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Back in the fifth tier of English football after six seasons away, York have started to struggle after a promising start to the campaign.
Since a 1-0 win over bottom club Torquay United at the start of October, they have picked up just three points from a possible 24, coming into this one off the back of three consecutive defeats.
The poor run has since cost legendary manager John Askey his job, a dismissal that has caused outrage throughout the club, with some players even taking to social media to protest the decision.
Last week’s narrow defeat to fellow promoted side Dorking Wanderers continued a disheartening streak of defeats, as James McShane nodded home at the back post.
Falling closer and closer to the drop zone, and with three of the top seven to come next, the Minstermen could do with some unlikely points this weekend.
For the hosts, full-back Ryan Fallowfield went down injured during the defeat to Dorking and could be in danger of missing out here.
Up front, Lenell John-Lewis will be looking to add to his eight league goals this campaign, over a third of his side’s strikes.
League leaders Wrexham will be without midfielder Jordan Davies, who suffered a knee injury in the FA Cup last weekend.
Striker Ollie Palmer could come back into the starting lineup, while Rob Lainton, Jacob Mendy, Reece Hall-Johnson and Harry Lennon are all back in contention after injury layoffs.
York City possible starting lineup:
Ross; Crookes, Kerr, Kouogun, Fallowfield; Whittle, Dyson, Pybus, Hancox; Duku, John-Lewis
Wrexham possible starting lineup:
Howard; Tunnicliffe, McFadzean, Tozer, Hayden; Young, Jones, Lee, Davies; Mullin, Palmer
Phil Parkinson‘s Wrexham, on the other hand, have taken the National League by storm this season, having crashed home 52 goals in 20 games, winning all ten of their games at the Racecourse Ground.
Last season’s top scorer, Paul Mullin, has followed up his 28 strikes last campaign with 18 goals in 21 appearances so far, including an FA Cup hat trick last weekend.
While the Red Dragons have been perfect at home, they have lost twice on their travels, but only to second-placed Notts County and third-placed Chesterfield.
They won’t be visiting familiar ground, though, as The Minstermen moved to a new stadium – the LNER Community Stadium – in 2021, four years after what turned out to be Wrexham’s final match at York’s former home, Bootham Crescent.
With Jordan Davies suffering a knee injury in the 4-1 win over Farnborough last Saturday, Phil Parkinson will have to make changes to his starting eleven, but players who are recovering from injury are making their way back into the reckoning to increase Parkinson’s options in other areas of the pitch. Rob Lainton, Jacob Mendy, Reece Hall-Johnson and Harry Lennon were all on the bench last Saturday, while Ollie Palmer is likely to return to the first eleven.
York have suffered a difficult spell in the last two months. They haven’t won in nine games and haven’t kept a clean sheet in that run either. Their poor form has seen them slip down the table after a promsing start to their return to the National League following promotion last season, and also cost manager John Askey his job.
Despite the poor run of results, though, the decision to relieve Askey of his duties was not popular with supporters, who hold their ex-manager in great affection. A poll in The York Press saw 91% of fans state that he should not have been sacked, and the reaction to the decision on social media has been overwhelmingly negative.
Some players took to Instagram to speak out against the sacking, with Michael Duckworth calling it an “outrageous decision”, while Ryan Fallowfield described it as “madness.”
Askey’s dismissal has certainly prompted upheaval at the club. Majority share-owner and chairman Glen Henderson has come in for heavy criticism, and the York City Supporters Trust, who own the remaining 49%, felt compelled to speak out after Askey’s departure:
“Mistakes have been made, they will be learned from and, to our best efforts, they will never be repeated,” a statement read.
“Your Supporters’ Trust board were shocked and dismayed to learn of Askey’s departure.
“Dismayed at the initial decision, we were then disappointed throughout the day with the manner in which John Askey’s dismissal was handled and communicated. Such a major decision affecting both John and the football club should have been handled better by all involved…..Between the briefing received from Club board members, and having listened to John Askey on the radio the previous evening, the Supporters’ Trust board recognise that the relationship between both parties had reached breaking point….
“On the matter of John Askey’s dismissal, we have presented the Club Board with considerable feedback regarding the events that led to a breakdown in relationships, the lack of earlier interventions, and the overall handling of John’s dismissal. Our feedback reflected the depth of fan opinion. However, the Trust board recognise that the action taken to relieve John of his duties were the culmination of numerous factors that had led to an irretrievable situation.
“While we deeply regret the situation, it is important for the good of the club to move forward and deal with the challenges ahead.
“We are sorry, we will do better.”
The trust have also suspended their fund-raising campaign, which was titled “Boosting John Askey’s Budget”. Askey himself complained that Henderson had been interfering with team affairs.
“Askey united our fanbase and gave pride back to supporters. For that we will be eternally grateful.”
-York City Supporters Trust Statement
Speaking to BBC Radio York, Askey said: “I’m really sad. I’ve enjoyed my time at the club and the support has been fantastic.
“It’s not something I wanted to happen, so I’m really disappointed.
“I was disappointed with how it was done. I stood in front of a printing machine, waiting for a letter to be printed.
“I read the letter and it says ‘You’re sacked’. That’s the biggest thing that hurt me more than anything.
“Alastair Smith, the chief executive, gave me the letter. Nobody spoke to me.
“I think I deserve better than that and I think anyone deserves better than that, to be perfectly honest.
“Nobody ever came to me and said ‘John, you’re not doing a good job.’
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“I’ve had no contact with anyone. I’ve not spoken to anyone, other than over text, for six to seven weeks.
“When I have spoken to someone, I’ve had to make the phone call….I’m upset.”
For their part, the club claimed Askey had told the club he wanted to leave, but couldn’t for personal reasons.