County visit York City tomorrow in a 3pm kick off, and ahead of the match County Tweet-meister Gareth Evans has put-together five factoids on our opponents for you. TAKE FIVE…
- 1. Next up – a fourth former Football League club to face in five games? York-idding! Arf.
Indeed I am not! The ‘Minstermen’ clocked up some 72 seasons there, and over two separate spells. Having been refounded in 1922 from the remains of a defunct, originally amateur, club (1908-17), they were first elected from the Midland League to replace Ashington in 1929, dropped out 75 years later, but regained their FL place for 2012 – via the (then) Blue Square Premier play-offs – to enjoy another four campaigns in League Two until the curse of relegation struck again. A second successive demotion last term sees them in the National League North for the first time.
All but two of their League years were spent in the third and fourth tiers – and they were among the founder members of Division Four, following reorganisation in 1958. Prior to that, however, the club did establish a record in 1954/55 after it became the first outfit from a regionalised Division Three to earn an FA Cup semi-final replay – losing to eventual winners Newcastle United.
- 2. Surely, then, another old rival with whom we Hatters have had a good few dealings?
We have not played them in regular League meetings quite as often as we did our last opponents, Southport, but adding the two Second Division (as was) play-off semi-finals from 1993/94 – which the Hatters won on aggregate, thanks to a Chris Beaumont goal at Edgeley Park – would draw them precisely level. And, as was the case with Southport (until Tuesday!), some time has passed since County’s last victory against York – with that having come over 20 years ago, and by the odd goal in three, in our penultimate home game of the 1996/97 promotion campaign.
One of County’s earliest trips to York – our fourth-ever, in the old Third Division North on 31 August 1932 – marked the official opening of City’s current home, Bootham Crescent. And travelling Hatters may want to make the most of Saturday’s jaunt – the 43rd to the ground, in all competitions – as work will begin next month on a new Community Stadium, to be shared, with effect from 2019, by the Minstermen and the York City Knights rugby league team (who have, since last year, played at Bootham Crescent – a venue no longer, incidentally, carrying the ‘Kit Kat’ prefix that marked a sponsorship deal with the local Nestlé factory between 2005 and 2010).
- 3. And how have they fared more recently, in the non-league world?
Until last season’s back-to-back relegation calamity, reasonably well. And even then, they finished the 2016/17 campaign on a positive note by lifting the FA Trophy after a five-goal thriller against Macclesfield Town. York are, in fact, the only club to have won the Trophy during different stints as a non-league outfit – having previously done so when beating Newport County 2-0, in 2012, as part of a ‘double’ that saw the Minstermen also return briefly to the Football League.
They are remaining a full-time side this term. And their non-league record against County, although limited to a pair of 2-1 victories during 2011/12, is infallible… thus far!
- 4. As with our other old League rivals, a few players must have turned out for both clubs?
Quite correct. From the days when we enjoyed FL status together, perhaps the one who most immediately springs to mind is Tony Barras (at County from 1990-94), who moved directly from EP to Bootham Cresent and memorably scored for the Minstermen in their three-goal League Cup drubbing of our near-Manchester-neighbours at Old Trafford in 1995. Defender Steve Faulkner (1978), midfielders Chris Galvin (1979-81) and Kieron Durkan (1996-98), and winger Rob Matthews (1998-2001), also had spells at York.
More recently, the likes of Richard Brodie (2016), Elliott Chamberlain (2011), Oli Johnson (2008-10), Danny Pilkington (2008-11) and ace bassist Jah Wobble’s lad, Charlie Wardle (who played in our Cheshire Senior Cup-ties last season), have previously been on York’s non-league books. The Minstermen’s current roster, meanwhile, includes four ex-Hatters who may feature this weekend: namely, defender, and captain, Sean Newton (2012-13), wingers Kaine Felix (on loan to us from York in 2016/17) and Adriano Moke (2013/14), and striker Amari Morgan-Smith (2007/08).
- 5. What are the odds on a County win?
You know better than to ask me. But if we do win, it could be a good omen. In all four seasons when the Hatters have met the Minstermen and gone on to win promotion, they have done the ‘double’ over them! So, watch this space… and keep those (Kit Kat) fingers crossed!
