Today I'm going back 42 years to 1980 and York City's Monday night visit to Field Mill, home of Mansfield Town for a Fourth Division encounter. This was my first visit to Mansfield's ground but I've managed a further six visits since, all with the Minstermen. These include York's dramatic 2012 Play-Off Semi-Final 2nd Leg win and York's 4-1 win there in 2015. On the whole it's been a fairly happy hunting ground for York (at least when I've been present) as I've only witnessed two home wins at Field Mill. Today's featured game finished in a 1-0 win for York and was attended by 4,090.
The featured game was the second League game of the season for both clubs. Mansfield had opened with an away win at Halifax Town whilst York had thumped AFC Bournemouth 4-0 in their own opening fixture (I wonder whatever happened to AFC Bournemouth?). York's 1-0 victory in this game gave them the perfect start to the League season but, sadly, the good fortune was not to last as they plummeted down the table over the course of the season and ended it in last place and were obliged to seek re-election once again. York's win at Mansfield was one of just two on the road all season and it was their away form that really did for them that season. Manager Barry Lyons, who had succeeded predecessor Charlie Wright earlier in the year kept his job despite the desperate season but he was eventually sacked in 1981 and was succeeded by caretaker managers in Kevin Randall and then Barry Swallow before the arrival of Denis Smith in May 1982. The only way was up!
Despite that early defeat to York, Mansfield Town had a much better season than did their conquerors and they eventually finished in seventh place, six points behind promoted Wimbledon (these were the days of two points for a win and there were no Play-Offs at the time). Champions in 1980/81 were Southend United and also promoted were Lincoln City, Doncaster Rovers and the aforementioned Wimbledon. Four clubs were obliged to seek re-election and, besides York City, these were Tranmere Rovers, Hereford United and Halifax Town.
CRB Match No. 96
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