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The daily email newsletter serving York City fans since 1997
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By Ian Appleyard
Today's game at FC United of Manchester was postponed following a 2pm pitch inspection.
A date for the re-arranged fixture will be announced in due course.
Apologies to all supporters who made the journey across to rainy Manchester.
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York City boss Steve Watson argues FC United pitch was playable
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By Dave Flett
YORK City boss Steve Watson believes his team’s postponed National League North clash at FC United of Manchester should have gone ahead.
The Broadhurst Park playing surface passed two inspections at 10.15am and 1pm, but referee Amy Fearn deemed it “unsafe” an hour before kick-off as a dropped ball failed to bounce in several areas of the pitch and also stopping sharply when kicked along the ground.
But Watson argued that the ground would have improved with players running on it and declared that he had played Premier League games in worse conditions. “Both managers wanted the game to be played and, personally, I didn’t think it was that bad,” the City boss claimed. “But the referee didn’t ask for our opinion - she just explained the reasons and we wouldn’t have been able to change her mind.
“I’ve played in conditions that have been a lot worse, but it boils down to opinions and the only one that matters is the referee’s and you have to respect it. She deemed it unsafe, but there is danger in any game with the ball stopping and somebody getting hurt – that’s the sport.
“I know the rain was relentless and non-stop for three hours, but once the players are on the pitch the stud marks can help drain the water as well.”
Watson went on to argue that he was disappointed that an earlier decision could not have made to spare City’s supporters making the journey across the M62.
Nearby National League North contests at Altrincham and Guiseley were both postponed before 10am, as were fixtures at FC United’s League Two neighbours Bury and Oldham.
On his side’s match being called off so close to kick-off, Watson admitted: “It was the worst-case scenario to get everybody here and have the fans standing out in the rain waiting to hear if it was on. They might have got half-priced pies (an away kiosk was actually handing out free burgers following the announcement), but everyone travelled and prepared for the game only for it to be called off an hour before kick-off.
“It’s not really a problem schedule wise for us, because we have no other midweek games, but I feel for the supporters. I don’t think it was right to take it up until an hour before the game when everybody had got here. Probably the best time to call it off would have been at 10.30am.”
A first inspection, arranged for 9.30am, was delayed by 45 minutes when a locally-based Football League referee was stuck in traffic.
Matchday official Fearn conducted the next two and, defending her eventual call and the decision to stage three separate inspections, she said: “The ball was not bouncing in significant areas and that would have compromised player safety.
“The inspection at 9.30am was done by a Football League referee and the pitch was deemed fit to play. Then, when I arrived at 12, the ball was bouncing fine, but the playing surface just deteriorated in the hour between 1pm and 2pm.”
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Weekend results
Alfreton Town P-P Hereford
Altrincham P-P Brackley Town
Blyth Spartans P-P Nuneaton Borough
Boston United 0-2 Chorley
Darlington P-P Chester
FC United of Manchester P-P York City
Guiseley P-P Curzon Ashton
Kidderminster Harriers 2-1 Spennymoor Town
Leamington 1-0 Southport
League table
Today's results leave the club in 12th position on the 22-team Vanarama National League (North) table. Clubs in positions 2-7 at the end of the regular season will qualify for the promotion play-offs while the first-placed club is automatically promoted. The bottom three clubs are automatically relegated. An updated table is available here.
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Submit your views for publication by emailing the editor here.
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Ex-York City defender Graeme Law graduates as a doctor
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By Dave Flett
ONCE upon a time, opening a pub was the fall-back option for retired footballers seeking a career outside of the game.
Nowadays, you’re more likely to see ex-professionals making a living from pushing the virtues of nutritional products.
Whatever the merits of an apple a day, though, few have gone on to become doctors.
Former York City right-back Graeme Law, therefore, has joined a small band of players, including Brazilian legend Socrates, to have earned that title.
Law, now 34, has just graduated from the University of Chester, who offered him a research bursary to complete a PhD study, where he researched and examined the monetisation of social relations within the working lives of professional footballers.
The former Scotland under-19 international had previously studied for a BA in Physical Education (PE) and Sports Coaching at York St John University, where he now teaches PE and Sports Coaching.
His PhD followed a Master’s degree in Sociology of Sport and Exercise at Chester.
As a footballer, meanwhile, Law played 35 times for the Minstermen between 2004 and 2005, before later spells with Dundee, Tamworth, Northwich and Farsley Celtic.
He, therefore, benefitted from easy access to past-and-present footballers to collate data for his doctorate and now hopes his research can assist clubs in helping players cope better with pressures attached to the game.
In a week when Paul Merson emotionally admitted that he had again fallen victim to his gambling addiction, Law’s thesis addresses the perils of battling betting demons amongst other issues and he declared: “I want to help clubs realise that players are not just a number – they’re people who need supporting throughout their careers and guiding towards a successful life after their playing days are over.
“They feel pressure to live up to the image of the top-level player, even if they’re not, and many turn to gambling. It’s a release, something they can do alone and with teammates and allows them to break their daily routine and they get little or no guidance on how to handle money no matter what level of the game they’re playing.
“They need to be encouraged to think about how they’re going to make a living when they stop playing, because not everyone can be a coach or a TV pundit.”
Dr Daniel Bloyce, the University of Chester’s deputy head of department of sports and science, was impressed, meanwhile, by the standard of Law’s work, adding: “It’s a rare combination – an academic and former professional footballer – and Graeme’s final piece of work was as good a PhD as you are ever likely to see in the area of the sociology of sport.”
SEAN Newton is a clear leader of The Press Player of the Month standings for March.
The 30-year-old utility man is eight points ahead of nearest challengers Scott Burgess and Alex Kempster.
Newton has opened up such a commanding gap after scooping our man-of-the-match award and winning the online poll after last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat to Altrincham, collecting five points in the process.
He had received both accolades following the previous Saturday’s 1-0 triumph at Leamington.
The other Press points from the Altrincham match were awarded to Burgess (two) and David Ferguson (one) as our second and third-highest performers respectively.
The Press Player of the Year standings: Bartlett 27, Burrow 27, Griffiths 24, Newton 16, Wright 14, Moke 11, York 11, Ferguson 10, Heslop 9, Penn 9, Tait 9, Bray 8, Kempster 7, Burgess 6, Parkin 6, Langstaff 5, Mirfin 5, Allan 4, Bencherif 4, Burgess 6, Davis 4, Agnew 3, Digie 3, Dyer 3, Harris 3, Law 3, McLaughlin 3, Hawkins 2, McAughtrie 1, Parslow 1.
The Press Player of the Month standings for March: Newton 10, Burgess 2, Kempster 2, Bencherif 1, Ferguson 1.
Goals: Burrow 17, Langstaff 5, Wright 5, Kempster 4, Newton 4, Bencherif 3, Parkin 3, York 3, Ferguson 2, Harris 2, Moke 2, Tait 2, Bray 1, Burgess 1, Griffiths 1, Hawkins 1, Heslop 1.
Assists: Burrow 10, Harris 6, Ferguson 4, Langstaff 4, Law 4, Wright 4, Parkin 3, Bray 3, Griffiths 3, York 3, Bartlett 2, Allan 1, Agnew 1, Bencherif 1, Digie 1, Dyer 1, Hawkins 1, Heslop 1, Kempster 1, McLaughlin 1, Newton 1, Tait 1.
Discipline: Wright eight yellow cards; Heslop seven yellow; Moke, Newton both six yellow; Bencherif five yellow; Griffiths, four yellow; Tait one red, two yellow; Davis three yellow; Ferguson, Law both two yellow; Penn one red, one yellow; Bray one red; Allan, Burgess, Hawkins, Kempster, Langstaff, McAughtrie, McLaughlin, York all one yellow.
FORMER City pair Andy Leaning and Iain Dunn will be answering supporters’ questions in a York City Supporters’ Trust event at Acomb Conservative Club on Tuesday.
The free event starts at 7.30pm and both players will also be interviewed by Match of the Day commentator Guy Mowbray.
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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) - postponed
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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