FORMER York City striker Adam Boyes insists he hasn’t got a point to prove to Bootham Crescent chief Gary Mills - but his scoring record might suggest otherwise.

Boyes, who will line up against Mills’ Minstermen for National League North neighbours Bradford Park Avenue this afternoon, netted 40 goals in two seasons for Barrow before moving to Conference rivals Gateshead in the summer of 2013.

But, after Mills took over at the International Athletics Stadium, Boyes was limited to just six outings for the north-east club before being offloaded to Guiseley, where he played under another ex-Minsterman and his current Park Avenue boss Mark Bower.

The Lingdale-born attacker went on to bag a brace for Guiseley against Mills’ Wrexham team during a 3-1 victory in 2015/16, having also been on target in a 3-3 draw at the Racecourse Ground.

He got the consolation, meanwhile, when Barrow lost 3-1 at Bootham Crescent to Mills’ eventual 2012 double Wembley-winning team and, in total, he has hit the target four times in six contests against teams managed by the former European Cup winner.

“I’ve got a good record against his teams,” Boyes pointed out before today’s Horsfall Stadium clash. “I scored a few against Wrexham, but I don’t think I’m really out to prove a point with him.

“I think what happened at Gateshead was just one of those things in football. He came in and I wasn’t for him, so I moved on, which happens in football.

“It’s just nice for me to be back playing at the moment. I didn’t play as much as I wanted last season, but I’ve started this season well and, hopefully, that can continue.”

Boyes, who only managed two goals in 35 league appearances at Guiseley last term, has already emulated that tally in his first two games for Park Avenue.

Those closely-contested matches have resulted in one win and a defeat and, even though the West Yorkshire part-time outfit who only train twice a week started the campaign as 40-1 long shots for the title, Boyes revealed that the club are intending to upset those odds.

“Our first game was tight and I scored late on,” he added. “In the second game, we went 1-0 up, but conceded a silly goal early in the second half and then had a man sent off, so it was backs-to-the-wall stuff before they got the winner in the 90th minute.

“The manager has said he wants to get in the top seven and he’s signed a few players from Guiseley, like myself, who have been promoted from this division before. If we can keep people fit, then I feel we can challenge in the top half of the table.”

Boyes’ final game for Guiseley was the 1-1 home draw with Solihull Moors that kept the Leeds side up at the expense of his old club, who were sharing the spoils against Forest Green at Bootham Crescent.

A last-minute own goal sparked exuberant scenes at Nethermoor Park, although Boyes – a 55th-minute substitute on the day – admitted his celebrations were tinged with sadness, as the team he first joined at the age of 14 were condemned to sixth-tier football

“I would have preferred it a lot more if it hadn’t been at the expense of York, but unfortunately that was the case and I had to do a job for Guiseley on the day,” the 26-year-old forward reasoned. “It’s still a surprise to see York this low down, but I’m sure they have the strength to go back up and I’d like to see them get promoted along with us.”

Boyes also featured as an 81st-minute replacement during then win-less Guiseley’s 6-1 mauling of a Minstermen team, floundering under former manager Jackie McNamara.

The defeat is the most obvious candidate for the worst in City’s proud 95-year history, but Boyes feels differently, arguing that the hosts, buoyed by pre-match attacking signings Jake Cassidy and Jermaine Hylton from Oldham and Swindon respectively, were unexpectedly unplayable on the evening.

Nor did he feel the match spelt out impending relegation for the shell-shocked visitors.

“It was a weird night and I think it was a bit of a flash in the pan really,” he declared. “A few players were in the team that had never even trained with us, but they seemed to play the best games in their careers that game.

“Everything went right for us and everything went wrong for York. It didn’t really work with the old manager, but Millsy then came in and turned it round.

“They just seemed to have a blip at the wrong time right at the end when other clubs picked up points.”

Boyes often sat alongside summer City signing Michael Rankine on Guiseley’s bench last term, but admitted he will be happier if the 32-year-old forward’s hamstring problem rules him out of today’s contest too.

“He’s a mate and I like to see him playing, but it will be easier for us if he isn’t,” the former England C international explained. “He will score a lot of goals at this level, but his last season was similar to mine.

“He was in and out of the team, which was frustrating for both of us but, when he played, he did well. He scored goals and played a major part in keeping the club up.”

Boyes also has first-hand knowledge of the quality and experience in all areas of Mills’ City squad, saying: “Ranks and Jon Parkin would be a tough strike-force to play against.

“I also played with Louis Almond at Barrow and I think he’s a very good signing. I obviously know Dan Parslow from my time with York too and I’m surprised to see him playing at this level.

“He’s a 7/10 every week and a really solid professional. It will be good to play against him.

“The last time we did he was at Cheltenham, so this game will be a bit different.”

Boyes is not the only Bootham Crescent old boy waiting to host his former team either, with manager Bower, skipper Nicky Wroe and attacker Oli Johnson all on the Bradford books.

Outlining their merits, Boyes added: “OJ is a tricky winger who likes to beat a defender, while Nicky is just comfortable on the ball and looks to control games. I’ve played for the gaffer at different clubs now and he’s nice and laidback.

“He lets players express themselves on the pitch, rather than sticking rigidly to a way of playing.”

Adriano Moke, meanwhile, is the early leader of the season’s first Press Player of the Month contest.

The 27-year-old midfielder is the frontrunner after being our second-highest rated player during Tuesday night’s 2-0 win at Blyth Spartans.

He also collected two bonus points after receiving the most man-of-the-match votes from our Twitter poll.

The other points from Croft Park went to our star man Jon Parkin (three) and Jon Worsnop (one), as The Press’ third highest-rated performer.

During last weekend’s 1-0 opening-day home defeat to Telford, our man-of-the-match Josh Law (three), Amari Morgan-Smith (two) and Dan Parslow (one) picked up The Press points, with Louis Almond collecting the bonus points.

The Press Player of the Year standings: Law 3, Parkin 3, Moke 2, Morgan-Smith 2, Parslow 1, Worsnop 1.

The Press Player of the Month standings for August: Moke 4, Law 3, Parkin 3, Almond 2, Morgan-Smith 2, Parslow 1, Worsnop 1.

Goals: Newton 1, Parkin 1.

Assists: Almond 1, Parkin 1.

Bad boys: Heslop one yellow card; Smith one yellow.