# 1983–84 York City F.C. season

The 1983–84 season was the 62nd season of competitive association football and 55th season in the Football League played by York City Football Club, a professional football club based in York, North Yorkshire, England. They finished in first position in the 24-team 1983–84 Football League Fourth Division, in doing so becoming the first Football League club to reach and surpass a hundred points in a season. By winning the Fourth Division championship, York earned the first major honour in the club's history.
They entered the 1983–84 FA Cup in the first round, beating Macclesfield Town in a replay before losing at home to Rochdale in the second round. They were knocked out in the first round of both the 1983–84 Football League Cup and 1983–84 Associate Members' Cup, being beaten by Grimsby Town and Hull City respectively.
18 players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were 11 different goalscorers. Defender John MacPhail, midfielder Gary Ford and striker John Byrne played in all 52 first-team matches over the season. Byrne finished as leading goalscorer with 28 goals, of which 27 came in league competition and one came in the FA Cup. The winner of the Clubman of the Year award was MacPhail.

## Match details
### Football League Fourth Division

Football League Fourth Division match details :
| Date | League position | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 27 August 1983 | 5th | Stockport County | A | W | 2–0 | MacPhail, Byrne | 2,185 |
| 3 September 1983 | 2nd | Rochdale | H | W | 2–0 | Ford, Walwyn | 2,772 |
| 6 September 1983 | 1st | Peterborough United | H | W | 2–0 | Pollard, Byrne | 3,709 |
| 10 September 1983 | 1st | Chesterfield | A | L | 1–2 | Walwyn | 4,041 |
| 17 September 1983 | 1st | Chester City | H | W | 4–1 | Byrne (3), MacPhail | 3,037 |
| 24 September 1983 | 1st | Darlington | A | D | 0–0 | | 2,181 |
| 27 September 1983 | 1st | Doncaster Rovers | A | D | 2–2 | Byrne, Walwyn | 4,996 |
| 1 October 1983 | 1st | Blackpool | H | W | 4–0 | Byrne (2), Walwyn (2) | 4,058 |
| 7 October 1983 | 1st | Colchester United | H | W | 3–0 | MacPhail, Pollard pen., Walwyn | 6,207 |
| 15 October 1983 | 1st | Swindon Town | A | L | 2–3 | Walwyn (2) | 2,457 |
| 18 October 1983 | 2nd | Bristol City | A | L | 0–1 | | 10,827 |
| 22 October 1983 | 2nd | Reading | H | D | 2–2 | Pollard, Sbragia | 4,315 |
| 29 October 1983 | 1st | Northampton Town | A | W | 2–1 | Walwyn (2) | 2,956 |
| 1 November 1983 | 1st | Wrexham | H | W | 3–2 | Sbragia, Pollard (2, 1 pen.) | 5,641 |
| 5 November 1983 | 1st | Crewe Alexandra | A | W | 3–0 | Walwyn (2), Byrne | 2,785 |
| 12 November 1983 | 1st | Torquay United | H | L | 2–3 | Hood, Ford | 4,609 |
| 26 November 1983 | 1st | Hartlepool United | A | W | 3–2 | Byrne (2), Sbragia | 2,022 |
| 3 December 1983 | 1st | Aldershot | H | W | 2–0 | Byrne, Pearce | 3,951 |
| 17 December 1983 | 1st | Hereford United | H | W | 4–0 | Ford (2), Pearce, Byrne | 2,722 |
| 26 December 1983 | 1st | Halifax Town | A | W | 2–1 | Walwyn (2) | 2,457 |
| 27 December 1983 | 1st | Tranmere Rovers | H | D | 1–1 | Senior | 6,357 |
| 31 December 1983 | 1st | Bury | A | W | 3–1 | Walwyn, Byrne (2) | 3,864 |
| 2 January 1984 | 1st | Mansfield Town | H | W | 2–1 | Ford, Hay | 5,682 |
| 14 January 1984 | 1st | Stockport County | H | W | 3–1 | Hood pen., MacPhail, Walwyn | 3,570 |
| 31 January 1984 | 1st | Chesterfield | H | W | 1–0 | Byrne | 4,782 |
| 4 February 1984 | 1st | Blackpool | A | L | 0–3 | | 6,010 |
| 11 February 1984 | 1st | Darlington | H | W | 2–0 | MacPhail, Ford | 4,773 |
| 18 February 1984 | 1st | Northampton Town | H | W | 3–0 | Walwyn, Pollard pen., Byrne | 3,941 |
| 25 February 1984 | 1st | Reading | A | L | 0–1 | | 4,548 |
| 28 February 1984 | 1st | Wrexham | A | D | 0–0 | | 1,199 |
| 3 March 1984 | 1st | Bristol City | H | D | 1–1 | Phillipson-Masters o.g. | 5,096 |
| 6 March 1984 | 1st | Crewe Alexandra | H | W | 5–2 | Walwyn (2), Byrne, Sbragia, Pearce | 4,106 |
| 10 March 1984 | 1st | Torquay United | A | W | 3–1 | Ford, Walwyn, Byrne | 2,836 |
| 19 March 1984 | 1st | Colchester United | A | W | 3–1 | MacPhail, Walwyn, Pearce | 3,032 |
| 24 March 1984 | 1st | Swindon Town | H | W | 2–0 | Walwyn, Ford | 3,341 |
| 27 March 1984 | 1st | Rochdale | A | W | 2–0 | Byrne (2) | 1,756 |
| 1 April 1984 | 1st | Peterborough United | A | W | 2–0 | MacPhail, Byrne | 5,216 |
| 8 April 1984 | 1st | Doncaster Rovers | H | D | 1–1 | Ford | 11,297 |
| 14 April 1984 | 1st | Aldershot | A | W | 4–1 | MacPhail, Houchen, Byrne, Pearce | 5,071 |
| 18 April 1984 | 1st | Chester City | A | D | 1–1 | Hood | 1,850 |
| 20 April 1984 | 1st | Halifax Town | H | W | 4–1 | Byrne (3), Walwyn | 7,120 |
| 23 April 1984 | 1st | Tranmere Rovers | A | W | 1–0 | Ford | 3,527 |
| 28 April 1984 | 1st | Hartlepool United | H | W | 2–0 | Walwyn (2) | 6,063 |
| 5 May 1984 | 1st | Mansfield Town | A | W | 1–0 | MacPhail | 3,355 |
| 7 May 1984 | 1st | Bury | H | W | 3–0 | Byrne, Hood, Ford | 8,026 |
| 7 May 1984 | 1st | Hereford United | A | L | 1–2 | MacPhail | 4,333 |

### League table (part)

Final Football League Fourth Division table (part) :
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| 1st | York City | 46 | 31 | 8 | 7 | 96 | 39 | +57 | 101 |
| 2nd | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 82 | 54 | +28 | 85 |
| 3rd | Reading | 46 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 84 | 56 | +28 | 82 |
| 4th | Bristol City | 46 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 70 | 44 | +26 | 82 |
| 5th | Aldershot | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 76 | 69 | +7 | 75 |
| Key | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points | Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points |
| Source | | | | | | | | | |

### FA Cup

FA Cup match details :
| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| First round | 19 November 1983 | Macclesfield Town | A | D | 0–0 | | 3,407 |
| First round replay | 22 November 1983 | Macclesfield Town | H | W | 2–0 | Sbragia, Byrne | 4,963 |
| Second round | 13 December 1983 | Rochdale | H | L | 0–2 | | 5,203 |

### League Cup

League Cup match details :
| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| First round first leg | 30 August 1983 | Grimsby Town | H | W | 2–1 | Ford, Pollard | 3,505 |
| First round second leg | 13 September 1983 | Grimsby Town | A | L | 0–2 a.e.t. | | 3,529 |

### Associate Members' Cup

Associate Members' Cup match details :
| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| First round | 21 February 1984 | Hull City | H | L | 1–2 | Senior | 5,837 |

## Appearances and goals

    Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
    Players with names struck through and marked † left the club during the playing season.
    Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with York.
    Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
Players having played at least one first-team match :
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | AMC | AMC | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | ENG | Mike Astbury | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| GK | ENG | Roger Jones | 41 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 0 |
| DF | WAL | Chris Evans | 16 (3) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 (5) | 0 |
| DF | SCO | Alan Hay | 42 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Derek Hood | 33 (1) | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 (1) | 4 |
| DF | SCO | John MacPhail | 46 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 10 |
| DF | SCO | Ricky Sbragia | 45 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 5 |
| DF | ENG | Steve Senior | 39 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 45 | 2 |
| MF | ENG | Brian Chippendale | 0 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (4) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Malcolm Crosby | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Gary Ford | 46 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 12 |
| MF | ENG | Sean Haslegrave | 24 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 25 (4) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Keith Houchen | 1 (6) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (6) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Alan Pearce | 17 (1) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 (1) | 5 |
| MF | ENG | Brian Pollard | 29 (1) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 35 (1) | 7 |
| FW | ENG | Viv Busby † | 0 (3) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (3) | 0 |
| FW | ENG | John Byrne | 46 | 27 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 28 |
| FW | SKN | Keith Walwyn | 45 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 25 |