Hospital Ball

In our now-annual sit-down with Matt Uggla, we reflect on a remarkable season that ended in a title triumph for York City F.C..
Matt shares his emotions from the dramatic moments at Rochdale, what the title win truly means to him, and why he believes this is only the beginning of the club’s journey back into the Football League.
We also go behind the scenes, with Matt offering insight into his role at the club—from recruitment strategy to decision-making at the top level. The conversation explores how York City plan to retain key players, build on a record-breaking campaign, and continue improving despite their success.
Interview conducted by Dan Tait. Edited and produced by James Charters.
If you enjoy these podcasts then please consider donating to our charity via justgiving.com/yorkhospitalradio

York Hospital Radio meets John Helm, a true commentary legend whose career spans over six decades. From standing on the terraces to calling ten World Cups, John reflects on an extraordinary journey through the game.
We cover his early commentaries covering Leeds United during the Don Revie era, iconic moments across various Yorkshire football clubs, his work on FIFA tournaments, the Indian Super League, and his current employment for Lincoln City who he commentates for despite being into his 80s.
Alongside the highs, John shares his harrowing memories of the Bradford City fire and how he continues to respect those lives lost. We also dive into his philosophy behind the microphone, how he developed his distinctive style, and his respect for fellow commentators across the generations — before finishing with his famous party piece: naming every club in the English football pyramid, just as he did for a Guinness World Record in the 1980s.
Interview conducted by Dan Tait. Edited and produced by James Charters.

Kingsley James lifts the lid on York City’s promotion season, his partnership with John Askey, and the tensions that eventually led to their departure.
Here is an exclusive early release of Series 15 of York Hospital Ball featuring former York City assistant manager, Kingsley James.
Having spent the vast majority of his playing career in the lower leagues, Kingsley faced the Minstermen many times before joining York City in November 2021 as the right-hand man to John Askey. The pair quickly put their stamp on the club, transforming the team’s fortunes and ultimately leading York City back to the National League with promotion at the end of their first season in charge.
Despite a positive start to the following campaign, tensions began to grow between the management team and the club’s new ownership. Those difficulties eventually led to the departure of John Askey and, shortly afterwards, Kingsley himself.
In this interview, Kingsley reflects on the highs and lows of his time at York City, offering a fascinating insight into life behind the scenes during a memorable and turbulent period at the LNER Community Stadium.
This interview was conducted by Dan Tait, produced by Keith Lea, and edited by James Charters.
The episode is sponsored by Radcliffe and Son Plastering.
If you enjoy these podcasts, please consider supporting our charity:
https://www.justgiving.com/charity/yorkhospitalradio

Hospital Ball welcomes York City striker Dipo Akinyemi for the 100th episode of the podcast.
In this in-depth interview, Dipo reflects on his professional journey — from his early career at Stevenage, through a series of character-building loan spells, before finding his feet at Welling United and getting his career back on track.
A move north of the border to Ayr United followed, where a spectacular first season saw Matt Uggla break the York City transfer record to bring Dipo to the LNER Community Stadium.
Although his stay with the Minstermen lasted only two seasons, his impact was keenly felt by supporters. Here, Dipo talks candidly about his affection for York City, his relationship with the fans, and his departure from the club last year.
This special milestone episode is sponsored by long-time supporter Ol Crabtree.
If you enjoy the Hospital Ball podcast, please consider donating to our charity via justgiving.com/yorkhospitalradio.
Original artwork image created by Tom Poole.

Our final episode in this series on cult heroes features perhaps the ultimate York City cult hero – Gary Swann
Born in York, Gary began his footballing career at Hull City, where he rose through the ranks to become a first-team regular, achieving two promotions over six seasons. He then moved to Preston North End, adding another promotion to his career achievements, before joining York City on a free transfer in 1992.
At Bootham Crescent, Gary became an integral part of John Ward’s side and secured his place in Minstermen folklore with his vital goals in the playoffs. He later went on to play for Scarborough and enjoyed spells in Hong Kong and China before retiring from the game.
This interview was conducted by Dan Tait and edited/produced by James Charters.
If you’ve enjoyed this podcast series, please consider supporting us by donating via York Hospital Radio’s JustGiving page.