“AS GOOD as having a 25 to 30-goal-a-season striker.”

This is how manager Martin Gray described York City’s goalkeeper Adam Bartlett at the start of February after he was named The Press Player of the Month.

Gray’s assessment of the shot-stopper’s importance, he elaborated, is “because he gives you the same rewards in terms of points gained and saved.”

This is not the first time Gray has affirmed this belief. When Bartlett was first brought to York from Darlington back in November, he said more or less the same thing.

And with Bartlett receiving his award at Saturday’s home game against Salford, it was only fitting that the contest should be won by the finest of margins, allowing the backline to shine in the victory.

City had a goal disallowed and the usually dependable Jon Parkin – who has already amassed the 25-goal tally of which Gray spoke – missed a penalty, leaving it up to the defence to secure the 1-0 win.

Bartlett and City rode their luck at times, as Gray has admitted, on their way to only their seventh clean sheet of the season, with the Newcastle-born keeper owing much to the defenders in front of him, not to mention the visiting strike force, who conspired to follow up David Ferguson’s header with Lois Maynard’s goalbound shot being blocked by a teammate.

But that should not overshadow the good awareness and decision-making Bartlett showed throughout, while he was also needed to survive a late onslaught to secure the points.

Bartlett has not had an easy ride of a career.

He started at Newcastle United as a nine-year-old, progressing through the reserve ranks and training alongside Shay Given and Steve Harper, behind whom he would be named as back-up keeper for the Magpies’ Champions League games against Inter Milan.

And yet, at 19 years old in 2005, after having coached at the Academy, he was released from the club when Sir Bobby Robson’s management team was overhauled by Graeme Souness et al.

Bartlett told the Newcastle Chronicle that it was difficult to be let go, but he was not overly concerned, like many young players in a similar position – after all, he had been on the books of a top-flight side for over half of his life.

Even if he was not deemed capable at that level, what lower-tier Football League club would turn him down?

He played the first game of his senior career between the sticks for Conference North Blyth Spartans against Wakefield & Emley.

Martin Gray has speculated as to why Bartlett has not been in higher demand further up the pyramid, given that Gray places him “in the top bracket of keepers at this level”, suggesting that had Bartlett been a couple of inches taller, he would have been playing at Football League level all career.

His management of the back four and his decision-making are, Gray says, “magnificent”.

Instead, after Blyth Spartans, Bartlett has worked his way around the lower leagues, taking in Kidderminster Harriers, Hereford United, Gateshead, Hartlepool United and Darlington before arriving at Bootham Crescent for the Minstermen to reap the rewards.

Former York City youth player Jamie Hopcutt is enjoying a somewhat different career trajectory, going from strength to strength after being let go in 2010.

He was loaned to Whitby Town and Stokesley before signing for Ossett Town, and he returned to North Yorkshire with Tadcaster when they were still a Northern Counties East League side.

Then, at 19, he attended an open trial for the then-third tier Swedish side Östersunds, managed by former City full-back Graham Potter, and was signed up on a three-month deal, which was extended given his improving form.

Fast-forward six years, and the 25-year-old is now playing in the Allsvenskan, the top flight of Swedish football, scored a superb solo goal in the home leg of the Europa League second round qualifier against Turkish giants Galatasaray, on Thursday night, played the second half of their European fixture against Arsenal and featured in the final of last season’s Swedish Cup – the first his new side have won.