A look at the sporting headlines in this week 20, 50 and 80 years ago, with Bill Marshall...

80 YEARS AGO

IN A week when it was announced that, for those born between 1930 and 1932, life expectancy for men had gone up to 58.74 and for women to 62.88, there wasn't much expectancy of a victory for York Rugby League Club at The Boulevard.

After all, Hull had gone 68 games without defeat there in a sequence stretching back to September 1934, when under-strength Swinton surprised them, and Hull were leading the table, while York were a mid-table 13th.

However, thanks to the glorious uncertainty that is sport, York triumphed 16-8 in front of 10,000 fans to complete a double over the East Yorkshire side, with Hardgrave scoring two tries and Dingsdale kicking five goals, two of which were from two yards from the halfway line.

York City were not to be left in the shadows either.

Maybe it was the presence of their new president Lord Milton, or maybe it was the appearance presence of the Lord Mayor or the Sheriff, but the Minstermen were inspired in a 3-1 defeat of Oldham, who had been relegated the season before from the Second Division but had kept many of their better players.

Defensive blunders were costly for the Latics, however, with Albert Banfield scoring from a Peter Spooner cross in the 31st minute, and the latter making it 2-0 four minutes later.

A Fred Speed penalty in the 40th minute after Harry Green's shot had been handled on the line gave City, whose teamwork was impressive, a decent cushion, although Norman Brunskill reduced the arrears.

With Reynoldstown and Golden Miller swapping favouritism for the Grand National almost every week, there was a brief bout at Leicester, with former British heavyweight champion Reggie Meen (Desbrough) knocking out Jack Stanley (Deptford) in 14 seconds, which included ten seconds for the count.

However, that was nowhere near the 1902 world record of two seconds, when Battling Nelson walked from his corner and immediately knocked out William Rosser.

50 YEARS AGO

EXCITEMENT at Bootham Crescent was intense as York City, who were bottom of the Third Division, hosted Hull City.

The York Evening Press were so moved that they brought out a Green Sports Special.

The Minstermen had won the reverse fixture 4-1 at Boothferry Park, and a record league crowd of 19,572 watched the return in which John Hawksby made his debut for York.

But things didn't turn out well for them as they went 2-0 down to goals by Ken Wagstaff and Ian Butler.

William Rudd pulled a goal back in the first minute of the second half but that was all York could manage. Ironically, York won the reserve clash 2-1 in Hull.

Scottish international Matt Busby was transferred from Manchester City to Liverpool 80 years ago this week, and this week in 1966 he managed Manchester United to a 5-1 victory against Benfica in Lisbon in the second leg of their European Cup quarter-final.

George Best (2) and John Connelly had United 3-0 up after 14 minutes. A Shay Brennan own goal gave the Portuguese hope after 52 minutes, but, with Eusebio again well shacked by Nobby Stiles, United added late goals by Paddy Crerand and Bobby Charlton to go through 8-3 on aggregate.

Busby said: "The boys gave a magnificent show. This was their greatest hour, and hopefully we will be back here for the final in May."

Keighley hadn't scored a try in their previous six games but put five past York in a 21-4 victory, with the visitors only managing two Payne penalties.

Clifton and Tang Hall tennis clubs merged to form York Lawn Tennis Club, and among those attending Yorkshire colts cricket nets in Bradford were 15-year-old batsman Richard Lumb from Doncaster, 19-year-old Clifton batsman Don Blake and fellow York lads Ken Johnson, 18, Jerry Dunnington, 26, and Tony Temple, 24.

20 YEARS AGO

JUST how would York City replace Paul Barnes, who was sold to Birmingham City after scoring 85 goals in 169 appearances to put him ninth on the Minstermen's all-time list?

It seemed that 18-year-old Richard Cresswell could be the answer after struggling York drew 1-1 in midweek at second-placed Crewe and 1-1 at home to Carlisle United in a relegation clash.

Graeme Murty netted at Gresty Road, while substitute Paul Stephenson's 25-yard free-kick earned them a point against Carlisle.

National Conference League Premier Division leaders Heworth defeated Lock Lane 16-8 to make it 12 wins out of 12 but they could not make it lucky 13 against West Hull, who had beaten York in the Challenge Cup a few weeks earlier.

West Hull triumphed 11-8 in the Conference clash but Heworth had three tries disallowed and missed four shots at goal, while only managing a try by Charlie Adie.

York boxer Henry Wharton gave up his European super middleweight crown in order to concentrate on his world-title ambitions.