York City is a young club compared to most. Although there was football in the city earlier the York City we have today was formed on March 31st 1922, initially joining the Midland League and playing at Fulford Gate. They tore up no trees, never finishing higher than sixth, but the mysteries of election saw them replace Ashington in Division 3 North in 1929, 24 votes to 14.

In 1932 York moved to Bootham Crescent, where they remain to this day - though on that more later. They remained In Division 3 North, rarely troubling either end of the table - though they would have required re-election in 1950 if they hadn't conveniently chosen to finish bottom the same year the Division was being expanded - until the end of regionalisation, when they went into Division 4. Their greatest moment to that point had come in 1955 when they became the first ever Division 3 club to reach a F.A. Cup semi-final, taking eventual Cup winners Newcastle United to a replay. That debut season in Division 4 saw York finish third and gain the club its first ever promotion. Unfortunately they were relegated back at the end of the following campaign. Another single season in Division 3 was achieved in 1995-66 but they finished bottom and then for the next three seasons had to apply for re-election after each campaign. (Please don't let him start on the iniquities of the election system or we'll be here all day, ed.)

The Seventies began more brightly with a promotion to Division 3 for the 1971-72 season and then on into Division 2 after coming third in 1973-74. They spent two seasons there, but two consecutive relegations saw them back in Division 4 in 1977-78 seeking re-election again. 1981 saw another call on the old-boy network to keep them away from Non-league status.

The mid-Eighties was another good time for the Minstermen. A Championship won by a massive 16 point margin in 1983-84 was followed by a run to the F.A. Cup 5th Round, defeating Arsenal on the way and taking Newcastle United to a replay, in 1984-85, and again to the same stage the next season when Liverpool needed two attempts to remove the Third Division side. However 1987-88 saw them relegated back to Division 4 once again, and there they stayed until 1992, mainly in the lower reaches.

The finale of the 1992-93 season saw York at Wembley facing Crewe in the play-offs. In a dramatic penalty shoot-out it was City who went up. Manager Alan Little kept them there for six years, including the odd last day escape. When they did go down it was one of those 'never in the relegation zone until the last few minutes of the season' scenarios. The last four seasons in the basement division has seen York finish 20th, 17th, 14th and 10th. The main reason for this mediocrity is not hard to find - York City has been battling complete extinction in the new Millennium.

In December 2001 chairman Douglas Craig announced the club was for sale, stating that if a purchaser was not found by the end of January the club would resign from the Football League at the end of the season. The eventual buyer was the Cheshire based owner of the B & Q Racing Team, John Batchelor. Batchelor was yet another of those bullshitters who soil football, with their promises of new stadiums and Premiership football tripping so easily off forked tongues. Of greater importance for the real future of York City wasn't the pathetic delusions being peddled by Batchelor, but the formation of a Supporters' Trust. During the 2002-03 season York was taken into administration, and by the New Year players wages weren't being payed. On March 27th 2003 the Supporters' Trust took over the running of the football club. The issue of the future of Bootham Crescent, and whether York City will be able to remain on the site they have occupied since 1932, is still not resolved.

Chris Brass was given the role of player-manager and 2003-04 started well for York. After four straight wins they were briefly top in Agust and as late as January they were a solid tenth. However an appalling run of 3 points out of a possible 39 has seen them slide inexorably towards the foot of the table, with a massive six-pointer defeat by Macclesfield putting them into the relegation zone for the first time on April 4th. So far they have held their nerve, the only club in the division outside the top eight not to have sacked a manager this season.

[STOP PRESS : Match rearranged to Tuesday April 20th, kick-off 7.45 p.m.]

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FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name

LGE

FAC

FAT

LGC

CC

Total

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: 0, vs ,
Lowest League Attendance: 999999, vs ,
Average League Attendance: Not Applicable

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	0		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	0		Games Without Defeat:	0
Games Without A Home Defeat:	0		Games Without An Away Defeat:	0
Games Without A Draw:	0		Games Without A Score Draw:	0
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	0		Games Without Scoring:	0
Games Without Conceding:	0		Home Results Sequence:
Away Results Sequence:			Overall Results Sequence:

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Travel details taken from Red & Blue Net.

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Club Bar :

There is a supporters club on the corner of the ground that overlooks the away end. Away supporters are generally allowed entry for 50p.

Local Pubs :

Ackhorne: Small friendly bare-boarded pub tucked away in a narrow cobbled side street. Opens 12-11. Food at lunchtime. Beer is Deuchars IPA, Rooster's Yankee and guests. Does cider. Also a range of Lindisfarne fruit wines. Ackhorne, 9, St Martins Lane, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 6LN. Tel: 01904 671421. Map: Click Here.

Blue Bell: Tiny pub in the heart of York - 50 people and it would be standing room only. A listed building, with the pub almost completely unchanged since its last refurbishment in 1903. The CAMRA brigade drool over this establishment, and it has won bucket loads of awards. If you're not into museum pieces it's not the place for you - but the beer is more than reasonable. Abbot, Bombadier, Camerons Strongarm, Deuchars IPA, John Smith's and Taylor Landlord are the regulars, plus a guest. No food. Open 11-11. Blue Bell, 53, Fossgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9TF. Tel: 01904 654904. Map: Click Here.

Bootham Tavern: Just ten minutes walk from the ground. One of the more partisan pubs in the area, this is largely recommended for home supporters and away fans not wearing colours. Bootham Tavern, 29 Bootham, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 7BW. Tel: 01904 631093. Map: Click Here.

Burton Stone Inn: Five minutes walk from the ground, you pass this if you follow directions to the ground from the A19 on the north side of town. This large pub is described by Fanzone as having "decent ale at reasonable prices". Burton Stone Inn, 34, Clifton Road, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 6AW. Tel: 01904 622945. Map: Click Here.

Corner House: Venue a short walk north of the ground in the back streets. No further details. Corner House, 165-167, Burton Stone Lane, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 6DG. Tel: 01904 622373. Map: Click Here.

Last Drop Inn: One, the first, of the three York Brewery Company owned pubs in the city. Opening is 11-11, with food served until 4.00 p.m. Beers are mainly from the brewery's own stable, with their four standards, Bitter, Stonewall, Terrier and Centurian's Ghost as regulars. The pub also stocks the company's seasonal ales - should be Swing Low when we visit - and guests. Last Drop Inn, 27, Colliergate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 8BN. Tel: 01904 621951. Map: Click Here.

Minster Inn: Not far from the ground - off the other side of the A19. Open 11-11 Fridays and Saturdays. Family friendly, with children welcome, and a no-smoking room. John Smith's Bitter and Magnet, plus an interesting range of guests. Minster Inn, 24, Marygate, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 7BH. Tel: 01904 624499. Map: Click Here.

Postern Gate: Wetherspoon down in a new development in the city centre along the River Foss, but within a stone's throw of things like Clifford's Tower and Fairfax House. Large and modern. Children allowed. Postern Gate, Piccadilly, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9NX. Tel: 01904 526220. Map: Click Here.

Punch Bowl: Second of York's Wetherspoons. Just off the A19 ring road, close to the railway station. In a more 'traditional' style than the Postern Gate (above). Well above average Wetherspoon, with a far bigger and more interesting range of beers than the usual rather tired 'house' selection Wetherspoon seem to be increasingly restricting themselves to these days. Children allowed. Punch Bowl, 5-9, Blossom Street, York, North Yorkshire, YO24 1AU. Tel: 01904 666740. Map: Click Here.

Royal Oak: Three room establishment. Family friendly and open 11-11. Food is well recommended and served from 11 a.m. - 8.00 p.m. House beers are Greene King Abbot and Tetley Bitter, plus guests. Royal Oak, 18, Goodramgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7LG. Tel: 01904 653856. Map: Click Here.

Saddle Inn: For those looking for a hostelry away from the city centre this might prove the choice. Spacious lounge bar with open fires, a dining area that welcomes children, a pool table and, if you really want, petanque in the gardens. Opening on Saturdays is 11.30 a.m - 11.00 p.m., with food at lunchtimes and from 6.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. in the evenings. Saddle Inn, Main Street, Fulford, York, North Yorkshire, YO10 4PJ. Tel: 01904 633317. Map: Click Here.

Swan Inn: A Tetley Heritage pub, popular with the younger crowd during the week, but generally quiet at weekends. Beers are Taylor Landlord, Abbot, and Tetley, plus guests. Opening is 4.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. weekdays, but from noon on Saturday. Swan Inn, 16, Bishopgate Street, York, North Yorkshire, YO23 1JH. Tel: 01904 634968. Map: Click Here.

The Golden Ball: Not far from the Ackhorne (above), in the Bishopgate area of the city centre. This is a large pub divided into four rooms, one with bar billiards and another with a couple of televisions. The toilets are outside. Pub opening is 4.00 p.m. - 11 p.m. weekdays, but from 12.00 on Saturdays. A drinking not food pub, with reasonable prices, and Ruddles Best, Marston's Pedigree, several varieties of John Smiths, and Charles Wells Bombadier on tap. The guest was a very good dark mild when we visited. Clientele 100% male, and pretty middle aged - on a Saturday afternoon at least. York's Pub of the Year 2004. The Golden Ball, 2, Cromwell Road, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 6DU. Tel: 01904 652211. Map: Click Here.

The Maltings: Close to the railway station. Loved this pub. Youngish clientele in the main. Longstanding real ale venue. Black Sheep Best Bitter is the house beer, with a changing selection of five guests from small and micro-breweries. Four ciders are stocked - two keg and two straight from the barrel. When we were there the two from the barrel were Ruby Tuesday and Cheddar Valley. Opening is 11-11, with food served 12.00-2.00 p.m. on weekdays and up to 4.00 p.m. on Saturdays. Portions are generous! The Maltings, Tanners Moat, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 6HU. Tel: 01904 671421. Map: Click Here.

Three-Legged Mare: Another York Brewery outlet (see the entry for the Last Drop Inn, above, for beer details). Nine ales are always on, and food is served until 3.00 p.m. Opening is 11-11. Limited menu, with a few hot dishes. The rounds of sandwiches were very generous. Children not allowed. On our visit they had some problems in the kitchen and the pasta dishes took half an hour to arrive. Not that we were worried, but they gave the whole party a free round of drinks. Top effort. Note: the toilets are down a steep tightly winding spiral staircase. Three-Legged Mare, 15, High Petergate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7EN. Tel: 01904 638246. Map: Click Here.

Wellington Inn: Back street local that has been owned by the Samuel Smith's Brewery since 1887. Saturday opening is 11 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. There are three rooms, one the public bar and one with a pool table. Family friendly. The beer is Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Bitter. Wellington Inn, 47, Alma Terrace, York, North Yorkshire, YO10 4DL. Tel: 01904 645642. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

No problem. York almost passes for civilized, despite being oop North. The accent may be tyke, but the mocha latte and ciabatta is the same as any down South.

Top-Tip :

Stay the weekend. York is a great place - full of history and pub crawls till you do crawl.

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