WES York believes Steve Watson’s “no-nonsense” managerial approach will get York City back on the right track.

The new Minstermen chief lost his first match in charge – Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at in-form National League North high-fliers Stockport County.

But York, who played under Watson last season at the pair’s former club Gateshead, is confident his former boss’ focus on simplicity will improve matters at the sixth-bottom club.

The 25-year-old attacker said: “It will take a while for the manager to inject into us what he wants to do and for everybody to get on board with it, but he’s non-nonsense and says it how it is. He never beats around the bush and makes things simple.

“He tries to drill those simple things into you and that’s what the game is all about really – making the right passes and right decisions at certain times.”

With National League Gateshead in financial turmoil over the summer, York decided to drop down a division to ply his trade at Bootham Crescent and now admits that he looked on with surprise as Watson defied the odds by masterminding a play-off push at the International Athletics Stadium this term.

He is, therefore, expecting the North Shields-born, 44-year-old to adopt similar methods as he looks to thrive in another adverse situation at his new club.

“I don’t think anybody expected them to do as well as they have done, but that’s what can happen if you get the right players in and get the chemistry right,” York reasoned. “It’s about getting people to work in sync with each other, rather than as individuals, and that’s what the gaffer has got to do here really.”

With Micky Cummins having followed Watson from the Heed as his assistant, York is also well qualified to comment on the ex-Middlesbrough, Port Vale and Rotherham midfielder’s qualities as a member of the coaching team.

“He is quite similar to the gaffer, because they both know what they are talking about and what you see is what you get,” York revealed. “He helps you out, puts an arm around you when needed and feeds you with information constantly, so they are both well liked.”

York was hailed off the bench and subsequently made the forward run that helped get his team back into the game at Stockport, as Alex Kempster reduced the deficit to 2-1 on 74 minutes, with the former recognising that Watson has a clear opinion on his own strengths as a player.

“My best game is to effect things in behind and make those runs,” the one-time Wrexham attacker declared. “The gaffer asked me to do that when I came on and I tried to stretch the game.

“I find it a lot easier to get on the ball when I’m making those runs.”

Watson has previously praised York for his performances as a wing-back, however, in a 3-5-2 formation he regularly employed at Gateshead and the Midlander is prepared to fulfil such duties again if a defensive three is deemed the best way forward with the Minstermen.

“I don’t mind playing anywhere,” he stressed. “Wing-back is not my favourite position obviously but, if the team’s winning games and I’m doing well, then I’m happy.”

The Minstermen’s next challenge sees the team take on table-toppers Chorley at Bootham Crescent, where a record of ten points from a possible 12 in their last four fixtures contrasts considerably with a run of eight straight league defeats on the road.

Expressing his puzzlement at such a discrepancy in form, York admitted: “I can’t explain that one.

“For me, personally, it doesn’t matter if we’re playing home or away. I’m not distracted by what’s around me.”

Home or away, though, York is aware that the team must improve a goals-against record that has seen them concede an average of exactly two goals a game over their last 18 league fixtures, when 36 have been shipped.

Defensive frailties were again exploited as Matty Warburton hit a hat-trick for Stockport last weekend, with York saying: “The result boiled down to three sloppy goals when we switched off at the wrong times.

“You get punished for that against most teams, but especially a side like Stockport with the form they are in.”

Despite City having lost four of the last matches, though, York has asserted that now is not the time for self-pity, pointing out: “We’ve got a mentality where everything is down in the dumps and we’re struggling to get out of a rut, but we’ve just got to put on a display by digging in, rolling up our sleeves and cracking on, because we need to start winning games.”