York City Football Club is a professional association football club based in York, North Yorkshire, England. The history of York City F.C. from 1922 to 1980 covers the period from the club's foundation, through their progress in the Football League, to the end of the 1979–80 season.
Founded in 1922, York City was elected to play in the Midland League for 1922–23. After seven seasons in the Midland League, they were elected to play in the Football League for 1929–30, and were placed in the Third Division North. During the Second World War, York played in regional competitions, before the Football League restored its usual competitions in the 1946–47 season. After 14 seasons in the Football League, the club was required to apply for re-election for the first time because they finished the 1949–50 season at the bottom of the Third Division North. York had their best FA Cup season in the 1954–55 season, when they reached the semi-final; they were defeated by First Division team Newcastle United in a replay.
York played in the Third Division North until the 1958–59 season, when a league reorganisation placed them in the Fourth Division. The same season, they finished third and won their first promotion, but were relegated after one season. York won another promotion in the 1964–65 season, but were again relegated after one season. The club won a third promotion to the now-unified Third Division in the 1970–71 season, remaining there for the next two seasons on goal average. They were promoted to the Second Division for the first and only time in the 1973–74 season. By mid October 1974, York were in fifth place—their highest league placing—before finishing the 1974–75 season in 15th place. They faced two successive relegations in 1976 and 1977, and a 22nd-place finish in the 1977–78 Fourth Division forced the club to apply for re-election.
1922–1939: Foundation and establishment in Football League
As local football became more popular after the First World War, and with the success of the newly formed Yorkshire League, demand arose for a new club for the city of York, to succeed York City Football Club, which folded in 1917. At a meeting held at the Co-operative Hall in York on 6 May 1922, the decision was made to form the York City Association Football and Athletic Club Limited, with W. H. Shaw as chairman. Despite having neither a ground nor players, an application was made for election to the Football League; this was unsuccessful, but the club was admitted to the Midland League on 10 June. York's first match was away to Notts County reserves on 6 September, and despite a good performance the team lost 4–2. York had to play their first two home matches at Mille Crux, the ground of Rowntree & Co, because their Fulfordgate ground was not ready. Their first match at Fulfordgate came on 20 September, with a 4–1 victory against Mansfield Town. York finished the 1922–23 season in 19th place; they had been placed midtable in early March 1923 but failed to win any of their remaining 14 fixtures. In the same year, York reached the final of the North Riding Senior Cup, but lost 4–2 to Middlesbrough reserves at Ayresome Park on 10 March. The club's first season proved disappointing financially, with a loss of £718 reported, and as a consequence Shaw relinquished the chairmanship to Arthur Brown. York entered the FA Cup for the first time in the 1923–24 season and reached the first qualifying round, losing 3–1 to Mexborough Town in a second replay. They again ranked 19th in the table with an almost identical record to the previous season's.