York City manager Gary Mills 'gutted' at first-day loss to Wycombe

9:05pm Sunday 19th August 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

MANAGER Gary Mills admitted he was “gutted” that Bootham Crescent’s biggest opening day crowd in 19 years could not witness a win on York City’s return to the Football League.

The Minstermen lost 3-1 to Wycombe Wanderers in front of 4,591 fans – the largest attendance for a campaign curtain-raiser at home since 1993/94 when, on the back of the club’s first-ever Wembley appearance, Alan Little’s League Two play-off winners attracted a gate against Swansea City just five higher than Saturday’s turn out.

Little’s team won 2-1 on that occasion and it hurt Mills that his class of 2012/13 could not emulate them.

The City chief said: “It was always going to be a fantastic day for everybody and it was terrific to get a crowd like that. It was our first game back in the Football League and I’m just gutted we couldn’t deliver a win for them.

“I won’t be making any promises about the future. I don’t do that but we’ve just got to look forward to the next match now, because that’s football and everybody – players, management and supporters – have to take it on the chin.”

First-half goals by Matt Bloomfield and Sam Wood put Wycombe in the ascendancy at the interval.

Stuart Beavon then extended the visitors’ lead early in the second period and, although Jason Walker replied in the 54th minute, the Minstermen could not force their way back into the game.

An “annoyed” Mills expressed his frustration at the way his team played and believed his players were given a big lesson in their first League Two encounter.

He added: “I don’t think we played our game from the word go and that annoyed me a bit. We weren’t brave enough to play from the back and kept launching balls down their throats right up to half-time.

“We can’t let teams dictate to us how we are going to play. We have to play our game. “I don’t think they were any better than us. They scored with a deflection and a cracking goal in the first half, but it’s more about how they got those opportunities.

“For the first, we gave the ball away twice in midfield when Jonathan Smith and Michael Coulson lost possession and that’s a big lesson. If you give the ball away, then it will end up in the back of your net. “We were chasing the game after that in the second half, but we also switched off for their third goal. You can argue all you want that the ball went out of play but you have to play on and there was nobody close to him when he scored.

“We had a good go at getting back into it and got a goal. Matty Blair then had a great chance but we got a bit desperate after that.

“We had to pump the ball forward because we did not start how I wanted to do in the first half, but we won’t be the only team to lose on the first day and we must learn from it and pick the right team for tomorrow.”

City, meanwhile, have been drawn away to Rotherham United in the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, which will be played during the week beginning September 3.

Comments(26)

OB-1 says...
10:38pm Sun 19 Aug 12

We had to pump the ball forward ..... No excuse, play to OUR strengths, thought that was the Mills philosophy, not win at any cost, or to OUR weaknesses, disappointed on many levels, anyway, move on ......

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Theapplesarecoming says...
12:31am Mon 20 Aug 12

Was a shame to loose but everyone's finding their feet. don't let it get you down York, if any of the players or mills reads this we are all behind you and want you to succeed , get out there and have fun and win some games ! still proud to be supporting York city once again

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long distance depressive says...
9:48am Mon 20 Aug 12

Can play all the pretty stuff we like but intill we get bodies in the box it's all to waste.

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rogue84 says...
11:39am Mon 20 Aug 12

one thing i noticed, just away from city's performance, was the way most of the wycombe players conducted themselves. so much better than anything in the conference, including the goalkeeper who not only applauded the home fans at the start of the 2nd half, but also enjoyed a bit of the usual banter of goal-kicks and stood and applauded the longhurst and the pop stand when the full time whistle went.
i'm sure we'll come against plenty of idiots this season, but wycombe came across as a decent club with an honest set of players, certainly makes a refreshing change!

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mr monkey says...
12:05pm Mon 20 Aug 12

Rogue84, well said, I noticed that aswell. But if they were 2-0 down at halftime would it have been different??.........
........ The keeper Nicky Bull used to play for Aldershot by the way. Good keeper, probably the best in league 2!

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OLD - HEAD says...
12:08pm Mon 20 Aug 12

People will try to examine how we played, and why we lost, but we just have to move on from this defeat. The Manager can only shuffle the players that he has got at his disposal. Sooner or later it will become apparent if they are going to be good enough or not. We may well have to bring other players in. But realistically we should have enough decent players to finish around mid-table. I refuse to jump on the promotion band-wagon just yet.

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Southern Exile says...
12:19pm Mon 20 Aug 12

A lot of the "high energy" players from last season are not available / fully fit at the moment which will impact on the performance, get Banjo and Matty Blair fit, and a LB solution and it will make things easier for the rest of the team as they create space by commiting opposition players...

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Theapplesarecoming says...
12:38pm Mon 20 Aug 12

rogue84 wrote:
one thing i noticed, just away from city's performance, was the way most of the wycombe players conducted themselves. so much better than anything in the conference, including the goalkeeper who not only applauded the home fans at the start of the 2nd half, but also enjoyed a bit of the usual banter of goal-kicks and stood and applauded the longhurst and the pop stand when the full time whistle went.
i'm sure we'll come against plenty of idiots this season, but wycombe came across as a decent club with an honest set of players, certainly makes a refreshing change!
Yea I noticed that and he got clapped back good on him ! With the amount of our supporters behind him he must have felt a bit on edge Though!

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KAT1965 says...
12:39pm Mon 20 Aug 12

OLD - HEAD wrote:
People will try to examine how we played, and why we lost, but we just have to move on from this defeat. The Manager can only shuffle the players that he has got at his disposal. Sooner or later it will become apparent if they are going to be good enough or not. We may well have to bring other players in. But realistically we should have enough decent players to finish around mid-table. I refuse to jump on the promotion band-wagon just yet.
Good call - its early days. They've got two away games to get it out of their system (remember our away vs home form last season) before they face the moaners back at BC for the Oxford game. Its a shame that we didn't get a win on Saturday as I suspect that the Oxford crowd won't reach that of Saturday's.

Lots to do but, hopefully, lessons will be learned.

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circuitous route dorset says...
1:39pm Mon 20 Aug 12

You can tell nothing from one game. As a positive do you remember the start to our last season in the league. Who then would have thought we'd go down? Not me. I trust GM to sort our squad out to make us a great team. However, we do need a striker worthy of this league. Reed and Henderson are not at this level. Walker is not his old self. Or is he - controversy - maybe he is the player that no-one at this level wanted. I have been positive and continue to be so but we are short on strikers. No more Reed, Hendo and finally a partner for Jason - soon!

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tomwillo1 says...
1:53pm Mon 20 Aug 12

We were unlucky to lose really, we didnt play very well but they werent great either! Just looked like they knew what they were doing and knew how to win the game, stonger at the back and more clinical! We couldnt have done anything about the first 2 and the 3rd looked like it went out! Didnt rate Lee Bullock what so ever, looked slow and would much rather have pottsy in than him! Cant wait to get Kerr back as well! Come on City!!!

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Ian Pryer says...
2:18pm Mon 20 Aug 12

I was the shirt sponsor for the last 3 years and went to see many of the games at BC over that time. I was proud to be on the front of shirts in their promotion and cup-winning season. This season I will not be going to the matches because of how the sponsorship ended. However I wish the team well this season and as YCFC fans will know, it is important to get behind the team at all times but especially in defeat. Gary is astute as a manager and will know what is necessary to achieve his goals this season. Consolidation alone would be an excellent achievement as they find their feet in the division.

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JamesHinch says...
2:34pm Mon 20 Aug 12

Ian Pryer wrote:
I was the shirt sponsor for the last 3 years and went to see many of the games at BC over that time. I was proud to be on the front of shirts in their promotion and cup-winning season. This season I will not be going to the matches because of how the sponsorship ended. However I wish the team well this season and as YCFC fans will know, it is important to get behind the team at all times but especially in defeat. Gary is astute as a manager and will know what is necessary to achieve his goals this season. Consolidation alone would be an excellent achievement as they find their feet in the division.
Shame you don't still go, perhaps things will change, but with City's increased success you could say that the end of you sponsorship was an 'accident waiting to happen', as a national business has come in with presumably bigger £££. :)

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Paul2012 says...
3:00pm Mon 20 Aug 12

Ian Pryer wrote:
I was the shirt sponsor for the last 3 years and went to see many of the games at BC over that time. I was proud to be on the front of shirts in their promotion and cup-winning season. This season I will not be going to the matches because of how the sponsorship ended. However I wish the team well this season and as YCFC fans will know, it is important to get behind the team at all times but especially in defeat. Gary is astute as a manager and will know what is necessary to achieve his goals this season. Consolidation alone would be an excellent achievement as they find their feet in the division.
Rumour has it you had it for peanuts anyway!!

Benefits the team and club with a sponsor that is willing to pay the asking price.

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Sir Alex says...
3:13pm Mon 20 Aug 12

Mutual not for profit healthcare provider v 'ambulance chasing' lawyers 'LLP'.

Hmmm no brainer I'm afraid from a York City PR point of view no matter what the money.

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Paul2012 says...
3:18pm Mon 20 Aug 12

Sir Alex wrote:
Mutual not for profit healthcare provider v 'ambulance chasing' lawyers 'LLP'.

Hmmm no brainer I'm afraid from a York City PR point of view no matter what the money.
'ambulance chasing' - Little harsh

I doubt that's the reason the board made the deal though, But from the deal Pryers had it's no wonder they moved on.

Oh well Ian you have to ride the number 8 bus instead.

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Ian Pryer says...
4:53pm Mon 20 Aug 12

Sponsorship deals have to be considered not with the benefit of hindsight at the end of the season, but at the time the deal was struck. It's swings and roundabouts as you can end up paying more in a poor season than in a good one. At the time we agreed the deal the Club was struggling to get another sponsor and I stuck with them for a 3rd Conference year which worked well for us. I wish Gary and the players well this season.

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Sir Alex says...
5:08pm Mon 20 Aug 12

Fair enough Ian - I still had Pryers on my shirt on Saturday anyway!!

Still don't like paying more and more each year for car insurance though! :)

All the best!

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whaticeberg says...
5:27pm Mon 20 Aug 12

Should have enticed Tyler from luton,he would have saved the second two goals Alo the bloke who picked Walker as man of the match should have gone to Specsavers first.

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Fartin Moyle says...
7:03pm Mon 20 Aug 12

What I found I little strange, and I don't if anyone else has noticed, Main stand side of the playing surface looks as if it's been made more narrow by about a foot (lino used to run over the plastic cover for the hose connection, it's now a good foot and a bit from the touch line).
I also presume the same has happened over on the Pop side, why do this for the style we play surely wider is better ?

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rogue84 says...
9:11am Tue 21 Aug 12

whaticeberg did you see tyler's attempts to save Blair's winner at wembley?! no thanks, ingham every time for me.

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YO1 says...
10:19am Tue 21 Aug 12

Sir Alex wrote:
Mutual not for profit healthcare provider v 'ambulance chasing' lawyers 'LLP'.

Hmmm no brainer I'm afraid from a York City PR point of view no matter what the money.
That's absolutely ridiculous. Ian Pryer stuck by City for three years when no-one else was interested. He supported City through the bad times and deserves respect for doing so.

As for ambulance chasing! You obviously don't know the first thing about his industry. Pryers specialise in clinical negligence.

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Sir Alex says...
10:29am Tue 21 Aug 12

If they are not involved in the industry that I am referring to then I can only apologise, sorry.

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milkybarkid says...
1:51pm Tue 28 Aug 12

I heard that Pryers paid £150,000 to the club over the last few years.
Respect

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Yorkie41 says...
2:24pm Tue 28 Aug 12

milkybarkid wrote:
I heard that Pryers paid £150,000 to the club over the last few years.
Respect
That's one hell of a lot of Bread.

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Yorkie41 says...
2:25pm Tue 28 Aug 12

milkybarkid wrote:
I heard that Pryers paid £150,000 to the club over the last few years.
Respect
That's one hell of a lot of Bread.

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