Former Lincoln City coach and caretaker manager Scott Lindsey is reportedly the frontrunner to take charge of York City following the shock dismissal of Stuart Maynard.
The Minstermen have parted company with Maynard despite him leading them back into the Football League with a record-breaking National League title triumph last season. York accumulated 108 points and secured promotion in dramatic circumstances, scoring an equaliser deep into added time against title rivals Rochdale on the final day.
However, Maynard has now left just days before the start of York’s competitive campaign, with the club citing a difference in direction and vision. In their official statement, York acknowledged that the timing and nature of the decision may be difficult for supporters to understand.
“We recognise that, from the outside, this may look like a strange or difficult decision to understand. But we believe that in the long term, the football club will be in a stronger position because of it, another step towards the vision we, as custodians of this club, believe will deliver sustained success.
“Like every one of you, we love this football club, and we would never make a decision we didn’t believe was in its best long-term interests. We hope our track record of improving year on year has earned us a degree of trust, and we understand that not everyone will agree with, or fully understand, this decision right away.
“We would like to thank Stuart for his contribution to York City FC and wish him well for the future.”
Reports have since suggested Lindsey is York’s preferred candidate to replace Maynard, which would give the former Imps coach another opportunity in League Two. The 54-year-old has been without a club since leaving Crawley Town in March. His second spell with the Reds ended with the club sitting 21st in League Two, one point above the relegation places after a run of ten matches without a victory.
That difficult period came after Lindsey had produced one of the most memorable seasons in Crawley’s history. During his first spell, he took them to Wembley and secured promotion through the League Two play-offs in 2023/24. Crawley defeated Milton Keynes Dons 8-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals before beating Crewe Alexandra at Wembley. It was a remarkable achievement for a club that had been widely tipped to struggle before the campaign began.
Scott Lindsey and Lincoln City
His connection with us stretches back to 2009, when he joined Chris Sutton’s backroom staff as first-team coach. Following Sutton’s resignation in September 2010, Lindsey was placed in temporary charge of the Imps until Steve Tilson was appointed the following month. He remained at Sincil Bank under Tilson but departed following our relegation from the Football League at the end of the 2010/11 season.
Since leaving Lincoln, Lindsey has gradually built his reputation through academy, coaching and managerial roles. His promotion with Crawley remains the standout achievement of his career, although his second spell at the Broadfield Stadium ended in disappointment.
York’s decision to dismiss Maynard has left them searching for a manager immediately before the new season. They begin their competitive campaign against Lindsey’s former club Crawley in the Carabao Cup preliminary round on Monday, August 3, before hosting Bristol Rovers in their first League Two fixture on Saturday, August 15.
Should Lindsey be appointed, he would therefore begin his York career against the club he left only four months ago.
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