OPTIMISM is the staple diet of any football club, follower and player as a new season dawns.

But as York City contemplate the 2001-02 campaign there's a new team in town to whet the appetite for the action to come.

For the first time in their respective histories York City and the Evening Press have linked up.

Yorkshire's fastest-growing daily newspaper has agreed a major two-year sponsorship deal with the Bootham Crescent club.

Now the Evening Press logo adorns both the Minstermen's home and away shirts with cash backing from the paper helping to underwrite the club's bid for an upswing in fortunes on and off the field.

It's a local hero partnership, which both club and paper hope will kick-start a new era of success in the history of the Minstermen.

Several seasons have been spent lurking too long in the doldrums.

Now there is a genuine feeling that the good times may be back on the horizon.

Of the radical new deal City chairman Douglas Craig declared: "We believe the Evening Press' decision to become our new sponsor underlines both the club's and the newspaper's strong sense of responsbility and commitment to the local community.

"The new sponsorship deal emphasises the mutually beneficial relationship between a successful local newspaper and a hopefully resurgent football club and we are confident that this new relationship will be of tremendous benefit to both parties."

Evening Press editor Liz Page, keen to stress the newspaper would continue to uphold its editorial independence when reporting club news and matches, said the newspaper was delighted to back the club.

"We regard it as a mutually beneficial deal that will promote the club and the local paper," she said.

"It is in everybody's interests that the club is successful and we hope we can play a part in building that success over the next two years."

Two events are poised to benefit City fans this week.

For tomorrow night's visit of Premiership titans Leeds United in the final pre-season friendly at Bootham Crescent fans will be able to buy the Evening Press and a Kit Kat Chunky together at the ground for only 32p in a special promotion with Nestl.

There will be another boost for Saturday's mouth-watering visit of League newcomers Rushden & Diamonds.

In an exclusive Evening Press promotion, available only at the ground, fans buying the paper will receive a club shop discount voucher to save £5 on any purchase worth £25 or more.

In addition, more than 100 lucky fans will receive an Evening Press goodie bag containing Evening Press and York City merchandise and a specially commissioned glossy team poster signed by the players. These will be handed out by the players at the perimeter fence before kick-off.

As we say: Here we go...