HE might have been the youngest player on the team but Norman Wilkinson was to make a big name for himself on this day 66 years ago.

The 5ft 11in forward had turned 24 just three days before York City’s much-heralded FA Cup fifth round victory over Tottenham Hostspur - and he celebrated in style with a pair of goals in what many believe to be the Minstermen’s finest hour.

Wilkinson cost City a £10 signing-on fee from Hull City in the summer of 1954 and made a blistering start to his first season in League football, scoring twice in York’s season-opening 6-2 win at Wrexham.

He would go on to find the net a total of 143 times for the Minstermen in more than 350 appearances across 12 seasons at Bootham Crescent.

A great aerial talent, he also formed a fine understanding with fellow heroes of the Happy Wanderers side, Arthur Bottom and Billy Fenton.

He made himself a household name within the York city walls - and his performance on February 19, 1955 against First Division outfit Tottenham thrust him into the national spotlight.

“Norman Wilkinson in his first season of League football is coming on leaps and bounds,” wrote the Yorkshire Evening Press York City reporter Wilf Meek.

“Note the perfection with which he and Bottom have developed the double spearhead attacking idea, so that a centre-half never quite knows who is playing centre-forward.

“Forty-two goals between them is the haul.”

Spurs, with the renowned Alf Ramsey and Danny Blanchflower on the pitch, took the lead in the 11th minutes through George Robb, who side-footed past Tommy Forgan when he picked up the ball unmarked around the six-yard box.

In many ways, this made what came next all the more remarkable.

Wilkinson got York back on level terms in the 29th minute, heading in from Bill Hughes' cross into the area, before Fenton put the spirited Minstermen in front at the break.

Undaunted, the Third Division minnows did not try to waste time or look to protect their lead, as though they believed they could further embellish what was looking like a great victory.

And with 10 minutes to go, the Minstermen got their reward. From the left wing, the marauding Fenton centred for Wilkinson, who volleyed home left-footed.

"Thousands of soccer supporters, the whole of the national press and radio commentators have at last acclaimed York City’s amazing FA Cup progress," Meek wrote in his analysis the Monday after the match.

"It is as if a finely balanced and clever team had suddenly sprung up at Bootham Crescent headquarters.

"And keeping things in their proper perspective, this sudden realisation is all wrong.

"This York City team, man for man, has been there all the season, producing soccer of a brand the local public has never had before, and with a few of us trying to hammer that home week by week.

"I have derived the utmost personal satisfaction from reading this belated discovery, for it is wholesale justification for the opinion I expressed last August.

"'This new look City team is going places this season,' was what I wrote after Wrexham, and I did get criticised and even ridiculed!

"So you can appreciate why a few of us associated with the club have had a quiet chuckle at the weekend."