Football stories:Harry Stones

17 years old

Now that we had been promoted to the Sky Bet League 1 we would be against much tougher opponents than what we were used to in League 2. Our objectives for this season were to avoid relegation back to League 2 comfortably. We just simply wanted to show the othsr clubs that we weren't going to be classed as underdogs and that we had a good chance at winning our matches against the lower table teams. We knew we would have to fight to the whistle in every single match playing with the stronger League 1 sides.

Our season in League 1 went off to a flying start with 3 wins from 3 games and topping the table. Now  aim was to enjoy it whilst it lasted and get as many points between us and the relegation zone as we could. We knew that our form wouldn't last for the whole season but if we started off well, then we could have a serious bid for the play offs come the end of League 1.

When we were 15 games into the season we were in 3rd place, 5 points from being out the play off spots and 3 points from the automatic promotion spots, we were also 17 points clear from the relegation zone but it didn't look like that was going to be a problem for us this year. All we wanted now was to keep our play off spot comfortably and we did just that. We started to win a lot more and we were practicaly flying through League 1. We had already done a lot more than what we had exprcted to do and now it really did look as though we would be getting a top 6 spot comfortably.

It was after this good form that it turned into exellent form, we won all of the next 10 games and I got 12 goals in them as well. Me and the whole team were playing brilliant football that the Fans enjoyed watching. With being 30 games into the season now, it was looking like we would be part of a three horse title race along with Preston and Bristol City. Bristol were in 3rd place on 57 points whilst we were in second on 58 points. Top of the table though was Preston North End on 62 points. The title race in League 1 though was far from over as there was still 16 games to go and only a 4 point gap between us and Preston. After this Bristol started to lose form and were suddenly almost out of the title race with 7 games to go. They were no longer in third and the team that now was was 17 points behind us in second. We were in 2nd on 72 points whilst Presto were just in front on 73 points. It just turned out that our next game was against Preston as well. If we won then we wouldn't only be top of the table, but we would also gain automatic promotion to the Championship. This game against Preston was huge for both of us.

The game was being held at their ground, Deepdale. We had won the earlier meeting at home 4-3 with 2 goals in the last 5 minutes to change the game around. That earlier result meant that we were going into this gamd brimming with confidence. I was picked for the game as well, as I was becoming a regular member of the York City starting 11. We started the first half off well with going 1-0 up in the 12th minute but then we saw there attacking side and they equalised 10 minutes from half time. We went into the break with the scores level at 1-1. It looked as though they were going to start the 2nd half as they had left the 1st half but a quick counter attack from us soon but their ideas to bed. We came at them quick but the goal itself was just scrapped across the line. There was lots of defenders hanging back but we caught them by surprise and after dancing round the defence, I slotted it home through a few more defenders and the goalkeeper. 70 minutes into the match and we were leading 2-1. We now came into the match more but there was no more goals left for the match and the end result was York City 2-1 Preston.

That win against Preston got us guaranteed automatic promotion to the Championship and 2 points clear of Preston at the top of the table. All that mattered now to us was to win the League 1 title which was only 6 games and 4 weeks away. It turns out that we didn't need all the 6 games because after we had beaten Preston they had gone on a terrible run of form. We won the League with 3 games to spare in front of a home crowd. This sparked a pitch invasion after the final whistle and I just couldn't help myself so I celebrated with the crowd before returning to the dressing room. Almost the rest of the team did this as well. We also won the last 3 games that we wanted to win just out of pride for the fans and ourselves. I didn't really care about it at the beginning of the season but it turned out that I had won the League 1 golden boot for the most amount of goals scored between all the Attackers in League 1. This was a massive confidence booster for me as a young player. Once I had won the Golden boot People started asking me if I was going to stay with York or move to a bigger club but I knew that I would never be able to leave as a player from the club that approached me. It was very pleasing for me though to see that some really good clubs were showing an interest in buying me.