Mills has sights on Wembley return with York

WHEN the final whistle blew to signal the end of the Conference play-off final in May, Gary Mills fell to his knees with arms outstretched in a celebratory pose that seemed a mixture of both relief and joy.

Such a reaction was understandable after a nerve-shredding contest that had seen the Minstermen fall behind to Luton Town inside 72 seconds before hitting back to clinch promotion thanks to goals from Ashley Chambers and Matty Blair.

For Mills and York, ending an eight-year exile from the Football League with a win over the Hatters was the perfect finale to arguably the most momentous week in the club’s history.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The previous weekend, City had again been at the home of English football lifting the FA Trophy courtesy of a 2-0 win over Newport County while just four days before the play-off triumph the club had been given the green light by the Council to build a new 6,000-capacity community stadium.

No wonder, therefore, that Mills, when talking to the media in the bowels of Wembley 45 minutes or so after the final whistle, described the trio of successes as the “best hat-trick anyone at York City will ever see”.

A little under five months on from that Sunday afternoon in May, the memories of triumphing on such a marvellous stage burn as brightly as ever for Mills. Which is why the City chief is targeting a return trip to north London in this season’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

“We want to get to Wembley and win this competition,” said Mills to the Yorkshire Post ahead of tonight’s tie at home to Coventry City.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“So, we will approach it wanting to win. It is certainly not a game where we will say, ‘Let’s have a look at a few and hope they do well’.

“The team I send out will be one I believe can beat Coventry. Of course, I have a decision to make. Is it time for a couple to have a rest? We have had a lot of games lately.

“There are also some who deserve a chance. Oli Johnson has done well of late. Maybe it is time he got a go so he can show me and all the York fans what he is capable of.”

The Minstermen knocked Rotherham out in the first round five weeks ago tonight thanks to Blair’s late strike after Michael Ingham had performed heroics to keep the South Yorkshire side at bay.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Since then, however, York have found victories hard to come by with just one – a 2-0 triumph at Aldershot on September 29 – from their last seven outings.

Mills added: “We haven’t had too many wins in our last half dozen or so games so we want to get back to winning ways. If you start putting out a weaker side, as in play a couple of younger lads to see how they do, then that can create the attitude, ‘Well, it’s only the Johnstone’s Paint, what does it matter?’

“That is dangerous because it sometimes means you end up losing.

“We want that winning feeling and to show that this is a squad capable of taking on whoever we play.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tonight’s tie means Mills will face a club where he spent a short spell as first-team coach under Gary McAllister.

He had been in charge of Tamworth when the opportunity to move to the Sky Blues came in 2002, an offer that with hindsight the York chief wishes he had turned down.

“At the time, Coventry were in what is now the Championship,” says Mills, who left Highfield Road in January, 2004, to manage Notts County. “So it seemed a good opportunity for me.

“The offer came out of the blue and it was a big decision as I was happy at Tamworth. I soon realised I missed being a manager.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

York must get on the scoresheet tonight to avoid equalling an unwanted club record after failing to find the net in each of their last three home games.

Goalless draws against Rotherham and Cheltenham Town have sandwiched last Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat to Fleetwood Town, meaning another blank against Coventry will mean the current crop will match the unwanted record set in 1972, 1999 and 2009.

City’s away form contrasts sharply with the club having scored in each of their last 23 games away from Bootham Crescent, a record that played a big part in last season’s success.

Hoping to help improve York’s fortunes at home could be Scott Kerr, who is pushing for a first start since suffering a cruciate ligament injury in March.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The former Bradford City and Scarborough midfielder came off the bench in Saturday’s draw with Rotherham for the final 24 minutes.

As of last night, Coventry, who marked their debut in the competition with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Burton Albion, had sold 205 tickets but both sets of fans can pay on the gate.

Last six games: York City DLDWLD, Coventry City LLLWDW.

Referee: G Eltringham (Tyne & Wear).

Last time: York City 1 Coventry City 1; August 29, 1959; Division 3.