After 80 years, come on City, make me smile

The 86-year-old has been following the club for nearly 80 years and has seen both the good and the bad times, but after several seasons of disappointment and relegation he is desperate to see the Minstermen achieve success.

His first memories are of the days when City played at the Fulfordgate ground, before their move to Bootham Crescent in 1932, and the first match that was played there.

"My father took me in his motorbike and side-car," he recalls.

"That first game was against Aberdeen in a friendly match in the late 1920s. Of course at the old ground we could watch the first half at one end of the ground and then we would move down to the other end for the second half, depending on which way City were attacking.

"Then the club moved to Bootham Crescent and I was at the first game there, a 2-2 draw with Stockport."
Wragge was living in New Earswick in these early years, and when Tom Lockie arrived in 1933, and moved in just around the corner from him, he was given the opportunity of playing with the squad.

"I was in my last college year at Bootham School when Lockie became first-team trainer in 1937/38 and I used to miss French lessons on a Tuesday morning to go down and train with the team," he said.

"That was the season City reached the FA Cup quarter-finals and saw off such big names as West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough, which is probably the highlight of my York supporting life.

"The only problem in those days was that cup replays were played on Wednesday afternoons so my friends and I had more problems skipping school to see them play."

Unfortunately work took him away from York for many years after the War, but while in London during the late 1950s and '60s he took his son Andrew to see his first City games.

After returning north to Kirkbymoorside, a house on Burton Stone Lane - a free-kick from Bootham Crescent - came on the market, and he and his wife moved.

It was from that home, where he still resides, that he took his grandson, Hyla, to his first City match in January 1991, keeping up the family tradition of supporting the Minstermen.

Although his strength has waned in recent years, his spirit and devotion to York City has never wavered.

During last season's campaign he travelled with his son-in-law and grandson to Carlisle for the Tuesday night 6-0 drubbing in April.

Due to the seating area being closed to away fans, forcing them all to stand on the open terracing, the stewards had no choice but to find a chair and place it on the terracing where Wragge could watch.

So on a cold spring evening, with a rug around his legs, he watched what he describes as "probably the worst City display, in their worst season that I can remember".

Amid the controversy of four years ago when Bootham Crescent Holdings put the club up for sale, Wragge was in the thick of the fight to keep City afloat.

"I attended the protest outside Bootham Crescent, and was very happy when the situation was cleared up," he admitted.

"What certain individuals were trying to do to the club was terrible and the supporters did the right thing in creating the Trust."

But despite all the recent low points he is optimistic that this coming season might finally bring the glory days back to City.

He said: "Hope springs eternal, and I would like a York team to make me smile again. Billy McEwan has had the chance to bring the players he wants into the club. Let's hope they can finally win something for us long-suffering supporters."

Philip's City best

Philip Wragge's all-time favourite 11 in 4-3-3 formation:

Goalkeeper: Dean Kiely (1990-96).
Right-back: Jack Brookes (1929-32).
Left-back: Wayne Hall (1989-2000).
Centre-back: Paul Stancliffe (1991-94).
Centre-back: Sam Gledhill (1936-48).
Right-wing: Reg Stockill (1929-31).
Left-wing: Billy Fenton (1951-58).
Central midfield: Sid Storey (1947-56).
Striker: Peter Spooner (1931-33 & 35-39).
Striker: Reg Baines (1931-33 & 1937-38).
Striker: James Cowie (1928-31).