Former York City manager Alan Little dies

Alan Little was York City's first team manager from 1993 until 1999

Former York City manager Alan Little has died aged 69, the club has said.

Little made more than 400 appearances as a player with Aston Villa, Southend, Barnsley, Doncaster, Torquay, Halifax and Hartlepool, before retiring in 1986.

He then moved into coaching at Hartlepool, before joining York City as assistant manager to John Bird. He became the club's first team manager in 1993.

National League side York City said their thoughts were with Little's family and friends at "this sad time".

In a tribute about his life in football, the club said in his first year as manager in the 1992/3 season, he took them into the play-offs in 4th position.

They beat Bury before a penalty shoot-out victory followed against Crewe at Wembley Stadium in May 1993.

During his tenure, Little brought fans League Cup victories against Manchester United in 1995, and Everton the following year.

After he left the club in 1999, managerial spells with Southend United and Halifax Town followed between 1999-2002.

Alan was the brother of Brian Little, a former Premier League manager with Aston Villa and Leicester City.

Paying tribute on X, former Aston Villa player Stan Collymore said: Sending all my love and condolences to @brianlittle912 and family after the news of the passing of Alan Little.

"I'm sure everyone at our club, supporters and Villa family feel the same.

"Rest in peace, Alan, and gaffer we're thinking of you."

'Hard as nails'

Former York City striker Iain Dunn was coached by Little, before he became the club's manager.

Speaking to BBC Radio York Sport, Mr Dunn said: "Alan Little will go down in York City folklore.

"As a coach, he achieved a lot but some of the highs when he became manager we’ll never forget."

He added that not only was he a great sporting figure, he was "genuinely a really good human" and a "nice guy who always had time for you".

"I hadn’t spoken to Alan for years and I got in touch with him a couple of years ago about coming back to York and being a guest of the club and he didn’t think twice," Mr Dunn said.

In terms of coaching football, the former striker said Alan was "very honest and didn't pull any punches".

"When you trained with him in football, you did not try to tackle him," he said.

"The phrase ‘hard as nails’ was developed for Alan Little because he did not pull out of any tackles and that was in training when he had finished as a player!"

With York City set to start the football season playing Southend United on Saturday, Mr Dunn believed there would be recognition of Little's achievements from both clubs.

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