FORMER club captain and current director Barry Swallow was today crowned York City's 'Local Hero'.

Swallow soared to the top of the poll conducted by the club in association with the Yorkshire Evening Press as part of the promotional campaign to mark the Football League's centenary.

Before setting off for this afternoon's visit by City to Wigan Athletic the jubilant votes-victor said: "I am flabbergasted, absolutely amazed.

"I had never given it a lot of thought, but to win is very, very nice. I am flattered by the fans' support. It's incredible."

The one-time central defensive pivot, who made 312 appearances in a seven-year stint with the Minstermen, polled an emphatic 33 percent of the voting.

He finished an outright winner ahead of striker Keith Walwyn in second place. Centre-backs Barry Jackson and Chris Topping finished in joint third place in the poll, which generated considerable interest from City fans.

Of the current crop of City stars Andy McMillan finished with the most votes to land fourth place.

The newly-crowned City 'local hero' cited the stars of Doncaster Rovers - his first League club - in the 1950s and 1960s as his own playing champions.

Top of the Rovers' legends for Swallow was his father, the late Ernie Swallow, whose exploits are still recalled with pleasure.

"I still get a lot of feedback when I go back to Doncaster from fans who remember dad as a player," said City's Swallow.

"Unfortunately I was only 19 when he died. I was so disappointed he never saw more of my career, especially my days with City."

Added York's former captain and vote-winner: "With my dad playing there I used to watch Rovers a lot. They were a big club then, a power in the Second Division and used to attract crowds of 30,000 regularly.

"Alec Jeffrey was a great player in those days as was Peter Doherty, who also managed the team. They were my heroes," said Swallow, who before coming to York played for Doncaster, Crewe, Barnsley and Bradford City.

Now he is a hero in his own right and both City and the Football League, who instigated the poll, are now deciding how best to mark his achievement.

How the votes were cast: Barry Swallow: 33 per cent; Keith Walwin 16; Chris Topping and Barry Jackson 5.3; Andy McMillan 4.8; Jon McCarthy 3.9.

The remaining 37.1 per cent of the votes were cast among the following 35 players: Colin Addison, Paul Aimson, Paddy Atkinson, Paul Barnes, Arthur Bottom, Phil Burrows, John Byrne, Cyril Coultate, Graeme Crawford, Richard Cresswell, Wayne Hall, Ian Helliwell, Ian Holmes, Chris Jones, Roger Jones, Norman Jukes, Dean Kiely, Andy Lenning, David Longhurst, Barry Lyons, Alf Patrick, Nigel Pepper, Jack Pinder, Brian Pollard, Alan Pouton, Jimmy Seal, Billy Rudd, Paul Stancliffe, Gordon Staniforth, Paul Stephenson, Sid Storey, Gary Swann, Des Thompson, Steve Tutill and Norman Wilkinson

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