Trouble off the pitch afflicts York City’s pre-season
10.08.2021
York City’s phenomenal pre-season form is currently fuelling fan hopes of a return to the non-league top flight as the 201/22 season rapidly approaches. After suffering consecutive relegations from League 2 to the National League North in 2016 and 2017, the club’s recent pre-season victories over high-ranking EFL sides has fans eager for the first game of the season. However, a spate of crucial injuries and stadium attendance controversy dampened supporter spirits and evoked frustration online.
Football fans at all levels of the game had to wait months to see their club in the flesh during lockdown. This is certainly true for York City, who suffered season shutdowns and stringent regulations throughout the pandemic. York fans have also had to wait a decade for a new stadium, the LNER community stadium, which opens for its first game of the season this Saturday 14th. Although the stadium offers a maximum capacity of 8,500 for the upcoming match against Kidderminster, ground safety issues mean that only 2,000 fans are permitted to attend.
The restrictions reportedly follow a dispute between the stadium owners, York City Council, and the limited company who manage the stadium, run by the football club chairman Jason McGill. The council downgraded the ground’s capacity after stadium officials reportedly failed to provide evidence for several COVID-19 safety measures.
The 1,800 home tickets sold out just a few short hours after York announced the sale online. Fan frustration erupted online, including from an unofficial Twitter account for the stadium itself followed by thousands of supporters, which called the situation an ‘utter mess’.
York City’s recent success on the pitch this pre-season makes the issue all the more bitter, as it entices long-absent fans all the more strongly back to their beloved club. Undefeated in all four games, with wins over National League side Notts County, Championship club Middlesborough, and the Premier League’s Newcastle United, York fans are all the more keen to see their club kick off the season at home.
The ticketing controversy, and significant injuries to defenders Scotty Barrow, Josh King, Matty Brown, and forward Jason Gilchrist sours a triumphant pre-season run. If York can put their controversies behind them and keep their results up, the club could well contend for playoff places as the season progresses.
