After parting company with Adam Hinshelwood, York City have turned to Stuart Maynard to lead them forward this season.
Hinshelwood was dismissed having led the Minstermen to 96 points and second place last season. Despite this, the club have decided to move on and have handed the reigns to the former Notts County manager.
This article, using stats from fotmob, looks at what York City could expect from a Stuart Maynard side.
How have York City fared this season?
Having lost in the play-off semi-final last season, many expected that York would be competing for the title again. There were significant summer arrivals from EFL clubs to support this objective.
This season, so far, could be seen to be a slower start than some will have expected from the Minstermen. The National League club find themselves 12th but have played one game less than those around them.
The Minstermen started the season with a 2-2 draw at home to Sutton United. They followed this up with their only win (2-0) of the season so far, away to Truro City.
Two draws away at Southend United and Woking have followed to leave them undefeated. Despite this, Hinshelwood was given his marching orders which Simon spoke about on the latest National League Lowdown podcast:
“It seems like on the face of it we’re getting rid of a manger quite rashly”
Regardless of the somewhat surprising timing of Hinshelwood’s departure, the York hierarchy acted quickly and got Maynard in place.
What can York City expect from Stuart Maynard?
The 44-year-old arrives at the LNER Community Stadium after guiding Notts County to the League Two play-offs last season. Looking at last season, there are some aspects of Maynard’s style that will suit York City as mentioned on the National League Lowdown:
“I understand he favours possession-based football, he is very big on dominating possession and in that sense there should be similarity”
During the 2024-25 season, Notts County had the highest average possession across the division with 62.4%. On top of this, the Magpies ranked first for average passes per match with 445.5 and with 20.9 accurate long-balls per match ranked 22nd in the fourth tier.
This statistics showcase Maynard’s preference for building play from the back. This style of play is similar to what Hinshelwood deployed in his time as York boss.
Last season, York ranked first in the National League for average possession with 63.6% and second for accurate passes per game (447). The continuity of style will likely help York when transitioning to Maynard.
On top of the possession style-of-play, the 44-year-old has the ability to provide attacking football. Last season, Notts County ranked second for expected goals (xG) and big chances with figures of 73.3 and 111 respectively.
This level of chance creation will suit the likes of Ollie Pearce and Josh Stones in York’s attack. In contact, one aspect of Maynard’s style that may take some getting used to is his preferred formation.
Last season, the 44-year-old deployed a variety of formations, all of which were based upon a back three (3-4-1-2, 3-4-3, 3-1-4-2). Under Hinshelwood, York predominately deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation.
This change in style may take some time for the players to get used to. In addition, Maynard may find it hard to find his preferred starting XI to start with.
Can York City succeed under Stuart Maynard?
Despite the change in manager, there is hope that he will be able to add his own style to the Minstermen. Simon suggested this on the National League Lowdown:
“The hope is that he can keep the best bits of what we saw under Hinshelwood and add a few other things”
Prior to his spell at Notts County, the 44-year-old managed Wealdstone. Despite being part-time, he had the Stones performing well in the fifth tier.
Many will expect that Maynard will have York challenging for promotion at the end of the season given the increased resources available to him. This point was something that Maynard himself made upon his appointment:
“The foundations have been built for long-term success, and I cannot wait to get started”
The question will be whether the 44-year-old is given the time to implement his ideas for it to be a long-term success. National League Lowdown’s latest guest believed this wouldn’t be the case:
“I wouldn’t have a lot of confidence that he is going to be given time”
“If we’re not in the top three by the end of the season it wouldn’t surprise me if Maynard was moved on”
There is little doubt that the squad at the LNER Community Stadium was capable of a title challenge. The summer arrivals of Alex Newby, Ollie Banks and Hiram Boateng among others only increased this belief.
With this in mind, there is little excuse if Maynard does not achieve at least a top seven finish this season. Due to the Women’s Rugby World Cup usage of York’s stadium, their next game will be away to Yeovil Town next weekend.
The time until then may be a blessing for Maynard, giving him over a week on the training ground to implement some of his ideas. With a strong foundation and squad in place already, there can be little reason to argue against the Minstermen competing for promotion to the EFL despite the arrival of Stuart Maynard.