We hear from our resident sports writer and York City F. C. fan, Simon Pattinson.
What a whirlwind of a month it has been in sport around York! York City are doing as I thought and certainly looking very at home in the National League – it has been a while since I, amongst other fans have been able to say that, I think!
The biggest news is that John Askey has signed a new deal and with the positivity surrounding his management and the club at the moment, it has clearly made Askey realise, that this club is heading in the right direction. It is fair to say that York as a football club has lacked stability for a number of years now, and what Askey is building feels like something very special- something that hasn’t been achieved since Gary Mills took charge in 2012. I feel like I go on about this in a lot of the columns, but it is so vital for where the club needs to be back in its rightful home of the football league. As I say, these things do take time but everyone is pulling in the right direction now and this effort can be so very powerful for any club or sporting team.
The next month ahead is looking like one of our toughest as the table starts to slowly take shape. We have come up against some top ex-league clubs and maybe the results haven’t gone our way or missed the chance to steal a win but we’ve put in a performance. Let’s see what happens, I guess! As I write, Askey has admitted to wanting to add a couple of players, and he could do with that backing to get those extra men in.
As much as we are causing teams problems, we need to be putting the ball in the back of the net more and those attacking areas need to up their game. I know I say we are doing well but I think if I look back so far, there have been so many goal-scoring opportunities squandered and that cannot happen- we need someone who can get a few more goals. They are gold dust at this level, but as always I believe in Askey to find someone who will do the job and do it well.
In rugby, York City Knights have just finished the season well against Workington and hopefully, this sort of performance sees them into the playoffs. It feels like we have been talking about them for a few months now, with the way they managed to secure their spot so early on. It’s a credit to this team that has done so well once again under James Ford, and despite the blip and injuries in some of those final league matches of the season, you can see there is a great spirit amongst them and as with the football, it really could take them far.
You can’t say that the Knights fans would ever have predicted this over ten years ago and it just shows how far you can go if you’re all pulling in the same direction. On a side note, I would like to wish Joe Porter well as he has decided to retire at the end of the season. The prop has been a huge part of the recent success of the club which had finished as League One champions in 2018 and placed 3rd in the Championship last season. All the best Joe, and hopefully it will be a happy retirement with a great end to the season!
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