By Paul Bowser – York City FC Club Historian
York City FC is saddened to learn of the passing of former player, coach, assistant manager, and interim manager Viv Busby.
After a fine playing career during the 1970s when he most notably appeared as a striker for Luton Town, Fulham, Norwich City, and Stoke City, Viv joined City in May 1982 as player-coach alongside player-manager Denis Smith.
In their first major roles in management and coaching, the pair masterminded a resurgence in City’s fortunes,
The club climbed from the lower reaches of Division Four in 1981/82 to only narrowly miss out on a play-off place the following season.
A year later, City not only won the divisional title, scoring 96 goals in the process, but also became the first club to record 100 league points in a season (101 in total).
Busby made 21 appearances for the club over those first two years, scoring 4 goals, before retiring from playing to concentrate on his coaching duties which included running the reserve side.
More success followed over the next three seasons as City became an established Third Division club and enjoyed two successive runs to the FA Cup fifth round.
This included the famous victory over Arsenal and four thrilling ties against Liverpool between 1985 – 1986.
After resigning almost five years to the day of his arrival at City, Busby joined Smith in leaving for Sunderland.
The duo secured promotion in their first season on Wearside, and then guided the club to Division One in 1990.
After managing Hartlepool United in 1993, and later recovering from a period of ill-health, Viv returned to City in September 2004 as assistant manager to Chris Brass.
A few weeks later, he was asked to step up to lead the team on a temporary basis after Brass left the club, before he too moved on by mutual consent the following February.
The club sends its condolences to Viv’s family and friends at this sad time.
Vivian Dennis Busby
19 June 1949 – 8 May 2024