York City F.C. Clubman of the Year

A man standing on a grass football pitch, wearing a red shirt, black shorts and red socks, and holding a trophy.
Paul Barnes lifting the Billy Fenton Memorial Trophy, which he won in the 1993–94 season

York City Football Club is an English association football club based in York, North Yorkshire. Founded in 1922, the club was elected to play in the Midland League, competing in this league for seven seasons before being elected to the Football League as members of the Third Division North in 1929.[1] York reached the second tier of English football with promotion to the Second Division in 1974, but were relegated two years later.[2] York became the first team to reach 100 points in a Football League season after winning the 1983–84 Fourth Division championship with 101 points, which remains to be the club's only league title.[3] The club was relegated to the Football Conference following the 2003–04 season, but returned to the Football League with victory in the 2012 Conference Premier play-off Final.[4][5]

The York City Clubman of the Year award is voted for annually by the club's supporters to name a player who throughout the season has met the three criteria of sportsmanship, effort on the field of play and ability.[6] Fans vote by either handing a voting form to the club or by e-mailing the club.[7] As a mark of respect, the trophy is named the Billy Fenton Memorial Trophy, after player Billy Fenton, who died suddenly in 1973.[8] The award is presented before the final home game of the season by Fenton's widow, Margot Fenton.[9][10] However, the presentation of the award took place at an awards night in 2011,[11] while the following year it was presented after the final home game of the season.[12] In 2014 an awards night was held at York Racecourse to present the award.[13]

Since the inaugural award was made to Phil Burrows in 1974, 32 different players have won the award. Seven of these players have won the award for a second time, the most recent being Alan Fettis. Danny Parslow is the only player to have received the award on three occasions, winning it in 2009, 2011 and 2013. Gordon Staniforth was the first to win the trophy in consecutive seasons, a feat since emulated by John MacPhail, Barry Jones and Alan Fettis. Three winners of the award have represented their country at senior international level, of whom Jon McCarthy and Alan Fettis went on to become Clubman of the Year for a second time.[14][15][16] Chris Brass, the winner of the 2003 award, went on to manage the club from 2003 to 2004.[17] The current incumbent of the award is Lanre Oyebanjo, who was the 2013–14 recipient.

Key

Symbol Meaning
double-dagger Divisional change due to promotion or relegation.
dagger York City player in the 2013–14 season.[18]
Apps Appearances.
Player (X) Number of times a player has won the award.

Winners

A man standing on a grass football pitch, wearing a black suit.
Gordon Staniforth was the first player to win the award twice, receiving it in the 1977–78 and 1978–79 seasons.
A man standing on a grass football pitch, wearing a black jumper.
Steve Tutill made 366 appearances in 12 seasons with York.[19]
A group of people standing on a grass football pitch, only two are fully visible.
Scott Kerr (left) won the award for 2011–12, a season which culminated in York's return to the Football League.[5]
As of the end of the 2013–14 season.
Season Level[lower-alpha 1] Name Position[lower-alpha 2] Nationality Apps[lower-alpha 3] Goals[lower-alpha 3] Notes
1973–74 3 Burrows, PhilPhil Burrows Defender  ENG 54 3 [lower-alpha 4]
1974–75 2 double-dagger Topping, ChrisChris Topping Defender  ENG 45 2
1975–76 2 Cave, MickyMicky Cave Midfielder  ENG 38 8
1976–77 3 double-dagger Pollard, BrianBrian Pollard Midfielder  ENG 52 13
1977–78 4 double-dagger Staniforth, GordonGordon Staniforth Striker  ENG 50 13
1978–79 4 Staniforth, GordonGordon Staniforth (2) Striker  ENG 52 19 [lower-alpha 5]
1979–80 4 McDonald, IanIan McDonald Midfielder  ENG 51 9
1980–81 4 Blackburn, EddieEddie Blackburn Goalkeeper  ENG 51 0
1981–82 4 Walwyn, KeithKeith Walwyn Striker  SKN 49 25
1982–83 4 Hood, DerekDerek Hood Midfielder  ENG 52 9 [lower-alpha 6]
1983–84 4 MacPhail, JohnJohn MacPhail Defender  SCO 52 10
1984–85 3 double-dagger MacPhail, JohnJohn MacPhail (2) Defender  SCO 55 9 [lower-alpha 5]
1985–86 3 Mills, SimonSimon Mills Midfielder  ENG 46 1
1986–87 3 Walwyn, KeithKeith Walwyn (2) Striker  SKN 52 25 [lower-alpha 5]
1987–88 3 Banton, DaleDale Banton Striker  ENG 43 18
1988–89 4 double-dagger Helliwell, IanIan Helliwell Striker  ENG 47 11
1989–90 4 Marples, ChrisChris Marples Goalkeeper  ENG 53 0
1990–91 4 Tutill, SteveSteve Tutill Defender  ENG 50 0
1991–92 4 McCarthy, JonJon McCarthy Midfielder  NIR 49 9
1992–93 4 Stancliffe, PaulPaul Stancliffe Defender  ENG 48 1
1993–94 3 double-dagger Barnes, PaulPaul Barnes Striker  ENG 49 25
1994–95 3 McCarthy, JonJon McCarthy (2) Midfielder  NIR 50 10 [lower-alpha 5]
1995–96 3 McMillan, AndyAndy McMillan Defender  RSA 57 1
1996–97 3 Barras, TonyTony Barras Defender  ENG 57 1
1997–98 3 Bushell, SteveSteve Bushell Midfielder  ENG 47 5
1998–99 3 Jones, BarryBarry Jones Defender  ENG 51 2
1999–2000 4 double-dagger Jones, BarryBarry Jones (2) Defender  ENG 40 1 [lower-alpha 5]
2000–01 4 Fettis, AlanAlan Fettis Goalkeeper  NIR 51 0
2001–02 4 Fettis, AlanAlan Fettis (2) Goalkeeper  NIR 52 0 [lower-alpha 5]
2002–03 4 Brass, ChrisChris Brass Defender  ENG 44 1
2003–04 4 Dunning, DarrenDarren Dunning Midfielder  ENG 45 4
2004–05 5 double-dagger Merris, DaveDave Merris Defender  ENG 44 2
2005–06 5 Donaldson, ClaytonClayton Donaldson Striker  ENG 45 18
2006–07 5 Bishop, NealNeal Bishop Midfielder  ENG 49 3
2007–08 5 McGurk, DavidDavid McGurk dagger Defender  ENG 56 1
2008–09 5 Parslow, DannyDanny Parslow dagger Defender  WAL 57 0
2009–10 5 Ingham, MichaelMichael Ingham dagger Goalkeeper  NIR 55 0
2010–11 5 Parslow, DannyDanny Parslow dagger (2) Defender  WAL 47 1 [lower-alpha 5]
2011–12 5 Kerr, ScottScott Kerr Midfielder  ENG 42 1
2012–13 4 double-dagger Parslow, DannyDanny Parslow dagger (3) Defender  WAL 50 1 [lower-alpha 7]
2013–14 4 Oyebanjo, LanreLanre Oyebanjo dagger Defender  IRL 46 0

Wins by playing position

Position[lower-alpha 2] Players Total
Goalkeeper 4 5
Defender 13 17
Midfielder 10 11
Striker 6 8

Wins by nationality

Nationality Players Total
 England 25 27
 Northern Ireland 3 5
 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1 2
 Scotland 1 2
 Ireland 1 1
 South Africa 1 1
 Wales 1 3

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The official level of competition in the structure of the English football league system.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 For a detailed description of playing positions, see Association football positions.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Appearances and goals from the season the player won the award. Includes appearances and goals in the Football League (including play-offs), Football Conference (including play-offs), FA Cup, Football League Cup, Associate Members' Cup/Football League Trophy, FA Trophy and Conference League Cup. Sources: 1973–74 to 2007–08,[20] 2008–09,[21] 2009–10,[22] 2010–11,[23][24][25] 2011–12,[26] and 2012–13 onwards.[27]
  4. ↑ The first winner of the award in 1974.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Won the award on two occasions.
  6. ↑ Hood played as a defender and a midfielder during his eight-year stay with York, but is listed as a midfielder as this is the position he played most games this season.[28]
  7. ↑ Won the award on three occasions.

References

General

Specific

  1. ↑ Batters, Dave (2008). York City: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. pp. 238–252. ISBN 978-1-85983-633-0.
  2. ↑ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. pp. 235–237.
  3. ↑ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. p. 360.
  4. ↑ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. p. 402.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Maiden, Phil (20 May 2012). "Luton 1–2 York". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  6. ↑ "Billy Fenton Memorial Trophy Winners". York City F.C. 24 May 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Player Of The Year Award 2014". York City F.C. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  8. ↑ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. p. 168.
  9. ↑ "Merris backs Billy". York Evening Press. 3 May 2005. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  10. ↑ Carroll, Steve (1 May 2007). "Flock of awards is Bishop's reward". The Press (York). Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  11. ↑ Carroll, Steve (11 May 2011). "Mills: Michael Rankine all set to sign for Aldershot". The Press (York). Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  12. ↑ "York City clinch fourth place in Blue Square Bet Premier". The Press (York). 28 April 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  13. ↑ "City Awards Night". York City F.C. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  14. ↑ "Jon McCarthy". National Football Teams. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  15. ↑ "Alan Fettis". National Football Teams. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  16. ↑ "Michael Ingham". National Football Teams. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  17. ↑ "Chris Brass". Soccerbase. Retrieved 26 October 2007.
  18. ↑ "York City". FootballSquads. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  19. ↑ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. p. 209.
  20. ↑ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. pp. 340–421.
  21. ↑ Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2009). Non-League Club Directory 2010. Tony Williams Publications. p. 163. ISBN 978-1-869833-66-4.
  22. ↑ Flett, Dave (20 May 2010). "Review of York City's 2009/10 season". The Press (York). Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  23. ↑ "Games played by Danny Parslow in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  24. ↑ Flett, Dave (25 October 2010). "Kidderminster 0, York City 2". The Press (York). Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  25. ↑ Flett, Dave (13 December 2010). "Match report: York City 0, Boston United 1 – FA Trophy, first round". The Press (York). Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  26. ↑ Flett, Dave (25 May 2012). "Season review: York City’s class of 2011/12". The Press (York). Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  27. ↑ "Squad stats". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 May 2014. Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu
  28. ↑ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. p. 177, 359.