Bootham Crescent secured for YCFC "for the foreseeable future"

Bootham Crescent

Bootham Crescent has been the home ground of York City for over 70 years. It's a small, friendly football ground in the middle of streets of Victorian terraced houses. In 1996 there were fabulous plans for its development, and an assertion by the club's board of their "decision to re-develop and improve the ground at Bootham Crescent". Moving to another stadium on a greenfield site was "not financially viable".

Financial viability is, of course, a driving force. This is perhaps why Bootham Crescent Holdings formed in 1999, to split the club from the ground it played in.

In 2002 it became obvious that the future of Bootham Crescent was threatened. It was no longer seen as a football ground, but as a piece of prime building land in an area in great demand. In late summer 2002 the house builder Persimmon lodged a planning application to build houses on the site.

In the months that followed, the club itself in financial difficulty, it became clear that it was this prime asset that attracted any bidder for the club. It seemed that only the fans themselves cared about Bootham Crescent as a football ground.

Persimmon's planning application stated: "The site is clearly not suitable for continued use as a stadium." Yet only a few years previously there had been plans to improve and develop the site. Strange how the same place can be viewed so differently, to suit different purposes.

There is nothing wrong with Bootham Crescent, which meets all league requirements. It is valued not only because it represents 70 years of the club's history, but because it is placed in the heart of a community, close to our city centre, accessible to all.

Bootham Crescent saved "for the forseeable future"

On 4 February 2004 the club's board announced that a solution has been reached - which means that Bootham Crescent will remain the home of York City FC for the foreseeable future. This page includes just a few comments from the many thousands of people who love Bootham Crescent and are delighted to see it remain as it should be - a football ground at the heart of the community.

All football clubs are built on history and tradition. Outsiders always mention the Minster (we hardly give it a second thought or glance), it's there and always has been and we just accept it. BC is the same, yes it may seem tatty and is certainly not the Reebok Stadium, but it is our home where we all cut our teeth on football. People have laughed and cried, cheered and died at Bootham Crescent and it is OUR home. We don't want to be a faceless, souless Premier League giant. We want OUR team playing at OUR home wearing OUR shirts with pride.

Dave Wallace, posting on www.yorkcityfc.com, 7 Nov 2002

Dear Douglas, when you finally get your hands on your 4.5 million pounds I would be very grateful if you would forward me a cheque for £15,467.57 in payment for my fathers efforts on the following:

a) work on the popular stand (paid for by the supporters)
b) work on the transfer booths (both ends of the pop stand)
c) work on the first programme shop, including its relocation from York Station platform in 1968.
d) Labour supplied to unload several thousand large blocks for the construction of the Grovenor road end external wall.

You will probably note that more sweat and effort was put in by my father and dozens like him for no payment than you have ever offered this great football club.
. . .
p.s.When the cheque arrives I will donate it back to the club I love. In memory of Victor Alexander Nicoll died 1990 aged 71.


Barry Nicoll, writing in There's only one Arthur Bottom on Jan 13, 2002