Resident sports writer and York City F. C. fan, Simon Pattinson, pays tribute to the late Billy McEwan.
Since the last time I wrote this column, the sad news of Billy McEwan passing away reached us and so it feels only right that I start this month’s column about him. For me, and many fans my age feel like he was one of the first managers that really made us sit up and take pride in supporting York City. When he came to the club we were on a real downward spiral and funnily enough, it felt like we were heading to exactly where we are right now – playing regional football. Who knew that would happen all these years later…!
I don’t think it has ever been mentioned enough that not only was he a great manager and got fans excited again playing some great football during his time here, but he really turned the club around in fortunes and made others take us seriously again. He dragged us from being relegation fodder to challenging to get into the football league once again.
We all know how it ended for Billy at the club and he came close to succeeding before suffering defeat in the play-off semi-final against a Morecambe team who have cemented themselves into the football league pyramid since.
Thanks to Billy, we became a free-scoring side who brought us to the attention of Clayton Donaldson who lit Bootham Crescent up every week, he also brought through Andy Bishop and Joe O’Neill who many also forget about in that season. Together, they scored over 50 goals between them in that first season. He improved these players, gave them a chance and also helped carve them football league careers with the likes of others he brought into the club like the midfield behemoth Emmanuel Panther, Martyn Woolford and of course Richard Brodie among others. All I can say is thank you Billy and I am sure many other fans will in doing what you did. It’s no surprise that in these recent years when we have been as bad as we have been that I see on Twitter other fans saying ‘Bring back Billy McEwan! He’ll give them a rocket!’
And I bet he would too! Thank you, Billy, for the good times and for allowing me to reminisce some good times.
Moving back into the present, it has also seen many of us start to look up the table again. I hope that the good fortunes do continue. We have managed to win 6 games in a row, the first time since the 2017/18 season. John Askey, whatever happens come the end of this season, must stay beyond the summer and be given chance to build his side with us. What we have seen has been nothing short of miraculous in the turnaround that we have seen from the players that were here under Steve Watson as well as adding the necessary quality to bolster those who remain.
The biggest mention has to go to Mitch Hancox who has been a revelation since being moved up the pitch into a midfield position. The energy, and most importantly, the goals he has been scoring sum up this team so well. Let’s hope the performances continue. I am still concerned at the lack of defensive cover but it really does feel like a team effort that you trust whoever comes in will do a job and put a shift in. When was the last time we said that?
Another big mention to the unbeaten Ladies side too who continue to simply score goals for fun at the moment. It feels that there is huge optimism around all the teams at the moment. Keep it up!
Add a comment