About this match programme
By Richard Snowball This programme was from towards the end of the season and has a printing error showing the date as the 9th April, 1956, when in fact the match was played on the 7th April, as confirmed in the fixture list and an advert showing the next home match as Scunthorpe Utd. on the 9th April. Following their Cup exploits in the previous season, and just missing out on promotion, great things had been expected this season, but they only finished midtable. However enthusiasm was still high in the City and the average League attendance was 10,291 with four crowds exceeding 13,000. Arthur Bottom was again top goalscorer with 31 League goals and during the season Billy Fenton scored his 100th League and Cup goal in his fifth season with the club. Sid Storey a key member of the F.A.Cup semi-final side who joined the club in May, 1947, played his last game in April, 1956 having made 354 League and Cup appearances and scoring 42 goals, one of these being at Blackpool during the famous Cup run. Towards the end of the season Sam Bartram, who had played for York during the war as a guest player, was appointed Manager. He was to stay at York for four full seasons and achieved promotion for the club in his third season. This was the first season after the end of regionalised Leagues (Division Three (North) and (South)) and York had found themselves in the new Division Four, but this first ever promotion for the club put them into the new Division Three. Sadly it was only to last for one season as they were relegated again in the next and Sam Bartram left the club to go to Luton Town. Acknowledgement This facsimile of the match programme was created by the publisher of There’s Only One Arthur Bottom, the daily email newsletter for fans of York City FC, and TOOAB contributor Richard Snowball. www.tooab.com