York City Football Club is a professional association football club based in York, North Yorkshire, England. The history of York City F.C. from 1922 to 1980 covers the period from the club's foundation, through their progress in the Football League, to the end of the 1979–80 season.
Founded in 1922, York City was elected to play in the Midland League for 1922–23. After seven seasons in the Midland League, they were elected to play in the Football League for 1929–30, and were placed in the Third Division North. During the Second World War, York played in regional competitions, before the Football League restored its usual competitions in the 1946–47 season. After 14 seasons in the Football League, the club was required to apply for re-election for the first time because they finished the 1949–50 season at the bottom of the Third Division North. York had their best FA Cup season in the 1954–55 season, when they reached the semi-final; they were defeated by First Division team Newcastle United in a replay.
York played in the Third Division North until the 1958–59 season, when a league reorganisation placed them in the Fourth Division. The same season, they finished third and won their first promotion, but were relegated after one season. York won another promotion in the 1964–65 season, but were again relegated after one season. The club won a third promotion to the now-unified Third Division in the 1970–71 season, remaining there for the next two seasons on goal average. They were promoted to the Second Division for the first and only time in the 1973–74 season. By mid October 1974, York were in fifth place—their highest league placing—before finishing the 1974–75 season in 15th place. They faced two successive relegations in 1976 and 1977, and a 22nd-place finish in the 1977–78 Fourth Division forced the club to apply for re-election.
1922–1939: Foundation and establishment in Football League
As local football became more popular after the First World War, and with the success of the newly formed Yorkshire League, demand arose for a new club for the city of York, to succeed York City Football Club, which folded in 1917. At a meeting held at the Co-operative Hall in York on 6 May 1922, the decision was made to form the York City Association Football and Athletic Club Limited, with W. H. Shaw as chairman. Despite having neither a ground nor players, an application was made for election to the Football League; this was unsuccessful, but the club was admitted to the Midland League on 10 June. York's first match was away to Notts County reserves on 6 September, and despite a good performance the team lost 4–2. York had to play their first two home matches at Mille Crux, the ground of Rowntree & Co, because their Fulfordgate ground was not ready. Their first match at Fulfordgate came on 20 September, with a 4–1 victory against Mansfield Town. York finished the 1922–23 season in 19th place; they had been placed midtable in early March 1923 but failed to win any of their remaining 14 fixtures. In the same year, York reached the final of the North Riding Senior Cup, but lost 4–2 to Middlesbrough reserves at Ayresome Park on 10 March. The club's first season proved disappointing financially, with a loss of £718 reported, and as a consequence Shaw relinquished the chairmanship to Arthur Brown. York entered the FA Cup for the first time in the 1923–24 season and reached the first qualifying round, losing 3–1 to Mexborough Town in a second replay. They again ranked 19th in the table with an almost identical record to the previous season's.
For the 1924–25 season, the Midland League was reorganised because eight Football League clubs withdrew their reserve teams from the competition. York finished sixth in the Principal Competition that concluded in February 1925 and were runners-up to Denaby United in the North Subsidiary Competition. The club struggled financially in this period, and was only kept going by the enthusiasm and generosity of the directors. John Fisher, one of these benefactors, was elected chairman in 1925. The Midland League was restored to its previous size for 1925–26 and York finished in 16th place after a poor start to the season, from which they never recovered. York enjoyed their most successful Midland League season in 1926–27, when they finished in sixth place and scored 96 goals in 38 league matches. They surpassed the FA Cup's qualifying rounds for the first time this season, being beaten 2–1 by Second Division team Grimsby Town at Blundell Park in the second round. In 1927, the club made its first serious attempt for election to the Football League, but Barrow and Accrington Stanley were re-elected instead. Fisher resigned as chairman in August and Brown took the position for the second time. After ranking seventh in the Midland League in the 1927–28 season, York appointed their first official manager in July 1928, with Jock Collier named as player-manager. York finished ninth in the 1928–29 season, and Jimmy Cowie was the divisional top scorer with 49 goals. This was York's last season in the Midland League as the club won election to the Football League on 3 June 1929, taking the place of Ashington in the Third Division North.
York's first match in the Football League was against Wigan Borough at Springfield Park on 31 August 1929 and finished with a 2–0 victory for the visitors. Reg Stockill, the scorer of the first goal, became the youngest player to represent the club in a competitive match at the age of 15 years and 281 days. The 1929–30 season brought two meetings with First Division team Newcastle United in the FA Cup third round, and a sixth-place finish in York's debut Football League season. Collier resigned as manager in May 1930 and Billy Sherrington took over for the following three years, combining this with his role as club secretary. Sherrington's first season in charge saw York rank 12th in the league, and they again faced First Division opposition in the FA Cup third round, taking Sheffield United to a replay. Despite an improved league position of ninth in the 1931–32 season, York were eliminated from the FA Cup in the first round. This, combined with disappointing average home crowds, resulted in a deficit of £1,539 over the season. In August 1932, York moved to a new ground at Bootham Crescent, which was closer than Fulfordgate to the club's centre of support and the railway station. The ground was officially opened for a match with Stockport County on 31 August; it ended a 2–2 draw, and the first goalscorer at the ground was Tom Mitchell. York's worst performance in the Football League to date came in the 1932–33 season, with a 20th-place finish. The club only avoided having to seek re-election after winning the last match of the season.
Collier was re-appointed manager in May 1933, and York enjoyed a better season in 1933–34, finishing 12th in the Third Division North. The club finished in 15th place in the 1934–35 season, and Bootham Crescent staged its first match against First Division opposition when Derby County defeated York 1–0 in the FA Cup third round. In 1935–36, York ranked in 16th place, and by the end of the season the club's debt was £7,048. The annual report stated that "increased support must be forthcoming if the club was to retain its Football League status". The team reached the FA Cup fourth round for the first time in the 1936–37 season, being eliminated by Second Division team Swansea Town in a replay. Collier retired from football in March 1937 to go into business with his brother, and was replaced by Tom Mitchell. The team finished an inconsistent season in 12th place. The 1937–38 season saw York placed "firmly on the football map", as the team eliminated First Division teams West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough from the FA Cup, before meeting Huddersfield Town in the sixth round. This match saw York draw 0–0 at home before a crowd of 28,123, the club's record highest attendance. York lost the replay 2–1 at Leeds Road, a match that attracted 58,066 spectators. By the end of that season's FA Cup run, York were on the fringe of the promotion race, but faltered in the closing weeks and finished in 11th place. The club avoided having to apply for re-election with a win in the penultimate match of the 1938–39 season, ranking 20th in the table. W. H. Sessions was appointed chairman to succeed Brown in 1939.
1939–1959: Wartime football, FA Cup run and first promotion
At the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, the Football League was suspended indefinitely, leaving the club with no revenue. The Football League organised regional competitions after the government gave the Football Association permission for football to proceed on a wartime footing. York decided to carry on playing and were placed in the North East League, where they ranked eighth in their section of 11 clubs. In the final weeks of the 1939–40 season, York competed in the Football League War Cup. The club was placed in the Football League North for the 1940–41 season, and finished 32nd in the 36-club league. They beat Sheffield Wednesday 7–0 in the War Cup, before being eliminated by Newcastle United in the second round. After completing 18 fixtures in the 1941–42 Football League North, York competed in the league-organised qualifying stage of the War Cup. They were eliminated after ranking 33rd of 54 clubs, failing to qualify for the knock-out stages by one place. York played in the Combined Counties Cup in the season's closing weeks, and beat Halifax Town 5–4 over two legs in the final.
After ranking 17th of 48 clubs in the Football League North in the 1942–43 season, York progressed through the War Cup qualifying stages, reaching the semi-final of a major cup competition for the first time. They were beaten 4–1 over two legs by Sheffield Wednesday. In the 1943–44 Football League North, the team finished 31st of 50 clubs, and after qualifying for the War Cup knock-out stages were eliminated 7–2 over two legs by Bradford Park Avenue in the second round. York experienced selection problems in the 1944–45 season, with many players leaving for war service. After ranking 42nd of 54 clubs in the Football League North, they then failed to qualify for the War Cup knock-out stages. They extended their programme by competing in the Tyne, Wear and Tees Cup. Although hostilities had finished by the start of the 1945–46 season, there was insufficient time for the Football League to restore its usual competitions. York finished midtable in the Third Division North (East) in the first half of the season, before reaching the second round of the Third Division North (East) Cup after qualifying through the group stages. The FA Cup resumed this season, and for the first and only time ties were played on a two-legged basis. York reached the fourth round, at which point they were beaten 11–1 on aggregate by Sheffield Wednesday. York made a profit in five of the seven seasons played during the war.