By the summer of 1977, after 2 relegations, Crawford wasn’t enjoying his football and threatened to retire (Ed: Reports at the time said he went on strike). He found it difficult to leave York City, but didn’t get on with Wilf McGuinness as a manager. His unhappiness with his football overcoming the strong camaraderie he felt with his City playing colleagues. He took a job outside football, selling printing and office stationery, in the summer.

Director Michael Sinclair asked him to come back and was later instrumental in his transfer to Scunthorpe. Crawford found manager, Ron Ashman to be the only straight forward manager he ever played for. He agreed wages and Ashman asked Crawford what he wanted as a signing on fee, Ashman telling him that was how lower league players made their money. He spent 2 and a half seasons at Scunthorpe in Division 4, being their player of the season in 1979 (an honour he never won with City). Towards the end of his time, Ashman suggested Crawford should go back to York. Graeme refused, not wanting to disappoint Ashman, only for Ashman to once again ask him to go back to York, “go Graeme, I’ve only 2 games left in charge if we don't win”. Crawford took heed and returned to York.

Back with City, he enjoyed his football under Charlie Wright and wished he’d been coached by the ex-keeper, who’d enjoyed a long and successful playing career, much earlier in his career. It was only under Wright that Crawford learned about angles and crosses and had proper keeper coaching. Previously his keeper training consisted of 20 minutes shot stopping at the end of a session in an era where goalies only wore gloves on wet days (green cotton gloves to avoid the wet ball slipping out of their hands), instead preferring to rub spit and beechnut chewing gum into their hands. His second spell with City wasn’t as successful as Barry Lyons replaced Wright and wanted a clean break and to make his own mark, exit Graeme Crawford.

He spent 3 years at Rochdale; many of his former City colleagues were teammates. He recalled one game against York. City won a penalty, he knew Derek Hood always put the ball hard, straight down the middle. He spoke to Hood, “I’m not moving”, Hood didn’t deviate from his usual routine, the ball striking Crawford’s chest and bouncing clear, out of the penalty area. Another Rochdale game that stands out is when he was sent off and went to sit in the dugout. The referee came across and told him he couldn't sit there. Crawford throw a bucket of water over him earning himself a 4 game ban and 6 weeks without wages.

Graeme later enjoyed a spell in non league football and at the age of 42 came out of retirement to play for Goole in an FA Cup tie.

He was also Radio York’s first ever York City co-commentator, working with Bill Hanrahan, Derm Tanner and Jon Champion.

Graeme related the story of his career with many amusing anecdotes from both on and off the field. For those of "a certain age" it was good to hear about the players and staff from that era. The main thing that came through was the spirit of that team during the first half of the 1970s. They were not only a really good team, but a bunch of lads who got on well and even today still meet up once a year and keep in close touch with one another.

Graeme still lives in the York area, and although, as he himself says, "I'm not a good watcher", he keeps City close to his heart. Just as is the case with many supporters, Graeme is disappointed to know that City will soon have to leave Bootham Crescent as it is a place he has a great fondness for. Like us, it saddens him to see the club in its present position and believes there is something lacking in the club at the moment. He acknowledged the financial contribution of Jason McGill over many years.

Having suffered from cartilage trouble throughout his career, a subsequent knee operation sorted that out. Today, it is only his “keepers' fingers” which give his former profession away.

Throughout the evening, Graeme gave many more insights into his career and teammates, including:

• “Ron Spence didn’t know anything about being a physio and one day, the players presented him with a sign “Fizio”, Spence was overcome, “You lads really know how to look after me”.
• “Hilly (Ron Hillyard), a good keeper, sometimes he would dream”.
• Bobby Sibbald found out he’d been released by City when a new signing Dave Chambers turned up at his rented club house to announce he was there to measure up for new curtains. He found Tom Johnston to be “good for me, not a master tactician, his strength was watching players, knowing how they would fit into his side”, the sum being more than the parts. He noted how few players went onto better things after leaving Johnston's side.
• Named Paul Aimson as his most skilful teammate, in a “different class” and Mick Channon as the most skilled opponent he faced, recalling a particular one on one he faced against Channon.
• Jimmy Seal, “tremendous work rate”.
• “Colin Meldrum was a coach who liked a drink. A great bloke and a great coach. Must take a lot of credit for tactics and set pieces".
• Bryan “Fozzy” Foster, a great bloke who maintained an immaculate pitch. He recalls Fozzy’s pride at the pitch and remembers him once throwing a pitch fork, javelin style, at Phil Burrows who dared to cut the corner and encroach onto the pitch when cutting a corner during a training session.
• Crawford ”got on well with Barry Swallow and asked him to come to a player reunion a couple of years ago, but Swallow replied no fearing he’d get too much abuse". I got the impression; he and former teammates still hold Swallow in a high esteem today.
• The players were jealous of one of their 74 promotion side when he came into training and proudly announced he’d got his own phone, the first in the squad, installed and handed out his number to all the players. It transpired it was a phone box on the road outside his house.
• “Wilf McGuinness, a fantastic bloke, nightmare as a manager, I got on great with Wilf as a bloke”. He told the training ground story when McGuiness laid down on the floor, pretending to have be knocked down by a fallen branch on a windy day. The players ignored him, simply hurdled over him and carried on with their run. Another day, McGuinness put Jimmy Hinch in charge of training. He told the players to do exactly what Hinch did. Hinch took them on a run, in the car park, they found McGuinness’ posh car unlocked, so Hinch, opened the unlocked door and routed their run across the front seats, the squad dutifully followed Hinch across the front seats in their muddy boots.
• Believes Dean Kiely to be the best keeper he’s seen play for City, although he recognises the fine career Roger Jones had had before City and that he wasn’t extended in front of his City back four. He name checked both Alan Fettis and Michael Ingham. Having seen Bailey Peacock-Farrell make his City debut at Leamington, Crawford was impressed with his “good distribution” in an impressive debut. David Ferguson also impressed him on the day.
• On the bigger picture, he felt Pat Jennings was the most all round keeper he saw, whilst also admiring Ray Clemence. However, he was not a fan of Peter Shilton.
• On his arrival at York, Crawford lived in a £4 week club house in Wiggington. Later, he bought a house in the same street. John Stone, leg in a pot, helped him to move and noticed Crawford’s TV aerial still on his old house. “You’re not leaving that”, Stone said, he got a ladder and climbed onto the roof, in a pot, to retrieve it.
• Worst Gambler: Ian Holmes lost a car playing pontoon.
• Pat Lally. Came back from holiday in 1973 and went to see Tom Johnston who announced, “I’ve got you a train ticket to Swansea, I’ve sold you”.
• Phil Burrows believes Barry Jackson was the fittest and best player he ever played with. Jackson had John Toshack in his pocket during City’s 3 game epic FA Cup tie with Cardiff in 1970. Later that year, Jackson was fuming as Toshack made a £110,000 transfer to Liverpool and Jackson left City and league football to take up a job as a meter reader.
• Gary Mills couldn’t change a game and was stubborn.
• Best Tour: Iceland (May 1974).
• Most Impressive Opponent: Alan Groves (Oldham’s leggy ginger haired winger) who took John Stone to the cleaners.
• Unprompted, and despite the many City games against top clubs at big grounds, Crawford recalled the 3-3 draw at Southend in March 1974. Down 3-0 at half time, the players feared the half time wrath of Tom Johnston. He prowled the dressing room but said nothing. As the players prepared to return to the pitch for the second half, Phil Burrows said, “I don’t know about you buggers, but I haven’t come 250 miles for nought”.
• Most memorable game. An evening away game (March 1974?) on muddy pitch at Grimsby was his best performance.
• Worst Away Ground: Hartlepool, “2 inches of bath water in a tin bath” whilst at Crewe there was “No headroom in the dressing room”.
• He also recalled the early 70s at Bootham Crescent when the players were suffering from an epidemic of boils. They believed the cause was the dirty old water in the bath which was topped up with another 2 inches of hot water daily after training.
• Best away grounds. Highbury (Arsenal for the youngsters) and the immaculate pitch at Portsmouth.
• A large core of City’s early 1970s squad still live in and around York. Outliers include Dennis Wann (Blackpool, newsagent), John Stones (Cleethorpes), Ian Holmes (Barnsley, taxi driver), Brian Pollard (Sherburn), Chris Topping (Selby), Cliff Calvert (Canada, fireman), Ian Butler (Bridlington) and John Woodward (Wakefield, a recently retired prison warden).
• Rued the lack of TV coverage from his day when putting together a montage of his career for his grandchildren, all he could find were clips of himself picking the ball out of the net.