York Minstermen

Frank Ormston

Chairman

frank@yorkminstermen.org.uk
07956 237 270

I've been a City fan since 1970. In the 1980's I edited Terrace Talk, the City fanzine, and organised travel to away games for the YNS. More recently, I was active in the campaign to save City, including helping organise the marches and the Fans United Day.

I've been involved with York Minstermen from the beginning, as travel organiser and more recently as chairman: I take an overview of the group's activities; I help, support, and cajole the other committee members; and I liaise with other organisations, particularly the football club, but also other supporters' groups and the Football Supporters' Federation. I'm one of the Social Club's volunteer bar staff.

On match days I can usually be found in the car park distributing our "What's On" flyers

Carol Abel

Treasurer and Membership Secretary

carol@yorkminstermen.org.uk
07761 304 550

I have been supporting city for 25 years when I started taking my children to Bootham Crescent. My heroes include Big Keith Walwyn, John MacPhail, Paul Barnes and Andy McMillan.

Favourite memories are the Division Four championship season as well as our famous cup exploits against Arsenal, Liverpool (who could forget those nights at Anfield?), Manchester United and Everton.

My biggest regrets are that I was unable to make the trip to Wembley for the play-off final in 1993 and that we missed out on a trip to the new Wembley in the play-offs last season.

Some of you might have seen me outside the gates of Bootham Crescent in the dark days of administration rattling my bucket; a time when the fans rallied magnificently to help save our football club.

I am a founding member of York Minstermen and my original role was that of secretary. Currently I am the Treasurer and Membership Secretary and I used to have responsibility for maintaining the Bar Rota for events in the Social Club organised by York Minstermen, prior to the opening of the rebranded Pitchside Bar. During that time we generated a turn over of over £40,000 pounds at these events, which demonstrated how the Social Club is an integral part of York City for both fans and their friends.

Ruth Laird

Secretary

ruth@yorkminstermen.org.uk
07077 082208

I saw my first City game in the mid nineties when I moved to York. Unfortunately, this was after the Wembley play-off final season and so I've never really seen any success as such at the club. That hasn't stopped me from catching the bug though and I do have some good memories. I'm not sure why, but beating Hull at home and winning away at Rochdale on a freezing day over Christmas stick in my mind. And Burton last season has to be amongst one of my favourite away days (the less said about this season the better though!)

I've been doing what I can to help the club ever since the financial troubles started, ranging from working behind the bar voluntarily to handing out flyers and helping at various York Minstermen events. I am currently also performing the role of secretary. In the summer you'll also see me helping to run the Keith Walywn fans football tournament.

Phil Howden

phil@yorkminstermen.org.uk
07986 269 844

My first City game was in the famous 1983-84 season when I went on a school outing to watch the Minstermen at Bootham Crescent on one very cold dark evening. City went 2-0 down at home to Welsh side Wrexham, only to come back to win 3-2 - not a bad start to a supporter's career!

My favourite City moments are the usual ones, especially Wembley, Man United away and Everton at home but I would also list games like the 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers in 1994 and the two 5-0 wins at Blackpool as special moments. I would list my City heroes as Paul Barnes, Jon McCarthy, Nigel Pepper and Dean Kiely.

I am a founder member of York Minstermen, and was also a founder member of the London and the South Branch in 1996. My role on the York Minstermen committee is to be a "general helper", doing bar work and other things to assist with the smooth running of events and other YMM activities. Just over a decade ago I was the Assistant Editor of fanzine "Oh What A Shambles" which sadly fizzled out after 5 enjoyable issues. For the past 3 seasons I have produced the official York City Season Highlights as well as fundraising DVDs such as Fans Match A Film About Survival, Those Happy Wanderers and Man United v York City 10th Anniversary Re-Edit. The estimated cash this has raised for the club's various causes currently stands at approximately £22,000 to date.

On home matchdays these days you will find me up in the television gantry filming the games (unless it's on Setanta or Sky!) and in the Social Club bar afterwards chewing the fat about the game over a few beers. I also attend the vast majority of away fixtures, having missed only 1 league game all season in 2006-7.

Malcolm Dixon

malcolm@yorkminstermen.org.uk

I saw my first City game in October 1959 when we played the legendary Newcastle United in a friendly to open the original floodlights. I was hooked and have missed very few home games since, and I've visited 93 grounds watching City up to the present time.

I am 58 years old, married with four children and I live in Heworth. I took early retirement from Nestle three years ago after 36 years service and am currently enjoying life watching live football and cricket.

My hobbies include horses, dogs, breeding budgerigars and quizzes. I regularly support the monthly Minstermen quizzes both as a quiz compiler and as part of a quiz team.

Jon West

jon@yorkminstemen.org.uk

My first game of football I ever attended was City v Stockport in the 1st round of the FA Cup in 1992 and my lasting memory from that day was how big Kevin Francis was and that football pitches are smaller than they appear on TV. They're the kind of things you remember when you are 10 but as well as that there was something about York City that stuck with me from then on.

My most memorable City moments are that eventful night at Old Trafford where I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing and Everton at home but also the game against Swindon which we won 2-0 with a screamer from Andy Mac. My favourite City players are Andy Mac, Jon McCarthy, Paul Barnes and Dean Kiely.

My role within York Minstermen is as a general helper whether it's helping sell raffle tickets, working on the bar or doing other things to assist in the running of activities.

On a match day you will find me in the social club having a beer or helping out behind the bar or at the back of the Shippo. I also attend many away games and one of my proudest achievements was attending 63 consecutive games including every game home and away last season