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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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Keith Hatfield (Ealing)
I agree with Grahame Hicks (TOOAB, Issue 067) - having established some stability in the League and if their form continues even challenging for the play offs - something rather remote at the turn of the year - why not retain the player’s confidence regardless of the opposition or competition?
Nothing breeds success more than success itself. Added to that there were 1600 people in attendance - I wouldn’t imagine many travelled along the A64 - so the majority being those loyal supporters I referred to a few weeks ago, so surely they deserve some consideration.
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“It’s a weird one!” Jake Wright says his focus is on helping Boston United after loan move from York City
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By Duncan Brown
Jake Wright says his focus is on Boston United - after being tasked with helping the Pilgrims put daylight between themselves and his parent club York City.
The striker made his United debut in last night’s 3-1 defeat to Stockport County, a result which leaves Boston and the Minstermen locked on 45 points.
Striker Wright now finds himself in a bizarre situation where he is looking to help his new side make up the eight points on seventh-placed Altrincham, who sit in the final play-off spot, possibly at the expense of City.
“It is a weird one. The York fans have said the same,” Wright told The Standard.
“There’s another lad called Macauley (Langstaff), he’s gone on loan to Bradford, and they’re above York at the moment.
“Everyone’s fighting for the play-offs as it’s so tight. But I’m playing for Boston, so I’m focussed on them.
“Hopefully, we can get a play-off push, hopefully York can do the same. That’d be the best for both worlds.”
Wright has played alongside former Pilgrims Jordan Burrow and David Ferguson at Bootham Crescent, and spent last year at Harrogate Town with current Pilgrim Ben Middleton.
But it was United skipper George Willis, who he knows from their time at Sheffield United, that Wright turned to for advice on Boston.
“I spoke to George Willis, who I know from Sheffield,” he added.
“There’s nothing worse than going into a room of people you don’t know.
“First impressions are big, but knowing the lads (Willis and Middleton), hopefully they said good things about me.”
United head to Southport on Saturday (KO 3pm), and there’s no doubt what Wright wants to take from the day.
“I feel like my best position is striker,” he said.
“Hopefully, I can get a run of games and get some goals behind me, help the team out.
“Hopefully I can get that first goal, settle my nerves and go from there.”
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David Mirfin set to be available for York City's Altrincham clash
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By Dave Flett
DAVID Mirfin will return to full-contact training tomorrow and should be available for York City’s home match with Altrincham this weekend.
The Press Player of the Month for February missed last weekend’s 1-0 National League North win at Leamington after suffering a facial wound that required 31 stitches during the previous game against Nuneaton.
But the on-loan Mansfield defender is now in line for a recall, as the Minstermen target a fifth straight victory.
Commenting on the 33-year-old centre-back’s return to the fold, City assistant-manager Micky Cummins said: “Dave Mirfin trained on Monday non-contact and will be back for contact training tomorrow.”
Dan Parslow remains under doctors’ supervision following the head injury he suffered more than a month ago against Hereford, but Adriano Moke and Alex Kempster will both be fit despite picking up minor niggles during last night’s North Riding Senior Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at Scarborough Athletic.
Having been loaned out to Boston United for 28 days, Jake Wright has also been told to make sure he returns ready to make an impact at Bootham Crescent during the final weeks of the campaign next month.
Macaulay Langstaff is set to be recalled next week, meanwhile, from his month-long stint at Bradford Park Avenue, where he scored the winning goal in last night’s 2-1 home triumph over Leamington, with Cummins adding: “Just like we have done with Macaulay, we will use Jake’s loan to our advantage, because he should some back sharper and fitter.
“The formation we are playing doesn’t really lend itself to having three strikers on the pitch, so 20 minutes here and there is not really beneficial to them and they need games to keep them up to speed.”
Cummins went on to reveal that the club are still on the lookout for a new attacker, but there was “nothing concrete” to report on that front, while teenage keeper Ryan Whitley was hailed as the biggest plus point from City’s Cup exit on the coast.
Whitley, who has trained with Manchester City, Liverpool and the England youth set-up in the past, kept a clean sheet as the teams were deadlocked at 0-0 over 90 minutes before the tie was settled on spot kicks, with Cummins enthusing: “We really like young Ryan and he has big potential.
“We chucked him into a hostile environment (at Scarborough), and I thought he was very good. He controlled his back-line well.
“We look at the tactical and technical information he gives to the back four and the midfield and you could hear him being quite vocal. His distribution was also pretty good, along with his decision-making and, at 6ft 4in, he carries his frame really well and has a presence.
“He got the defenders out of trouble a couple of times and has the confidence to come out with his knee up. He’s performing really well in training and his shot-stopping has got better.
“Athletically, he’s improving too, because he’s got himself into the gym and is looking trimmer. He’s pushing Adam (Bartlett) and they work really well together.
“Adam has nothing but praise for him and is pushing him along, as is the goalkeeper coach (Andy Collett). He’s come on in leaps and bounds even during the short period we have been here and there’s more to come from him.”
But the City coach was less pleased that Whitley’s opposite number at the Flamingo Land Stadium – Tommy Taylor – was only forced into one save during normal time when he caught an inswinging David Ferguson corner under his own crossbar.
Along with Ferguson, City strikers Jordan Burrow and Alex Kempster and midfield pair Scott Burgess and Adriano Moke all kicked off the tie, as Steve Watson included five players that started against Leamington at the weekend, with Cummins saying: “When it comes down to penalties, it’s all about who is the bravest and two of our lads missed the target, but the bigger concern was we fielded quite a strong team and, over the 90 minutes, we didn’t create much in terms of clear-cut chances to win the game.”
The other five outfield players on duty at Scarborough had all featured in the first team this term, but Cummins confessed that none of the quintet are likely to earn recalls as the club look to rack up a fifth straight win on Saturday.
“Joe Tait, Tom Bradbury, Alex Harris, Josh Law and Nathan Dyer all needed minutes and it was an opportunity to give them game time to see what we have in the group,” Cummins pointed out. “They did OK and the game gave us food for thought in some positions but, off the back of four wins on the trot, we won’t be changing anything on Saturday unless it’s forced on us.”
The Minstermen contributed significantly to a big crowd of 1,608 for the semi-final clash and, on the following for what has traditionally been treated as a reserve-team tournament, Cummins declared: “It was quite a lively atmosphere and our fans were quality as usual.
“We have got their backing and we will give them our support too and it was good for our young players to play in front of that type of crowd.”
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Next game: Altrincham (H)
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By Ian Appleyard
City host Altrincham on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm) in Vanarama National League North.
The Minstermen have won four consecutive league games and closed the gap on seventh placed Altrincham to eight points.
Victory would reduce the gap to five points with a further eight games of the season still to play.
Goals from Josh Hancock (2) and Jake Moult gave Altrincham all three points when the two sides met in November at Moss Lane.
For details of admission prices visit:https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/news/home-ticket-news
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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 Altrincham (H)
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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