The 2010–11 season was the 89th season of competitive association football and seventh season in the Football Conference played by York City Football Club, a professional football club based in York, North Yorkshire, England. Their fifth-place finish in 2009–10 meant it was their seventh successive season in the Conference Premier. The season covers the period from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.
Ahead of Martin Foyle's second start to a season as York manager, six signings were made before the summer transfer window closed. With York 15th in the table 10 matches into the season Foyle resigned, and was succeeded by Tamworth's Gary Mills in October 2010. Under his guidance, York enjoyed an unbeaten run at home in the league that lasted until April 2011, when they were beaten by Mills' former team. York's push for a play-off place was ended late in the season and they finished eighth in the table. They reached the third round of the 2010–11 FA Cup, being beaten 2–0 away by Bolton Wanderers, and were knocked out in the first round of the 2010–11 FA Trophy after losing 1–0 at home to Boston United.
32 players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were 20 different goalscorers. Goalkeeper Michael Ingham and defender James Meredith missed only one of the 52 competitive matches played over the season. Michael Rankine finished as leading scorer with 14 goals, of which 12 came in league competition and two came in the FA Cup. The winner of the Clubman of the Year award, voted for by the club's supporters, was Daniel Parslow for the second time in three seasons.
Background and pre-season
The 2009–10 season was Martin Foyle's first full season as manager of York City and the team reached the play-offs after finishing fifth in the Conference Premier table. After defeating Luton Town 2–0 on aggregate in the semi-final, York were beaten 3–1 by Oxford United in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off final at Wembley Stadium. Jamie Clarke, Kevin Gall, Josh Mimms, Craig Nelthorpe, Alan O'Hare, Richard Pacquette and Simon Russell were released by York following the play-off defeat, with Luke Graham, Ben Purkiss and Adam Smith leaving for Kettering Town, Oxford and Mansfield Town respectively. Andy McWilliams was loaned out to Stalybridge Celtic. Levi Mackin and Djoumin Sangaré signed new contracts with the club.
Goalkeeper David Knight was brought in on a season-long loan from Histon before the start of the season, while two defenders, Duane Courtney and Greg Young, signed from Kidderminster Harriers and Altrincham respectively. Midfielder Jonathan Smith was signed from Forest Green Rovers, with wingers David McDermott and Peter Till joining from Kidderminster and Walsall respectively. Striker George Purcell was signed from Braintree Town for an undisclosed fee. Defender Dean Lisles and winger Jamie Hopcutt entered the first-team squad from the youth team after agreeing professional contracts.
The team adopted a new home kit, which featured red shirts with white collars, white trims on the shoulders and white sleeves that included red trims. York started the season wearing red shorts with white trims, but these were replaced later in the season with navy blue shorts with white trims. The home kit also included red shorts with white trims. The away kit, retained from the previous season, comprised light blue shirts with white horizontal stripes, light blue shorts and light blue socks. Pryers Solicitors continued as shirt sponsors for the second successive season.
+ Pre-season match detailsDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceHull CityHL0–12,368BarnsleyHL0–21,393MorecambeHW1–0McDermott 77'573Scunthorpe UnitedHW1–0Brodie 86'906Hartlepool UnitedHD1–1Brodie 41'861Market Drayton TownAW3–1Barrett 1', Carruthers 9', Rankine 90+3' pen.North Ferriby UnitedAW3–0J. Smith 27', Gash 70', Purcell 90'180
Review August
York started the season with a 2–1 defeat at home to Kidderminster Harriers, who opened the scoring with a goal direct from a corner kick. After Michael Rankine equalised on 68 minutes with a penalty, Kidderminster won the match with a penalty three minutes later. Hopcutt was loaned out to Northern Premier League Premier Division club Whitby Town for a month. The team's first away match of the season was against Grimsby Town, with the match finishing a 0–0 draw. This was followed by another away draw, with Michael Gash and Till scoring against Bath City as the match finished 2–2. York then drew 0–0 at home to Barrow and the team's first victory of the season came after Rankine and Richard Brodie scored to beat Altrincham 3–0 at home. The team were defeated 2–1 away by Fleetwood Town, where Young made his debut and scored York's only goal. Brodie joined fellow Conference Premier club Crawley Town for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £300,000, with the transfer being completed three minutes before the transfer deadline.
September Following Brodie's departure, two strikers were signed; Leon Constantine joined on a contract until the end of the season after leaving Hereford United and youth-team coach Steve Torpey was registered as a player. Till and debutant Constantine scored in the space of two minutes in a 2–0 home win over Rushden & Diamonds. Striker David Dowson, defender Jamal Fyfield and midfielder Danny Racchi joined the club on trial and played for the reserve team against Chesterfield. Having fallen a goal behind, York earned a 1–1 draw away to Wrexham after Till scored the equalising goal. Ahead of York's home match against Hayes & Yeading United, the club signed Fyfield from Maidenhead United for a nominal fee and Racchi from Wrexham, where he had been on non-contract terms. The same day, York beat Hayes & Yeading 2–0 with goals from Rankine and Constantine, the latter making his first start for the club. York were defeated 5–0 away by Mansfield Town, with Jonathan Smith being sent off on 34 minutes after receiving a second yellow card. Hopcutt and Lisles were loaned out to Stokesley of the Northern League Division One. Manager Foyle resigned 10 matches into the season, with the team 15th in the table, and assistant manager Andy Porter was appointed caretaker manager. Porter's first match in charge was a 3–1 away victory over Tamworth, York's first away win of the season, with goals scored from Rankine, Alex Lawless and debutant Fyfield. Ahead of this match, Dowson was signed and made his debut as an 85th-minute substitute. The first home match of Porter's tenure was a 0–0 draw with Darlington, which was York's first televised appearance on sports channel Premier Sports.
October
A 2–1 defeat away by Eastbourne Borough followed, with Lawless scoring York's only goal. McDermott was released after his month-to-month contract was not extended, having made four appearances. Striker Mark Beesley was signed on a one-month loan from Fleetwood before the match against Kettering Town. York lost this match 1–0 at home and the following day Porter left the club after four matches in charge, with Torpey being appointed caretaker manager. He led the team for a 4–0 away loss to Newport County before Tamworth manager Gary Mills was appointed as manager, with Darron Gee following as assistant manager. Mills' first match in charge was a 1–1 draw at home to Bath, with York taking the lead through a first-half penalty scored by Rankine before Bath equalised in the second half. McDermott rejoined the club on another month-to-month contract to become Mills' first signing. Former York defender Chris Smith, who played under Mills at Tamworth, was signed from Mansfield on a three-month loan, with a view to a permanent transfer. With Mills stating his desire to reduce the size of a squad that was "too big", Dowson, Hopcutt and Lisles were released by the club. The first victory under Mills' management was a 2–0 win away to Kidderminster in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup, with Racchi and Jonathan Smith scoring their first goals for the club. Courtney was made available for loan having made seven appearances for the club. Mills' first defeat came in a 2–1 away loss against Forest Green Rovers, with former Forest Green player Lawless scoring York's only goal.
November Beesley returned to Fleetwood after Mills decided to terminate his loan. York drew 0–0 away to League Two team Rotherham United in the first round of the FA Cup, which resulted in a replay at home. Lawless joined York's divisional rivals Luton on loan until January 2011, when a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee would take place. Two loan signings were subsequently made; Leicester City striker Ashley Chambers joined until January 2011 and Sunderland midfielder Robbie Weir joined for one month. Rankine scored York's equaliser in a 1–1 home draw against Wrexham with a second-half penalty. York beat Rotherham 3–0 at home in their FA Cup first round replay, with Chris Smith opening the scoring before Rankine scored twice. David McGurk handed in a transfer request having expressed his desire to join Luton, after they had a number of bids for him rejected and he had turned down a contract extension with York. York recorded their first league win under Mills with a 4–0 victory away to Rushden with Racchi, Rankine, Chambers and Neil Barrett scoring. Purcell was loaned out to Conference South team Dartford until January 2011 to regain match fitness following his return from injury. The Rushden win was followed by the season's first successive league victory, after York beat Southport 2–0 at home with late goals from Constantine and McDermott. Midfielder Andre Boucaud was signed from Kettering on loan until January 2011, with a view to a permanent transfer. York progressed to the third round of the FA Cup for the second season running after beating Darlington 2–0 away in the second round. The team's run of three straight wins came to an end after a 0–0 away draw against Kidderminster.
December Weir's loan from Sunderland was extended until January 2011, with Mills commenting: "He's a fit lad who's totally committed in what he does and I've been impressed with him". Mills was named the Conference Premier Manager of the Month for November 2010 after leading York to a seven-match unbeaten run, while Michael Ingham picked up the Player of the Month award after keeping six clean sheets and conceding one goal in this period. York were knocked out of the FA Trophy in the first round after being beaten 1–0 by Conference North team Boston United, which was the team's first home defeat under Mills. Racchi's contract with York expired, although Mills stated his intention to re-sign him once the January 2011 transfer window opened. York's away match with Luton was abandoned after 55 minutes due to heavy snow, with the score at the time being 0–0. Sangaré agreed to sign for Moroccan Botola champions Wydad Casablanca pending the expiry of his York contract at the end of December 2010, although after the transfer fell through he signed for Oxford. McDermott and Racchi agreed to sign new contracts with York once the January 2011 transfer window opened, which would keep them at the club until the end of the season. Having failed to establish a place in the team under Mills, Gash agreed to join Rushden in January 2011 on loan for the rest of the season.
January