York City Football Club's Tom Lockie Bootham Crescent tribute

One of four apartment buildings to form part of the new housing development on the former Bootham Crescent football ground is to be named after long-time York City manager Tom Lockie.

Following submissions put forward by fans of the club, York based housebuilder Persimmon has had the proposal formally approved by City of York Council and Royal Mail.

The ground which opened in 1932, was the home of the Minstermen until the club’s final competitive match there in December 2020.

As previously revealed, Persimmon have said the three street names and four three-storey apartment buildings will all honour players and managers who graced the turf and dugouts of Bootham Crescent.

READ MORE: York post war footballing hero to be immortalised in city

The Press, working with Persimmon and the players' families, will reveal the name of each individual and their story in the coming weeks.

There are currently 93 new homes are being built on the site which includes four, three-storey apartment buildings with Persimmon working with the council over recent months to have the buildings named after York City fan favourites. Lockie worked at the club between 1933 and 1967 as a player, trainer, physio and manager and was key in ensuring football continued during the Second World War.

He joined the club initially as a centre half, and made 32 appearances during the 1933/34 season before joining Accrington Stanley. He then returned to City in 1936, initially taking the position of reserve team trainer before being promoted to the same role for the first team within 12 months.

He was trainer during City’s 1937/38 FA Cup run to the quarter finals and worked alongside secretary Billy Sherrington managing team affairs on an interim basis during the celebrated run to the semi-finals in 1955.

Perhaps just as vital was the work he undertook during the war years, becoming a central figure in running the team when football was a welcome distraction from the reality of wider events.

Regularly praised by players and officials alike for his dedication, Lockie was awarded a testimonial in 1952, and was later to manage the club between 1960 – 1967, leading the team to promotion in 1964/65.

Lockie passed away in York aged 71 in 1977.

Judith Brisby, Tom Lockie’s daughter, said: “For my father’s name to be preserved at Bootham Crescent is absolutely magnificent, my family are all so proud and I know that my dad would be thrilled to bits that he had been remembered all these years on for what he did for the club.

“He absolutely lived for York City - playing and working at Bootham Crescent and so we’re delighted that his name will live on in this way.”

Tom Lockie's children, Richard Lockie, Ann Warrington and Judith Brisby at Bootham Crescent with Ian McAndrew (Image: Persimmon)