

The deal was first mooted by White and McGill when they first met at the Evening Press Business Awards on November 18.

City showed their gratitude by offering Nestl naming rights for the ground until the end of 2006.

McGill said: "KitKat Crescent was the obvious choice of name for the ground as the product is manufactured in York and, like KitKat, City's home strip is red and white.

"We felt it was important to maintain the word Crescent instead of Stadium or Park and hope our supporters are pleased with the name and are proud the club is associated with such a prestigious brand."

Under the terms of the deal, KitKats and other Nestl chocolate bars will be dished out to supporters at every home game and factory employees will be invited into the club's hospitality suite. Nestl is also providing City with the services of a top marketing consultant one day a week, to generate more support at the games and bring in more revenue.

The deal includes the erection of an electronic scoreboard at the ground, adorned in Nestl branding, and increase in programme advertising and pitch side perimeter signage.

A senior Nestl spokesman said: "York City Football Club is in a crucial time of its life and needs the support of local businesses for it to be successful.

"The club is important in the lives of our staff and we think we have an obligation as a member of the community to support it and ensure its survival.

"They are potentially a big club with the right backing. I think other businesses should start supporting them as well. We can continue putting the club down or start to get involved.

"If not the club simply will not survive."

McGill added: "The financial assistance they are providing is greatly appreciated and will enable us to finalise the deal to acquire the ground next month. Nestl Rowntree has stepped to the forefront at a crucial time for York City and has shown their total commitment to the community and football in the city of York."

City's directors were having their normal board meeting today when the ground issue was being discussed.

Updated: 10:18 Wednesday, January 19, 2005