A famous football ground is to be re-named KitKat Crescent in a rescue deal to save a stricken club.

York City's Bootham Crescent will receive its new name under a £100,000 rescue deal with Nestl Rowntree.

The deal will be at least a two-year partnership, which effectively secures the short-term future of the club.

But some fans are unhappy at the break in a 73 year tradition.

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.

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.

Read more in tomorrow's Northern Echo.