The 2008–09 season was the 87th season of competitive association football and fifth season in the Football Conference played by York City Football Club, a professional football club based in York, North Yorkshire, England. Their 14th-place finish in 2007–08 meant it was their fifth successive season in the Conference Premier. The season covers the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.
Ahead of Colin Walker's first start to a season as manager, York signed nine players before the summer transfer window closed. The season started with an eight-match unbeaten run, but Walker was dismissed in November 2008 after three successive defeats. Martin Foyle was appointed as his successor, and after the turn of the year York won only five league matches. Survival in the Conference Premier was achieved with a 17th-place finish. York reached the 2009 FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium, being beaten 2–0 by Stevenage Borough. They were eliminated from the 2008–09 FA Cup in the fourth qualifying round, and from the 2008–09 Conference League Cup in the Northern section fourth round.
33 players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were 14 different goalscorers. Defender Daniel Parslow missed only one of the 58 competitive matches played over the season. Richard Brodie finished as leading scorer with 19 goals, of which 15 came in league competition and four came in the FA Trophy. The winner of the Clubman of the Year award, voted for by the club's supporters, was Parslow.
Background and pre-season
Billy McEwan was dismissed as manager of York City early into the 2007–08 season, with the team 19th in the Conference Premier table and having recently been beaten by Conference South team Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Cup. After a six-match unbeaten run as caretaker manager, Colin Walker was appointed as York's permanent manager and led the team to a 14th-place finish in the table. York released Darren Craddock, Stuart Elliott, Tom Evans, Ross Greenwood, Anthony Lloyd, Manny Panther and Alex Rhodes after the season ended, while Nicky Wroe and Martyn Woolford left for Torquay United and Scunthorpe United respectively.
Jimmy Beadle, Richard Brodie, Craig Farrell, Josh Mimms, Daniel Parslow, Ben Purkiss, Mark Robinson and Onome Sodje signed new contracts ahead of 2008–09. York signed seven players before the season started; they were goalkeepers Michael Ingham from Hereford United and Artur Krysiak on a one-month loan from Birmingham City, defender Mark Greaves from Burton Albion, midfielders Niall Henderson from Raith Rovers, Steven Hogg from Gretna and Ben Wilkinson from Hull City, and striker Daniel McBreen from St Johnstone. Professional contracts were handed to three youth-team players, those being defenders Andy McWilliams and Josh Radcliffe and winger Liam Shepherd. Greaves was named as York's club captain for the season.
New home and away kits were introduced for the first time in two years. The home kit comprised red and navy blue halved shirts with red collars, navy blue shorts and navy blue socks with two white strips on the cuffs. The away kit included white shirts with black shoulders, white shorts and white socks with black cuffs. Last season's third kit was retained, which featured light blue shirts with a maroon collar, bar a section under the neck which was light blue, and maroon trims on the sleeves, maroon shorts and light blue socks. CLP Industries continued as shirt sponsors for the fourth successive season.
+ Pre-season match detailsDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceTadcaster AlbionAW6–0Brown (2), Farrell (2), Brodie, Woolford450Leeds UnitedHD1–1Sodje 43'4,405MiddlesbroughHD2–2Boyes 73', Sodje 86'3,177BarnsleyHD2–2Farrell (2)1,145Harrogate Railway AthleticAW2–1Shepherd 35', Brodie 41' Hartlepool UnitedHW1–0Wilkinson 40' SheffieldAW1–0McGurk 89'
Review August
York's season started with a 1–0 victory away to Crawley Town, Farrell scoring the winner 19 minutes from time. The second match was a 1–0 home win over Wrexham, who had won their opening fixture 5–0 against Stevenage Borough, with Greaves scoring the winner. Krysiak suffered a dislocated finger during this match, which resulted in him returning to Birmingham prematurely from his loan spell, and was replaced by Mimms, who gave an assured performance. York's winning start to the season ended after a 1–1 home draw with Histon, who took the lead through a Daniel Wright penalty kick in the first half, before McBreen scored the equaliser for York on 69 minutes.
Winger Simon Russell signed for the club from Kidderminster Harriers. York drew 2–2 away to Northwich Victoria, which saw the team fight back on two occasions after twice being a goal down, with Brodie scoring his first goal of the season. He then scored in the third minute against Barrow, who equalised seven minutes later through Lee Hunt, in a home match that finished a 1–1 home draw. Beadle was loaned out to Northern Premier League Premier Division club Whitby Town for a month, having not made any appearances in 2008–09. Sodje scored with a late volley after coming off the bench to give York a 1–1 draw away to Torquay United to maintain the team's unbeaten record, which looked under threat after Danny Stevens gave Torquay the lead on 65 minutes. Sodje's goal against Torquay won the first Conference Premier Goal of the Month competition, for August 2008.
September Grimsby Town midfielder Peter Bore joined on an initial one-month loan on transfer deadline day. York drew for the fifth time in succession with a 1–1 home draw with Mansfield Town, in which Sodje scored after he latched onto Adie Moses' misplaced header. The team's first victory in six matches came in a 2–0 home win over Woking; the goals came from McBreen and a Danny Bunce own goal. A 4–2 defeat away to Kettering Town saw York's unbeaten run come to an end after nine matches, leaving their opponents as the only unbeaten team in the division. Former Accrington Stanley striker David Brown, former Rotherham United defender Tom Hirst and Ipswich Town midfielder Jai Reason joined the club on trial. After impressing in a reserve-team match, Hirst was signed by the club. However, Brown and Reason were not offered contracts.
An 86th-minute equaliser from McBreen gave York a 1–1 draw at home to Salisbury City, which maintained the team's unbeaten record at Bootham Crescent. Parslow signed a new contract with the club, and Rotherham midfielder Peter Holmes joined on a one-month loan. A second defeat of the season came after losing 2–0 away to Kidderminster, Brian Smikle and Justin Richards scoring for the home team. Beadle was released by the club towards the end of his loan spell at Whitby, due to him looking for regular first-team football. This was followed by the departure of Bore, who returned to Grimsby from his loan spell early. A 3–3 draw away against Stevenage was achieved after the team were 2–0 down after 19 minutes, with the York goals coming from Sodje, Holmes and Farrell. Sodje picked up a hamstring injury during this match, meaning he would be out of action for four to six weeks.
October Despite having the better chances, York drew 0–0 at home with Cambridge United, before being beaten 3–1 away by Wrexham, in which Wilkinson scored a late consolation goal. The club made an attempt to re-sign former striker Clayton Donaldson on loan from Crewe Alexandra, but were told to make an inquiry four weeks later, due to him being injured. York's first double of the season came with a 2–0 away win over Woking, the goals coming from Wilkinson and McBreen. Iyseden Christie's loan spell at Kettering from Stevenage was to be terminated for a loan move to York to go ahead, but this deal fell through. Walker revealed he was interested in signing striker Bruce Dyer, shortly after he played against York's reserve team for Bradford City.
York achieved a consecutive victory for the first time in 2008–09 after beating Rushden & Diamonds 2–0 at home, with goals from Robinson and Farrell. After this match, Holmes was recalled by Rotherham. Brodie was loaned to fellow Conference Premier club Barrow for one month, having lost his place in the starting line-up. Former Leeds United midfielder Gavin Rothery impressed for the reserve team against Hartlepool United, after which he signed a short-term contract with the club. A 0–0 home draw with Mansfield in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup resulted in a replay, which would be played at Field Mill. Radcliffe was sent out on loan for a month at Harrogate Railway Athletic of the Northern Premier League Division One North. York were eliminated from the FA Cup after a 1–0 defeat away to Mansfield.
November
An 87th-minute penalty scored by Yemi Odubade saw York lose 1–0 away to Oxford United. Dyer signed for the club, having been unattached after his release by Chesterfield at the end of 2007–08. Adam Boyes signed a long-term professional contract ahead of York's Conference League Cup third round tie against Mansfield, which was won with a 4–2 penalty shoot-out victory. This was preceded by Greaves' headed goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time, earning the team a 1–1 draw, which was followed by a goalless period of extra time. The attendance of 609 was the lowest crowd in the club history—breaking the previous record of 763 set in the 2007–08 Conference League Cup.
York lost 2–1 at home to Torquay, in their first home defeat of the season. After Roscoe Dsane gave the visitors the lead, Greaves equalised for York with a header from a Purkiss cross in the 85th minute, before Mark Ellis scored for Torquay on 90 minutes. A third successive defeat came after losing 1–0 away to Cambridge. It was agreed that Brodie's loan at Barrow would be extended after he scored four goals in six appearances, but York decided to overturn this decision a day later. Barrow hoped to open talks over signing him on a permanent contract in January 2009.
Walker was dismissed as manager, alongside head coach Eric Winstanley, with youth-team coach Neil Redfearn taking over as caretaker manager. He took charge of the team for the home match against Crawley, which finished a 2–2 draw after Lewis Killeen scored the rebound from a Thomas Pinault penalty in the 90th minute. Former Port Vale manager Martin Foyle was appointed as manager, with Redfearn taking the role of assistant manager. Foyle made his first signing by bringing in winger Adam Smith on loan from Conference North club Gainsborough Trinity. Foyle's first match in charge was a 1–1 away draw against Salisbury City, which was earned following a Brodie goal in the 83rd minute.
December A 1–0 home defeat by Grays Athletic through a Wes Thomas goal followed; this was Grays' first away victory of the season. York followed this with a 1–1 draw away to Histon, in which they took the lead through Brodie in the 14th minute, before Parslow scored an own goal on 59 minutes. North Ferriby United striker Steve Torpey was appointed as youth-team coach to succeed Redfearn. Foyle's first win as manager came in a 2–0 away victory over Northwich Victoria in the FA Trophy first round, both goals coming from Brodie. This was followed with a 3–1 home win over Ebbsfleet United, with goals from Adam Smith, Brodie and Sodje after being one goal down. Dyer retired from football, having only made three appearances for York through back and hamstring injuries, while Rothery was released. York's two-match winning run ended after a 2–1 defeat away to league-leaders Burton Albion, which was secured after Greaves scored an own goal. A 2–1 home defeat by Altrincham followed; Brodie scored a free kick in the 32nd minute to give York the lead, before Chris Senior and Dale Johnson scored for the visitors in the second half. Redfearn left the club to take charge of the Leeds under-18 team and Andy Porter, a former teammate of Foyle at Port Vale, was appointed as assistant manager.
January