York City earned automatic promotion to League Two in the most dramatic of circumstances, with a 103rd-minute equaliser against Rochdale on the final day of the season enough to seal the National League title.
Josh Stones’ stoppage-time goal sparked chaotic scenes at Rochdale’s Crown Oil Arena, with the winner-take-all clash finishing as a 1-1 draw to end York’s ten-year absence from Britain’s fourth tier.
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“The maddest ever, crazy,” Stones told DAZN after the match.
“For the final game to have ended 0-0, it would have been a travesty for the league.
“I can’t put it into words. I’m so happy. We deserve it as a group, the staff, the fans. I love the club and that meant everything.
“I thought it was over but the boys never say never.
“I missed a chance at 0-0 and I thought if that was it and we lost 1-0, I wouldn’t sleep for days. Now I’m not going to sleep for days, in a good way.”
Heading into the game, York sat atop the National League table with 107 points, narrowly ahead of second-placed Rochdale on 105. Purely by coincidence, the two sides were pitted against each on the final day of the competition.
With only one automatic promotion place up for grabs, a draw was enough for York to book their spot in League Two, while Rochdale needed nothing less than a victory.
Scores were tied at 0-0 at the completion of regulation time before Rochdale struck in the 95th minute, with a header from Emmanuel Dieseruvwe finding the back of the net. Believing they had done enough to steal promotion and the league title, Rochdale’s fans descended upon the turf in a wild pitch invasion, causing a lengthy delay.
However, minutes later, York’s fans were celebrating in pitch invasion of their own.
There was some lingering debate on whether Stones’ equaliser had actually crossed the line, but asked about the controversy, York manager Stuart Maynard replied: “I don’t care!”
Elsewhere, Rochdale manager Jimmy McNulty refused to speak to any media after the match, with a source telling talkSPORT he was “absolutely devastated”.
Rochdale will now enter the National League play-offs alongside Carlisle United, Boreham Wood, Scunthorpe United, Southend United and Forest Green Rovers, with the six teams battling for the other available promotion spot to League Two.
“I hope Rochdale go up,” Maynard told DAZN.
“It’s criminal in this league that teams can get over 100 points and not go up.
“Even Carlisle (in third place), they end up with 95 points. It’s crazy.”
Stones added: “If I’m really honest, I hope (Rochdale) go on and win the play-offs, they’ve been unbelievable.”
The drama has increased calls for the National League to award three promotion places into League Two, with York and Rochdale releasing a joint statement advocating for the change ahead of Saturday’s match.
“We call on the National League, Football Regulator, EFL and Premier League to come together immediately and resolve this issue, so that we do not have to highlight this injustice year after year,” the said read.
TalkSPORT commentator Jon Champion said before the match: “Imagine getting 107 points, scoring 113 goals with a goal difference of plus 73 and not going up. I mean, it’s ridiculous.
“I was impressed last night to see that both clubs, Rochdale and York, have issued a joint statement saying that whoever loses today and whoever wins, they will both still be banging the drum for three up from the National League. So two automatic and one via the playoffs, because it’s only fair.
“I think there’s a general acceptance now that the National League and League Two are pretty much on par with each other.”