Running On Empty

Sometimes you can tell a club has run out of ideas.

York City dived out of League Two last season with just one win in their final sixteen games. Manager Russ Wilcox, who managed less than a 25% win rate, was replaced by Jackie McNamara in November, and lost his first seven matches in charge, including a 5-1 home defeat to Accrington.

11 months later, McNamara is still - just about - in charge. Last week, following a 6-1 thumping by previously winless Guiseley, McNamara told the press he would resign if the result in their next match was not 'positive'. A 1-1 draw with relegation strugglers Braintree was followed by three days of deliberations before a statement admitted he would leave the club - but only when the position had a new incumbent.

It's a bizarre decision. No moving the assistant manager or goalkeeper coach in to take temporary charge. No committee of senior players to hold the fort. The manager that has already admitted failure will remain to 'motivate' with the club facing a potentially lucrative FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie at home to Curzon Ashton, who sit in roughly the same place in the table as the Minstermen, only a division lower.

Chairman Jason McGill, 16 years on the board since a Supporters Trust takeover of the then ailing club, and ten as owner after a second financial wobble required another cash injection, admitted following relegation that the club would be financially troubled until their new stadium was ready.

His company had propped up the club over the past five years but he told the local press it "cannot keep funding York City year-on-year just to survive" as his company's funds were pulled out in the summer.

The long term future potentially looks bright, but the 'Community Stadium' that the club hopes to move to in 2018 has been delayed four years from its initial opening date already and has been in the works for more than ten. A series of planning and legal challenges - along with the occasional financial woes of the Minstermen and their planned co-tenants at York City Knights Rugby League side - have led to ongoing delays that have threatened the existence of both clubs and the entire project.

The latest roadblock comes in the form of a judicial review from a rival cinema chain over the size of the planned multiplex on the site. You almost couldn't make it up.

The York City supporters are prepared to wave goodbye to Bootham Crescent after more than 80 years sooner or later, but they are now drudging along until either they finally find their salvation in the new stadium, or the club hits the buffers once again.