Today I'm going back 39 years to 1983 and York City's visit to the County Ground to play Swindon Town in a Fourth Division fixture. The official attendance at the match was 2,517. The game was my second visit to the County Ground, a venue that York don't seem to have visited that many times over the years on account of the two sides frequently being in different divisions in the Football League or because York have, more recently, sunk into non-league.
Just in case you're wondering, yes the programme cover is pink and not the red that you might expect to see given that Swindon Town play in red. Inset on the programme cover is Mike Graham who was Swindon's full-back between 1981-1985 making 141 Football League appearances and scoring just one goal. Graham also played for Bolton Wanderers, Mansfield Town and Carlisle United and racked up 458 Football League appearances in total scoring 5 goals.
York went to Swindon leading the Fourth Division by a point from second placed Bristol City. Swindon kicked off down in 17th position. Swindon's manager, Ken Beamish, lamented the fate of his first choice goal keeper in his column in the programme. Jimmy Allen, a Scot, had suffered a severe break and dislocation to his left arm in an incident during Swindon's recent clash with Rochdale and was expected to be out of action for the whole of the rest of the season. Sadly however, the injury proved to be a career ending one and indeed Allen was never again able to properly straighten his arm following numerous operations on it. His replacement for the match against York was one Scott Endersby who would go on to make 85 Football League appearances for Swindon Town between 1983-1985 as well as 41 appearances for York City between 1987-1989.
Make no mistake, the featured game proved to be a rare bad day at the office for York who were on their way to the Fourth Division title. York lost just seven of their 46 League games that season and this match was one of them. The conditions were atrocious with torrential rain all afternoon leaving the pitch sodden to say the least. Swindon scored in the first 90 seconds with Gary Emmanuel firing past Mike Astbury from Leigh Barnard's cross. Astbury made just five Football League appearances that season with club captain Roger Jones being preferred when available and, on this showing, you can see why. In the 18th minute Swindon got lucky when full-back Colin Bailie fired in a long range shot from 25 yards and Astbury's attempted parry saw the ball spin over his head and into the net. Back came York and Walwyn headed home a corner in the 39th minute to make it 2-1 before scoring again just before half-time following some poor Swindon defending. As the rain continued to make conditions difficult it began to look like the game was going to end in a draw but, with just three minutes remaining, Mike Astbury somehow managed to misjudge an innocuous looking cross by Leigh Barnard and the ball went in at the far post.
Swindon had won the battle but York would go on to win the war and this afternoon and result was quickly forgotten! Ken Beamish only ever had one full season in charge at Swindon and he led them to their lowest ever League finish of 17th in the Fourth Division. At the end of the season Beamish did not have his contract renewed and he was replaced by Lou Macari.
CRB Match No. 264
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