The 2012–13 season was the 91st season of competitive association football and 76th season in the Football League played by York City Football Club, a professional football club based in York, North Yorkshire, England. Their promotion via the Conference Premier play-offs in 2011–12 meant they played in League Two, after an eight-year absence from the Football League. The season ran from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013.
Manager Gary Mills signed eight players before the close of the summer transfer window. Having stood 14th in the league table on New Year's Day, York were on an 11-match run without a win when Mills was dismissed in March 2013. He was replaced by former Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington, who led York to safety from relegation on the final day of the season. Having won four of their last five matches, the team finished the season 17th in the table. They lost in their opening round matches in both the 2012–13 FA Cup and the League Cup, and were eliminated in the second round of the Football League Trophy.
36 players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were 12 different goalscorers. Goalkeeper Michael Ingham played in all 50 first-team matches over the season. Ashley Chambers finished as leading scorer with 10 goals, all scored in the league. The winner of the Clubman of the Year award, voted for by the club's supporters, was Daniel Parslow, who became the first player to win the award for a third time.
Background and pre-season
The 2011–12 season was Gary Mills' first full season as York City manager, having taken over the role in October 2010. York finished the season with two major trophies after victories in the 2012 FA Trophy final and the 2012 Conference Premier play-off final, both of which were staged at Wembley Stadium. The FA Trophy victory represented York's first piece of silverware in 19 years and was achieved with a 2–0 victory over York's Conference Premier rivals Newport County. With goals from Ashley Chambers and Matty Blair, York beat Luton Town 2–1 in the play-off final to return to the Football League after an eight-year absence with promotion to League Two.
Following the previous season's conclusion Moses Ashikodi, Matthew Blinkhorn, Eugen Bopp and Scott Brown were released, while James Meredith, Adriano Moke and Danny Pilkington departed for Bradford City, Cambridge United and Kidderminster Harriers respectively. Jon Challinor, Chambers, Chris Doig, Jamal Fyfield, Michael Ingham, Scott Kerr and Daniel Parslow signed new contracts with York. New players signed ahead of the start of the season were defender Danny Blanchett from Burton Albion, midfielders Lee Bullock from Bradford City, John McReady from Darlington 1883 and Jonathan Smith from Swindon Town, winger Michael Coulson from Grimsby Town and striker Oli Johnson from Oxford United. Midfielder Tom Platt, the previous season's youth-team captain and Youth Team Player of the Year, entered the first-team squad after agreeing a professional contract.
The team adopted new home and away kits, with the home kit featuring red shirts with white sleeves, light blue shorts and white socks. The away kit comprised light blue shirts with white sleeves, white shorts and light blue socks. This was accompanied by a change in shirt sponsor, with Benenden Health's name becoming present on the team kits.
+ Pre-season match detailsDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceHuntington RoversAW8–0McLaughlin, Coulson, McReady, Hartas o.g., Kelly (2), J. Reed, Henderson750 (est)Harrogate Railway AthleticAW3–0Walker (3) 19', 40', 41'Pickering TownAW6–2Potts, McReady (2), McLaughlin (2), KellyOldham AthleticHL0–21,335GatesheadAW2–0J. Reed 15', Knowles 20'402Grantham TownAD1–1McLaughlin 62'232Leicester CityAD2–2Chambers, CoulsonMiddlesbroughHL1–2J. Reed 71' pen.1,865SunderlandHW3–0Coulson (2) 7', 27', Chambers 16'1,055
Review August
York started the season away to League One club Doncaster Rovers in the first round of the League Cup. Debutant Coulson gave York the lead with a long-range strike in the 65th minute before Chris Brown equalised for Doncaster, scoring a penalty kick nine minutes later. The match finished 1–1 after extra time and York went on to lose the penalty shoot-out 4–2. York's Football League return ended in defeat, being beaten 3–1 at home to Wycombe Wanderers. Wycombe took a three-goal lead before Jason Walker scored York's consolation in the 54th minute. York recorded their first point of the season after drawing 2–2 away to Morecambe, with Chris Smith and Chambers scoring the team's goals in the second half. This was followed by their first league victory, with Parslow, Chambers and Coulson scoring in the first half away to Barnet in a 3–1 win. Two days before the transfer deadline York signed three new players; defender Clarke Carlisle and striker Scott Dobie signed on free transfers and Charlie Taylor came on loan from Leeds United.
September Coulson scored after 15 seconds to give York the lead at home to league leaders Oxford United, and with further goals from Chambers and Paddy McLaughlin the team went on to win 3–1. York won 1–0 away in the first round of the Football League Trophy against Rotherham United, with Blair scoring an 80th-minute winner. Walker's equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time secured a 2–2 draw at home to Chesterfield. There had been three goals scored in a five-minute period in the first half; Chesterfield opened the scoring through Sam Hird and Coulson equalised for York before Craig Westcarr restored the visitors' lead. York drew their next match 1–1 away to Exeter City, having taken the lead through Coulson in the 52nd minute before the home team equalised when John O'Flynn scored in the 83rd minute. The team's first away defeat of the season came with a 3–1 defeat away to Burton Albion; after McLaughlin gave York a ninth-minute lead, Burton went on to win with goals from Lee Bell, Calvin Zola and Matt Paterson. A third draw in four matches came after York drew 0–0 at home to Cheltenham Town. Platt and Liam Henderson were sent out to Harrogate Town and Gainsborough Trinity on three-month and one-month loans respectively, while Dobie was released and Taylor had his loan extended for a second month. York's run of four matches without victory came to an end after a 2–0 win away to Aldershot Town, with Blair and Walker scoring in the second half.
October The previous season's Conference Premier champions Fleetwood Town defeated York 2–0 at home, with goals in each half scored by Junior Brown and Steven Gillespie. Peterborough United midfielder Daniel Kearns was signed on a one-month loan and made his debut as a substitute in York's 0–0 home draw with Rotherham. York were knocked out of the Football League Trophy in the second round after being beaten 4–0 at home by League One team Coventry City. Chambers scored the opening goal for York away to Bradford in the first derby match between the teams in 16 years, but with Bradford scoring through Zavon Hines the match finished a 1–1 draw. Chambers and Blair scored as York beat Dagenham & Redbridge 3–2 at home, which was the team's first win in four league matches. York recorded a second successive victory away to Accrington Stanley, with Walker scoring an 83rd-minute winner in a 1–0 win. Bullock was loaned out to Gateshead of the Conference Premier for a month, with his appearances in the team being limited. A 0–0 draw away to Southend United saw York's run of victories come to an end.
November
Coulson was ruled out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury, while Kearns' loan was extended for a further two months. York conceded an 80th-minute equaliser at home to AFC Wimbledon in the first round of the FA Cup, with Charlie Strutton the scorer, after substitute Jamie Reed had earlier given York the lead. Jonathan Smith was loaned to Conference Premier club Luton until January 2013, having not started a match since September 2012. Blair gave York the lead at home to Northampton Town, and despite playing most of the match with ten men, the away team equalised through Adebayo Akinfenwa. Winger Alex Rodman, who had previously played under Mills at Tamworth, was signed on a two-month loan from Aldershot. He made his debut in York's home league match against AFC Wimbledon, which finished as a 3–0 defeat, with the visitors scoring their goals in the second half.
York were knocked out of the FA Cup after a 4–3 extra-time defeat away to AFC Wimbledon in a first round replay. Jamie Reed scored in the 89th minute to hand York a 2–2 draw away to Port Vale, after Rodman had scored his first goal for the club earlier in the second half. Carlisle was loaned to divisional rivals Northampton ahead of a permanent transfer in January 2013, while Henderson joined Gateshead on loan and Bullock had his loan extended. York fell to a second successive home defeat after being beaten 2–0 by Torquay United, the away team scoring in each half through Danny Stevens and Joe Oastler. Despite his loan earlier being extended until January 2013, Kearns was recalled by Peterborough, having made 12 appearances for York.
December York recorded their first win in eight matches after defeating Rochdale 3–2 away, with Michael Potts scoring twice and Walker scoring once in the first half. Youth-team defender Tom Allan signed a one-and-a-half-year professional contract with the club, with Mills saying, "Tom has come on unbelievably in the last 12 months and thoroughly deserves his first professional contract". York fell to a 2–0 defeat away to Plymouth Argyle, with Fyfield scoring an own goal in the 45th minute and Nick Chadwick scoring in the 90th minute. Jonathan Smith and Bullock were recalled from their loans ahead of York's home match against Bristol Rovers. York scored four first half goals to beat Bristol Rovers 4–1, with Garry Kenneth scoring an own goal, Chambers scoring twice and Walker scoring once. A second successive away defeat came away to Chesterfield on Boxing Day when York were beaten 3–0, with the home team scoring their goals during the second half. This run ended after a 0–0 draw away to Fleetwood, in which York missed a number of chances to score in the first half.
January
Jonathan Smith made a permanent move to Luton for a fee of £50,000 shortly after the transfer window opened. York won 3–0 in their New Year's Day home fixture against Burton, with Walker, McLaughlin and Blair scoring. Carlisle completed a permanent transfer to Northampton after the conclusion of his loan, while Henderson signed for Gateshead permanently after an agreement was reached over the remainder of his York contract. York were beaten 2–1 at home to Exeter, with a Rodman own goal giving the visitors the lead in the 14th minute. Potts equalised for York five minutes later, before Exeter scored the winning goal on 53 minutes through Jimmy Keohane. Rodman's loan from Aldershot was extended until the end of the season. Walker scored in the 84th minute to secure York a 1–1 draw away to Cheltenham, who had taken the lead in the 67th minute through Shaun Harrad. Striker Ben Everson, who last played for Breiðablik in the Úrvalsdeild karla, was signed on a contract for the rest of the season. Platt was loaned out for the second time in a season, joining Conference North club FC Halifax Town for one month. Everson made his debut as a 71st-minute substitute in a 0–0 draw at home to Aldershot.