SOCCER: Six months after rescuing York City from oblivion, Wilmslow millionaire racing driver John Batchelor has certainly made a mark or three - now he's got Macclesfield Town in his sights.

He's changed their name to York City Soccer Club in an attempt, he claims, to appeal to an American market.

He's leading the club's bid to get planning permission for a new stadium complex, which would include a hotel and a casino.

And he's hoping that York will have a Brazilian centre forward in the side at the Moss Rose this Saturday.

"He's called Rogerio, he's played for Corinthians and he's excellent," explains Batchelor.

"We're hoping to get clearance for him to make his debut on Saturday.

"It's come about because we've signed Luther Blissett (the former Watford, AC Milan and England striker) as a coach, and he's got lots of international contacts."

It's an attempt to make an international impression that led Batchelor to give York City's name a more American flavour. The city is now home to a 'soccer club' rather than a football side.

That is because the 43-year-old wants York to cash in on the city's booming tourism industry.

And it is for that reason that he chose to invest in the Minstermen rather than Macclesfield - his local Football League club.

"There were a couple of reasons I picked York really.

"Firstly, it was a club that was available at the time.

"Secondly, there was a major branding opportunity there.

"We decided to change the club's name because York gets four million visitors a year, and 60 per cent of those are American.

"Macclesfield, delightful town that it is, does not have that sort of money coming in.

"We want to try to exploit that. Sometimes you need to do something a bit different, so we've changed our name to York City Soccer Club.

"So if you want to see soccer, the only place you can do that is at York City. Everywhere else, it's football!"

It's not the first time that Batchelor has changed a team name in a bid to further its cause.

His motor racing team - currently called Team B&Q Jet York City - has undergone several name changes.

And he even changed his own name to John B&Q to help secure a motor racing sponsorship deal.

It was his motor racing commitments that forced him to miss York's trip to the Moss Rose last season.

But he will not be racing for a while after damaging three vertebrae in his neck in a crash at Oulton Park in April.

So instead, he will be making his shortest away trip of the season to join the York fans at Macclesfield. Terry Dolan's side have been boosted by the capture of goalkeeper Marlon Beresford from Middlesbrough this week.

Beresford will replace injured former Northern Ireland international Alan Fettis.

Saturday's clash will be Batchelor's first match at the Moss Rose, but not his first trip there.

"A few years ago I used to run a company that sold paper towels and toilet rolls.

"I went to Macclesfield Town to try to persuade the club to buy from us.

"I have to be honest though. I can't remember whether we did a deal or not."

He is hoping to win his first match at the Moss Rose, and is confident that York will do well this season.

"There's no point being in sport unless you aim high, and we've got to aim for automatic promotion.

"I think you can get odds of 33-1 on us to win the title, and if I were you, I'd put a bet on."