YORK City manager John Askey has revealed a piece of advice given to him by Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson is widely regarded as one of the greatest football managers of all time, having won more trophies than any other boss in the sport's history.

Speaking at Monday night's fans forum, Askey spoke of his connection to the Scot when discussing his managerial influences.

“I’m name-dropping here, but I’ve been lucky enough to build a relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson," disclosed Askey.

“I’ve been lucky enough to get to know him and I spent quite a bit of time with him before he got ill (in 2018), which was invaluable.

“That was brilliant. He told me ‘Keep telling the players that they’re fit and they’ll eventually believe it, whether they are or not’, which bore out at the end of last season.

“Overall, I’ve had a lot of influences and I’ve been lucky to have been in the game so long.”

Askey led City to promotion through the Vanarama National League North play-offs in May, having succeeded Steve Watson in November.

Describing his managerial style, the 57-year-old said: “I try and work players out. You try and treat everyone fairly but each player’s temperament is different.

“Some players need a nudge, some need an arm around the shoulder. They all need a kick up the backside every so often, which you might not see from me on the touchline.

“The main thing is encouragement, as in any walk of life, and feeling appreciated.

“People are very critical in football, coaches as much as supporters. Players when they play badly can often go and look at footage of them playing badly.

“I say ‘Watch footage of you playing well because that’s what you’re trying to replicate’.

“I try to encourage as much as I can but at the same time you don’t want anyone to stray out of line.”