Left back (but right footed) George Howe was born in Wakefield in January 1924 and was to write his name into York City club folklore forever as a member of their wonderful 'Happy Wanderers' FA Cup semi-finalists of 1954-55.

He spent 12 years (including the war years) with Huddersfield where he was a regular in their reserve side, playing just 40 first team games.

Aged 30, he joined City in the summer of 1954 and was to spend the next 7 seasons with City playing at left back. In his first 6 seasons, he missed just 15 games giving magnificent service. He spent his last season, 1961/2, playing for City’s reserve side where he helped to develop the next generation of City players before leaving in May 1962.

His time with City began with a debut in the resounding 6-2 victory at Wrexham on the opening day of that truly iconic 1954-55 campaign, when fellow ‘greats’ Tommy Forgan, Ernie Phillips and Norman Wilkinson also received first starts.

Amongst the highlights of his career was marking the legendary England winger Stanley Matthews out of the game as York shocked First Division hosts Blackpool 2-0 in the FA Cup third round in January 1955. The Seasiders had previously won the cup at Wembley just eighteen months earlier.

He was noted for his fine positional play, consistency and coolness under pressure, often shepherding wingers towards the touchline, as demonstrated by subduing Stanley Matthews in 1955.

Howe played in all City's FA Cup triumphs of the mid-1950s and also the promotion winning campaign of 1958-59.

He holds the City record as the outfield player to play the most games (338) without scoring a goal. That was an era where full backs were actively encouraged not to cross the halfway line and big centre halves would go up for corners.

He retired to his native Wakefield, working in maintenance at Pinderfields Hospital where he was always happy to chat football, particularly with one City supporter from the Fulfordgate days, who was a parapelgic. Sadly, George died in 1971 at a young age, the first of the Happy Wanderers to leave us.