EFL club sack record-breaking manager eight days before first game

York City have stunned their fans by announcing that Stuart Maynard has left the club just over a week before the new season.

The 45-year-old manager guided York back into the EFL after a record-breaking 108-point season culminated in the National League title.

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Maynard, who only took charge in August 2025, ended the Minstermen’s decade-long hiatus from the division at the first time of asking.

York have now confirmed that a ‘difference in vision’ between Maynard and the board has seen him leave his role as head coach.

York City part ways with manager

A statement read: “York City Football Club can confirm that Stuart Maynard will be leaving his role as first team manager, with immediate effect.

“This has not been an easy decision, and it is not one the board has taken lightly. Ultimately, it comes down to a difference in direction and vision for the football club.

“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.”

York’s announcement has come just two days after a 2-2 draw against Steven Gerrard’s former Saudi Arabian side, Al-Ettifaq.

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The Minstermen have just one more pre-season friendly scheduled, a home clash with League One Peterborough United, on Tuesday.

York then get their season underway in a Carabao Cup preliminary round tie with Crawley Town on Monday, August 3.

The now-managerless Yorkshire outfit are one of four clubs involved in the extra round of the EFL competition – owing to the fact that nine Premier League teams will compete in Europe this season.

Their League Two campaign then kicks off 12 days later on Saturday, August 15 at home to Bristol Rovers.

York were only recently told that their 8,500-capacity stadium, which is shared with rugby league team York Knights, is too small to match the club’s ambitions.

Under Maynard, York secured promotion back to the EFL in one of the most dramatic final days of the season ever.

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Just one point separated York and rivals Rochdale ahead of the two sides facing each other for a winner-takes-all title showdown.

Rochdale scored what they thought was the decisive goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time, only for their rivals to grab an equaliser eight minutes later through Josh Stones to send them straight up.

The Dale went on to secure promotion as well through the playoffs, coming from two down to beat Boreham Wood on penalties.