YORK City football club is asking fans past and present to help it come up with suggestions for names for the four apartment blocks which are to be built on its former Bootham Crescent ground.
Once a final agreement for sale of the old ground (home to York City for 89 years up until 2021) is reached, Persimmon Homes is expected to start work on redeveloping the site later this year.
The football club has already agreed in principle with both Persimmon and City of York Council that two roads on the housing development will be named ‘David Longhurst Way’ and ‘Keith Walwyn Walk’ in tribute to our former players.
But now it wants fans to help come up with suggested names for the four apartment blocks that will be built.
The city council has stipulated that the four blocks should be named after City heroes of the past – not those who are still living.
And the club says that the final decision on naming will rest with Persimmon and the council.
But it is keen to draw up its own shortlist of preferred names – and wants fans’ help.
It needn’t just be former City playing heroes or managers, either.
“Obviously, there will be players who are so often fans favourites and whose achievements are perhaps more commonly known," said the club’s stadium development director Ian McAndrew.
“However, we must remember that there are also many others who have over the years contributed to our club’s successes - people from managers and trainers to groundsmen or turnstile operators, from 50/50 ticket volunteers to fans who have left their mark on this great old stadium and whose contribution deserves to be remembered here.”
Some suggestions have already been made – such as cult Bootham Crescent heroes, influential chairmen and backroom office staff, and even supporters who graced the Bootham Crescent terraces for years.
But the club is keen to hear from all supporters who have a suggestion - and doesn't want to influence anyone by releasing details of names that have already been put forward.
Given that this is York City’s centenary year, the club would like, if possible, to see each block named after a City hero (sporting or otherwise) from each era of its history.
To help you come up with suggestions, over the next four weeks (starting from Tuesday) The Press will be looking back at four distinct eras of the club’s history - starting, on Tuesday, with the period 1932 (when City moved into Bootham Crescent) to 1946, the end of the war.
In later weeks, we’ll look at later periods of the club’s history.
But if you already have a name in mind. There’s nothing to stop you suggesting it now. To do so, simply fill in the online form here
“Please think carefully in making your suggestions as this will be a great honour,” Mr McAndrew said.
“Any names we pass onto to Persimmon will of course require their family’s approval.”
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