“It’s the greatest news I have ever received.”

The chance to travel with the York City first-team was a delight to youngster Bill Marshall, who had the opportunity to experience a matchday with fellow academy star Harley Dawson, as manager Adam Hinshelwood continues to pledge his support for the youth team.

Marshall and Dawson both travelled with the first-team on the final day of the season, as City suffered a 1-0 defeat to Solihull Moors to confirm their Vanarama National League safety, with the duo both also taking part in first-team training.

After both starting in the under-19’s National League Alliance Cup final loss to Maidstone United last week, Marshall spoke on his experience of being in the first-team and taking part in training.

“Considering last year I only started one league game for the under-19’s, this year I feel much closer and travelling with the first-team helped with my situation,” Marshall enthused.

“I’ve still got to play better and prove that I deserve a pro contract.

“I found out on the Friday, the day before we were travelling, and it was the greatest news I have received at York City.

“Adam, the gaffer, has been really, really good with the youth team and has really allowed us to play with them and prove to ourselves that we are good.

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“It’s not as big of a gap as it was before, he was just saying that we have been playing well in training and in games and that we deserved it. It was really good to hear.

“I do know all of the players but we’re not close, so it was pretty daunting.

“Me and Harley [Dawson], the guy I went with, sat at the front of the bus just kind of on our own whilst all of them were at the back.

“We were playing a couple of games with them to start off with because they are very good with us, but on the way back I put some music in because they were all very excited to be staying up.

“It was very good to be there, sit on the bench and experience the game on a matchday, with the travelling it was incredible.”

Head of Youth Development Dan Wilson also discussed the recent relationship that has been built between the first-team and the academy.

Wilson has been pleased by the support being shown to the academy, with Hinshelwood often taking the time to watch each age group, and explained how under-19’s manager Tim Ryan and Hinshelwood both have regular meetings.

Wilson told the Press: “Tim, the youth team coach, and the gaffer will speak on a weekly day-to-day basis.

“Some of it will be highly planned, who, why, when, what position they play and whether if it is more on if someone is missing or ill in this position or that position.

“They have those conversations on a day-to-day basis.

“It’s a window into what it looks like, we’d like to think that they are as well prepared as they could have been.

“It shines a spotlight on them, there are lessons to be learned in every session and the first-team players have been brilliant with them.

“You can’t fault them in terms of the support they give them, if they need a kick up the backside then they will get a kick up the backside, they get an arm around and bits of advice all the time.

“It has been really, really helpful.”