York City F.C. - History

History

For more details on this topic, see History of York City F.C.. For a statistical breakdown by season, see List of York City F.C. seasons.

York City Football Club was first founded in 1908 as an amateur side, although some sources state the roots of the club can be traced as far back as 1897 when the York and District League was formed. The club joined the Northern League in 1908, but left after two seasons to form the Yorkshire Combination (a proto-Yorkshire League). The club turned professional in 1912 and joined the Midland League, where they played for three seasons, rising as high as tenth position. They played their final season in 1914–15 before folding in 1917 during the First World War.

The club was re-founded in 1922 by members of the former club. They founded a limited company and gained admission to the Midland League, where the team played in for seven seasons, achieving a highest finish of sixth, in both 1924–25 and 1926–27. York were elected to play in the Football League in 1929, and spent the following 22 seasons in the Third Division North, from 1929–30 to 1957–58. The club ended the majority of seasons in the bottom half of the table until the 1950s, when they reached fourth in both the 1952–53 and 1954–55 seasons.

The club fared better in cup competitions and built a reputation for "giant killing", the earliest example being in the 1937–38 season's FA Cup, when the team, then playing in the Third Division North, managed to knock out First Division West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough. They met Huddersfield Town in the quarter-finals and drew 0–0, before losing the replay 2–1 at Leeds Road. The club's longest cup run came when they reached the FA Cup semi-final in the 1954–55 season, a campaign in which Arthur Bottom scored eight goals, and the team eliminated a Blackpool side, featuring Stanley Matthews, who had won the competition eighteen months earlier. In the semi-final, York drew 1–1 with Newcastle United, taking the tie to a replay, in which City were defeated 2–0.

In 1958, York became founding members of the Fourth Division, as the Third Divisions North and South were restructured into new Third and Fourth divisions, based on league positions at the end of the 1957–58 season. They missed out on the runner-up spot in the inaugural season only on goal average, and were promoted to the Third Division in third place, but were relegated back after just one season. York's highest progression in the League Cup came in 1961–62, the competition's second season, after reaching the fifth round. A second promotion in 1964–65, again in third place in the Fourth Division, saw another instant relegation back from the Third Division the next season. York's record of promotion every six years was maintained by a team sporting the future England striker Phil Boyer in 1970–71, and this time the team managed to stay in the Third Division, albeit only on goal average in both the next two seasons.

After these two seasons the team hit form in the 1973–74 season, when "three up, three down" promotion and relegation was introduced to the Football League. After being among the leaders all season York were eventually promoted to the Second Division in third place. Their first season in the Second Division saw York finish in their highest ever league position, 15th place. On 29 March 1975, they played in front of the highest ever League crowd to see them – 46,802 at Old Trafford in a 2–1 defeat to Manchester United. The following season York finished in 21st place in the Second Division and were relegated back to the Third Division. Under former Manchester United manager Wilf McGuinness, the club dropped further still, into the Fourth Division in the 1976–77 season after finishing bottom of the Third Division. In the 1981–82 season, York endured a run of 12 home games without victory and for the first time lost an FA Cup replay to a non-League, after being beaten 4–3 at Altrincham in the second round.

York won the Fourth Division championship with 101 points in the 1983–84 season, becoming the first side to reach 100 points in a Football League season. In January 1985, York recorded a victory over First Division Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup after winning 1–0 at Bootham Crescent, courtesy of an 89th minute penalty kick scored by Keith Houchen. York proceeded to draw 1–1 with Liverpool at Bootham Crescent on 16 February 1985, but lost 7–0 in the replay at Anfield; York's record cup defeat. The teams met again the following season and after another 1–1 draw at Bootham Crescent, Liverpool won 3–1 in the replay after extra time at Anfield.

In 1993 York ended a five-year spell in the Third Division by gaining promotion to the Second Division via the play-offs. Crewe Alexandra were beaten in the club's first visit to Wembley Stadium in a 5–3 penalty shoot-out victory in the Final. York stayed in the Second Division for six seasons, reaching the play-offs in their first season, but lost to Stockport County in the semi-final 1–0 on aggregate.

York recorded a shock victory in the 1995–96 League Cup second round when they beat the eventual FA Premier League and FA Cup double winners Manchester United 4–3 on aggregate, including a 3–0 win in the first leg at Old Trafford. Although United had fielded five fringe players in the first leg, their full first team was unable to overcome the deficit at Bootham Crescent in front of a 9,386 crowd. York then went on to beat Everton in the second round of the League Cup the following season in 1996. They drew the first leg 1–1 at Goodison Park, but won the second leg 3–2 at Bootham Crescent.

In December 2001, long-serving chairman Douglas Craig put the club and its ground up for sale for £4.5 million, announcing that unless a new owner was found before 1 April 2002, York would be withdrawn from the Football League. Team B&Q racing driver and team owner John Batchelor took over as chairman in March 2002. Batchelor promised the club he would purchase the ground, give the York City Supporters' Trust 24% of the shares and would invite two supporters onto the board, but after these promises all went undelivered, the Supporters’ Trust took control of the club in March 2003.

York failed to win any of their final 20 league fixtures in the 2003–04 season and were relegated to the Football Conference after 75 years of Football League membership. York reached the play-off semi-finals in 2006–07, but were beaten by Morecambe 2–1 on aggregate. With the club having only escaped relegation towards the end of the 2008–09 season, York participated in the 2009 FA Trophy Final, where they were defeated 2–0 by Stevenage Borough at the new Wembley Stadium.

York reached the 2010 Conference National play-off Final at Wembley, where they were beaten 3–1 by Oxford United, and so missed out on a return to the League after six years of absence. Two years later York won their first trophy in 19 years after beating Newport County in the 2012 FA Trophy Final at Wembley. The club returned to the Football League after York defeated Luton Town 2–1 at Wembley in the 2012 Conference National play-off Final, with winger Matty Blair scoring the decisive goal in the second half.