Match programme: York City v Manchester United (21 December 1974)

About this match programme

By Richard Snowball

After York City's promotion to Division Two (now the Championship) in season 197475, the first match fans looked for in the newly-published fixtures was the clash with Manchester United.

This happened mid-season on the last Saturday before Christmas on December 21, 1974.

An excited and expectant all-ticket crowd of 15,314 turned out, with York putting up a good performance but they could not pull off a surprise victory, going down 0-1.

This match took place in the middle of a difficult December run of matches for York, having lost away to Southampton (1-2), Aston Villa (0-4) and followed on Boxing Day with a trip to Sunderland (lost 0-2).

Fortunes turned on the 28th with a 3-0 home victory against Hull City. These five matches were watched by a total of more than 90,000 spectators.

In the return game at Old Trafford, played on March 29, 1975, Manchester United ran out 2-1 winners before a crowd of 46,802, still the biggest crowd ever to watch a York City league match, although attendances of over 50,000 were recorded in the club’s F.A. Cup runs in the 1930's and 1950's.

At the end of the season, Manchester United were champions followed by Aston Villa, Norwich City and Sunderland.

Not long after the Manchester home game, York City manager Tom Johnston was released from his contract to join Huddersfield Town.

During his six years at the club, he led them from the depths of Division Four to the heady heights of Division Two, playing some of the best clubs in the country.

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 contributors Richard Snowball, Terry Espiner and Paul Bowser.

www.tooab.com