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The History of York City FC 2000 onwards:

1999-2000  

After relegation the previous season hopes were high of a quick return to Division 2 for City. How wrong those hopes were to be! The season started on the right note with a 1-0 win over eventual Champions Swansea courtesy of a goal from ex-Blackburn and Wolves midfielder Mark Atkins. But it was downhill from there on. A 0-3 home defeat to Rochdale and a 3-6 hammering at Barnet saw 17 year old goalkeeper Russell Howarth replaced by the experienced Bobby Mimms but it did not stop the rot and it was October before City registered another win, by which time only Chester were below them in the League. This was the first of three consecutive victories, to raise hopes a little, but City went into the New Year in 20th spot with the fans calling for manager Neil Thompson to resign.

A 0-1 defeat at Mansfield saw Thompson relieved of his duties on 10th February. Former Hull manager Terry Dolan was the surprise choice as new City boss and he drafted in Mark Bower from Bradford and Peter Hawkins from Wimbledon on loan as the emphasis was placed on defence in the battle to keep City up. Dolan's biggest coup, though, was the signing of Northern Ireland international keeper Alan Fettis from Blackburn. Results were ground out and safety was assured with four games to go when City won 1-0 at Cheltenham, Mark Sertori scoring the winner. The final home game against Halifax saw the visitors finish the match with just eight players after three of the Halifax side were sent off, it will also be remembered for Yorkie the Lion's famous "Water Bottle" spat with Halifax's Graham Mitchell which the Stewards had to break up. An amusing end to what certainly was not an amusing season.

The 39 League goals scored by City was an equal record low with the 75/76 season. Barry Conlon was top scorer with 11.In the Cups city went out at the first hurdle in all three,1-3 on aggregate against Wigan in the League Cup,0-1 against non-league Hereford in the FA cup and 0-1 against Hull City in the Auto Windscreens Trophy, the latter match being watched by just 1005 people, the second lowest attendance for a City match at Bootham Crescent.

2000-01

Much travelled Peter Duffield, and David McNiven were two of City's new close season signings in a bid to score more goals this season. Alan Fettis' loan was also made permanent, much to the delight of the City faithful. Duffield had scored three in six games before he broke a leg against Scunthorpe in September. He never played again all season. One of those goals was the first goal to be scored in the league this season, against Chesterfield, but the Spireites still ran out 4-1 winners and once again it was a season long struggle for City. The best display was in the aforementioned Scunthorpe match where City ran the visitors ragged to win 2-0.The victories, though,were few and far between and once again City entered the New Year amongst the relegation candidates. Yet again the fans were calling for the managers to go and it all came to a head on 17th February when bottom team Exeter came to Bootham Crescent and won 3-0 to send the home team onto the bottom spot. A demonstration in the Car park followed the match but Dolan and the board of directors just poured scorn on those who dared to protest. The players must have took notice though because with 16 matches remaining they lost only 2,won 6 and drew 8 to rally to a 17th place finish. By this time Lee Nogan had arrived on loan from Darlington and scored 6 goals to help City to safety, which was secured with a last minute equalising goal ,straight from a corner, by Graham Potter in the penultimate game at Torquay.

In the Cups City went out in the first round of the Worthington and LDV,1-5 against Stoke and 0-4 against Darlington respectively. But the FA cup brought a bit of joy .City beat non-league Radcliffe 4-0 in the first round and drew Division 2 leaders Reading in the second. Reading were cruising 2-0 until goals from David McNiven and a 30 yarder from Alex Mathie gave them a replay at the Majdeski Stadium. Nobody gave City much chance but they ran out 3-1 winners with goals from Agnew and two hotly disputed strikes from Iwelumo and Alcide. Premiership Leicester was the next call and 3000 City fans travelled to Filbert Street. Iwelumo missed a great chance to put City ahead but shot wide when clear with only the keeper to beat. Leicester looked comfortable from then on and won 3-0 with ex-City star Richard Cresswell scoring the third.

All in all another pretty grim season with no real bright spots on the horizon either.

2001-02

This season events on the field were overshadowed by events OFF it as in December 2001 chairman Douglas Craig announced the club was for sale. If a buyer was not found by the end of January 2002 the club would offer its resignation to the FL and York City would cease to exist at the end of the 2001/02 season. Several parties showed interest in the club but the buyer was the Cheshire based owner of the B and Q Racing Team, John Batchelor. Batchelor promised a new stadium and Premiership football for York, but it was all to end in tears less than a year later.

On the pitch City got off to a better start than the previous two seasons and at the end of October were just two points off a play-off spot. But they took just 5 points from the next 30,failing to win in ten league games and by January were in their now customary spot,just one point off the bottom. A fine 2-1 win over local rivals Hull was City's first win in eleven games, but when new chairman Batchelor took over on 12th March City were still second from bottom, albeit 12 points ahead of Halifax with 3 games in hand. City won 6 of the last 11 games though to finish a creditable 14th,three places higher than the previous season. Top scorer was Michael Proctor, on loan from Sunderland, who scored 14.

In the Cups City went out in the first round of the League cup against Crewe 6-5 on pens after a 1-1 draw but the FA cup again provided some respite from the poor league season. Colchester were beaten on penalties after a replay ,then City beat Reading for the second year running .A 0-0 draw at Grimsby was followed by a replay at York which saw hundreds locked out as City brushed aside the First division opposition with ease. Premiership big-spenders Fulham were the next opponents but goals from Malbranque and Marlet ended City's hopes for another season in front of an almost full house at Bootham Crescent. Fulham chairman Mohammed Al Fayed donated their share of the gate receipts to the newly formed York City Supporters Trust as an act of goodwill.

A better season for City finally with some promising new signings particularly Jon Parkin a 19 year old from defender cum striker from Barnsley. Though events off the field were to get even worse.

2002-03

Although the 2002-03 campaign eventually ended in anti-climax, the overall feeling for the fans at the end of the season was relief, as the club was rescued from the brink of closure by it's own Supporters' Trust. 

Meanwhile, on the pitch the early signs were good, as City reached 2nd in the table early on, and manager Terry Dolan was rewarded for his efforts with the Manager Of The Month award for August. However, the team's form waned and by November City were lingering around mid-table, having crashed out of the Worthington Cup and the LDV Vans Trophy in the First Round.

Fortunately, City then went on a four-game winning streak and looked to be in a position to challenge for promotion when the news was announced that, due to mounting financial difficulties, the club had been placed into administration. City then experienced their customary mid-season slump as they failed to win in five games over the Christmas period, and just when they appeared to have turned the corner with a 3-1 win over Swansea, two more killer blows struck the team. The club was not in a position to be able to pay the players' wages, and as a result goalkeeper Alan Fettis and striker Peter Duffield, who had already notched up 15 goals, enough to become City's top scorer for the season, departed to rivals Hull City and Boston United respectively. 

The club brought in Michael Ingham on loan from Sunderland as a replacement in goal, and City then embarked on a 7 game unbeaten run. By the time of the Trust's takeover on March the 27th the club were in a healthy league position, and in the Trust's first match in charge a 2-0 home victory over Southend saw the club rise into the automatic promotion places with six games remaining. Sadly, the club failed to win any of these six and finished in 10th place, just outside the playoffs. 

Although City had amassed their highest points total for 8 years, the new board felt it was time for a change and, during the close season, replaced Dolan with 27-year-old Chris Brass, who took over as player-manager with veteran striker Lee Nogan as his assistant. The club's excellent home form which saw them lose just three times in the league at Bootham Crescent, coupled with the fear that every next match could be the club's last, meant that City achieved their highest average attendance for 9 years of 4176.

2003-04

2003-2004 was a season that started so well for the Minstermen, yet it turned into a nightmare and saw the side relegated following a winless streak of 20 games. Many fans expected a struggle but the first four games were anything but. City won 2-1 on a boiling hot Saturday afternoon against Carlisle to open the season, veteran striker Lee Nogan and promising midfielder Lee Bullock netting. Somehow, they beat Northampton 1-0, Bullock scored a superb goal to beat Huddersfield by the same scoreline, and they followed this up with a 2-0 home win against Southend. The side was never really convincing though despite the successful start, and three defeats in a row against Lincoln, Yeovil and Rochdale dampened expectations. 

For most of the first half of the season, the Reds maintained a play off challenge. The form of midfielder Bullock in particular was a revelation, with several higher division clubs looking to secure the services of the midfielder. After a disappointing 1-0 defeat to rivals Hull City on Boxing Day, City won 2-1 at Rochdale courtesy of a brace from Nogan, and 2-0 at home to bottom team Carlisle to leave the side just a couple of points off the play off spot. 

Then it appeared someone had flicked a switch, results seemed more unlucky than anything else at first, with narrow defeats against Northampton, Huddersfield and Hull, but things really began to change following a 4-1 home thrashing by Lincoln City. After yet another away defeat at Kidderminster, who were struggling at the wrong end of the table, again by 4 goals to 1, City fans began to look nervously over their shoulders. By the time April had arrived, former Minsterman Graham Potter netted in Macclesfield’s 2-0 win to send City into the relegation zone, where they stayed, finally going down with a 3-1 defeat at Doncaster. It became clearer and clearer manager brass wasn’t up to the job, but some fans continued to back him for the following Conference campaign…………

2004-05

The 2004-2005 season was expected by some fans to be a successful year as manager brass was handed a wage budget the third highest in the league. Experienced campaigners such as Paul Groves and Steve Davis were added to the side. However, excepting an easy 2-0 home win against Tamworth, the side started the season appallingly. Defeats against Aldershot, Hereford, and Accrington were eclipsed with a 4-0 thrashing at part timers Gravesend and Northfleet. City fans were understandably angry at the useless displays of the likes of Shaun Smith, and veteran keeper Paul Crichton who was sacked by the club following an argument with a fan. 

Despite a surprising but welcome 3-0 success at Dagenham and Redbridge, City slumped to further humiliation with draws against Leigh RMI and Northwich. Former City assistant boss Viv Busby was added to the managerial team, with instant success as the Reds put together a 4 game unbeaten run with wins at Burton and Stevenage giving fans hope. The form of winger/striker Paul Robinson in particular was outstanding. But, things got worse again with City shipping seven goals in two away games against Barnet and Carlisle, and then, the ultimate humiliation, a 3-1 home defeat against minnows Forest Green Rovers. The City boss finally took action, sacking brass and appointing Busby on a temporary basis. A mini revival gave the team wins against Carlisle and Crawley, but the subsequent double defeat to Scarborough and Burton meant City started the new year close to the foot of the table. 

After an indifferent period which saw City win against Leigh and Morecambe but get beaten against Aldershot and Burton, manager busby announced he’d had enough and Billy McEwan was appointed boss. Despite many of the players being clearly not good enough for the Conference, McEwan secured vital wins against Exeter, and league winners Barnet that kept the side in the league. Goalscorers were loanee John Maloney and winger Kev Donovan in a 2-1 win. Despite more humiliations against Carlisle (6-0) and Canvey (4-0) the side finished the season by turning in a good 4-0 home win against relegated Farnborough.