How York City's promotion winning triumph restores pride to the city - Robert Beaumont

"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you it’s much more serious than that”, the legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly once famously said

.I suspect there was an ironic twinkle in those sparkling Scottish eyes when Shankly made this comment, but there’s no doubt that our national game has the capacity to enter our hearts and our souls and never leave.

I know this through painful personal experience. For the past 50 years I have been a passionate supporter of York City FC. There have been some highs along the way (beating Arsenal, Manchester Utd, Chelsea, Everton and Manchester City) and some lows.

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My goodness there have been some lows; it would take a whole broadsheet page to describe how and why my beloved club plummeted down the leagues to end up playing regional football in National League North in 2017. I will spare you the grim details.

York City defeated Boston Utd earlier this month in front of a delirious capacity crowd at our new LNER Stadium at Monks Cross to gain promotion to the National League and end five years in the footballing wilderness. Picture: Tony JohnsonYork City defeated Boston Utd earlier this month in front of a delirious capacity crowd at our new LNER Stadium at Monks Cross to gain promotion to the National League and end five years in the footballing wilderness. Picture: Tony Johnson
York City defeated Boston Utd earlier this month in front of a delirious capacity crowd at our new LNER Stadium at Monks Cross to gain promotion to the National League and end five years in the footballing wilderness. Picture: Tony Johnson
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Almost as embarrassing, I fear, as having the disgraced Prince Andrew as our titular duke. So, when York City defeated Boston Utd earlier this month in front of a delirious capacity crowd at our new LNER Stadium at Monks Cross to gain promotion to the National League and end five years in the footballing wilderness, some of that embarrassment has disappeared, although it would be wrong to say that it has completely evaporated.

A team that has thrashed Manchester United at Old Trafford really shouldn’t be playing non-league football, but there’s no doubt that a certain amount of pride in our football team has returned to the city. As the Lord Mayor of York, Coun Chris Cullwick, said at a civic reception for our promotion-winning team: “As a city we are proud of our football club and their success in gaining promotion. York City celebrates their 100th anniversary as a club this year. Having been the club’s chaplain previously, I was delighted to welcome them to York’s newly restored Guildhall to celebrate their success in their centenary year.”

Coun Keith Aspden, leader of the City of York Council, added: “I know that everyone across the city will join me in celebrating this fantastic achievement. Of course, ahead of the final match against Boston, there were the usual pre-match nerves, but the players and coaching staff put in outstanding displays to secure promotion to the National League.

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“We know how important football is to the fans and to the way the city is perceived and this success puts York City, York and the LNER Community Stadium back on the footballing map.”

Indeed, let’s hope so. While York will never be in the same league (metaphorically speaking) as cities like Liverpool or Manchester, when productivity on a Monday morning surges after a win and slumps after a defeat at the weekend, there’s no doubt that there’s a “feelgood factor” now in the city. It’s not quite the same as it was in the mid-1980s, when York City became the first team ever to win over 100 points in a season in the League, whilst putting Arsenal to the sword and holding the mighty Liverpool to two tantalising draws – and very nearly winning at Anfield – in the FA Cup. Those were exhilarating times.

It’s baby steps right now. But there’s a sense of quiet anticipation and of hope, buoyed by a brand-new stadium, a proper manager in John Askey and a team that battles to the end. Pride has returned to the club – and to the city.

Robert Beaumont is a public relations consultant

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