IT might not be the table that counts most, but Gary Mills is proud of his team’s place at the top of the FA’s League Two Fair Play League.

York City are a massive 32 points clear of nearest rivals Dagenham & Redbridge in the standings and only Shrewsbury and Southampton, who have both played fewer games, can boast better disciplinary records than Mills’ team from English football’s top four divisions during 2012/13.

Indeed, the Minstermen have not had a single player cautioned in the last four games and only a quartet of players – David McGurk, Michael Potts, Lanre Oyebanjo and Jamal Fyfield – have had their names taken since the turn of the year.

Scott Kerr remains the only player to have picked up a suspension this season after being sent off for two bookable offences during the FA Cup first round replay at AFC Wimbledon – a misdemeanour that incurred a one-match ban.

Ashley Chambers and captain Chris Smith, who was an ever-present prior to missing Tuesday night’s 0-0 home draw against Gillingham with a foot injury, have collected the most yellow cards this term, meanwhile, but their tally of four each is still a modest return at this stage of the campaign.

If a side’s behaviour is to symbolise their manager’s conduct off the pitch, then it is no surprise that Mills, whose formative years as a player were spent under the tutelage of the great disciplinarian Brian Clough, boasts a team at the top of the Fair League standings whereas the likes of Steve Evans’ Rotherham and Rochdale, led by another lower-league loudmouth John Coleman for most of the season, are positioned in the bottom two places.

On his law-abiding team, Mills said: “I was brought up getting fines if you told the referee he had a bad haircut.

“I’ve also been in dressing-rooms when a player has been booked in the first half of the game and, at half-time, there’s been an envelope on his peg with the fine inside it. I’ve seen some weird things go on with referees and the old gaffer.

“We were never allowed to speak to referees and I think that goes a long way.

“If you’re worrying about referees and their assistants then you’re not concentrating on the game and what you should be doing – your job. It’s been very, very rare that we’ve lost our discipline this season.

“The game is hard enough for referees as it is. Yes, you can get wound up by some of their decisions and I thought we should have had a penalty when Michael Rankine’s shirt was pulled on Tuesday night.

“Sometimes, you cannot understand how they can be the only person who hasn’t seen it but I’ve never been fined as a player or manager for arguing with referees and there’s no way they are having any of my money because I work hard for it.”

Mills also insisted that his team’s record should not be mistaken as a sign of physical weakness.

He added: “We are not a nice team and, when we have to mix it, we mix it.

“But what’s wrong with being nice and fair anyway?

“We are disciplined in the way we go out and play but we play hard when we need to do. We play hard but fair though.

“If we go to win the ball, we go to win it fairly. The game would be a lot better for it if all teams played in that way.

“I’m proud that we are top of the Fair Play League and that does not mean we are too nice, it means we play the game in the right way.”

 

Trust meeting

YORK City Supporters’ Trust’s adjourned annual general meeting will now take place in the Pitchside Bar at 7.30pm on Monday, February 25.

 

Jack O’Connell on a high after Gillingham starring role

TEENAGE defender Jack O’Connell is locked in a three-way tie with Dan Parslow and Alex Rodman at the top of The Press’ February Player of the Month standings.

O’Connell collected three points towards the contest as our man of the match during Tuesday night’s 0-0 home draw with Gillingham.

Fellow on-loan signings Michael Rankine (two points) and John McGrath (one) were also recognised for their efforts as our second and third-highest rated players respectively.

Parslow, meanwhile, picked up the two Player of the Month bonus points on offer after polling the most man-of-the-match votes from visitors to our website.

During last weekend’s disappointing 4-0 defeat at Wycombe, The Press points went to our man-of-the-match Michael Ingham (three), Rodman (two) and O’Connell (one).

Rodman also received the bonus points after heading the on-line poll.

To be in with a shot of presenting February’s Player of the Month with their award – a framed photograph – before a City home game, send us your man-of-the-match choice for today’s game against Barnet by visiting.

You can also tweet your choice to @daveflettpress

The Press Player of the Year latest standings (not including Player of the Month bonus points): C Smith 25 points, Ingham 22, Parslow 21, Blair 17, Walker 16, Chambers 14, Fyfield 14, Kearns 12, Kerr 11, McGurk 9, Coulson 7, Oyebanjo 7, McLaughlin 6, O’Connell 6, Potts 6, Carlisle 5, J Smith 5, Doig 3, Reed 3, Blanchett 2, Obeng 2, Rankine 2, Rodman 2, Taylor 2, Challinor 1, Johnson 1, McGrath 1.

The Press Player of the Month for February standings: O’Connell 4, Parslow 4, Rodman 4, Ingham 3, Kerr 3, Obeng 2, Rankine 2, McGrath 1, Walker 1.

Goals: Walker 9, Chambers 8, Blair 5, Coulson 5, McLaughlin 4, Reed 4, Potts 3, own goals 2, Parslow 1, Rodman 1, C Smith 1.

Assists: Walker 7, Chambers 5, J Smith 5, Blair 4, C Smith 4, Kearns 3, McLaughlin 3, Carlisle 2, Coulson 2, Parslow 2, Rodman 2, Challinor 1, Fyfield 1, Kerr 1, Reed 1.

Bad boys: Chambers, C Smith both 4 yellow cards; Kerr 1 red, 2 yellow; Fyfield 3 yellow; Ingham, McLaughlin, Parslow, Potts all 2 yellow; Carlisle, Challinor, Coulson, Doig, Johnson, McGurk, Oyebanjo, J Smith, Walker all 1 yellow.