ASKEY SECURES QUICK PROMOTION AT YORK

FORMER Port Vale boss John Askey has been appointed manager of York City until the end of the season. The 57-year-old joined the Minstermen’s management team on a temporary basis last week but has been placed in charge until the end of the season after the club announced on Sunday they are parting company with manager Steve Watson and his assistant, the former Vale midfielder Micky Cummins.

Askey, who was reportedly the subject of interest from York’s National League North rivals Telford last month, has been an advisor at his former club Macclesfield.

He guided Macc to the National League title in 2018 despite having one of the lowest budgets.

After five months in League One with Shrewsbury, in which he won five games from 21, he joined Port Vale in January 2019 with a remit to keep the club in the Football League. Askey, from Milton, achieved that then turned the team around, taking a club that had flirted with three successive relegation battles, to eighth in League Two in 2019/20 when the season was cut short in March 2020 because of Covid.

Vale were on an eight-game unbeaten run and seemingly on course for the play-offs but missed out when the campaign was curtailed and settled on points per game.

They started 2020/21 brightly with 19 points from the opening ten games but Askey and his assistant Dave Kevan lost their jobs in January after a run of six points from 12 matches. York, who are 11th in the National League North, issued a statement after their goalless draw at Curzon Ashton on Saturday: “We can confirm that Steve Watson has left York City Football Club with immediate effect. “After the game today there has been a conversation with Steve and we have mutually agreed that it hasn’t worked out as anticipated and therefore, we need to part company. “Assistant-manager Micky Cummins will also leave the football club with immediate effect.

“John Askey has been appointed interim manager until the end of the season. The Board feels that this outcome will give the club the best possible opportunity of achieving promotion this season.

“We would like to thank Steve and Micky for their contribution to the club and we wish them both well for the future.”

York dropped into the National League North in 2017 and are trying to get out of a competitive division that includes fellow former Football League or phoenix clubs Chester, Hereford, Darlington and Kidderminster. Askey, pictured, isn’t their first former Vale manager. Martin Foyle managed York from 2008 to 2010, taking the club to the National League play-off and FA Trophy finals.

They are 11 points behind leaders AFC Fylde whose summer signings included former Port Vale midfielder Luke Joyce.