HE has hitch-hiked in fish wagons, grabbed a lift home from the legendary Norman Wilkinson and endured a 17-hour wasted trip, but loyal supporter Dave Smith does not regret one-minute of the pilgrimage that has seen him watch 500 York City away games.

Smith, 76, was presented with a signed away shirt by the club for his landmark achievement before the Minstermen’s last match – the disappointing 1-0 defeat at Curzon Ashton.

That contest represented a seventh straight league loss on the road in National League North and provided a marked contrast to Smith’s first experience of following City outside of Bootham Crescent – the 1955 FA Cup semi-final against Newcastle at Hillsborough, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

“I suppose you could say I’ve gone from one extreme to another,” Smith added with a grimace. “I was 12 when I went to the semi-final and I remember that it was throwing it down and everybody was buying pac-a-macs at Sheffield Market after getting off the train.

“I went with my dad and all our neighbours from Easingwold and sat on an oil can at the back of the stand. It was a great day, although my friend broke his nose when he slipped and hit one of the crush barriers.

“I also missed the replay at Sunderland, because I broke my arm a couple of days later and I was in York Hospital!”

During the 64 years that have passed between that famous fixture and the Curzon setback, the former agricultural worker has seen his team play at both Wembley stadiums, Old Trafford and Anfield, as well as Arsenal and Manchester City’s much-beloved old Highbury and Maine Road grounds.

In total, he has visited 147 different arenas, including 18 trips apiece to Rochdale’s Spotland and the Racecourse Ground at Wrexham.

Having left Easingwold for Northumberland in 1964 before moving to Warrington, where he has lived for the last 47 years, Smith now watches about three-quarters of his team’s games every season, with roughly a 50-50 split between home and away fixtures, despite the lack of a direct train service meaning journeys to Bootham Crescent can result in a seven-hour round trip.

This term, he was back in bed for 1.40am following the 3-0 defeat to Spennymoor but he was, at least, present for the two away league triumphs this season at Southport and Ashton United, as well as the FA Cup and FA Trophy victories at Blyth and Kidderminster respectively.

He is no stranger to hardship following his team, however, even sleeping rough on occasions to avoid missing night matches, as well as often going to games with no plan on how to get back – once relying on two of City’s biggest all-time heroes to transport him home.

“There was one game against Chesterfield when I couldn’t get back, because the trains had stopped running, but Barry Jackson invited me on to the team coach and, when we got back to York, Norman Wilkinson gave me a lift back to Easingwold,” Smith recalled. “Otherwise, for night matches, I’d often sleep in the waiting room at York station and then wait for the next morning’s first train to Easingwold before getting washed and changed to go out to work.

“I can also remember hitch-hiking and getting a lift in a fish wagon once.”

Fruitless journeys are also a well-known peril for the travelling football fan, with Smith unhesitant when asked for his worst pointless expedition.

“I went to Plymouth for a game in 1973/74 and left Warrington at 4.30am after getting a van from work,” the City fanatic replied. “I had to stop off for work at Avonmouth and then caught a train from Bristol Temple Meads but, when it pulled in at Plymouth, I heard that the game had been postponed.

“I ended up getting home at 9.30pm, so it was a 17-hour round trip for nothing.”

Long before the days of Sky messing around with kick-off schedules to the chagrin of travelling fans, Smith also describes the great lengths supporters were prepared to meet to watch City five decades ago.

“In Easter 1965, we won 1-0 at Lincoln on Friday and, then, got accommodation in Warwick, before travelling to Newport the next day where we were beaten,” Smith remembered.

The away-day match experience was very different, meanwhile, during the “swinging 60s”, with the Cheshire-based supporter smiling: “On the old Pullman coaches, you would go to places like Chester for a match and there’d be some old dears going there too to have a day out and a look around.”

Smith regards a shock 4-1 win in 1965 at Hull City, when the late, great Paul Aimson scored a hat-trick, as his favourite away day.

“We played football on the deck and were absolutely brilliant that day,” he gushed.

More than half-a-century on, he now combines his National League North treks with another passion – having a drink and bite to eat at Wetherspoon pubs.

He’s ticked 250 off his list and, on the popular chain’s appeal, Smith said: “The prices are reasonable, and they are good places to have a natter. I normally meet up with two old friends from York that I’ve known since the 1960s.

“I think they’ve got just under a thousand pubs now, so I’ve got a few still to get around and I’m planning on visiting three new ones when we play Kidderminster next month.”

Unthinkably, next season could witness City playing a Warrington Town team whose ground lies just a five-minute walk from Smith’s front door.

The fourth-placed Wire are currently just one point off the top of the Evo-Stik League premier division table and promotion could lead to the two clubs operating at the same level of the English game for the first-ever time.

But Smith has never considered making his life easier by switching allegiance.

“York City is in the blood and always will be, although Warrington would be my shortest-ever away trip if it happens next season,” he laughed.

For now, though, Stockport this afternoon will make it 501 for the passionate pensioner.