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The daily email newsletter serving York City fans since 1997
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Submit your views for publication by emailing the editor here.
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Graham Bradbury (Copmanthorpe)
Can I urge “Arthurites” and any City supporters to make their way down to Acomb Conservative Club on Tuesday 19 March at 7.30pm for an ”Evening with Andy Leaning and Iain Dunn”.
The York City Supporters’ Trust have arranged this free event to generate interest amongst the fan base and reminisce about the “olden days”.
The previous “Evening with Michael Ingham and Graeme Crawford”, held at the end of last year, was very entertaining and full of interesting anecdotes and “stories from the dressing room”.
Match of the Day commentator, Guy Mowbray, will again host the evening and field questions from the floor to these players from the mid to late 1980s.
Former York City Secretary, Shane Winship, is the steward at Acomb Conservative Club and is a superb mine-host. He and his partner Kim give a warm welcome to all City fans and guests who attend.
Just come along and have an informal chat with other fans and enjoy the evening over a couple of drinks.
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Some feat beating York home and away, says Phil
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Press and media officer John Edwards has submitted the following article for inclusion in this week's Sale and Altrincham Messenger.
Phil Parkinson hailed a 'top achievement' by his Altrincham team after they completed a notable double over a York City side steeped in Football League history at Bootham Crescent on Saturday.
The Alty boss was full of praise for his players after they added a hard-fought 1-0 win to November's 3-0 home triumph over the Minstermen with a brilliantly-executed second-half volley from Josh Hancock.
It moved them up a place to sixth in the Vanarama National League North, and they have the chance to climb even higher at The J.Davidson Stadium on Saturday when they face a Brackley Town side who are just one point better off in fourth.
'I thought we were really efficient in everything we did,' said Parkinson. 'We had a strong, swirling wind in our faces in the first half, but I don't remember York troubling us too much. On the one occasion they got through, Tony Thompson bailed us out with a great stop. He has been outstanding since coming back in and has really got the bit between his teeth.
'Josh Hancock had one of the best games I've seen from him for a long time. He has been very good all season, but his levels in this game, getting on the ball and making us tick at times, really stood out. It was absolutely fantastic ability for his goal as well. That's what he is all about, and it topped off a very good, professional performance.
'I don't want people underestimating how big a win this was, To beat York City home and away is a really top achievement that shows how far we have come as a club and how well we are doing.
'The away fans were brilliant again, travelling all this way and getting behind us, and I'm glad we made it worthwhile for them.'
Alty have one or two injury worries ahead of Saturday, with livewire winger Yusifu Ceesay picking up a slight hamstring strain and ankle knock and striker Joe Piggott missing the York game due to back spasms.
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Upcoming event: Iain Dunn & Andy Leaning (March 19)
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Come along to the Trust's next social event - an Evening with former York City favourites Iain Dunn and Andy Leaning.
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5 Things We Learned from York City's 1-0 defeat to Altrincham
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By Dave Flett
1 Sean Newton is finding redemption since his positional switch
On-loan Mansfield centre-back David Mirfin has rightly merited widespread recognition for the part he has played in transforming the club’s defensive fortunes. But, alongside The Press’ February Player of the Month, Sean Newton has been almost free of fault since his switch to the heart of the Minstermen’s back line.
The pair’s performances have been hugely welcomed, given the instability in that area of the pitch during a season in which eight other centre backs – Tom Allan, Hamza Bencherif, Tom Bradbury, Joe Davis, Kennedy Digie, Josh Law, Dan Parslow and Joe Tait – have all been fielded at different stages of the season. Newton’s ball-carrying and ball-playing ability has also demonstrated to City boss Steve Watson that he does not necessarily need to employ a three-man defence to get his side playing out from the back.
Despite inevitable disappointment as a four-match winning run was nipped in the bud with this defeat, significant progress was still evident in terms of the team’s defensive organisation. Whereas the Minstermen had conceded by the 26-minute mark in five of their six previous meetings with top-seven teams and trailed 2-0 to Chorley, Stockport and Spennymoor before that stage in three of those contests, Adam Bartlett wasn’t required to make a single save until the hour mark and would only dirty his gloves from one further shot all afternoon against the division’s most potent away strikeforce.
City were eventually breached on 81 minutes, but the effort represented only the second goal the team have conceded in seven-and-a-half hours of football since Newton’s move to centre back. If he maintains that level of consistency, the 30-year-old utility man might just regain the respect he had seemingly lost among certain sections of the fan base during an indifferent campaign that had seen him fall completely out of favour under previous boss Sam Collins.
2 Scott Burgess shouldn’t be deterred by his inability to take first-half opportunity
The on-loan Bury midfielder showed excellent anticipation to seize possession in the away half and charge clear on goal. With Jordan Burrow to his left, Burgess’ decision-making was perhaps then a little flawed, as he tried to beat keeper Tony Thompson when a square pass might have been the better option.
Burgess went on to hit the post with the best of City’s four opportunities during the game and the positive 21-year-old should not let his failure to find the net against Altrincham dissuade him from continuing to press forward into promising scoring positions, with only five league goals having been netted by recognised midfielders this season. With one to his name since arriving in January, Burgess’ tally already matches that of Alex Harris and Simon Heslop and is only one behind the normally shot-shy Adriano Moke.
3 City needed greater ammunition from wide areas
Steve Watson has identified crosses into the box as the chief threat his side have faced since his appointment as manager and that again proved the source of Altrincham’s winning goal when John Johnston’s low delivery picked out Josh Hancock in the penalty area. At the other end of the pitch, though, other than Scott Burgess’ free kick that was tamely headed towards goal by Sean Newton deep into stoppage time, the Minstermen did not create one chance from wide areas, highlighting a lack of flank potency in open play.
With full-backs Kallum Griffiths and David Ferguson largely pre-occupied by the respective wing threats of Yusufi Ceesay and Johnston, it was left to Wes York and Alex Kempster to provide attacking impetus in the same areas for City but, while both provided perspiration, they struggled to inject inspiration.
Alex Harris, brought on for Kempster on the left, could not get forward enough either to make his presence felt during a quiet 33-minute cameo and, with a record of just five goals from general play during 11 meetings with top-seven sides this term, a question mark remains over this squad’s potential to unlock and unsettle the division’s leading teams.
4 Top-scorer Jordan Burrow is not getting a sniff of goal
City’s 17-goal leading marksman has managed just two off-target headers in his last four outings, including the North Riding Senior Cup contest against Scarborough, but not his saved penalty shoot-out spot kick in that contest. Remarkably, that means the Minstermen’s most advanced forward player has not managed a shot of any description with his feet during more than six hours of football.
Whether that boils down to inadequate service, a struggle to fashion chances for himself or a combination of both, City chief Steve Watson will be looking to increase his main centre forward’s shot-per-games ratio in forthcoming fixtures.
5 Jon Parkin is struggling to end his five-month goal drought
After being hailed off the bench, the veteran striker arguably made his presence felt in subsequent victories over Alfreton and Ashton United under Steve Watson, but he is now without a goal in his last 11 appearances – all as a substitute – since scoring at Nuneaton back on October 2. If Parkin fails to net in his next appearance, he will equal his longest-ever drought in a season for more than a decade, dating back to when he fired blanks in his first 15 games for Preston following an August 2008 move to the Championship outfit.
Should he be set to hang up his boots at the end of this season, it seems the 37-year-old marksman of 224 senior goals must act quickly to avoid leaving the game without hitting the target in his final six months as a professional.
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Video highlights: York City v Altrincham
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Highlights from York City's 1-0 loss to Altrincham.
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Video credit: Jack Chell/Through the Lens Visuals. Courtesy YorkCityFC via YouTube.
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Please check the club's official website before planning travel.
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Pre-season fixtures:
July
Sat 7: Shildon 1, York City 2
Tue 10: York City 1, Barnsley 7
Sat 14: York City 1, Bradford City 0
Thu 19: York City 1, Leeds United 1
Fri 27: Ilkeston Town 1, York City 6
Vanarama National League (North) fixtures unless otherwise stated:
August
Sat, Aug 4 Chorley 1, York City 0
Tue, Aug 7 York City 1, Stockport County 0
Sat, Aug 11 York City 1, Alfreton Town 2
Tue, Aug 14 Ashton United 0, York City 2
Sat, Aug 18 York City 1, Curzon Ashton 1
Sat, Aug 25 Brackley Town 0, York City 0
Mon, Aug 27 York City 2, Blyth Spartans 0
September
Sat, Sep 1 Hereford 1, York City 1
Sat, Sep 15 York City 0, Kidderminster Harriers 3
Sat, Sep 22 York City 5, Ashton Athletic 0 (Emirates FA Cup 2Q)
Sat, Sep 29 York City 4, Guiseley 2
October
Tue, Oct 2 Nuneaton Borough 2, York City 2
Sat, Oct 6 York City 3, St Ives Town 0 (Emirates FA Cup 3Q)
Sat, Oct 13 Southport 1, York City 2
Sat, Oct 20 Blyth Spartans 0, York City 1 (Emirates FA Cup 4Q)
Sat, Oct 27 AFC Telford United 2. York City 1
Tue, Oct 30 Spennymoor Town 3, York City 0
November
Sat, Nov 3 York City 1, Bradford Park Avenue 4
Sat Nov 10 Swindon Town 2, York City 1 (Emirates FA Cup 1)
Tue, Nov 13 York City 0, Chester 0
Sat, Nov 17 Altrincham 3, York City 0)
Sat, Nov 24 Kidderminster Harriers 1, York City 3 (Buildbase FA Trophy 3Q)
December
Sat, Dec 1 York City 2, FC United Of Manchester 0
Tue, Dec 4 York City 2, Leamington 2
Sat, Dec 8 Boston United 2, York City 0
Sat, Dec 15 Harrogate Town 2, York City 1 (Buildbase FA Trophy 1)
Sat Dec 22 York City 2, Brackley Town 1
Wed, Dec 26 Darlington 5, York City 1
Sat, Dec 29 Blyth Spartans 2, York City 1
January
Tue, Jan 1 York City 4, Darlington 0
Sat, Jan 5 Curzon Ashton 1, York City 0
Tue, Jan 15 York City 6, Redcar 1 (North Riding Cup)
Sat, Jan 19 Stockport County 3, York City 1
Sat, Jan 26 York City 1, Chorley 4
February
Sat, Feb 2 Alfreton Town 2, York City 3
Tue, Feb 5 York City 1, Hereford 2
Sat Feb 9 York City 2, Ashton United 0
Sat, Feb 16 Kidderminster Harriers 1, York City 2
Sat Feb 23 York City 2, Nuneaton Borough 0
March
Sat Mar 2 Leamington 0, York City 1
Tue Mar 5 Scarborough Athletic 3, York City 0 (on penalties) (semi-final North Riding Senior Cup)
Sat Mar 9 York City 0 Altrincham 1
Sat, Mar 16 FC United Of Manchester (A)
Sat, Mar 23 Boston United (H)
Sat Mar 30 Guiseley (A)
April
Sat, Apr 6 Southport (H)
Sat Apr 13 Chester (A)
Fri, Apr 19 Spennymoor Town (H)
Mon, Apr 22 Bradford Park Avenue (A)
Sat, Apr 27 AFC Telford United (H)
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There’s Only One Arthur Bottom was first published as an almost-daily email newsletter in July 1997 and has been distributed continuously since. Subscriber numbers peaked at more than 1,100 when the club’s future was threatened by potential closure in 2001 but more than 800 subscribers, living in more than 30 countries, will receive this edition. Editor Josh Easby started the newsletter from New Zealand (where he lives today) but has variously produced and distributed it from the United Kingdom, Australia and (briefly) Italy.
Over the years, TOOAB subscribers have variously supported the club in many different ways, using the newsletter at times to share ideas that have helped the club and to raise money which has been used to buy much-needed equipment (for the physio room), sponsor members of the youth team and to sponsor senior players’ kit. Subscribers (who often call themselves ‘Arthurites’) often meet up for pre-match/post-match drinks and have arranged functions together.
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The opinions expressed in There's Only One Arthur Bottom do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher, nor is this newsletter endorsed in any way by York City Football Club. Wherever possible, the contributions by subscribers are published unaltered. However submissions will be rejected or amended if they are potentially defamatory or contain language likely to offend other subscribers. Unless good reasons are given, anonymous submissions are rejected. The publisher reserves the right to reproduce contributions to this newsletter on any website associated with the newsletter.
www.tooab.com
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