York City boss Adam Hinshelwood on why play-off history can revive Minstermen after Oldham Athletic heartache
IF there was any solace for York City on a painful night for their stunned supporters in the home sections of a packed-out LNER Community Stadium on Tuesday evening, it arrived in the form of recent history.
Once the bruising subsides following their side’s 3-0 National League play-off semi-final reverse to Roses rivals Oldham Athletic - probably after next weekend’s final in truth - it might just provide a touch of comfort as thoughts turn to summer and beyond.
Those particularly empathetic to the Minstermen’s plight, following their own bitter experiences of something similar, will be Barnet, Chesterfield, Wrexham and Stockport County.
All bowed out in the Conference play-offs in previous seasons - including three on home soil in a semi-final like York - but dusted themselves down sufficiently enough to be promoted in the following campaign. Not only clinch promotion, but lift the title, no less.
That the competition’s last four league winners have all picked themselves off the floor from the pits of play-off despair in the space of 12 months is surely worthy of note and not just a statistical anomaly.
Perhaps the most pertinent case study for York is provided by the side who beat them to league silverware in 2024-25 in champions Barnet.
Like York, the Bees finished in second place in a regular season - 23-24 - but subsequently crashed out in the end-of-season lottery to a visiting side who trailed them by a double-digit points tally in the league campaign in Solihull Moors.
Back in April 2024, the Midlanders triumphed 4-0 at The Hive to ignominiously end Barnet’s promotion hopes. This season, Barnet amassed over a century of points.
Alongside those occurrences, York boss Adam Hinshelwood is also conscious of the incremental growth of several of those aforementioned clubs over a broader period of time.
Hinshelwood, whose side mustered 96 points in the regular season - 23 more than Oldham - said: "There needs to be a bit of reality.
"It’s taken Barnet three seasons to come through after missing out on the play-offs (they finished 18th in 2021-22) and took Wrexham a couple of seasons and Notts County. Chesterfield got in the play-offs and learnt from it. Probably this is where we are, unfortunately.
"I know that is not easy to say now when you have been knocked out in the semi-finals. But there’s lots of positives from this season and now it’s about building to make sure we come back even stronger and give it another go and try and improve on this season.”
On a play-off evening where next to nothing went right for York, it was easy to forget how far they have travelled in 2024-25.
Perspective is certainly required at a club who were desperately scrapping to secure their divisional status when Hinshelwood came into the building less than 15 months ago.
What a ride it has been since and there’s surely more than a fair chance of more rewarding chapters to come if their progress continues.
Hinshelwood continued: "I said to the lads to take the hurt from this game. I don’t want this game to (not) justify what we have done all season. They have been unbelievable.
"One night was too much for us, but it’s a new group together and we learn from the disappointment. It was so disappointing; what an atmosphere and I think we showed how big this club can be.
"I’d like to see more nights (atmospheres) like this and become the norm. The fans - home and away - have been unbelievable."
As with every side who just miss out on promotion, there will be some close-season changes, that said.
Hinshelwood remains hopeful of keeping the bulk of his squad together for another push, although for one player, it could be goodbye on one front in the shape of Lenell John-Lewis.
The veteran forward, who recently turned 36, is out of contract, although Hinshelwood is not ruling out him staying at the club in some capacity.
"There’s a conversation we will have,” the former Worthing boss added.
"I can’t speak highly enough of Lenell as a person and a player. He’s a great athlete and you need your leaders and he’s definitely that.
"He’s an absolute example to everybody; every young player we have. He’s been brilliant for us and was just disappointing for him when he got injured as he did as he was flying when he was coming off the bench and scoring goals. But even after that he came back quickly and was in unbelievable shape.
"By the end of the week, we’ve got to sit down and have a structure in place for what we want it to look like next season.
"There’s a lot of players in contract still and a couple out of contract. The hard work will start again very quickly and after a break, we will start the process to improve and do better."