LENELL JOHN-LEWIS has enjoyed a superb start to York City’s season - with manager Adam Hinshelwood responding to calls for the striker to start.

John-Lewis has not yet started to a match in the 2024/25 Vanarama National League season for York, yet currently leads the way as the club’s leading scorer, alongside Ollie Pearce.

Each of John-Lewis’ contributions have come from the bench and in the last ten minutes of normal time, with each goal helping City to vital points in the early stages of their campaign.

Hinshelwood heaped praise onto the impact of ‘the Shop’, admitting that he wouldn’t blame John-Lewis if he was demanding a start, but credited the the way in which the York captain had conducted himself.

“He is having such a big impact coming off of the bench, you almost don’t dare to change that really,” Hinshelwood laughed.

“That was the conversation when Lenny signed, but with Lenny being that type of guy, he backs himself.

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“He’s one where I have had that conversation, if anyone should be coming and knocking on my door saying where is my start, it should be you.

“He doesn’t do that, all he wants is for the club to do well, that’s all he has said to me, that he is about the team and the club progressing.

“If that means for him to do that role at the minute, then so be it, but all he can do is keep giving the performances that he has been doing.

“It’s not just his goals, I think that his general play has been excellent, his hold up play, he even put a through ball to Billy Chadwick last week as well.

“His all-round game is really at a good level at the moment, but we know that he is at a certain age where he can’t be doing Saturday’s to Tuesday.

“It’s just about getting that balance right, because we do want him out on the pitch as much as we can, but it’s also about getting that same impact from him as well.”

The contract extensions to both John-Lewis and Paddy McLaughlin in the Summer split the City fanbase, with Hinshelwood explaining why he opted to keep the duo around.

The York boss believes that both are key leaders within the group, and can provide mentorship to some of the younger members of the squad.

Hinshelwood continued: “When Callum Howe remembers, he hands over the armband to him as well, that’s the sort of respect that the boys have got for him.

“He’s our leader, he’s our club captain and I’ve not heard anyone in the football world speak a bad word about Len yet.

“That speaks volumes on the character that he is, a great personality.

“That was the key thing with him and Paddy staying around, they are role models, they lead the changing room and you only have to say to young players to look ay what they do.

“I’m really pleased with the impact that they are having, obviously Paddy would have liked to have been on the pitch a little bit more, but his time will come and he will have a big impact for us.

“He has a big impact around the place with how he trains.

“I’m really pleased with how those two have both started for us.”