YORK City's new signing Kevin Donovan has revealed how he turned down a move to his former club Grimsby Town to join the Minstermen.

Donovan, 32, spent four seasons at Blundell Park between 1997 and 2001 after signing in a £300,000 deal from West Brom.

The right-sided midfielder was approached to rejoin the Second Division Mariners this week after leaving Rochdale but despite admitting that was an attractive prospect he decided to honour an agreement with City player-boss Chris Brass instead

Donovan said; "I spoke to Grimsby and, obviously with my connections there as a former club, it was tempting but I like to be honest with people and Chris invited me to come and train at York and it would have been wrong for me to leave after just one day training. Hopefully, I won't regret that decision."

The former Huddersfield and Barnsley player is also looking forward to renewing acquaintances with City assistant-manager Lee Nogan, saying: "I know Lee from our days together at Grimsby. He gave me a call and asked me to come and train here.

"We had a successful season the first year we played at Grimsby, winning promotion and getting to the Auto Windscreens Shield final so we played a couple of times at Wembley. He has done well and is a fit lad who knows the game inside out.

"He's a typical centre-forward who is good on the ball and brings other people into play."

Donovan, who has scored 67 goals in 493 league and cup matches, has originally signed for City on a non-contract basis but has indicated that he would be happy to stay for longer.

He said: "I would consider that. I'm only living in Leeds and it's a case of going in and getting a feel for the place.

"If things go well hopefully we can talk about next season. I'm enjoying being at a club again because I was out for a couple of weeks after leaving Rochdale.

"I went there as a favour to Alan Buckley after I finished at Barnsley because they had a player on international duty but I knew when he came back that I would be looking for another club again."

Donovan was expected to make his City debut against Torquay this afternoon alongside on-loan Newcastle striker Richard Offiong, who has agreed a one-month deal with a view to staying until the end of the season.

Offiong, 20, is yet to make his Toon debut but has played for the England under-20 side and is contracted with the Magpies until the summer of 2005.

The South Shields-born striker spent last season on loan at Darlington and Motherwell.

He scored four goals in nine matches for Darlington with braces in an FA Cup match against Stevenage and a league encounter against Carlisle.

But the 6ft forward failed to find the net in ten appearances as a substitute at Motherwell but played twice against Rangers at Ibrox.

He also played for Newcastle's reserves at Bootham Crescent in December's 4-3 home victory for the Minstermen's second string.

Midfielder Christian Fox was ruled out of this afternoon's squad because of an ankle problem that has caused him to miss City's last four games.

Updated: 10:28 Saturday, March 13, 2004