York City’s assistant manager Neil Cox has promised a new style as his tenure alongside Neal Ardley gets firmly underway.
The Minstermen are 17th in the National League but are plotting a course back towards the Football League ranks, which they left in 2016. They got off to a tough start this season, sacking Michael Morton as they tumbled to 23rd in the table.
Former Solihull Moors boss Ardley is now in charge, aided by Cox, who was previously assistant to Ardley at Wimbledon.
Ahead of their side’s clash with Eastleigh, Cox has been outlining their plans for the team’s playing style. At times, their approach has been a little tough to watch, but he told the York City Press that is about to change.
“The manager isn’t set out on how we have to play, but we’ve had to change because we haven’t had the bodies to play it,” said Cox, who won six England Under 21 caps during his playing career.
“We’ve had no left-back, now we’ve got Crookesy (Adam Crookes) back fit, but the manager wants to play open and attractive football; he wants to play out of the back and make overloads all over the pitch.”
The Minstermen needed a replay to beat a stubborn Needham Market side in the FA Cup, even then relying on an injury-time Tyler Cordner goal to earn progress to the first round. That game wasn’t an easy watch, but Cox promised that things are going to change.
“We aren’t doing it at the moment, but that will take a long time to come with all of the games we have been playing.”
Having drawn Chester City away in the FA Cup, York now face a run of four away games in five, with Chesterfield up after Eastleigh. Fans will hope that by the time Halifax visit the York Community Stadium in mid-November, some of Cox’s promises about style might come to fruition.
Writer’s View
It’s a crying shame that a club of York’s stature and history are still languishing in the National League. They’ve had a torrid time over the last few seasons, but there are signs under the new management duo that things are changing.
They’ve got a strong squad, including Alex Woodyard and Callum Howe, both successful at this level before. They’ve only lost two of their last eight games, and one of those was against high-flying Barnet.
Promotion isn’t on the cards this season, but if Cox and Ardley can get the playing style right and get the most out of a talented group of players, there’s no reason why games against Needham Market in FA Cup qualifying rounds can’t become a thing of the past.
