Get the lowdown on our next opponents: York City.
The Opposition
York City are a side on the rise, and will surely be targeting their first season back in the league since 2016.
The Minstermen had ended the 2024/25 campaign with 96 points to their name, bettered only by league winners Barnet who picked up six more points, and meant that despite winning 29 games last term, losing only eight, and seeing their goals for (97) and goals against (42) tallies both bettered only by Barnet, they were condemned to the play-offs at the end of the season, which ended in heartbreak when they lost to eventual winners Oldham Athletic in the semi-final.
Having gone close last term, they will now be looking to close the gap on the teams above them, with a three-point disadvantage to leaders Carlisle United, while just a point separates them from Boreham Wood and Scunthorpe United who currently occupy second and third.
Key to this will be the form of Ollie Pearce, who has continued his superb goalscoring exploits from both his Worthing days in the National League South along with last season, having notched more than 30% of their goals with a whopping 31, and was enough to win him the division’s Golden Boot and Player of the Season awards.
He has added a further 21 this season which is again more than anyone else in the division, with Matt Rush currently the closest with seven less than the 30-year old, while Josh Stones and Alex Newby have contributed another 16 between them to see York fire home the most goals in the league with 63.
Their quality in attack has also only been mirrored in defence, with Malachi Fagan-Walcott once again a central part of their backline alongside the likes of Mark Kitching, Zak Johnson, Joe Felix, Callum Howe, Ben Brookes and Ryan Fallowfield, with them all appearing at least 20 times as they have found a consistent and settled side.
There also a new man in the dugout at the LNER Community Stadium, with Stuart Maynard controversially replacing Adam Hinshelwood just four games into the campaign after one win and three draws. However, the former Wealdstone and Notts County boss has made the transition back into the National League with ease, leading the club to a 14-game unbeaten run in the league while losing just three times in all competitions, and has seen them maintain their position in the top seven as they take aim for promotion.
The Manager
Stuart Maynard
The controversial decision to dismiss Adam Hinshelwood followed on from a disappointing opening to the campaign, but the incoming Stuart Maynard has had no problems with filling the void in the LNER Community Stadium dugout.
A former midfielder, Maynard’s playing career began as apprentice at Watford, and after the Hornets’ promotion to the Premier League in 1999 he was released, with a brief stint in the Netherlands with FC Groningen preceding stints at St. Albans City, Wealdstone, Aylesbury United, Enfield Town, Hitchin Town, Dunstable Town, Chesham United, Barton Rovers, Halesowen Town, Aylesbury FC and Hemel Hempstead Town.
A perhaps short-lived career as a player came to an end in May 2012, with Maynard being appointed Assistant Manager at his final club, Hemel, to former teammate and newly appointed boss Dean Brennan, with the pair guiding the Tudors to the Southern League title in 2013/14.
The duo were later appointed as the managerial team at both Billericay Town and Kingstonian, before returning to North London to re-join Wealdstone together in May 2019, leading the Stones to automatic promotion from the National League South in their first season as champions. Maynard later took sole charge at Grosvenor Vale the following season though, with Brennan resigning from his role in order to take over at Barnet.
Initially becoming interim boss, he was later appointed permanently and guided them to their highest league finish in 35 years; a 16th place finish in the fifth tier, before extending his contract by two years and leading them to an improved 13th finish, including notable wins over Oldham Athletic and Gateshead which briefly propelled them to the top of the division.
Despite extending his deal again in July 2023, his efforts had been noticed elsewhere and led to Maynard being named as Luke Williams’ replacement at League Two side Notts County after his predecessor made the switch to Swansea City. He was later dismissed from his role after defeat in the play-off semi-final against eventual winners AFC Wimbledon, but swiftly bounced back into management with a move to York, leading the Minstermen to an improved string of form after winning just one of their opening four games which led to Hinshelwood’s exit.
He has since racked up 15 wins in charge at the LNER Community Stadium, including a notable run of maximum points across seven consecutive games, while they are overall unbeaten in the league since the start of October; a 3-1 defeat to Scunthorpe United, one of just two losses – the second being at the hands of Maynard’s assistant at Wealdstone, falling to a 1-0 defeat to Solihull Moors.
One to Watch
Josh Stones
Josh Stones has received a host of plaudits since making the move to York from Wigan Athletic, playing a key role in their run to a record-breaking points tally last term, along with their subsequent 14-game unbeaten run which has propelled them to fourth in the division.
A product of the Guiseley academy, he played 22 times for the Lions before being picked up by Wigan in 2022, then aged just 19 and having been selected for England Schools, before gaining experience on loan at Ross County during the backend of the 2022/23 campaign.
Upon his return to the DW Stadium, he signed a three-year deal with the Latics before scoring his first goal in a 7-1 win over Leicester City in the EFL Trophy, being swapping one Latic for another, making the switch to Oldham on loan in December 2023.
Despite suffering an injury during his initial stint at Boundary Park, he saw the deal extended the following month before returning for a second spell in November 2024, scoring seven goals in ten appearances in all for the club before returning in January 2025.
He subsequently made the switch to promotion rivals York in the same month, initially on loan before agreeing to make it permanent, and led to him scoring seven goals for the Minstermen as they secured a second-place finish, having racked up four short of a century of points, and bettered only by Barnet’s tally of 106. While they failed to win promotion through the play-offs, suffering heartbreak at the hands of eventual winners and Stones’ former club Oldham, he has since added a further eight goals this term as Maynard’s side have targeted another shot at promotion, sitting fourth in the division.
Recent Form
Altrincham 1-2 York City
York City 2-2 Boston United
York City 4-0 Truro City
Clitheroe 1-1 York City
York City 5-1 Aldershot Town
Brackley Town 2-3 York City
Last Time Out
York City secured a huge last-minute three points away at Altrincham thanks to goals from Alex Newby and Ollie Pearce.
The hosts found themselves at a disadvantage early on when they were reduced to 10 men after just 16 minutes, when Owen Germen brought down Ollie Pearce, who was charging through on goal.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 42nd minute when City caught Altrincham on the counter attack. Stones with a ball across to Newby who fired a shot into the bottom left-hand corner against his former club.
The Minstermen continued to dominate the opening proceedings of the second half with chances for Zak Johnson, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Newby and Dan Batty, but the game was thrown into chaos in the 88th minute when Altrincham found an equaliser through Lucas Weaver who pounced on a loose ball from inside the box.
Just 20 seconds after the equaliser though, City in dramatic fashion secured a last gasp winning goal through Pearce who latched onto the end of a Mark Kitching cross.
Photo Credit: Tom Poole // York City Football Club
