Looking back at arguably the most controversial season in history for the Yorkshire clubs…
The controversial last day relegation of Sheffield United from the Premiership brought the close to one of the most miserable seasons for Yorkshire based clubs in modern history.
Every league based Yorkshire club, except for United, ended the season with a different manager to the one they started with. And then to cap it all, Neil Warnock and the Blades went their separate ways after the final day home defeat to Wigan.
The only glory was in the lower leagues where Farsley Celtic progressed from Conference North, in the end of season Play Off’s, to enter the Conference league. This followed on from their earlier success in reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup, for only their second ever time!
Misery this week was compounded with the winding up of Scarborough FC! – the club relegated from Conference North (starting the season with minus 10 points – as did Rotherham in League One) with over £2.5 million in debts. They now face North East Counties football, if they can be reformed and can find somewhere else to play – the McCann stadium repossessed as part of the winding up order! For a club that attracted on average a 1000 fans for home games, this is a sad state of affairs.
So what does the new season hold – will Yorkshire wake up from the nightmare and find that Leeds weren’t relegated after all, that Rotherham did survive after starting the season with minus 10 points? And that the Blades will be reinstated to the Premiership and West Ham relegated due to transfer irregularities?
Doubt it somehow – but the dreaming of Sheffield being reinstated to the Premiership sort of still lingers on.
Next season – watch out for Andy Ritchie’s Huddersfield? Hull City continuing the recovery of losing Peter Taylor, Sheffield United and Wednesday have good squads for the Championship? Leeds to bounce straight back to the Championship? Rotherham to do an immediate return to League One. Doncaster have consolidated well in League One and could be a surprise package? Bradford come wake up from their nightmare with Stuart McCall bringing belief back to Valley Parade?
York can go one better in the Conference and return to league football? Halifax and Farsley to equip themselves well at this level?
The new season brings new belief? Hope it remains well past Xmas!
Yours in hope
A disillusioned and battered Yorkshireman!