Today I'm going back just six years to 2016 and York City's end of season dead rubber at Morecambe's Globe Arena attended by a sparse 1,620. Today's programme is a little piece of history as it covers York's last ever Football League fixture (for now at least). It's difficult to imagine York making it back into the hallowed 92 anytime soon so this may become a collector's item in the decades to come.
If you look carefully at the cover of today's featured programme you will see a little silhouette of comedian Eric Morecambe in amongst the "Shrimps" title. Eric Morecambe's name wasn't Morecambe at all but he took the name of his seaside home town onto the stage in preference to his real name of Bartholomew. I have to say that I didn't associate Eric Morecambe with Morecambe at all until I visited the place and saw the statue to his memory standing on the seafront. To my recollection, Eric Morecambe's team was the dreaded Luton Town and he was well known for being a director of that club. Morecambe a Shrimper? I think not.
York, managed by the despised Jackie McNamara, actually took the lead just before halftime in the featured game with a goal from Luke Summerfield. The celebrations were understandably muted to say the least and, rather typically of York that season, they couldn't hold onto the lead as Jim Bentley's Morecambe equalised early in the second half through a spectacular shot from outside the area by Jamie Devitt. The game also proved to be the end of another era in that it was Michael Ingham's last appearance for York. Ingham may not have been the best goalkeeper ever to play for York but I always felt that he was a dedicated professional who could be relied upon to try his hardest. He made 275 League appearances for York in total and his part in York's "Wembley Twice" FA Trophy and promotion winning side of 2012 will never be forgotten. Ingham was also a Northern Irish international winning three caps for his country between 2005-07. Ingham always came across as one of the good guys and he wore the number 24 shirt throughout his time at York in commemoration of a childhood friend who died in tragic circumstances. York's loss is now Scarborough Athletic's gain where, today, he performs the assistant manager role for the Seadogs.
The featured game was a dead rubber because York had already been relegated back into Non-League prior to this game and Morecambe were already safe. Despite the point secured at Morecambe, City finished the season dead last in 24th place, level on points with the other relegated side that season, Dagenham & Redbridge but with an inferior goal difference. The two relegated sides fell nine points short of safety. Morecambe didn't do much better, finishing 21st, but they achieved the all-important survival and the chance to go again in League 2 the following season. Northampton Town were Champions that season with 99 points and were promoted along with Oxford United, Bristol Rovers and AFC Wimbledon who defeated Plymouth Argyle 2-0 in the Play-Off Final at Wembley.
CRB Match No. 2098
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