Match programme: York City v Southampton (23 January 1971)

About this match programme

By Richard Snowball

In season 1970-71, and for the second year running, York City reached the 4th round of the F.A.Cup and were drawn at home to Division One side Southampton.

York had beaten Bolton Wanderers 2-0 at home in the 3rd round in front of a crowd of 10,882 after beating non-league Tamworth and Boston in the first two rounds.

The match turned out to be a classic and is still regarded by many supporters who were there as probably the most exciting ever played a Bootham Crescent.

A crowd of 13,775 saw York surprise their illustrious opponents with a wonderful display of football without being able to turn it into goals, and Southampton were glad to reach half-time still on level terms.

The Southampton manager made one or two positional changes in the interval which brought them more into the game, and by the 78th minute they had gone 2-0 up, but City pulled one back two minutes later to be still in the match.

However hopes were dashed in the 84th minute when Southampton scored a third, but still the York players did not give up and scored again with three minutes remaining to set up a dramatic finish.

With the 90 minutes virtually up, Paul Aimson rose to a cross from full back John Mackin and placed one of his trademark headers into the corner of the net to make it 3-3.

The replay played nine days later at Southampton was no less exciting and York put on another good display and were not disgraced when they lost the match 3-2 before an attendance of 25,034.

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.

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