in October 1977, with York 22nd in the Fourth Division, and was succeeded by former Charlton Athletic player Charlie Wright in November. He could not prevent a re-election bid after 1977–78, before leading York to 10th place the following season. Wright was dismissed in March 1980 with the team near the bottom of the table, and under caretaker manager Barry Lyons York finished 17th in 1979–80. He was appointed permanently in May 1980, and York finished bottom of the table in his first full season in charge. York continued to struggle and Lyons was dismissed in December 1981; Kevin Randall and Barry Swallow each had spells in caretaker charge, before York finished 17th in 1981–82. Denis Smith, who played on loan from Stoke City the previous season, was appointed player-manager in May 1982. After leading York to seventh place in 1982–83, Smith retired from playing. York won their first major title in 1983–84, when the Fourth Division championship was secured with 101 points. This meant York became the first team to achieve a three-figure points total in a Football League season. In the next two seasons they finished eighth and seventh in the Third Division, and took Liverpool to FA Cup fifth round replays. York narrowly avoided relegation in 1986–87, and Smith left to take over at Sunderland in May 1987. Former Blackburn Rovers manager Bobby Saxton was appointed in June 1987; he was tasked with rebuilding the team in a matter of weeks, and York were relegated to the Fourth Division in 1987–88. With York bottom of the table, Saxton resigned in September 1988, and was succeeded by former Hartlepool United manager John Bird in October. York ranked 11th in 1988–89, and having looked like mounting a promotion challenge, finished 13th the following season. York were bottom of the Fourth Division by the time of Bird's dismissal in October 1991. 1991–2010 York appointed Aston Villa assistant manager John Ward in November 1991. Ward developed the team he inherited from Bird, and York were top of the table by December 1992. He left for Bristol Rovers in March 1993, and was succeeded by his assistant Alan Little. Two months later Little led York to promotion via the Third Division play-offs, with a penalty shoot-out victory over Crewe Alexandra in the final. In the 1993–94 season, York were beaten by Stockport County in the semi-final of the Second Division play-offs. York