Leeds United will continue to use York City's Bootham Crescent as their base in the FA Premier Reserve League next season.

United staged all their home games in the 2000-01 campaign at the home of the Minstermen and were delighted with the success of the experiment.

The home clash with Manchester United attracted a crowd of 4,000-plus to Bootham Crescent with several other fixtures also breaking the 2,000 barrier, including the final game against Sunderland.

One of the highlights of the Leeds' reserves' programme was the return to action of Australian wing wizard Harry Kewell after an Achilles injury.

His appearance for the reserves against Aston Villa in late November was watched by more than 2,000 fans.

Before opting to come to Bootham Crescent Leeds had previously played all their reserve fixtures at Elland Road.

Said City secretary Keith Usher today: "We are pleased that Leeds have decided to come here again.

"They must have been satisifed with the arrangment to agree to play their games here for a second season. I believe it worked out well.

"It gives the public of York the chance to see some Premiership players in action that they otherwise would not be able to see."

Usher also said that extra work done on the Bootham Crescent pitch this summer would ensure that the surface would stand up to the demands of hosting Leeds' second-string fixtures in York.

Leeds will be at Bootham Crescent before the 2001-2002 term kicks off as the high-profile friendly opposition to City in their pre-season programme.

That clash will be at the Crescent on Wednesday, August 8 as one of only two home friendlies.

The other encounter is the visit of Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday, July 31. Both games kick-off at 7.45pm.

Meanwhile, promoted Chesterfield's future as a Football League club looks secure after a proposal to expel them was withdrawn.

The Football League chairmen's conference in Chester agreed on Saturday that the nine-point deduction and fines handed out to the Spireites, who were promoted from Division Three, for financial irregularities were sufficient punishment.

York City chairman Douglas Craig, who had been a prime mover in the expulsion bid, said that the League chairmen wanted to give Chesterfield's new regime, who were not in place when the problem first arose, a chance to show what they could do.

However, a condition of the expulsion motion being withdrawn was that the Football League would carry out a full review on the regulations governing such matters so incidents like the one at Chesterfield are dealt with in a 'proper manner' in the future.

A proposal by Wycombe Wanderers that there be a reduction of the number of clubs promoted from Division Three to Division Two was thrown out.

The promotion-relegation issues prompted a blow for non-League hopefuls when a 'two up, two down' proposal from the Conference to the League next season was also rejected because the Football League clubs, who are generally in favour of the deal, were not happy with the financial terms.

Updated: 12:19 Monday, June 11, 2001