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Issue #55
Graeme Crawford
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The Biggest Lose? x
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Issue #54
Jason McGill: Hero or Villain?
Jason McGill was closely involved with City for 20 years. For much of that time, it was a family affair, with sister Sophie and father Rob also involved. Indeed, the family’s association with City goes back many years, when Jason and Sophie were Junior Reds’ members. Sophie has often told the story of how the 3 of them would attend matches at Bootham Crescent armed with mum’s corned beef sandwiches. Before that, Dad had been supporting City since the 1970s when he moved to Yorkshire from London.
Sophie was known to Douglas Craig in his pre-tyranny days, fresh out of university, confident to stand up to him.
The family were involved in the “Save City” campaign and became board members after the takeover was completed.
As The Trust increasingly struggled to make ends meet, Jason McGill injected funding in exchange for a share purchase to become majority owner. Having fought hard to save City, some of the senior Trust members (and the wider supporter base) felt uneasy that an individual had once again taken control of the club.
Some of their fears were soon realised as Jason McGill appeared to take an autocratic stance. Over the years, he became increasingly distant and less communicative.
Year on year, City were making a loss and interest charges were racking up. It appeared that lavish funding was being provided as City gambled on regaining Football League status.
That was finally achieved in 2012 with 2 wins in a week at Wembley, promotion and FA Trophy success. No one who was a supporter at the time will ever forget that memorable week. A few might acknowledge Jason McGill’s part in that.
On the pitch, we thought we were back where we belonged, but the new ground battle had hardly reached half time.
On the pitch, 5 years later, the playing nadir was reached when in 2017 City suffered a second successive relegation to end up in National League North. That time coincided with the arrival of Jackie McNamara, initially as manager and Chief Executive, neither role can be said to have been filled with success.
Anecdotally, many players showed their support for Jason McGill. No doubt lavish contracts will have helped, but in an era when many clubs struggled to pay wages, and indeed went under, City’s players were always paid on time. Many players have also spoken about how he took an interest in their personal and family lives.
With City clinching promotion back to the National League in May 2022, Jason McGill seemed ready to take City forward, so it was a surprise when just a few weeks later it was announced that he’d sold his shares to Glen Henderson.
Throughout the McGill era, millions of pounds of interest, payable to Jason McGill / JMP had been racked up through loans (at a high-ish rate of interest) and over the years, many doubted his statement that he would waive all interest due. True to his word, no interest was claimed, it was all written off, on completion of his share sale.
The sale included a clause whereby Jason McGill was able to claim a portion of “exceptional income” (large crowds, prize money and transfer income included) in the first few LNER years. To date, it is believed none has been claimed, certainly nothing has been noted in the club’s annual accounts.
The overarching theme of the McGill years was the battle for a new ground, you could even say a future for York City. At times a ground share was mentioned, Darlington’s Reynolds Arena and Scarborough were both mentioned in passing as ground share venues. Would York City have survived a ground share at either venue during our non league days?
The ground battle that lasted for 20 years. Post Craig, homeless, the club concluded a deal to stay at Bootham Crescent that was dependent on finding a new ground. The original expectation was that it might be a 5 year plan. A deal was struck with the Football Trust to provide some funding but the much bigger battle was with the City Of York council. It can’t have been easy battling all the red tape whilst trying to find a suitable location. Initially as Managing Director and later as majority owner, no doubt Jason McGill was heavily involved in all those years of negotiation.
The years dragged on, at one time, Sophie McGill was confident that the ground would provide generous revenue streams for City.
The later years must have taken their toll, as Jason became distanced from his dad Rob and Sophie who both resigned their roles at the football club. Supporter demand for more transparency and a greater say in the running of the club fell on deaf ears, a 2018 ultimatum, not quite of the Craig type, failed to resolve the ownership issue.
Finally, the new ground was ready. It staged its first game in early 2021 in the second covid ravaged season. City fans were able to watch games at our new ground from the start of the 2021/2 season.
Whilst not perfect, I like to think the ground has surpassed many people’s, mine included, expectations.
However, post McGill’s sale, many downsides have come to light, including the involvement of SMC, cost of the fan zone roof and onerous catering contracts to name just 3.
Whilst the uplift from the original 6,000 seater stadium to our 8,500 capacity has come with additional rental payments, it is finally looking that those extra seats are required more often than they are not.
Would we have ever reached the new ground without the perseverance of Jason McGill?
I’d go as far to say that if it wasn’t for Jason McGill we might not have the York City we have today. Admittedly sidelined, for a number of years the Supporters Trust was largely inactive as the battle for a new ground wore on.
He spent 20 years, a lot of energy, hard work, perseverance and funding (via loans) to see the move completed. How many people would spend 20 years of their live pursuing what was effectively a hobby whilst being heavily criticised?
Over the years, talk of a phoenix club regularly cropped up. It would have meant walking away from York City and Jason McGill, no doubt starting a new club on the Knavesmire and working our way back up to a respectable level in football’s pyramid. Plenty of talk, but no action. No one appeared to have the inclination or appetite to start a phoenix club, preferring our beloved old club.
Many might criticise Jason McGill’s actions and call him single minded (or worse), but that is something that could be said about many successful businessmen.
Indeed, the McGill years saw a lot of long time, hard core City fans become disillusioned and walk away from our club. That cannot be right.
Helping to save City and moving us to our new ground must be considered a success, his decreasing involvement with the fanbase, a failure. Where might York City be today if the club had been fully united over the last 20 years?
If Jason McGill is ever to visit LNER, I hope he gets a friendly reception, without him, we might not have a club to support.
He was a City supporter before he got involved with the club and no doubt he is following our progress to this day.
It would be fascinating to sit down with him and get his side of the story, his insights into the struggles he and the club faced to complete a 20 year move.
Meanwhile, let’s not judge Matt Uggla after one year, but judge him after 20 years. I’d say Jason McGill saved our club, I hope that Matt Uggla’s years will see us flourish as Football League club, back in our rightful pace.
Long Distance Woes In former times, games were scheduled on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, if Christmas Day fell on a Thursday, sometimes, like 1930, it meant 3 games in 3 days with a game on Saturday to follow.
Equally, for many years, it was tradition to play 3 games (Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday) over the Easter weekend.
By 1954, that meant City had had to make 7 trips to either Carlisle or Barrow to fulfil the”24 hour turnaround”. In other years, a trip to Doncaster or Rotherham often made for an easier turnaround.
With the demise of regional football in 1958, spare a thought for some of City’s 1960s holiday time fixture.
Good Friday 1961 saw a home game against Hartlepools United and a day later, a trip to Exeter, making it the longest journey City had to endure for 2 games in 2 days. Later in the 1960s, Good Friday 1965 and a City away game at Lincoln City came a day before a trip to Newport. Boxing Day 1969’s home game against Hartlepool was followed by a trip to Swansea Town a day later.
Fortunately, football's authorities started to see some sense (did I really say that?) and such long trips became a thing of the past and eventually, 2 games in 2 days also became a thing of the past. City signed off these days at Christmas 1993 with a 5-0 win at Blackpool.
In those early days, whilst there would have been public transport over the holiday period, there were no motorways which must have made for some difficult journeys in wintry conditions.
I’m just glad that Neal Ardley was born when he was. He would have been outraged at the lack of recovery time. Cramped coach journeys over bumpy roads in pre-motorway (and pre-recovery pants) days and changes of train won’t have made for quick or easy travel.
By my reckoning, City will have used road, train, boat and even plane to fulfil fixtures whilst over the years there will have been many cases where players made their own way to an away game.
Equally, there are many instances of players arriving for home games via local service bus or bicycle, sometimes even after fulfilling a Saturday morning shift in a local factory.
Nowadays coach travel is the norm, since our return to the National League, given the geography of the division, many of these have involved many overnight hotel stays for the team.
In former days, rail travel might have proved a better option for some away trips whilst famously, in the early Denis Smith days when money was tight, City travelled to Aldershot for free having collected Persil vouchers which they exchanged for free return travel to any destination on the rail network
Nowadays, a combination of cost, reduced services / earlier train finishes and reliability, means train travel is not as popular an option as it once used to be. Indeed, even this season, Southend’s game at AFC Fylde in September was postponed when they got stuck on a train whilst in the past, City home games have been delayed when the visitor’s train was delayed.
Going back in time, City had a narrow escape in December 1923 when travelling to play Grimsby Town Reserves. Crossing the River Humber by ferry, their boat went off course and hit a sandbank with City stuck mid river until rescued. They eventually completed their journey and with kick off delayed by an hour, the game finished in near darkness on the shortest day of the year. No doubt City’s unusual preparation contributed to the result, a 9-0 defeat for City.
Other times when City have travelled by ferry will include the 1938 friendly in Holland and friendly games in Ireland and the Isle Of Wight.
Only once have City flown to away games. That was 1974 and an end of season tour to Iceland to celebrate promotion to Division 2.
With Premier League clubs now travelling, sometimes for trips of under 100 miles, when will City next fly to an away game?
By my reckoning, that journey to Reykjavik, at just over 1,000 miles is the furthest that City have travelled for a game. A summer later, City will have travelled a similar distance to Majorca for an end of season holiday.
In terms, of opposition, a couple of City’s home pre-season friendlies will have seen the opponents travel. In August 1989, City hosted the Bermudan national side and 5 years later played Sarajevo meaning the visitors travelled respectively over 3,400 miles and 1,120 miles to fulfil the games.
Surprising, the York City Supporters have travelled further than City to fulfil a game. That was in 1984 when a summer holiday to Yugoslavia saw them agree to play a friendly against the supporters club of a professional club, something was lost in translation and they played the professional side.
If you thought that City were the professional club from York that had travelled the furthest to fulfil a fixture, you’d be wrong. In May 1991, as part of rugby league’s expansion plans, Ryedale-York and Fulham toured Russia.
Roll on the days of multiple promotions (or the National League’s 47th game) and City are travelling worldwide to fulfil fixtures.
Manchester City Law Breaks With the Manchester City 115 charges’ case ongoing and shrouded in secrecy, I came across the first page of the charge sheet in a rubbish bin after leaving England’s game against Latvia in March.
(City) Shorts This season, we’ve seen penalties denied when holding was deemed “fleeting” or “not sustained”, more examples of the authorities mudding the rules. I seem to recall in the 2018 Russian World Cup when referees adopted a firm line and all the penalty box shenanigans were stopped at a stroke.
“Don’t give them (the players) 5 star treatment, they’ll always expect it, give them 4 star so they have something to work for”. Good advice for any football club manager or owner
We all know how much City pay to rent the LNER. I just hope the clubs who hire it on a game by game basis are paying a similar amount per game. Over a decade ago, some reserves sides paid £3,000 per game to play at Bootham Crescent.
Some people doubt Hinsh's recruitment success. To some extent every manager relies on players he knows well. Hinsh will be no different. At Worthing, he gained 2 promotions (no relegations) and left them towards the top of the NLS. Remind me, who was it who signed Ollie Pearce for Worthing? Who was it who signed Joe Felix for Worthing? Whoever he was, he can't have been a bad judge of players.
I'm more intrigued to know how come after Joe Felix was released from academy football at the age of 19, he had 6 permanent clubs and 2 more on loan in 4 years before joining Worthing in 2023. He made 82 senior games in the post covid seasons before joining Worthing. I'd like to know what clicked for Joe Felix at the age of 24? Bottle it and sell it.
Maybe that’s what Hinsh did as Lewis Richardson seems a totally different player once the Hinsh magic has taken effect.
When the PL was formed, there was an early concept of the ”Big 2”. Arsenal and Manchester United. Abramovich’s Chelsea ended that concept, a “Big 3” emerged. When Manchester City and Liverpool came to the fore, it was the “Big 5” and now we talk about the big 6, but I’m not sure who the 6th are. Newcastle or Aston Villa maybe, whilst Leicester claimed that spot once. Even Spurs might stake a claim. How long before “The Big 17” or Big 20” is talked about.
Witness City’s 3rd goal at Rochdale, an early forward pass down City’s right only found a Dale defender, after they made 2 passes across their back, a 3rd went straight to Dipo. Lurking on the edge of their area in acres of space, one pass to Ollie and it was 3-0. Why make mistakes in City’s backline when we can so easily force such mistakes in our opponent’s back line?
PL clubs bleat about having to sell home grown players to meet PSR rules as their sale price is “pure profit”. One simple solution would be to exclude home grown player sales from the calculation on the basis that all academy costs are already excluded. Such a move would also put an end to all the ”big money” transfers for unknown academy players that seem to occur just before the PSR year ends.
Issue #53
Strange Things At Bootham Crescent
I was asked to write about the “Strangest things seen at Bootham Crescent”, I could easily have filled pages (indeed whole issues) about strange and useless players and managers who have disgraced the ground, but I won’t.
Aaron McLean In its latter years, Bootham Crescent seemed to become more prone to waterlogging (it had been since it was built in 1932). The touchline in front of the Main Stand being particularly bad. It was common place to see it heavily sanded and often wider swathes of the pitch as well. One day, Aaron McLean earned the ire of the home fans by mocking the state of the pitch by doing a hop, skip and jump across the sanded areas.
1936 Olympics Maintaining the athletics theme, August 2017, the ground was transformed into a 1936 Berlin Olympic stadium venue (with all associated paraphernalia visible inside the ground) for filming of a Bollywood spectacular to commemorate India's first post independence Olympic gold medal. Senior nazi officials could be seen in the car park as hockey scenes were filmed on the pitch.
Andy Provan Our diminutive winger scored a unique headed goal against Bradford PA in September 1966. Chasing onto a through pass, outpacing the defence, he dribbled around the keeper, checking there was no defender near him, he fell to the ground, laid full length and headed the ball into the net from a couple of inches at the Shippo end. Manager Tom Lockie was not happy.
Baseball A nationwide craze for the sport hit Bootham Crescent in 1937 as promoters sought to make it the summer sport of choice. Crowds struggled to reach 2,000 and a move to Clarence Street for the following summer failed to inspire the crowds. The craze soon petered out. In 1988, Bootham Crescent hosted a one off American football game. 6 months later, York RLFC lost heavily to Leeds in a cup game at the ground in front of 11,347. For the game, City pocketed a £3,000 hosting fee. Pre match, gymnastics and athletics displays were once the order of the day.
Marching bands / dog displays In my youth, these were also regular events at the ground, especially for “big” games, mimicking the FA Cup Final when leading army bands would march across the hallowed turf. At City, it was more likely to be police dog displays and the Huntington marching band / cheerleaders.
Blanket collections City always allowed charity collections at Bootham Crescent, 2 a season. Given their voluntary work at Bootham Crescent, the St John’s Ambulance Brigade were also annually awarded a collection day. In former times, volunteers would walk around the pitch at half time with a large bedsheet used for fans to throw coins into the collection. Helpers would sweep up the coins that missed the target. Over the years, it became the practice to aim coins at the volunteers holding the blanket rather than the blanket itself. Hence the tradition died out and was replaced by bucket collections. On collection days, the second half of the game was invariably marked by the keepers and wingers picking up coins the collectors had missed the blankets.
Cushions Until the late 1960s, Main Stand seating consisted of hard wooden benches (as opposed to hard seats). The club would hire out cushions on match days for less than 2p in today’s money. The practice died out as City endured 3 successive re-election campaigns with the good citizens of the Main Stand showing their wrath by hurling the cushions onto the pitch.
Rodney Marsh His “flamboyance” wasn’t visible when his Manchester City side visited Bootham Crescent for a League Cup game in November 1973. He and his teammates came out wearing tracksuits, when Marsh took off his trackie bottoms he realised he’d forgotten his shorts.
Manchester City Invasion After our 1973 League Cup tie, the Blues invaded Bootham Crescent 9 months later. This time, their old and unwanted seats were bought by City and installed into the Popular Stand in readiness for Division 2. Volunteers worked through the night before the first home pre-season friendly to clear the pitch of the last remaining debris.
Graeme Crawford When City took Arsenal into extra time in a 1975 FA Cup tie, he was caught out of position as Arsenal broke clear and scored. Why was he out of position? Many claim to this day he was taking a new piece of “chewy” out of his kit bag.
Kenneth Wolstenholme Strange that the BBC selected Bootham Crescent for the legendary commentator’s first ever nationwide radio broadcast in 1946, all the game could be heard on the General Forces Programme and the last 90 minutes on “The Light Programme” (Radio 2) in the days of just 2 nationwide channels in the era before television was widely available.
Middlesbrough v Hull In the good old days, FA Cup (and League Cup) ties went to multiple replays until someone won. Until the early 1970s, it was practice for second (and subsequent) replays to be played at a neutral ground. City got to play (and win) at Manchester City's Maine Road and St Andrews, Birmingham. Bootham Crescent was used on one occasion when Boro beat Hull by 1-0 in a hastily re-arranged 2nd replay, Hillsborough, the intended venue being deemed frozen. Latterly, in 2013, Bootham Crescent hosted home league games for both Harrogate and Gateshead when their grounds were waterlogged. Later it hosted reserve games for other clubs, the hosting fee being welcome income for City. LNER has taken that to new levels, unfortunately City don’t benefit.
Nobby Clarke Mr Pearly King, reminiscent of an East End “Pearly King”, a familiar sight in his suit covered with buttons, cane in hand, at FA Cup games until his untimely death in 1974.
Personal Hospitality Box Thanks to Gardencare of Huntington, who donated a garden shed, I (and others) had our own “hospitality box” at the top of the Shippo, directly behind the goal, during the Roof Appeal. PS I’m not saying what our tipple of choice was.
Rock N Roll Spectacular Concert In September 1979, Alvin Stardust topped the bill with Joe Brown and the Bruvvers, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, Jimmy James and Billy J Dakota and the Dakotas as support. The stage was built over an area of Main Stand seating. Neighbours' complaints about the noise meant it was not repeated. Only about 750 turned up and the event lost money for the promoter.
Sam Muggleton Not strange in himself, but he did something I’ve seen no one else do in a game. Twice. His long throw against Forest Green in April 2017 directly hit the cross bar. To prove it was no fluke, a couple of minutes later, he did the same from the other side of the pitch. Pity he wasn’t much good at anything else. Watch It.
Shippo / Yorkie Dropped shorts, bike stunts and red cards were the order for the day and now he mimics “injured” keepers.
Steve Howard (Luton) In September 2001, Luton won a penalty, Steve Howard who wasn’t the designated taker, snatched the ball from the designated taker. He missed the kick, the referee spotted an infringement and the kick was re-taken. Despite protests from teammates, again he grabbed the ball. Howard missed again and was immediately substituted. He stormed off the pitch and straight into the changing rooms.
York Ultras Hilarious scenes as some York fans charged across Bootham Crescent to goad Liverpool fans after the 1985 FA Cup tie. As soon the Liverpool fans raised an eyebrow, the York fans turned and ran away as fast as their little legs could carry them.
The Strangest Thing? It took City just 3 months to move into Bootham Crescent and 20 years to move out.
Unfortunately 2 people have died on the pitch during my time.
Transfer Market In City’s history, we’ve received around £11m in transfer fees when selling players. Conversely, we’ve spent around £3.75m in transfer fees.
I say ”around” as increasingly fees are stated as “undisclosed” so in many cases fees need to be estimated. In early 2024, we paid money for 4 players (Gravata, Armstrong, Hunt and Aguiar), in each case it was announced as “undisclosed”, in reality, and with no inside knowledge, I speculate they might have cost City around £100,000 in total and with “undisclosed” fees, speculation will abound. Since the start of this season, we’ve paid money for Stones, MFW and presumably Fadera.
Of the £11m income, £7.4m has come from selling home grown players. The other £3.6m comes from selling “bought in” players, but you need to deduct purchase fees of £3.2m which leaves just £400,000 in transfer fee profit for “bought in” players.
So, City’s success as a wheeler dealer has come almost exclusively from home grown players.
Whilst some sources state the record fee received by City is £950,000 for Richard Cresswell, in reality, both the sales of Jon Greening and Ben Godfrey have netted City much more when subsequent transfer clauses are included.
For Greening, City will have netted about £1.13m (including the original £350,000 transfer fee) and for Godfrey, it will probably be in excess of £2.5m given City’s 10% “sell on” clause.
When Norwich sold Ben Godfrey to Everton, the deal included clauses for sell on, appearances, international caps and, don’t laugh, a clause for when Everton qualified for the Champions / Europa League. The Everton appearances and England caps clauses will have been activated, so whatever Norwich received, City should have received 10% of that.
Given the low transfer fee that Atalanta paid Everton, Norwich (and City) will not benefit from any sell on clause. However, the sale has probably triggered a FIFA solidarity payment, the first time such detail has been openly discussed about a former City player and involves 5% of the transfer fee being split between all the clubs who helped to develop the player between the ages of 12 and 23 and is only invoked in the case of cross border transfers.
One common thread in all those 3 transfers was that City were in the Football League and protected by EPPP rules when the players were sold. Nowadays, given our lowly position outside EPPP, its becoming increasingly unlikely that players will make that “big“ move, more likely a “half way“ house to, say, a Division 1 side.
City can still negotiate whatever deal they want for a professional (subject to any clauses in the player’s contract) but not an academy player who can be poached on 7 days’ notice.
Even when a deal is negotiated, that is not the end of it. When Max Kilman moved to West Ham from Wolves over the summer, there were plenty of stories that Wolves re-negotiated (or some might say forced) Maidenhead to half their sell on clause meaning that got £4m, still a lot for a non league club, but only half of what they might have expected.
Finally, some deals of note: Gerrit Forward - Another Way To Make Space
A lot of City’s football this season has been built around passing the ball, creating space and finding openings to exploit. Some say “gerrit forward”, others might suggest it is too one dimensional.
Certainly it is hard to criticise City’s style this season, a style that is pleasing on the eye and one which should see us finish the season in the top 3, something that hasn’t happened very often in our 103 year history, just one title, one runners up spot and three 3rd places finishes in all that time.
Our style starts from the back, the keeper plays a short pass, the ball is played across the back line, a little foray towards the half way line is blocked, if there is no space, the ball is played back and the team looks for an opening on the other side of the pitch.
It is very easy to get 10 completed passes and to have barely progressed beyond our own penalty area. At the other end of the pitch, the opposition are lined up in perfect formation.
Equally, with the current (2024/5) rules (and more importantly their lack of enforcement), a keeper often holds onto the ball for up to 20 seconds before releasing it. Time for the opposition to get properly lined up, again in a perfect formation.
The opposition have plenty of time to get set and shuffle across the pitch, closing down any attack, soaking up the pressure and not allowing any space. Plus a slow build up allows the opposition a little recovery time.
The downside to City’s style is that sometimes it feels that little is happening or more crucially, the opposition press and force mistakes from the back line. Misplaced passes, possession overturned and a goal conceded. Red faces all round.
The intention is to draw the opposition forward and out of position, be it a centre forward or full back moving forward and leaving space for City to exploit. When it happens, City spring the trap, the ball is played forward into that vacant space.
The argument for a slow build up and possession football is that the team out of possession do more chasing and tire more quickly than the team in possession.
Several times, this season, we’ve seen the opposition’s press and tactical discipline wilt, sometimes before half time, as City’s movement in possession tires them out. What started out as good and well disciplined opposition side is in disarray come the second half as City prompt for openings down the right and the left.
It is not just City. Many of our top teams, if they do progress the ball towards their opponent’s penalty area, are just as likely to pass the ball across the pitch in front of the defence as they continue to seek an opening.
Allied to City style, is our fluidity, it can mean opposition players are dragged out of position as City probe.
However, there is another way to make space.
That is to speed up play, progress the ball forward quickly before opposition defence get set, quickly finding space and putting your attackers into a one on one situation, bearing down on goal.
When a defender is faced with a one on one situation and no supporting cover, he is liable to panic and commit a foul and get a yellow card, that is if he is not skinned.
In the Premier League, Forest, Bournemouth and Brentford all tend to progress the ball forward with more speed and more success, their upper league positions belying their perceived lowly status.
As a winger, I’d welcome an early pass and the opportunity to run at a fractured defence taking on my marker in a one on one situation rather than having to face a packed defence.
A long ball into open space might work, but equally an early incisive pass forward would work.
Not defender likes pace, it can destroy teams.
I’m not advocating to go direct or long ball every time, but mix it up and that a quick release leaves your own forwards in much more space.
A quick ball can mean its 4 on 4 on the half way line compared to 10 v 10 (hoping for 10 v 9) with slow play out from the back.
With City’s flying wingers and central strikers who are both skilful and physical, how many more goals might we have seen this season with a quicker build up?
At the very least, the opposition will always be wondering what City are going to do next. They will not know what to expect.
Witness City’s 3rd goal at Rochdale (March 2025), an early forward pass down City’s right only found a Dale defender, after they made 2 passes across their back, a 3rd went straight to Dipo. Lurking on the edge of their area in acres of space, one pass to Ollie and it was 3-0. Why make mistakes in City’s backline when we can so easily force such mistakes in our opponent’s back line?
Food for thought (1). When I was a young boy, usually it was the worst player who went in goal. The boy who couldn’t play, couldn’t kick. Nowadays, the keeper is the lynch pin of the side, often the player with the most touches and passes in the game. He is the quarter back who launches attacks and generally dictates play.
Food for thought (2). In recent weeks, a number of comments have been raised regarding the lack of atmosphere at some City games, whilst a winning side should always generate a good atmosphere, that same atmosphere is more likely to be generated from fast flowing attacking play than slower and more considered build up play.
Nobody’s Hero – John Woodward
Somewhere on the York City South website is my attempt at naming City’s Worst Ever XI . Using my own criteria of a minimum 25 games for City, I ruled out a load of dross at a stroke. Still, I was left with a big choice, so much that I ended up naming a Worst XI and a Reserve Worst XI.
One name that always draws criticism is that of John Woodward who occupies a midfield berth. In hindsight, with age and wisdom, I could now make a case for naming his him in City’s City’s Best Ever XI.
A Scottish Youth international, he joined Arsenal and was a member of their victorious 1966 FA Youth Cup winning side. The following summer, he played 3 times (won 3) for a strong Scottish XI on a summer tour of Asia and Oceania. His teammates were a mix of Scottish internationals and leading Scottish players of the time including (Sir) Alex Ferguson, Eddie Colquhoun, Joe Harper, Harry Hood, Jim McCalliog, John Ure and Willie Morgan.
Released by Arsenal in 1970, they had a chance of mind and offered him a new one year deal but he was released as Arsenal completed a historic double in 1971. He made just 3 appearances for the club.
The highlight of his Gunners career was possibly the time he got flung over a car by Lazio players after a European tie in Rome, the golden era when the teams used to fraternise over a beer and a bonnet after kicking lumps out of each other.
Arriving at newly promoted City, he found his game time restricted in his first season before becoming a regular during his second City season. Both seasons, City avoided relegation by goal average.
Despite a couple of new signings, many predicted another season of struggle during the 1973/4 season. First up was a trip to The Valley, a visit to Charlton, one of the preseason promotion favourites.
That day, John Woodward possibly had his best game for City as he scored twice from midfield and helped City to an impressive 4-2 away win. He and his teammates had set the tone for City’s historic promotion season.
Across 2 seasons in Division 2 (now The Championship), he was a regular, largely in midfield, but his versatility saw him also play at centre half and left back as he played 51 games.
His 7 years at City coincided with the days of an impressive keeper, a hard and mean back 4, flair and guile in midfield, 2 strikers in the best form of their careers and for most of the time John Woodward.
Essentially, John Woodward was a defensively minded midfield player who held the side together. If Graeme Crawford was City’s last line of defence, then John Woodward was City’s first line of defence, the shield that protected the back 4.
Like others of that era, he lost his way under Wilf McGuinness and played his last game for City in October 1977. He scored 6 goals (Ed – we thought) in 191 City appearances. Later he played local football in the York area.
With a solid defence behind him, flair on the wings beside him and goals in front of him, he was the invisible man in our 1974 promotion winning side.
It was maybe for that reason that I was to include him in my Worst Ever XI. Remember, this is 30 years before the likes of Claude Makelele “invented“ the defensive midfielder role, the silent player who quietly glued the side together. The player who protects the back 4 and is always available to receive the ball to make the pass that releases the flair players forward.
On reflection, his longevity in the only City side to play at what is now Championship level could earn him a place in City’ Best Ever XI. In my time, Gary Swann and Nigel Pepper are just about the only similar City midfield players to play that role at a similar level to John Woodward.
Recently, when speaking with Chris Topping, he said, “John Woodward is in there (his best City ever side), he gave the midfield stability and allowed Holmes and Lyons the freedom to attack and create, without Woodward’s defensive midfield capabilities it would not have allowed City to attack at the level they were playing at and was a contributing factor to the strong defence, that the team was built on”.
Issue #52:
Hinsh +1 The end of February (2025) marked the end of Adam Hinshelwood’s first year in charge of City.
Success or failure?
His first game in charge saw City start in the relegation zone, by the end of his 4th game, we were well and truly inside the drop zone, after Altrincham, very few supporters imagined we’d escape from relegation.
Behind the scenes, the Hinsh brain was already whirling away, having given plenty of squad players a chance to impress, he was identifying those players he could take forward and those he needed to discard. Marvin Armstrong was identified as the type of player the team was lacking, his energy levels would make a difference.
Last summer, Paddy McLaughlin said something along the lines of Hinsh starting to implement his methodologies during his first few training sessions. The players could see what he wanted from each of them, detailed instructions on what he wanted from each player when City were in possession and what he wanted from each of them when City were out of possession. He went onto say that pre-season saw Hinsh absolutely nail this.
Summer also saw a squad refresh. By my count, Hinsh carried forward 28 players from last season’s squad. As summer progressed, 7 players were paid off. No doubt it wasn’t cheap for the Uggla family, but well done to them and Hinsh for identifying it as a necessity to move forward. As summer progressed, other players left on long term loans and inevitably there were newcomers.
Personally, with Dipo Akinyemi scoring 15 goals last season in a struggling side, the arrival of the prolific Ollie Pearce and the addition of 2 wingers (Tyrese Sinclair and Ashley Nathaniel-George) who invariably did well against City, we had the fire power for a very good season.
At the time of writing, the morning after the Dagenham win, we sit 2nd in the table, well positioned in the title race.
Off the pitch, Hinsh has never been afraid to put himself (and his staff and players) forward, on many times he has spoken at fan forums. In June, Hinsh gave up an evening to travel up to London from the south coast to meet York City South. In York, he and the rest of the gang have regularly attended YCST and many other events.
Elsewhere, count the number of selfies that get posted on social media before kick off, players happily posing with young fans. Post match, it is a joy to be in the hospitality lounge mingling with the fans, young and old alike and to be joined by the players.
Whether it is Hinsh or the Ugglas, the squad seemed much more joined up than many in recent years, happy to be in each company, both on and off the pitch and happy to interact with supporters. Something not seen for many years.
I’m sure we’ve all worked for many different bosses, some good, some not so good, but it is the good ones when you gave that little bit extra.
It remains to be seen what might happen with a bit of adversity, would the club revert to previous ways and shut up shop? I hope not.
Hinsh has always appeared to be first and foremost, a man of the people. You can see on the touchline showing his emotions and frustrations.
Ready to cajole and berate the team, he has called out players in interviews and I’m equally sure he has put an arm of reassurance around others at times. All the players seem onside with him.
Tactically, Hinsh has his own principles (and foibles). Whatever you might think about City’s possession based style and playing out from the back, he has identified a style and it is much more pleasurable to watch than that of many of his predecessors.
The fears of many have been largely dispelled; the defence generally looks assured and offers solid protection to Male in goal.
You might argue we went into the season light in the left back position, I’d say not really, with Cam John and Adam Crookes we had 2 solid players, unfortunately one is fragile and the other missed a few weeks with injury.
I’m undecided about Hinsh’s selection rotation, it could be argued it is disruptive to the team or it is a way of managing workloads across a long season whilst keeping the opposition on its toes. Whatever, so far, we seem to have been relatively lightly hit by injuries.
As for keeper rotation, tweaks in formation and deploying Ollie Pearce away from the main striker role, I have no insight or real answer. It has usually happened against the “better” sides, I might think he’s thinking to use our best players and attack the better opposition as they’re more likely to let us play than many of the teams lower down the table. All I can say is I hope Hinsh has learnt his lesson.
As we approach the last few weeks of the season, we are well placed in the table, indeed surpassing the expectations of many supporters.
The positives far outweigh the negatives, long may it continue.
This article originally appeared in the Y Front fanzine. Buy it every month.
After City - Mark Sertori Shortly after Mark “Carlo” Sertori joined City, someone once said "we hit rock bottom and then started digging".
We definitely did if we thought he and fellow veteran Halifax teammate Kevin Hulme could improve us. Manager Neil Thompson thought could. He didn’t last long and Sertori and Hulme lasted only a little longer.
Sertori was a rugged lower league bruiser centre back / defensive midfield enforcer (to put it politely). The only lasting impression he made at City was probably on the shins of a number of opponents.
Amazingly, he made the England bench at the 2010 World Cup, albeit as a physio sitting alongside Fabio Capello. His role with the England FA continued and he was part of the Euro 2016 England back room staff before leaving the role in September 2017. He was often spotted on England’s bench during games and tournaments.
Shortly after England appointed Capello in December 2007, the FA appointed Sertori, who speaks Italian to a native level, to his back room team.
Post playing, Sertori had trained as a physio / masseur and worked with Bolton and Newcastle. He joined Manchester City in May 2008 where he undertook various physio / sports therapist roles, his last job title was Sports Therapist.
That tells only a part of what he contributed, he was a friend and confidante of players and key to the culture, “Mark is more than a work colleague, he is now also a close friend and has always been there for me", said John Stones. Pep Guardiola noted “I’ve worked with Mark for a number of years at Man City, he has helped me and my staff cement with everyone, to develop the correct cultural atmosphere, so that the team thrives on trying to win. He is organised and works in a good medical team.”
On June 21st 2023, he was reunited with Vincent Kompany as Burnley's Head of Performance and Player Care.
PS. Don’t confuse him with Italian born Carlo Sartori (note the different spelling) who was a member of Manchester United’s 1968‘s European Cup winning side during a lengthy career as a Red Devil squad member.
Tom Cursons I’ve finally achieved one of my remaining footballing ambitions. I’ve played in the same side as a professional footballer.
Can I say, when I did, I was head and shoulders above him ability wise, although I wouldn’t go as far as to say I taught him all he knows.
Growing up in south London, Tom Cursons played for amateur teams, never going near a professional academy, before doing various sports nutrition / science courses at Nottingham’s universities and playing for several minor clubs in the area.
Possibly his first footballing highlight was spending most of 2022 with Gainsborough in the Northern Premier League before dropping back down the pyramid to play for local Nottingham teams.
It was late 2023 that he caught the attention of Ilkeston Town, another Northern Premier League side. He did enough, 12 goals in his last 10 games, at the end of the 2023/4 season to earn a new contract for this, the 2024/5, season.
Goals have flown in for him this season, 25 goals in 30 appearances, including a nine minute hat trick on New Year’ Day. Before Christmas a raft of clubs, largely midlands based, were regularly scouting him, all bound by the transfer window. There was reported interest from Derby County, Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and Peterborough United. He was known to York City.
At 23, some might say he is old to be starting a professional football career. Others might say he has been playing “men’s football” every week for the last 5 years. In comparison, Tony Canham was older and Jamie Vardy even older when they made their Football League debuts after graduating from non league football.
Tom Cursons signed for Harrogate Town in early January (2025) for an undisclosed fee. Straight away he was in their first team squad and making first team appearances off the bench. Again I suspect Harrogate don’t have a great programme of reserve team football, so it is up to Tom as to whether he makes the grade or not.
Given professional club’s academies and the games they play, the non league route might suit even more players.
Already this season, we’ve see City’s latest 2 academy graduates, Bill Marshall and Leon Gibson-Booth cast aside. It remains to be seen what happens to them in the future. Hopefully both can further their football careers, but again it shows the chasm between academy and first team football when there is no proper pathway.
Before them, other ex-City scholars have drifted around the lower levels of Yorkshire non league football and fallen into paid employment, even an Asda delivery driver earns more than a young squad player.
For City, does the 2025/6 development squad give hope to our youngsters? I hope so.
PS When my kids were about 9 and 5, Tom Cursons was about 7, his brother was 2 years younger. The Cursons boys were regular visitors to their gran, my next door neighbour. The youngsters would regularly play 2 a side football in our back garden, canes for goalposts and touchlines bounded by a greenhouse and vegetable patch. Given the age differences between the 2 sides, I often helped out on the Cursons’ boys side, I lost count of the number of inch perfect through balls I played in for Tom to smash home a goal past my own son.
Who Are Our Real Rivals? So who are York City’s biggest rivals? The answers depends who you ask and when you ask it.
In terms of games played, it is Darlington with 110 league games. Close behind them are Wrexham (106) and, at the start of the 2024/5 season, Halifax and Rochdale (104).
Any Yorkshire side might be considered to be a rival, big away supporter followings for teams coming to York and City taking big followings to those local away games.
In the former days of regionalised football, rivalries were good natured and opposing fans freely mingled together. The 1970s saw the rise of football hooliganism and some rivalries took on a different perspective.
At Bootham Crescent, fans swapped ends on the coin toss and again at half time via the tunnel that ran behind the Popular Stand. It was enclosed, dark and no more than 2 metres wide. Fans could stand behind the goal their team was attacking in both halves. The early 70s saw the tunnel closed and with City’s promotion to Division 2, crowd segregation was gradually introduced.
Rivalries come and go, often one team thinks it is a rivalry and the other thinks it is a minor irritation. I’m sure that is how Leeds fans felt as City went up through the divisions in the early 1970s, many City fans considered Leeds to be our big rivals. After all, at about 25 miles, they were the closest league team to us and for 2 seasons, just one division apart. Indeed fixture pairing meant that our home games never clashed, some people followed both sides, a convoy of buses and cars full of Leeds fans departed York for every Leeds game. So whilst some York fans considered Leeds to be our rivals, I’m sure many Leeds fans didn’t give us a second thought, but named Manchester United and Liverpool as their big rivals.
That era saw Bournemouth emerge as an unlikely rival. We were promoted together from Division 4 in 1971and vied for promotion to Division 2 in 1974. That rivalry intensified with Bournemouth’s status as big spenders, they ripped the guts (and goals) out of our side by signing Ted MacDougall, Phil Boyer and Ian Davidson from us. Divisional rivals, they were the team many despised the most.
In the same way that Leeds fans viewed York, over the years York have viewed Harrogate and Scarborough as irritants, like an attention seeking little brother, barely worthy of consideration, even when they reached (or exceeded) our position in the pyramid.
For many years, although a well respected non league side, often packed with ex City players, Scarborough posed no threat, they were just a little club who you looked out for, often packed with ex City players. For many years, Harrogate were not even just a little club, some might say not even the biggest club in Harrogate. They didn’t reach National League North until 2004, but under the chairmanship of Irving Weaver they started to gain momentum.
Like Leeds with York, the Scarborough / York rivalry was largely one sided until the formation of the Conference and automatic promotion to The Football League which allowed the 2 teams to compete against each other in the Football League.
Another long standing rivalry can be dated back to the late 1970s when City played Bury in an FA Cup tie. The rivalry persisted over the years, possibly reaching a new high point in 1993 and the Division 3 playoff semi-final. One well known female City fan had her ankle broken at Bury. The rivalry went up a further notch or 2 in 1996 when Dean Kiely moved from City to Bury for a derisory fee at the end of his contract. He and Bury were not popular when the clubs met later that season. The rivalry re-emerged in 2022 and the FA Cup clash with the reformed Bury club when some Bury fans assumed a game with York City gave them free range to run amok.
The Bury rivalry ran alongside the emergence of The York Nomad Society. Originally founded to provide reliable (and cheap) travel to away games, they were also keen to uphold club honour and look out for each other.
Doncaster emerged as rivals in the 1980s as Denis Smith’s side took Division 4 by storm with Doncaster trying to join the party. The era saw City have the upper hand on the pitch. The games saw big crowds and a memorable 5-0 City win in a League Cup tie, no doubt the rivalry fuelled by Billy Brenner’s presence and the popular press perception that he was building big things at Doncaster.
At the same time, Hull were a big rival whose fans caused mayhem after an Associate Members Cup game in February 1984 when many of their large following overturned cars and smashed house windows in the terraced streets around Bootham Crescent.
Later, Burnley were to regularly bring large (and generally more peaceful) followings to Bootham Crescent.
City’s Conference years saw a whole new set of rivalries emerge. Maybe some of the vitriol was down to City ourselves, we didn't help it by proclaiming ourselves to be “The Arsenal Of The North” and thinking we’d walk the division. First time, it took us 8 years. Equally, to many other non league clubs, York City were the big boys, the established team whilst opposing players (and fans) saw a visit to Bootham Crescent, even a dilapidated Bootham Crescent, a big away game compared to some of the other venues on the non league circuit. Most saw City as a big rival. The biggest rivalry proved to be with Luton, an unlikely source to the uninitiated.
City’s 2010 playoff semi-final win over Luton didn’t help. City fans (and players) had to endure a torrent of coins and abuse at the end of the game. Richard Brodie, for one, frankly feared for his own safety. Even John Sentamu, The Archbishop Of York wasn’t immune to the abhorrent behaviour of Luton fans. An abandoned game in December 2010 deepened the rivalry, when despite heavy snow falling, the game kicked off, that allowed Luton to pocket the gate receipts before the game was abandoned. A 5 0 lose (and Michael Ingham sending off) in the rearranged game didn’t help.
Fast forward to 2012, we met again at Wembley in the Play Off Final. We’d already played them 4 times earlier the 2011/2 season (3 wins and a draw for City), so the rivalry was greatly intensified. Despite going an early goal down, we won 2-1, thanks to a controversial winner which surely would have been disallowed if VAR had been in operation. City fans gloated, Luton fans, who outnumbered City fans by about 3 to 1, sulked. How we gloated. 12 years later, it is perhaps better to suppress that gloating given our respective league positions. That said, many Luton fans still don’t have a good word to say about City and haven’t forgotten Wembley 2012.
Even before Wembley, a new rival, semi final opponents Mansfield, had emerged. Their striker, Matt Green was sent off for 2 yellow cards in the first leg, the first for a foul on Michael Ingham and the second for a silly hand ball. Fury from the Mansfield fans behind the goal and one, Carolyn Radford (nee Still) in the director’s box, was arrested. Post match, Michael Ingham received much abuse, so much that the police considered there to be a real threat to his safety in the second leg. Given City’s promotion, that rivalry never festered.
Over the years, Darlington and Hartlepool have both considered City to be big rivals. I’m sure both sets of fans would agree a day out in York being preferable to their more local rivals and have traditionally brought big followings to York.
West Yorkshire has always been a challenge rivalry wise. Whilst the likes of Huddersfield, Bradford City and Halifax have had at times been our closest league neighbours, often those clubs have 2 or more other clubs who they’d consider to be more local rivals than City. For them, even the likes of Rochdale, Oldham and Stockport are geographically much closer than York. Add to that the cross pennine element and it means that City often don't get a look in when it comes to rivalries.
The sprawling industrial conurbations of West Yorkshire, Manchester / Liverpool and the West Midlands have always produced much more intense local rivalries than City could ever imagine.
Given City's geographical location, few, if any teams, would possibly name City as their greatest (local) rivals. However, rivalries will change over time given divisional status and even "grudge" matches.
However, rivalries come and go, strangely, I recall our administration period seemed to set other fans against us with Carlisle fans ripping seats out of the Pop Stand and both Boston and Scunthorpe fans goading City fans with taunts about going bust.
I'm not even going to start on Curzon Ashton, in recent non league times, they could be considered a "bogey" team, but no more.
Today (2024/5 season), geographically, Harrogate are our closest rivals whilst FC Halifax are the closest in our league.
Having said all that, do we have a traditional local rival?
I might suggest York are a “friendly club” and too nice to have real rivalries and grudge matches. In former days, our TV appearances were often scene set with sweeping views across the houses with the Minster in the background. All very nice and unlike some of the more grim and industrial images used at many other grounds.
Nowadays, rivalries come and go, but none stick, unless we’re promoted and the Harrogate rivalry develops again.
Culture Club / 2 And A Half Weeks Are Manchester United becoming the new York City?
Since Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United in 2013, including caretakers and interim managers, Ruben Amorim is their 9th different manager. OK, City have had more managers in the same period but we now seem to have moved on.
Both clubs have endured a long spell of new dawns. They have thrown cash (and players) at the problem only to be followed by crushing failures. Both sets of supporters might consider their clubs’ historic achievements are above current league standings.
There has been much commonality behind the scenes, both clubs have had a distant and unpopular owner.
At Old Trafford, the Glaziers have never been popular, perhaps the sale of 25% of the club to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos group is a part of their exit plan. Undoubtedly their fans see Ineos as the golden goose. To date I see big talk and long term plans, but so far not the impact or investment in the team that many hoped for. Various reviews have seen office staff become disgruntled as working conditions are tightened and perks withdrawn whilst footballing operations have been overhauled (Ashworth in, Ashworth out included).
All in all, no real progress off the pitch.
On the pitch, United to continue lurch from game to game, crisis to crisis, largely redundant of any discernible playing style with many players continually performing below their potential.
United’s departure lounge continues to be overflowing, City’s largely emptied last summer.
Outcast at Old Trafford, Jadon Sancho enjoyed a successful loan spell in Germany last season and is now doing the same at Chelsea. Teammate Marcus Rashford is another who has often failed to deliver. Before them, Elanga and Lingard (briefly) are other players who’ve benefitted from a move away. Look at some of the big money European signings, few have shown their continental form at Old Trafford. Sounds like a very dis-united club.
Contrast and compare that with York City.
You could say that has been City for most of the past 10 or more years. Multiple organisational set ups failed to deliver whilst stories of disgruntled office staff do not need to be repeated here.
On the pitch, I’ve long since lost count of the players who struggled with City but succeeded higher up the pyramid elsewhere.
Finally, after the McGill era and the Henderson hiatus, we seem to have a united club. A popular board and charismatic manager, they seem to be united and pulling together.
Off the pitch, Matt Uggla and company have bought stability and are looking to right the wrongs of previous years.
On the pitch, Adam Hinshelwood has his own vision and has his own believes in how the game should be played.
Hinsh arrived on a Wednesday and with 2 weeks of Saturday / Tuesday fixtures, 4 games later, Kidderminster and Altrincham included, identified the problem and emerged with a solution. We could see Hinsh’s style from the terraces in 2 and a half weeks.
Having used 18 started and 3 more players as substitutes in those first4 games, he had an idea, a vision on how to get more out of his players, his team.
It resulted in 3 straight win and with 16 starters (and 4 more as substitutes) in those last 7 games of the season, relegation was avoided, few expected that.
Hinsh brought with him two of his Worthing coaching staff, by summer he had had time to assess the staff he inherited. He spoke highly of Tony McMahon’s role in recruitment when he met YCS in early June. The summer provided the perfect opportunity for him to make adjustments to his staff.
Hinsh and the Ugglas have changed our culture, driving the club forward.
Contrast that to Manchester United who seem to fumble on, going around in ever decreasing circles. Ineos come in, they recruit Sporting Director Dan Ashworth from Newcastle and after about 5 months on gardening leave he was sacked after just 5 months in post. Jason Wilcox joined as Technical Director from Southampton. Manchester City’s CEO Omar Berrada followed.
3 key appointments, supposedly “best in class” from different clubs although Berrada almost certainly knew Wilcox from their years at Manchester City.
When Ashworth was sacked, speculation centred on Berrada and Ashworth not getting on and there seemed to be a difference of thinking in who had the ultimate say on retaining ten Hag’s services last summer.
It seemed to be a case of recruit best in class and hope for the best.
On the pitch, mixed results continue for United, some promise in a few games, but overall they still look like a team off the pace, still struggling for consistency and an identity.
There is talk of 2 or 3 transfer windows to rectify the issues. Maybe they should ask Hinsh why it took him just 4 games.
You could say that for City, Neal Ardley put the wheels in motion, taking charge of the club infrastructure and putting his mark on team selection, formation and style. Where he struggled was to win over the fans and players.
Adam Hinshelwood came and with his own way and allied to man management skills, he seems to have set City on a new direction. On several times, he has publicly criticised individual players, those players have responded positively and comments from other players suggest a squad all strongly united behind the manager.
Contrast that to Manchester United, Jadon Sancho was ostracised and now it appears the same fate has befallen Marcus Rashford, meanwhile a number of players are still at the club with apparently no future at the club.
It took Adam Hinshelwood 4 games and 2 and a half weeks to move City forward.
Where City lead, when will United follow?
Issue #51: City’s Best Ever Side – Attack
So how do you select an “All Time Best Ever City Team”? Having already named 9 players, we finish with 2 strikers where the ground rules include the level the players performed at for City with only their City career being considered.
For strikers, City have had an abundance of talent. Strong arguments could be made for 3 or 4 partnerships. Arthur Bottom / Norman Wilkinson, Ted MacDougall / Phil Boyer, Jimmy Seal / Chris Jones and Keith Walwyn / John Byrne. Add in Joe Hulme, Alf Patrick, Paul Aimson, Paul Barnes and Richard Cresswell and you are spoilt for choice.
Norman Wilkinson and Arthur Bottom starred in 1955. Paul Aimson would be a popular choice for the most accomplished striker, a role that John Byrne filled a generation later. Byrne / Keith Walwyn were a potent strike force and Paul Barnes in the 1990s had a real eye for goal.
That’s even before we consider the Ted MacDougall / Phil Boyer partnership that briefly flourished in our late 60s re-election years. Perhaps, Boyer got the best out of MacDougall who was an out and out goal machine. Both went onto play top flight football for a number of years as well as respectively gaining full England and Scotland caps. They both made their name with City and went onto have top fight careers.
Some might suggest Paul Barnes, another prolific scorer who went on to have a successful career at a higher level, but in the scheme of things eclipsed by others. A nod also to Joe Hulme, signed from non league football in 1922. He didn’t have a particularly impressive City career but moved to Blackburn in 1924 and onto Arsenal where he won 9 England caps scoring 4 goals and winning a bagful of domestic honours as Arsenal were the dominant force in English football.
Going 442, we need 2 strikers, my starting point would be Norman Wilkinson and Keith Walwyn, our 2 leading all time scorers.
In 12 seasons, Wilkinson scored 143 goals in 401 games, fractionally more than one every 3 games, scoring 23 in his first season, our FA Cup semi final season, a number he never came close to beating again. Over the next 10 seasons, he averaged 12 goals a season, his best being 18 in the 1956/7 season and he played in City’s first 2 promotion campaigns. Noted as a fine header (one friend got dragged along to a reserve team game in 1966 just so his Dad could say his son had seen Wilkinson play). Exceptional in the air, but maybe not possessing electric pace, Malcolm Huntington believed his powerful movement and anticipation were unmatched, “He was the best player off the ball that I have seen in all my years of reporting on York City, all his team-mates used to say that when they had the ball, Norman was always in a position to receive it. He was an option at all times. In hindsight, he would probably have been a better choice for Player of the Millennium than Barry Swallow.”
That said, given his scoring rate (and 2 relegation seasons), Wilkinson is overlooked in favour of his team-mate ARTHUR BOTTOM. During his City career, Bottom scored almost twice as fast as Wilkinson, scoring nearly 2 goals in every 3 matches. In his first season with City, Bottom scored 31 league goals (equalling Billy Fenton’s club record) which he matched a season later. In less than 4 seasons with City, he scored 105 goals in 158 games. A move to Newcastle followed in February 1958, his 7 goals in 8 games helped to maintain Newcastle’s top flight status. Despite 3 in 3 at the start of the next season, he was allowed to join Division 3 North side Chesterfield in October 1958 after the arrival of Welsh international Ivor Allchurch. He failed to impress at Saltergate and left League football in 1960 at the relatively young age of 30. If he’d not left City, he could easily have ended up as City’s all time top scorer. Leaving out Wilkinson was the hardest call to make in selecting this side, but perhaps he owes his all time leading City scorer status to his longevity.
Alongside Arthur Bottom is KEITH WALWYN, another prolific scorer. In 6 seasons with City, he scored 24 or more goals in 5 seasons and suffered an achilles injury in the other which saw him miss nearly half the season. Powerful in the air and on the ball, he was a handful for any defence. There was a popular theory at the time that he didn’t have the close control to be successful at a higher level, but one that could be argued against considering his performances against Liverpool and Arsenal across 5 games when he was a consistent threat to some of the best defenders in the country, if not Europe. Whilst enjoying every minute of his 6 years, I would have liked to have seen him prove he could do it at a higher level. Anyone who has seen City’s 6 Football League promotion campaigns (dating back to 1959) would probably put Walwyn above Seal, Jones and Barnes whilst his strike partner John Byrne, who later enjoyed a successful top flight career, didn’t do enough for City to make the team.
Note, the striker selection goes against David Batters' judgement where he named Paul Aimson as City's best ever striker. My justification being that Bottom had a far superior strike rate than any other City post WW2 striker and Walwyn scored more goals (and at a better strike rate) than Aimson.
So anyone care to name City side to beat this City team? Kiely; McMillan, Swallow, Topping, Burrows; McCarthy, Spence, Holmes, Fenton; Bottom, Walwyn;
Let Michael know if you disagree.
Elastic Bands In a recent idle moment I looked at the Football League tables from the 1992/3 season, the first season of the Premier League (22 teams), the season in which increasingly we are told that football began.
From that season, 12 of the Premier League teams are still in the PL today and 8 more have dropped into the Championship. From that season’s Championship, 9 teams are still there today. 5 have climbed into the PL whilst 10 are playing in in Division 1 or lower.
Across all 4 leagues, the majority of teams in each division are still playing within one division of where they were that season. That applied to 90% of 1992/3 PL, and 75%, 79% and 65% of teams in the lower leagues.
Division 4 being the lowest percentage given 7 teams have dropped 2 or more divisions and are now playing in regional National League or lower. All have suffered severe financial difficulties, some have reformed and others have started again at the bottom of the football pyramid.
I’ve often thought about football clubs having both a natural home and a glass ceiling, a ceiling that they cannot breach, now I’m thinking elastic bands.
City played Brentford in Division 3 in 1997 and both Bournemouth and Brighton in Division 4 since 2000. All 3 now play in the PL. Can they maintain their PL status in the medium or longer term? Personally, I don’t think so.
Bournemouth bob between PL and Championship, the likes of WBA, Norwich and Watford did similar before their magic formulas faded and they returned to their natural home. The elastic might stretch, but it will eventually pull the clubs back to their natural homes.
I might suggest Swansea are the most elastic club. In 2 separate spells in the last 50 years, they have enjoyed top half finishes in the top division, the last as recently as 2015. In between they plummeted to Division 4 on 3 separate occasions and today might be considered to be playing at (or slightly above) their natural level.
Stoke and Swansea are 2 clubs that many thought were becoming established PL clubs. Swansea, latterly under Roberto Martínez and Brendan Rodgers had an attractive playing style. It didn’t last. Later, Stoke under Tony Pulis were looking to become an established PL team with a very different style but when Pulis tried to change it, the new signings didn’t work, form slumped and relegation soon followed. It only takes a poor managerial appointment or a bad transfer window to reverse years of good work.
What about City?
The above chart shows City’s league position every year since the end of regionalised football in 1958. We peaked at 37th position in 1975 (the real Division 2). The glory years of Denis Smith and Alan Little are identified by the peaks in the low 50s.
A lot of the smaller peaks and troughs represent Division 3 and Division 4 seasons whilst the dip in recent years corresponds to our non league years. Given the depth and breadth of the pyramid, we plummeted to 140th in 2019 in National League North. See City's league position in every season.
To me, the obvious factor is that City tend to operate in a narrow band, yes, there are peaks and troughs but overall City operate in our happy place (that is, if you call Division 4 a happy place). When we stretch the elastic band, its elasticity pulls us back, we are unable to snap it and permanently move to a different stratosphere.
City are no different to nearly every other club, we have a natural home and that is where we will usually to be found it.
Indeed, going back to the first Premier League season, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Spurs finished the season in the top of half of the table. Sounds familiar? Likewise, the 2 imposters in the top flight that season, AFC Wimbledon and Oldham have dropped down to their more natural home.
It all goes to show that clubs have natural homes, natural levels and it isn’t easy to permanently change them.
Tamworth - Coming Soon If Tamworth were hoping to drum up interest in their FA Cup game with Spurs (January 2025), they couldn’t have hoped for more publicity than when they announced their ticket prices. Effectively, most prices were doubled when compared to their league games. Top priced, Main Stand tickets were £42.
Hardest hit were the Under 17s who were expected to pay £34 / £30 (a near four fold increase for those under 15) and a much bigger increase for the Under 10s.
It sounds outrageous, but on consideration, adult fans paid twice as much for the Spurs game as they would for league games this season against City or the likes of Ebbsfleet or AFC Fylde.
As usual, Tamworth and Spurs had agreed ticket prices, so Tamworth is not the only team to blame for the price hike. If their ground was full of full priced paying fans, than after the usual deductions (VAT, policing / stewarding and away team expenses were probably the biggest), both clubs will have expected to pocket around £50,000 in gate receipts.
For Tamworth, there was also a TV hosting fee (bigger than their share of gate receipts) and other matchday income (glossy souvenir programmes, food /drink sales and merchandise), although many clubs, City included, have found such income doesn’t increase in line with a bigger crowd due to ground logistics (you can’t just conjure up 5 times as many sales points by magic). Meanwhile, their loser’s prize money was £25,000 (with £115,000 to Spurs).
It will have been be a big day for Tamworth and they will have had a bumper pay day but I doubt if it will be life changing amount. That would have come with a draw and a replay at Spurs but the Premier League saw fit to close down that option for small clubs this season when scrapping replays.
It might have been beneficial to Tamworth to issue priority vouchers for a league game (they played City and Forest Green on Boxing Day). Vouchers would have seen increased support and extra match day income (and no need to split it with the opponents) without alienating some of their fanbase. Clubs like Tamworth have to do everything they can to maximise their income. Unfortunately, if that meant pricing out some of their season ticket holders and most loyal supporters, then so be it. It remains to be seen whether those supporters come back onside. I don't agree with what Tamworth did, but it was an inevitable consequence of scrapping cup replays. Clubs like Tamworth have to do everything in their power to maximise their income.
I bet Spurs didn’t do a City (at Biggleswade), but kept their share of the gate receipts.
It isn’t the first time that that clubs have increased ticket prices for big games and it won’t be the last.
Indeed, in 1938 when City enjoyed our first really big cup run there were big ticket price increases. At the time, match day Main Stand tickets (seated) cost 10p, the Enclosure (open, standing) was 7.5p and Popular Stand (covered, standing) and ground admission (behind both goals) was 5p. All 4 cup games saw new ground attendance records set at Bootham Crescent, the quarter final against Huddersfield saw 28,123 pass through the turnstiles, it remained the all time ground record attendance.
All in all, across the 4 rounds, Main Stand prices increased five fold, Imagine if today City were to put up prices from £22 to £110 (500%). Enclosure and Popular Stand prices went up by 267% and 300% respectively.
The only part of the ground that wasn’t affected was general ground admission, behind the goals, and that is where the vast majority of City supporters watched the games. Prices remained at 5p per round as City directors took the decision that many working class men would struggle to pay more than 5p.
City weren’t the first team to increase price for a big game and Tamworth will not be the last.
Sutton Takeaway Once again, an old boy came back haunt us. This time, Will Davies. On his arrival at City the mood music was good, he’d given up a lucrative financial job in the City to follow his dream of being a professional footballer and that having rejected several offers, it wasn’t money but the prospect of regular first team football that drew him to York City.
Checking back on some of the early social media postings, the overwhelming view was that he was a good signing, although one old grump (it wasn’t me) warned about the perils of first impressions.
I think it was on Radio York that I heard Davies positively mentioned in the same sentence as Harry Kane.
3 goals in his first 9 City appearances suggested that he had potential and that he might make the grade. Some said he’d be even better if he didn’t spend a lot of time falling over and generally niggling away at the opposition.
Front the outside, what came first is anyone’s guess, add into the mix, City’s decline under Neal Ardley, personal circumstances and the arrival of Hinsh, somehow Davies lost his way, big time.
His last City appearance was at Altrincham. 2 weeks later he joined high flying Bromley on loan. Within 3 months, his contract was paid up and he left City.
This season, his first full season as a professional footballer, his 2 LNER goals make it 11 (3 against City) in the National League this season, not too bad for a mid table side.
Hinsh has often spoken about the need for good characters. For whatever reason, Davies didn’t pass the test and given his playing time under Hinsh, wasn’t considered to be a player to take forward. Whilst I applaud Hinsh’s desire for a team of good characters, does every team really need every player to be a good character? Indeed, what is a good character? Nice personality, character traits or anyone of a thousand and one other things. There are plenty of HR experts that say a team needs a diverse range of character traits, all adding to the sum of the group.
Looking across today’s City side, they all seem nice, getting on well with each other. What we might miss on the pitch is a bit of hardiness or nastiness. How many Sean Haslegrave or Nigel Pepper type players have we had recent years?
In group of around 30 people, it is not unreasonable that not everyone is everyone else’s best buddy, but it should be the role of the group leaders to keep harmony and to pull back into the group those who are drifting away, personal or professional wise.
Was Will Davies a “bad character” or a “bad egg”, we might never know.
Another take from the Sutton game was Matt Uggla’s post match tweet.
Can I say the sooner we get out of this league the better. There is an increasing groundswell of opinion to say that City are buying the league. We’re in danger of turning from a “nice friendly and inoffensive little club” to everyone’s number one enemy. Apart from our direct title rivals, I’d name Yeovil and now Sutton amongst that growing club.
I can’t see Matt Uggla’s tweet endearing City to many other clubs or their fans, indeed, probably the opposite.
At this rate, soon it will be only Altrincham and Southend that don’t hate us.
The same “buying the league” comment is levelled at Birmingham and Wrexham amongst others, it is an unnecessary tag which invariably means opposition raise their game just a little bit when playing us.
Unfortunately, some tweets and actions attract much more publicity than others. Donating funds to Southend and Biggleswade barely raised national interest whilst since the Ugglas arrived, City’s community involvement seems to have grown considerably, however, again, much good work has hardly been noticed.
I for one take pride in City being that “freindly little club”.
Darts Welcome to the York City World Darts Championship, live from the Truckers Tavern on the A1 just outside Gainsborough.
We were hoping to bring live pictures, but heavy snow started to fall just after York’s team coach arrived making it impossible for the TV cameras to get here.
Plans to use the assistant referee’s number board to score fell through as it was deemed too complicated to work and only went up to number 99, so Cam Morrison was roped in with his magic clipboard to keep score. All games were played over one leg of 501.
We join the competition at the quarter final stage. There were some wayward darts in the earlier rounds. Harrison Male refused to take his gloves off and despite Dipo Akinyemi’s style and poise, some of his finishing was off target as he failed to make the quarter finals.
A number of players refused to participate, they claimed darts is not a sport and as a pub game would be more appropriate for City teams of old.
QUARTER FINAL #1: Dan “Metronome” Batty (40 needed (15 darts)) LOST TO Adam “Chesterfield Spire” Crookes (501 (13 darts)). Aiming for double top for the win, Batty’s last dart went well over double top and he left the door open for Crookes.
QUARTER FINAL #2: Rory “Deputy” Watson (2 needed (18 darts)) LOST TO Bill “Young Bill” Marshall (501 (17 darts)). Inexperience showed and despite Watson being handicapped by wearing his gloves on cold evening, the tie saw a close contest all the way with Watson just not good enough. During this game, more doubles and trebles were downed in the saloon bar than the game.
QUARTER FINAL #3: Callum “Captain, Leader, Legend” Howe (501 (13 darts)) BEAT Ollie “Sharp Shooter” Pearce (501 needed (12 darts)). The heavyweight tie of the round turned into a damp squib as Howe put his head and body in the way of every Pearce shot as he failed to trouble the scorer. If Howe plays in any upcoming games wearing a head bandage, it is because of the darts and if he doesn’t, the wounds were more serious than first thought. Meanwhile, the crowd denied their chance to cheer a Pearce 180, raised their 180 foam hands in anticipation of the number of goals he’ll score in his City career.
QUARTER FINAL #4: Joe “Littler” Felix (501 (15 darts)) BEAT Paddy “Ever Ready” McLaughlin (99 needed (12 darts). Possibly the poorest darts of the round, Paddy, pre tourney favourite of many given the huge amount of time he has spent practicing over the last few months, never got into his rhythm. Joe Felix displayed an unusual tactic, using a stool to stand on and then again to retrieve his darts from the board.
SEMI FINAL #1: Adam “Chesterfield Spire” Crookes (Default) LOST TO Bill “Young Bill” Marshall (Walk Over). Crookes succumbed to injury and withdrew with an aching shoulder after the warm up.
SEMI FINAL #2: Joe “Littler” Felix (501 (14 darts)) BEAT Callum “Captain, Leader, Legend” Howe (122 needed (12 darts)). Howe’s tactics were scuppered by an early yellow card for encroachment at the oche.
FINAL: Joe “Littler” Felix (12 needed (9 darts)) LOST TO Bill “Young Bill” Marshall (501 (9 darts)). The start was delayed when Felix went missing. Just as the referee was about to default him, he came sprinting into the arena, darts in one hand and stool in the other. He’d been practising and it almost proved worthwhile, his improvement was massive as he narrowly missed double 12 to win in 9 darts. Opponent, Marshall impressed and checked out in 9 darts to become the youngest ever winner of the World Darts Championship. Surely one for the future? In his post match interview, he said, “I owe it all to my mentors, without Paddy and Lenny I would not be the player I am today”. A few minutes later, he received his prize in a sealed envelope from Hinsh. On opening it, he asked, “Which ways is Ally Pally?” and walked out.
U Right – Bumper Edition Dear Y Front,
Why does Hinshelwood persist with getting City to play out from the back.
I listen to Talksport every day and watch Match Of The Day twice a week. Without fail, I hear the pundits and experts (and presenters) say only top teams and top players can play that way.
It takes a top class coach, like Pep Guardiola to make a success of that style.
Count the number of sloppy goals we’ve conceded by playing this football.
Yet week in, week out, Hinshelwood does the same. Malachi Fagan-Walcott is no Virgil Van Dyk and Joe Felix is no Kyle Walker. Don’t get me started on Felix, Trent Alexander-Arnold, the God who can do no wrong, an England international might be able to move seamlessly between right back and central midfield and give world class performances in both positions, but how does Hinshelwood expect a lowly non league player to do the same?
We should stick to what our players are capable of doing, that is up and under balls, agricultural non league football and hope the big lad upfront can use his height to nod in a goal or two, failing that, bring back an over weight striker (we have plenty to pick from) and with any aimless long ball played in his general direction, he is liable to take a bad first touch or see the ball take a ricochet off one of his extremities and end up in the our opponent’s net.
It ended badly for Russell Martin at Southampton and as sure as for every sacked manager there are 50 candidates wanting his job, it will end badly for Hinshelwood.
Yours,
Mick Myopic, Jurassic Park
Our Reply: Judge Adam Hinshelwood by results not principles.
Dear Y Front,
My boss seems to think I’ve lost my way so now I’m living in digs in Kidderminster and helping the needy.
Now I’m even struggling to get into Kidderminster‘s team and I’m only getting a few minutes game time at the end of matches.
I fear I may never find my way back to York.
Yours,
Maz, Kidderminster
Our Response: Be thankful for small mercies, you could be in Ebbsfleet under the false impression that your manager has sold you the idea of being a ball playing, continental style centre back with promises of a Eurostar train ride to play for a top club in Paris.
Dear Y Front Fanzine,
As an ex City player I wonder if you could put in a good word with your manager and owner.
My team is struggling and we are in desperate need of players of good characters to reverse our misfortunes, especially since we seem to have an ever increasing injury list.
Yours,
Jono, Scaborough
Our Response: We sympathise with you dilemma but in our experience you need to instil good culture and ethos by placing good characters at the top and in key positions throughout the organisation before bringing in new players.
Equally, we sympathise with your injury dilemma, we have noted how injured racehorses and donkeys get better more quickly when they canter in salty water, apparently it is good for their bones, so we suggest you try training on the local beach and in the sea.
Issue #50: City’s Best Ever Side – Midfield
So how do you select an “All Time Best Ever City Team”? Having previously named a keeper and back 4, today it is the turn of the midfield 4 in our 442 formation where the ground rules include the level the players performed at for City with only their City career being considered.
Having a long held belief that John Woodward slots into central midfield in our Worst Ever XI, I could even consider promoting him to the best ever side. A former Scotland B international, in 7 seasons, he was a regular for only 3 seasons (1973-6, 1974 promotion and 2 seasons in Division 2), perhaps his versatility counted against him as he played in various positions in midfield and defence. Before the advent of forensic analysis, he was the quiet, holding midfield player who to the untrained eye did nothing, whilst the flair of Ian Holmes alongside him provided the excitement. Like Woodward, Holmes took time to establish himself in City’s side, cementing a place in central midfield in November of the 1973/4 promotion season. He played every game of the following season, but wasn’t to reach the same heights again as City suffered back to back relegations.
Swann, like Ian Holmes shone only briefly. Signed in the summer of 1973, he didn’t establish himself in midfield until that November but proved to be a revelation, his surging runs through central midfield thrilled the crowd when the wide players were usually Barry Lyons and Ian Butler, fine players in their own right, but both were nearing the ends of long and successful careers and in their time with City noted for their craft and guile rather than long and mazy runs. An assured penalty taker he was another who adapted well to Division 2 before losing his way under Wilf McGuinness.
The Nigel Pepper / Gary Swann partnership shone briefly. The antics of Nigel Pepper are well documented, he was a fearsome presence in midfield. His tackling often saw him end up in the referee’s notebook (and sometimes an early bath). Beside him, Swann wasn’t so noticeable, but quietly went about his business. Between them, they dominated central midfield in a way that we have rarely seen at Bootham Crescent. Quietly and with some aggression, holding midfield, they’d break up opposing attacks and ping balls to Jon McCarthy and Tony Canham. Pepper was a regular in midfield for 7 seasons as City won on their first trip to Wembley and beat Manchester United and Everton in the League Cup.
Eamon Dunphy and Billy Rudd will be in the thinking of supporters who saw them in the 1960s, but you need to go back to the 1955 Happy Wanderers where the real challengers for a central midfield berth are to be found. Gordon Brown originally an inside forward dropped back into midfield where he was partnered by Ron Spence, a City legend. Spence was one of the stars of our 1954/5 FA Cup run and despite 18 months out with a knee injury, he returned to play the final 3 games of our 1958 FA Cup run. However, he wasn't the same player as before and was never again a City regular, failing to play at all in his final season. In total, he made 306 appearances and scored 26 goals for City, his only Football League club. To the older City supporters, Spence was a hard working, combative and tireless attacking left wing half (central midfield) known for his surging runs as we reached the 1955 FA Cup semi final. With Gordon Brown at right wing half, Spence tended to be deployed in a slightly more defensive role. After a long playing career, Spence joined City’s back room staff in 1963 and served in various roles, including physio, trainer, coach and youth team manager until 1975. Maybe not the first name to spring to mind from our 1955 side, but David Batters once described him as a “key man” of that side.
An honourable mention for Scott Kerr, Malcolm Huntington cited him for inclusion in a City Ever Best XI stating, “Kerr’s the only one of the present (2011/2) team in my best ever York City XI, he’s a fantastic midfield general with real leadership qualities.”
Ron Spence was more defensively minded than Gordon Brown and that just edges RON SPENCE into the side as a defensive midfield enforcer alongside the more attack minded IAN HOLMES.
Reviewing the side a few years after I put it together, central midfield is the one area where might change it, I’m still tempted to go for the Pepper / Swann axis that performed so well together, perhaps, a little more solid and defensive minded in the centre than Ian Holmes.
Over the years City have been spoiled for flying wingers.
Billy Hughes and Billy Fenton from our 1955 side stand out. A couple of personal favourites are Archie Taylor (possibly the fastest winger I’ve seen play for City) and Tommy Henderson (short lived but a tricky winger with a powerful shot). Brian Pollard deserves a mention, playing in 2 City promotion sides 10 years apart. In Denis Smith’s 1984 Division 4 Championship winning side , the veteran Pollard was joined by young gun Gary Ford in the wide roles. Both were stalwarts and loyal servants for a number of years.
Tony Canham was to replace Pollard and later alongside Jon McCarthy, they thrilled City fans for several seasons as City made solid progress up the Football League. From that Alan Little era, other wide men, Graeme Murty, Paul Stephenson and Jon Greening merit a mention, but none did enough to make the Final XI.
Latterly, Martyn Woolford deserves a mention, starting his professional career with non league City before spending a number of seasons at Championship level.
On reflection, BILLY FENTON deserves a place in the side. In 7 seasons with City, he scored a club record 31 in his first season and set a club record 118 goals in his City career. Those included goals against Spurs and Blackpool in the 1955 cup run so he could do it at against quality opposition. With pace to burn and an eye for goal he was always a handful. Fast forward 40 years and those same attributes earn JON McCARTHY a place in the side, he was always a joy to watch. Some suggested that he could have scored a hat trick for City at Wembley in 1993. He went onto play at a higher level and gained 18 full caps for Northern Ireland. Who knows how far he might have gone if he’d not broken a leg on 3 occasions after leaving City.
To re-cap, Kiely; McMillan, Swallow, Topping, Burrows; McCarthy, Spence, Holmes, Fenton; TBC, TBC;
Anyone care to name City side to beat them? Let Michael know if you disagree. Next time, 2 central strikers complete the line up.
50 Up In October (2024), when Lenell John-Lewis scored his 5th goal of the season, his 39th for City, I prepared a tweet, his 40th would take him level with Gordon Staniforth and Ted MacDougall in the upper echelons of City’s all top time goalscorers, putting himself in the company for some of City’s finest. Injury meant that tweet didn’t see the light of day, but I’m sure that with his scoring prowess he will be moving further up the list very soon.
This issue marks the 50th issue of Y Front, so in celebration, today some of City’s 50+ goal scorers are remembered.
To date, we have just 24 players who have reached that 50 goal milestone. Jon Parkin and Clayton Donaldson are the latest to join that list, a list which dates back to Sam Ranby in the 1920s. 10 achieved the feat in the last 40 years (including just 3 this millennium). I’ll let you decide whether that is a reflection on modern football or City.
Depending on your definition of a forward, mine says wingers of the 1950s are forwards but come the 80s, I’d classify Tony Canham as a forward, as defined by his long and mazy runs down the wing whilst on the other flank, I’d class Gary Ford as a midfielder, a more technical player, whilst able to take on and beat a defender, that wasn’t his number one strength. For me, that makes Gary Ford the only non forward on the list of City’s 50+ goal scorers.
In case you’re wondering, Derek Hood (36), John MacPhail (29) and Barry Swallow (27) are the top scorers amongst our more defensive minded players, in 2 cases, helped by a fair few penalties.
Today (October 2024), behind Lenny, at the start of this season, only Paddy McLaughlin (28) and Dipo Akinyemi (15) were in double figures in terms of City goals. At his current scoring rate, Ollie Pearce will be looking to overtake them both sooner rather than later.
Now the fun begins, of the more recent 50+ goal scorer brigade, who should we compare Y Front and Michael Miles to?
With his precision in front of goal and regularity of scoring does Michael compare to Paul Barnes, maybe precision, but I’m not so sure about his scoring prowess, but certainly every issue of Y Front has the class of Paul Aimson.
Talking of class, is Y Front the new John Byrne, it is full of clever ideas, reading it makes you want for more, but somehow I don’t see Michael swapping City for QPR, the glitz of West London and a pile of cash, indeed, increasingly we are seeing fanzines become the preserve of the smaller club.
Michael would need to shave his beard, tidy up his moustache and perm his hair before he’d have a chance of being compared to Gary Ford. Ditto Brian Pollard.
Alongside Byrne and Ford, we had Keith Walwyn. I can see the comparison, Y Front scores every month without fail, the issues come as often as a Walwyn goal, every other game. Hard work and perseverance are characteristics they share, hard working, neither ever give up. I’d like to count the hours Michael spends on City related matters, Y Front, socials, confidante to the great and good, sounding board, a compassionate ear for many and always there for someone who needs a little support or advice. That’s before we add in every home and away game. Likewise, Walwyn always gave at least 100%. It was a close run thing, but on reflection, unless Michael improves his upper body strength and engages a voice coach, I’m going to say no.
What about Tony Canham? Both hogged the touchline for years, whilst Canham terrorised many opposing defences, however, once an opposition fan has spoken to Michael, a new friendship is struck.
From a similar era, there is no comparison with Dale Banton, one had a tight perm and fashion sense, one had a yellow smock.
Of those who achieved 50 goals for City this millennium, all can quickly be dismissed, none are remotely comparable to Michael and Y Front. Richard Brodie had red cheeks, a bit of a temper and dozens of clubs. Y Front has one club, an occasional red cover and if he has red checks, them whatever he does in his private life stays private although having spent a lifetime supporting City I can imagine that Michael has taken plenty of canings and punishment in his time. Whilst Y Front often has an early morning greasy, beer laden full English breakfast in London before away games, Michael hasn’t got the expanding stomach of Jon Parkin. I must add each breakfast and pint of beer is consumed purely in the interest of research and none detract from Y Front’s editorial content.
That leaves Donaldson Clayton, despite Michael’s recent collaboration with artist Sue Clayton which resulted in City’s centenary art collection and later works, any rumours of a previous collaboration and that Donaldson is the secret lovechild of Michael and Sue can be quickly dismissed. No comparison.
So having ruled out all City’s prolific scorers from the last 40 years who is left?
Step forward Paddy McLaughlin.
Paddy is a likeable man who has found favour with countless City managers. He was offered a new 2 year contract last summer with Hinsh citing his leadership qualities and being good around the club. I don’t recall Hinsh bigging up his football skills in anyway, just his likeability and personality. I can vouch for Michael’s likeable personality, but not his footballing skills, but he has found his forte with Y Front.
Well done Michael and Y Front on the 50th issue, keep it up.
Looking ahead, Norman Wilkinson holds City’s club record of 143 goals, so by my reckoning at Michael’s prolific pace, we will hit issue of 144 of Y Front in about 2033. I for one can’t wait.
Players’ Xmas Party For most footballers, one of the highlight of the season is the “Christmas Do”, this season, Leicester’s players seemed to disgrace themselves in Belgium (although some might say they disgrace themselves most weeks). For clubs like City, the event is on a much lower scale. It is usually funded by the “disciplinary kitty”, the one where the players pay into when they receive avoidable red or yellow cards, or have been sanctioned for a club misdemeanour.
This season, with Hinsh being more selective on players' good character and recruitment and City’s good disciplinary record meant the kitty was empty. Even at City it is not unknown for a senior player, dropping down the divisions and having a final playing swansong, to stump up a couple of grand for the accommodation and to get the drinks’ kitty off to a good start.
This year, with City’s younger squad, one where the players are playing on their way up and not used to big wages, that was not an option.
Someone wanted to invite Clayton Donaldson, would he be the veteran on the way down to fund the do, others vetoed that as he’s part of management. Tyrese Sinclair refused to tap up his Dad, a veteran of 10 Premier League seasons.
So as a last resort to save the Christmas Do, Matt Uggla agreed to fly out to Dubai to tap up a few sheiks and government officials.
The Christmas Do was saved.
For City, a Saturday night stopover in Scarborough or Manchester has been a popular destination in the past. Harrison Male pushed for a weekend in Bridlington, his home town, the southern contingent quickly shut that one down, “never heard of it”, they echoed in unison.
Hinsh vetoed Dubai citing 2 long plane journeys. So it was decided, Newcastle after the FA Trophy tie, but only after Little Joe was assured he didn’t need his passport to go to Newcastle after he noted he’d never before been north of Wiggington and City’s training ground.
Playmaker Dan was assigned the role of organiser and fun maker whilst the players agreed that Paddy would use his local knowledge and reputation (“I once played for The Toon you know”) to get the players to the front of any long queues they encountered.
Pre the Darlo game, it was a simple captain’s team talk, “right lads, let’s win in 90 minutes, no penalty shoot out, no extra time, no rough stuff, we don’t want any black eyes or broken limbs tonight”. Match over, the players were soon changed and off to Newcastle via the Y22 bus and LNER trains, what could go wrong?
As the players checked into their hotel, the young Morpeth lads were waiting in the lobby, anticipating their first Christmas Do as professional footballers.
Dressed to impress, the lads soon assembled in the hotel lobby, they were joined by Dan in a comfy cardigan with a santa sack over his shoulder. “Right lads, let the fun begin, what’s first, a game of Frustration or Twister?” Alex said, “that is not the type of fun you were meant to arrange”. Storming out of the hotel, the players left Dan and Paddy behind to play a game of Monopoly.
It was a brisk walk down to Bigg Market on a freezing cold night. The ever polite Little Joe noted “it is so cold I’ve got bigger goose pimples than that attractive young lady whose showing off all her feminine charms”. The lady overhearing his comment shouted, ”come over her luv and you can warm you ears and anything else you want between ‘em”.
Blocked at the entrance to the first pub, “you’re not tall enough to be a keeper and you don’t look old enough to get in here” meant a quick run back to the hotel for Harry to get proof of his age.
Inside, the drinks flowed and good time was being had by all, that is, all except Ashley Nathaniel- George, his chat up line, “I score from 30 yards” causing one young lady’s face to fill with fear and dread thinking what might happen to her if she succumbed to him with her usual type measured in inches.
Leaving the bars behind and heading into a night club, our leading striker tried chatting up one young lady,
At the point, Ollie decided he’d need to change has chat up line, bragging to one girl, “new opponent, give me 10 minutes and I’ll score”, if only he hadn’t chosen the only wallflower in Newcastle.
Gobbing off, it seemed Ollie might incur the wrath of the locals. On one occasion, good guy Len defused the situation and on another, it took Rory cracking a couple of jokes and doing a spot of juggling to get Ollie out of a tight spot.
Later, in the nightclub, the players tried their luck on the crowded dance floor. Tyrese fell over his own feet a few times but didn’t do himself any injury and no one pulled a hamstring. Indeed no one pulled, although Sandy was rather coy at to his whereabouts on the numerous times he went missing in the nightclub. Come throwing out time at 6am, the dance floor was deserted expect for Little Joe who was still throwing all the shapes and had drawn a large group of admirers around him.
Back at the hotel, Sunday morning dawned. Slowly the players made their way down to breakfast. Eyes were red and blurred, some players were still sporting the same clothes as the night before.
Paddy suggested a walk and some light exercise to blow away the cobwebs. His suggestion fell on deaf ears when the joker in pack quickly got a large contingent on board for a lunchtime session. “Hey young Bill, are you joining us for a quick half?“, Bill, just had time to reply “No” before a swift dash to the toilets. He appeared a few minutes later, mobile in hand, ”Dad, can you come and take me home, I’m not feeling well, oh and can we take Leon back with us, he feels worse, oh and bring plenty of sick bags just in case”.
Monday and Tuesday were days off, so when the players returned for training on Wednesday, there were plenty of stories to be told, re-told and exaggerated.
There was plenty of banter, Ollie produced his bed post from the hotel. On one side, there were 12 notches, presumably one for each of his Vanarama goals, the 6 on the other side were the subject of much conjecture whilst Rick was busily keeping himself to himself polishing his boots with his new line in scented, black frilly laced wipes (and when no one was looking, taking a long sniff of the scent). In the other corner, Paddy and Dan were romping through their sudoku.
The usual players’ bond was in place, ”what happens on tour, stays on tour”, so the rest I’ll leave to your imagination.
Some names have been changed to protect the innocent and some scenes have been added or enhanced for effect.
Enjoy It While You Can Half way through the (2024/5) season and City are well on course for a good finish.
In our entire history, we have only one title, the 1984 Division 4 Championship, to our name.
1974 saw us finish 3rd, a penultimate game defeat cost us the title and in 2020 we were placed 2nd behind Kings Lynn on points per game in the first covid hit season. We also hit 3rd place in both our 1959 and 1965 promotion seasons.
Beyond those seasons, we generally don’t go deep into a season as title challengers.
In our other 3 promotion seasons, you could say we struggled over the line in 4th place, albeit twice via glorious days out at Wembley.
Older readers than I might argue that we were in with a shout of the Division 3 North title in 1955, but our FA Cup run and the back log of league fixtures scuppered any title hopes.
Since 1929, in 87 seasons of league football, we have just 11 top 4 finishes, contrast that to 21 bottom 4 finishes.
Across those seasons, our average league position is 14th.
That’s not a great success record. In my time, 1985 and 1994 are the only post promotion seasons where we have mounted another promotion challenge, although given our lofty status, many would say mid table in the 1974/5 season was a decent result.
Enjoy it while you can.
Rainbow Laces And More In late November (2024), the Premier League held its annual rainbow laces campaign. Sam Morsy refused to wear his rainbow captain’s armband whilst Marc Guehi wrote "I love Jesus” on his. I believe nothing happened in the Morsy case whilst the FA wrote to Guehi to remind him that religious messaging isn’t allowed.
Is it time that football stopped its campaigning role?
In the Premier League alone we have 20 different clubs and well over 500 diverse players drawn from all over the world. No one can expect all of them to agree on any one campaigning issue.
How much is done just for show?
Some see the taking the knee as being contentious. In July 2024, following Argentina's Copa America triumph, Chelsea captain Enzo Fernandez and other Argentinian players were captured on video chanting alleged racist chants about the origin of France national team players. The debate seemed to centre on what one culture sees as banter, another might portray as racist. I believe no one was formally actioned.
Just a few weeks later, day one of the new Premier League season, Fernandez is taking the knee with his teammates. Given his Copa America actions, was it heartfelt or just for show and unity?
At the time, I might have felt it was just for show.
A few weeks later, in a square in Spain, whilst deciding which restaurant to eat at, outside one restaurant, one waiter said something which referenced his black face. At the time, I was a little taken aback, someone referencing his own colour like that. On reflection, it only served to re-inforce the argument that different cultures see things differently and take offence differently.
Maybe footballing authorities should rein back what they campaign for, after all, the vast majority of players are active on social media, the leading ones count their followers in thousand, or more. They are perfectly free to push their own agendas in that space and not be force fed by the authorities.
We’ll never live in a society where everyone agrees with everyone else and every agenda.
There are very few, if any, causes which would generate universal support.
James McClean being a prime example, given his upbringing, he has spoken out about his reasons for not wearing the Remembrance Day poppy, including a reasonable explanation of what it would take for him to wear the poppy. That said, he is vilified for his headline stance of refusal to wear the poppy.
The FA has already toned down their stance on lighting up the Wembley Arch, maybe they should think about a similar stance on other campaigns.
“I score more often than Alan Shearer”.
“Never heard of him, whose he?” she queried.
“Newcastle’s legendary goal scorer”.
“Oh, me grandma sometimes talks about him, he’s ancient”, deflated Ollie gave up on that lass.
Issue #49: City’s Best Ever Side – Defence
So how do you select an “All Time Best Ever City Team”? Having put Dean Kiely in goal, attention turns to the back 4 in a 442 formation where the ground rules include the level the players performed at for City with only their City career being considered.
I’ve gone for full backs of a “modern era” although both our 1955 Happy Wanderers full backs Phillips, Ernie and George Howe, stalwarts of that side deserve serious consideration. Phillips had a fairly illustrious career before ending his professional career with 4 seasons at Bootham Crescent. Equally, George Howe, a few months younger than Phillips spent his last 8 seasons with City. Whilst not discrediting his performance in keeping Stanley Matthews, still a top class player, quiet in our 1955 cup tie at Blackpool, it should be noted that Matthews was just a few weeks short of his 40th birthday at time. Of the 2, I might just rank Phillips higher than Howe, someone who had a fine all round game for his era. Undoubtedly fine full backs, in their era, defenders defended and rarely, if ever, crossed the half way line. Even in the late 1960s, Mr Somerset, my primary school sports master wouldn’t let his full backs cross the half way line, even for corners.
It is interesting to note the goal scoring records of our full backs, commonly perceived as being on the short side and so therefore not a real threat at set pieces. Our 2 1955 Happy Wanderers scored just 2 goals in 521 games for City. In the 1970s era, Phil Burrows netted 15 goals from 390 games, whilst his right back colleagues John Mackin and later John Stone (a prolific centre forward as a youth player) netted 13 times in 282 games. Moving into the 1990s, Wayne Hall and Andy McMillan netted 16 times from 930 games for City. Of those, only Hall was noted as a free kick expert or penalty taker.
From Phil Burrows onwards, all the full back candidates could add attacking flair to their game. Burrows truly embodied a professional footballer, a good all round game, never gave less than 100% and a firm fans’ favourite.
His right back partners, Mackin and Stone, whilst decent players were functional rather than outstanding. After them, Peter Scott filled the right back berth. Although the player who has won the most full international caps whilst with City, he failed to adequately fill the boots.
Denis Smith ’s leading full backs, Chris Evans and Alan Hay were steady, but in a good team, perhaps, the last names on the team sheet.
The demise of Smith’s side saw 2 young full backs cement their place in City’s side and City folklore. Andy McMillan and Wayne Hall and were to star for City for many seasons. Andy McMillan made his debut in late 1987 as Bobby Saxton struggled to assemble a competitive side. Immediately, Andy McMillan stood out as a worthy addition to City’s side. He allied sound defending with a willingness to overlap down the right wing, later forming a potent partnership with Jon McCarthy. Although he spent the majority of his career with City, he was regularly watched (and had trials) with several top clubs.
Wayne Hall, signed from non league football, made his debut in August in 1989. Like McMillan, he could both defend and attack and for many years was to link up and down the left wing with Tony Canham.
Both full backs were to serve City for 12 years, Hall making 438 appearances and McMillan 492, second only Barry Jackson in City’s all time list.
When in full flow, they provided the most wing excitement seen at Bootham Crescent since the glory days of the Happy Wanderers.
Sadly, their demise has heralded a lean period in City’s history, one is which possibly only James Meredith could be named as a City (left) full back of quality. Even then, he failed when on trial with City under Billy McEwan in 2007 and was a free transfer signing by Martin Foyle over 2 years later. In his 3 years with City, he was an able incumbent in a problem position. His time with City ended in the 2012 with our Wembley double week. Out of contract, he moved to Bradford City and later Millwall whilst gaining full Australian caps.
I suspect of all the positions in the team, those lucky enough to have seen all the main candidates play would strongly agree on only one position. For me that’s enough for PHIL BURROWS to earn his place in the side. At right back, I’d slot in ANDY McMILLAN, a popular and long serving stalwart of all the successful 1990s City sides.
Centre half throws up some solid partnership. Barry Swallow / Chris Topping in the1970s and John MacPhail / Ricky Sbragia in the 1980s stand out. Both had a team leader and a solid doer alongside him. The 1990s pairing wasn’t quite as significant, featuring Paul Stancliffe, Ray Warburton, Tony Barras, Steve Tutill and Paul Atkin. All solid players, but not really Best XI contenders. Stancliffe, at the end of his career, still had class, as did Warburton who was injury prone. Then the fact that 5 can be named suggests that there was no one outstanding pairing.
Going back in time, Barry Jackson played across 3 decades in setting a club record of 539 appearances, but during his time, City were twice relegated (each time after just one season in Division 3) and applied for re-election on 5 occasions. A home grown player and dominant centre half, he was a popular figure. In1970, during City’s epic 3 game FA Cup tie against Cardiff, he comfortably got the better of a young John Toshack, Liverpool’s 1970s big target man striker. Again, given City’s record at the time, he falls just short of a Best XI.
Further back, in 1955, when teams fielded just one centre half between the 2 full backs, Alan Stewart was that man. Whilst being a commanding centre half, I’d suggest other defenders in the Happy Wanderers team might have been more highly regarded.
On reflection and given the City had fine centre back partnerships in the 70s and 80s, I’m going to keep one partnership intact. CHRIS TOPPING and BARRY SWALLOW. Purely for on the pitch performance, they were untouchable for nearly 6 seasons and enjoyed 2 promotions and took City to Division 2 for the only time in our history. 2 promotions and their longevity tip the balance in their favour. . Later off field antics are inexcusable but shouldn’t cloud on field performance. As defenders, whilst MacPhail (29) and Derek Hood (36) scored more goals in their City careers than Swallow (27), take away their penalties and Swallow is City’s all time top scoring defender. Equally, Hood could be excluded from the goalscoring stakes as he made a number of appearances in midfield.
So anyone care to name City side to beat this City team? Let Michael know if you disagree.
Kiely; McMillan, Swallow, Topping, Burrows; TBC, TBC, TBC, TBC; TBC, TBC.
More next time when the 4 midfield choices are revealed.
Home Crowds – How High? With City’s current resurgence, just how many supporters could City attract on a regular basis?
City were founded in1922 and spent we spent our first 10 seasons playing at Fulfordgate, about 3 miles to the southeast of the city centre and accessible by public transport by one tram line. It wasn’t easy (or quick) to get to the ground.
In 1932, the directors felt to grow the club, it needed to move to a more central location in York. From first thoughts to first game, it took about 6 months.
Bootham Crescent City’s home until 2021 when the move to Monks Cross was finally completed. That move was about 20 years in the making, given Craig’s sale, the council shenanigans, build issues and covid.
Bootham Crescent had become a millstone, landlocked, there was no space to expand (various plans had been floated over the years, including buying the barracks behind the Popular Stand, Shipton Street school, a double decker Grovsenor Terrace stand and even turning the pitch through 90 degrees).
In our Football League times, City have had a history of home crowds below the average for the division in which we were competing.
Indeed, since 1958 and the end of regionalised football, City’s average home crowd has only exceeded our division’s average in 8 (out of 50) seasons in which we have been in the Football League. 4 of those seasons corresponded to promotion (1965, 1971, 1974 and 1984) whilst we also achieved that feat in 4 successive seasons under Denis Smith (1982-6).
Maybe unsurprisingly, 1984 was the season we recorded our highest home aggregate attendance when compared to our away games, home gates were 137% of away attendances with 115,175 showing our home games and only 83,504 watching our away games.
Conversely, twice our home crowds have been less than half the away gates, 1975-7, 2 consecutive relegation campaigns under Wilf McGuinness.
Since 1958, in terms of turnstile clicks, only in 1974/5 (8,124) and 1958/9 (8,828) have home crowds topped 8,000. In only 5 more seasons has the home average been over 6,000.
Going back even further, the golden era for football crowds was the late 1940s although City’s attendances peaked in the first half of the 1950s with our Happy Wanderers team.
In 6 seasons between 1948 and 1957, City’s average crowd topped 8,000, peaking at a highest ever average of 10,409 (total 218,559 in 21 games) during the 1948/9 season, although with an expansion of the Football League and 2 extra games, 236,685 fans passed through the Bootham Crescent turnstiles during the 1955/6 season.
In that era, with home games on consecutive days on Good Friday / Easter Saturday 1955, 2 home games saw over 32,000 fans pass through the overworked Bootham Crescent turnstiles.
Our all time lowest Football League average home gate was 2,102 during the 1977/8 season with 2 more seasons when we have seen an average of under 2,500 (the seasons 1980-2).
During the 2007/8 season, 2,258 was the lowest home average attendance during our recent non league days. In the 2004-12 years our non league average failed to breach 2,500 during another 3 seasons.
2,501 was the 2018/9 season average and has been our lowest average in our second non league era.
A recent trend has been to report the number of away fans in the ground and whilst not always accurate (and sometimes not available), they provide an insight into City’s current support base.
Last season (2023/4), our average home gate was 4,857. By comparison, our away games averaged 2,850 fans. In numbers, 111,705 compared to 65,543. Each LNER game was watched by an average of 435 of away supporters, nearly one quarter were those attending the Chesterfield game. Every City away game saw an average 496 City supporters, including those long midweek away trips to the likes of Oxford City and Dagenham. At LNER, away fans made up 8.9% of the crowd whilst City’s away following made up 17.4% of the attendance.
However, last season’s aggregate home attendance was barely one half of our best ever home attendance. How times have changed.
This season, including the Barnet game, our home matches have seen 42,899 fans in attendance, if we maintain that average over the season, over 123,000 will see City at the LNER.
Undoubtedly, the move to LNER has seen a big increase in attendances.
The first half of the 2021/2 season, our first at LNER saw an average of 2,856 attend the first 11 games cumulating in the Bradford PA debacle, as John Askey turned around our fortunes, the last 10 league games attracted an increased average of 3,401. The 2 end of season play off wins attracted an average of 6,921 fans. I think that demonstrates the appeal of a successful side. Moving on, a much more united club with a feelgood factor has certainly also helped to attract fans back to the club.
It begs the question, is the LNER big enough?
A major consideration is the ground’s configuration and the need to accommodate away supporters. Away demand varies from the handfuls of those distant teams to the 2,000+ from Chesterfield and slightly less numbers from other local rivals.
Promotion might mean that teams like Bradford and Doncaster would regularly bring 4 figure followings with them.
That said, during the 2023/4 season, the Division 2 average gate was 6,220 and in Division 1 it was 9,814. That said, given City’s historic low crowds, it could be said that the LNER is just about big enough for the years to come.
At different times, I’ve heard that the North Stand could easily be extended and I assume the corners could be “filled in” to up the capacity. I’m no architect so won’t guess by how many seats or how much it might cost.
Maybe a ground extension might even re-ignite the safe standing debate.
At the end of the day, whether the LNER is big enough, might depend on whether City are successful or not. Some of last season’s increased attendance was driven by some cheap tickets and very active marketing whilst this season’s increase has been driven by successful start to the season.
Hinsh’s Xmas List - Christmas Presents I visited the training ground last week and on the tactics board Hinsh was drafting his Christmas present list. I’ll let you into his secrets.
Harrison Male An extra 6 inches (of height). Failing that, comedy gloves to extend his reach
Ryan Watson Nothing, he seems quite content with his lot, sitting on the bench most weeks doing next to nothing
George Sykes-Kenworthy A pair of magic magnetic gloves, those where the ball automatically sticks to the gloves and a get well soon card
Ryan Fallowfield Easy going, play him CB or RB, even put him on the bench, he never complains, hopes he’s as easy going with his prezzie
Joe Felix What can you buy the man who has everything, maybe a bigger mantelpiece for all his player of the month awards (memo to self, do a bulk order, I need one for the manager of the month awards and Ollie will need one for his goalscoring awards)
Darragh O’Connor Panic, he’s been missing for the past few months, I’ve no idea what he likes, what to buy him
Leon Gibson-Booth Must find him an upwardly mobile club for his next loan so that he can maintain his excellent progress. Scarborough might have been ideal if Matt ever spoke to them (or if they were upwardly mobile)
Callum Howe The book “How To Score More Goals From Set Plays”
Malachi Fagan-Walcott Heavy steel boots or golden handcuffs to keep him here (note to self, remove them just before kick off)
Cameron John A proper surname
Levi Andoh Injury free body, maybe a sackful of cotton wool
Adam Crookes Give him some money so he can get his name changed by deed poll, need to try everything to see if we can change his injury record
Dan Batty Some new contact lenses which allow him to see directly forward rather than just out wide
Ricky Aguiar Spinach (the perpetual type), if it was good enough for Popeye to build up his strength and physique, then it is good enough for Ricky
Paddy McLaughlin Bumper sized bag of patience and a good run in the North Riding Senior Cup for game time
Alex Hunt Video of his Barnet and Hartlepool free kicks on a loop, note to self, need to get him to deliver all his free kicks and corners with such accuracy
Marvin Armstrong Last season’s form
Billy Chadwick Next season, a present from Neal Ardley so we’ll see Billy at his best, I might also give him a copy of “What On Boston ‘25”
Leone Gravata A compass to find his way back to York
Bill Marshall See Leon G-B and add a promise of a new 2025/6 contract
Ollie Pearce Check with the physio to see if that drug that makes you 5 years younger is not on the FA’s banned list
Dipo Akinyemi See GSK, I wonder if I can get him some magnetic boots, the ones where the ball sticks to them, failing that, plenty of love
Alex Hernandez Anything that removes that cloak of invisibility from around him
Lenell John-Lewis A series of coaching courses so that we can keep him here when his playing career eventually comes to an end, knowing him, we’ve at least 5 years before that happens as he seems to be getting better with age
Luca Thomas I’ll see what the boys from Leeds want to do about his loan deal before deciding what to buy for him
David Ajiboye Not sure I can afford a decent present for someone on Division 1 wages
Tyrese Sinclair That little bit extra that his dad can provide, after all Frank was a Premier League regular for over 10 years. If only Tyrese had that little extra than we’d have a proper player
Ashley Nathaniel-George Another who needs a proper surname, he has 3 names but not a single surname
Callum Harriott Turmeric, the medics have tried everything, must try the old tradition Indian spice (given his history, definitely avoid the new type) to ease his aching joints and extend his career
Mo Fadera The mindset of an established pro to go with his undoubted speed and skill
Have I forgotten any players? I still have some gifts to assign, including a few one way tickets to anywhere, P45s, warrior costumes, Roko gym membership and a new 5 year contract (note to self, see if I can wangle that I get that one myself in player’s Secret Santa).
Also, I must find a lovable old rogue, a jovial middle age (or older) gent with ruddy face and moustache and full beard to play Santa, I wonder if anyone at the club can recommend someone.
City On Camera Filmed in 1939, The Arsenal Stadium Mystery is a murder mystery and one of the first feature films where football is central to the plot.
The film was directed by Thorold Dickinson and shot at Denham Film Studios and on location at Arsenal’s original Highbury stadium. It was written by Dickinson, Donald Bull, and Alan Hyman, adapted from a 1939 novel by Leonard Gribble.
The earliest coverage of City on film that is known to exist is from City’s 1938 FA Cup tie against Huddersfield (a British Pathe film includes brief footage City’s game against Oldham a week prior to the game. Footage of both the game at Bootham Crescent played in front of all time ground record of 28,123 and the replay played at Leeds Road in front of a crowd over twice as big are readily available. 2 other clips show City in pre –match training.
A few weeks later, Huddersfield featured in the first ever televised (highlights) FA Cup Final.
It wasn't until 1946 that the first match was televised live by BBC in the days of just one channel when Barnet hosted Wealdstone at Underhill. The BBC had to abort coverage when it got too dark, something that was still impacting BBC (and Yorkshire TV) in 1974. City’s YTV coverage of the home win over Norwich was only shown in black and white in November 1974 and then due to the fading light, only first half highlights. That caused the BBC to abandon plans to feature City’s game against Manchester United on Match Of The Day a month later.
In those very early, pre TV, days, British Pathe (and other similar organisations) would film matches and highlights were regularly shown in cinemas before the main film. A large archive of similar sporting footage is available online, including York RL’s only Challenge Cup Final in 1931.
City were inadvertently caught on film in 1948. The National Coal Board (NCB) produced a series of industry training / educational films, one featured Rotherham United’s side, unfortunately for the NCB, they picked an off day for filming as they lost 6-1 to City at Bootham Crescent in November 1948 with Alf Patrick scoring 5.
The next known film of City is our 1954/5 FA Cup run, footage of all our games from Round 3 onwards are to be found online with packed grounds and awful pitches to the fore.
To my knowledge, the oldest colour imagines of City are from April 1957 and a 2-1 win over Crewe with goals from Norman Wilkinson and Arthur Bottom. Formerly located in the “Yorkshire Film Archive”, however, when I looked recently, it had been removed.
City’s next footage is from January 1971 and our memorable 3-3 FA Cup draw with Southampton. By then, Yorkshire TV had a one hour Sunday afternoon show which over the course of a season would cover most Yorkshire clubs with a strong focus on Leeds and the other top clubs. With access to the other regional TV companies’ footage, the show also often brought brief highlights of some other games featuring Yorkshire clubs. With York’s geographical position, many homes could also receive Tyne Tees TV and their own regional show. If memory serves me correctly, TTTV very occasionally featured City as their main match. In those days, when City were televised, a TV gantry was built on top of the Popular Stand where the commentator and cameraman were based. I recall a precarious ladder meant a near vertical climb for them to reach their post.
1974 was the first time a league game had been captured on film. Both City’s memorable 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers in March and promotion clinching draw against Oldham a month later were filmed by Yorkshire TV. Film of the Rovers game seems to have been lost forever.
In between those games, a first City appearance on BBC’s Match Of The Day occurred when City drew 0-0 at Hereford. In those days, MOTD lasted just under an hour and featured just 2 games with Jimmy Hill talking to camera to provide the analysis. It wasn’t uncommon for games from across the 4 divisions to feature.
With only 2 (of 46) games features, a lack of footage is available. For City at Hereford, Graeme Crawford had a superb game, single handedly denying Hereford’s lanky striker, Jim Hinch, later of City, with a string of outstanding saves. Again, the film seems lost forever. To this day, Crawford bemoans the fact that when he sees himself on film, it is conceding goals rather than making saves.
I reckon Hereford was the first of 6 games when City featured on BBC’s Match Of The Day highlights programmes. Arsenal was the only win whilst we lost badly at Brighton (2-7) and Bristol City (1-4).
Come the early 1980s and ITV winning football highlights (and the first live coverage of top flight games), regional highlights programmes became a thing of the past.
Although an earlier City visit to Brighton (November 1973) didn’t feature on football’s TV shows, coverage featured on the national news as it was Brian Clough’s first game as Brighton manager.
Highlights of City’s big home FA Cup games in 1985 and 1986 were captured. The BBC showed City’s win over Arsenal whilst ITV captured the 2 home games against Liverpool. Sadly (at least in respect of 1986), no cameras were at Anfield for either replay.
If you watch footage of City’s 1985 home draw with Liverpool, you will notice some strange Scandinavian advertising hoardings, the game was televised live on Swedish TV, the first ever City to be televised live. For these games, cherry pickers were used to host TV cameras.
From the late 1980s, game highlights of many games were captured and shown on Monday (and midweek) evening as part of the local news programmes on BBC and ITV.
City’s next big TV milestone for City was December 1991 when Wayne Hall’s screamer was captured as part of Sky TV’s Saturday night live coverage of City’s FA Cup 1-1 draw with Tranmere.
Another City TV first was live coverage on UK terrestrial TV when Central TV showed City’s 2-0 league defeat at Oxford on the first Sunday of September 1995 in an era when the TV deal allowed regional ITV companies to show some games live.
With the advent of satellite TV, with more schedule to fill, football has become a staple. July 1997 saw City compete in Livingston’s 4 team tournament, our 2 games (Dundee and Livingston) were televised live by the fledging channel “Live TV”, despite heavy promotion of their topless “Norwegian weather girls”, the channel was short lived.
The 1990s saw the rise of filming, video equipment and digital editing. For Football League clubs and later extended downwards, clubs were required to film the entire game and provided copies immediately post match to the opposition and football’s authorities.
For City, it meant filming was done from the Main Stand and the roof of the Supporters Club. Video and DVD recorders also opened the market for clubs to sell copies of these unedited games to fans. I’m sure many of us diligently purchased copies, watched them once or twice and then forgot about them. In my case, a box full of VHS videos and DVDs is somewhere in the house gathering dust. Each filmed from one fixed position with no action replays. I don’t know what was worse, no commentary or bumbling commentary. Don’t rely on the commentary to learn which City player was sent off in our 3-0 win at Manchester United.
It wasn’t until December 1st 2023 that City made their live bow on UK nationwide TV when the BBC covered City’s FA Cup Round 2 tie against Wigan from 2 divisions higher on an evening of gloom as fog swirled around the around threatening an abandonment of the game.
By my reckoning, our draw at Boreham Wood in January 2024 was the 50th occasion that City have featured live on TV.
Beyond game coverage, there has been little coverage of City on TV.
A couple of City players have featured on TV quiz programmes in more recent years. One notable exception being when 2 former City squad players, Darren Tilley and Richard Crossley, courtesy of their agent Chris Galvin, another ex City player, starred in a 1993 one hour ITV documentary of their season spent playing in China. It is most memorable for the moment when teammate Craig (son of Sam) Allardyce complained about the lack of chips and The Sun newspaper in China. A couple of years later, a BBC TV comedy show featuring Stewart Lee and City fan Richard Herring included a sketch entitled "York City Are Magic".
Later, Graeme Murty became the first ex City player to be a Match Of The Day pundit.
For film lovers, in August 2017, Bootham Crescent was transformed into a 1936 Berlin Olympic stadium (with associated Nazi paraphernalia (officers and insignia included) visible inside the ground) as filming of a Bollywood spectacular to commemorate India's first post independence Olympic gold medal took place. Senior nazi officials could be seen in the car park as hockey scenes were filmed on the pitch.
Footnote, the phrase “back to square one” may originate from the early days of BBC’s football commentary on the radio. In January 1927, in the Radio Times, the BBC first printed a picture of Highbury with the pitch divided into 8 equal sized squares (actually rectangular in shape), whilst the commentator commentated, a voice in the background added “3, 5, 6, 4, 1” as the ball passed through the different squares to help the listener better visualise the play.
Finally, see for a chronological list of many of City’s TV appearances. Whilst many of the clips referenced are freely available on youtube (and elsewhere), they are subject to the vagaries of web usage and may disappear, be re-housed or go behind a pay wall short notice.
For those interested the “British Pathe” and “Yorkshire Film Archive” sites are goldmines, full of clips from former years, both sporting and life in general.
Moving away from film, in November 1946, City's league game against Stockport was selected by the BBC (Light Programme, now known as Radio 2) for live national radio commentary of the last 30 minutes, the whole game was broadcast live on the General Forces Programme. The commentator was the legendary Kenneth Wolstenholme who made his BBC radio debut that day.
BBC3 has broadcast 2 series of docu-soap, “Brickies, produced by the production company of well known City supporter Pete Brandon. It is about time the company produced a similar fly on the wall series featuring a City season, it is guaranteed not to be dull.
Department Of Youth Whilst most eyes will be on City’s first team, others will be keeping a close eye on the progress of City’s academy side.
In terms of performance, overall 2023/4 was possibly less successful for our academy when compared to the previous season success. In both the FA Youth Cup and National League Youth Alliance Cup, City failed by one game to go as far as a season earlier. The team exited the FA Youth Cup in the final qualifying round (at South Shields) and once again, City reached the Alliance League Cup Final, but couldn't retain the trophy, losing to a late Maidstone winner. In the league, City's 4th place finish was a drop of 2 places.
Last season, City’s youth side was generally strong defensively but struggled to score freely. That is maybe reflected by the 2 academy players won earned their first professional contracts.
Bill Marshall, playing in a range of defensive positions, was a strong leader whilst Leon Gibson-Booth impressed at left centre back.
However, bar a few games for Ryan Whitley, the perennial problem remains, none of the former academy players saw any first team action last season.
Since 2004 (and our first relegation from The Football League), just 7 home grown youngsters have graduated to play 30 or more first team games for City. Step forward Tom Platt, Andy McWilliams, Adam Boyes, Lev Yalcin, Bryan Stewart, Graeme Law and Ryan Whitley. Unfortunately, to many eyes, not the calibre of player required for a successful City side.
The likes of Ben Godfrey, David Stockdale, Ryan Edmondson and Jamie Hopcutt didn’t reach 30 City appearances before moving on.
Thinking of a song reference as a title for this piece, I was drawn towards Wasted Youth, but resisted the temptation.