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Meet the York City striker dreaming of promotion as National League title race intensifies
If blood, sweat and tears is your thing then Rochdale versus York City on Saturday, April 25 could well be the place to be – if you can get a ticket that is.
There promises to be some fun and games in that corner of Greater Manchester on the final day of the National League season, when the only automatic promotion spot may be decided.
Heading into the crucial Easter period, and with five games remaining, Rochdale sit at the summit with York three points behind them in second.
They play each other at the Crown Oil Arena in their 46th and final league game of the season, adding huge intrigue to the climax of one of the most exciting promotion races in years.
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York boast a far superior goal difference so, if both sides keep winning from now until their potential final-day decider, they could clinch top spot on goal difference.
Stuart Maynard’s upwardly mobile Minstermen have scored an incredible 106 goals this season – 25 more than Rochdale – and strike duo Ollie Pearce and Josh Stones have claimed 47 of those between them.
Ahead of the Easter weekend which sees all National League sides play twice over four days, laid-back Stones is focusing on simply claiming five more victories.
York travel to Boston United this afternoon and Stones told DAZN News: “We’ve just got to keep winning and hopefully, come the end of the season, we’ll be top of the league.
“All that matters right now is ticking the wins off game by game.
“We’re a team who score loads of goals and create plenty of chances, but for me it doesn’t matter who scores.
“As long as we win all our remaining games then I don’t care if I don’t score again this season.
“My ambitions right now are to get York City promoted to League Two and do it again next year – to keep getting promoted.
“What’s the potential for this club? I think the sky’s the limit.
“As we all know, the hardest thing is getting out of this league.
“Barnet and Oldham got promoted last season and are now on the cusp of the League Two play-off places, which shows the quality of the National League, and look at Bromley now as well.”
York fans camped outside the LNER Community Stadium earlier this week in readiness to snap up tickets for the final-day trip to Rochdale.
Stones added: “If you look ourselves and Rochdale, we’ve been on each other’s tails all season and both deserve to go up.
“What will be will be, but if we keep winning then I’m sure we can take it to that final game at Rochdale.
“If it comes to that then we’ll be ready but you never know, it might not.”
Sir Alex Ferguson famously coined the phrase ‘squeaky bum-time’ and York know from bitter experience last season where missing out on top spot can lead to.
They finished second to Barnet before losing to Oldham in the play-off semi-final.
“There’s still a lot of football to be played, so we’ll see what happens and I’m not someone who suffers with nerves,” said 22-year-old Stones.
“If you don’t get nervous in the first game of the season, then what’s the point in getting nervous at the business end?
“It’s a game of football and it’s our job at the end of the day, although I know some players do get nervous and it spurs them on.
“Nervous energy can be good, but I just go out there and enjoy it.
“I know that if I don’t try and overdo things and concentrate on my game, then the rest will take care itself.”
Stones, who hails from Leeds, signed for York in January 2025 from Wigan Athletic, having progressed through the youth ranks at Guiseley.
During his time at Wigan, Stones spent time on loan at Ross County and Oldham Athletic.
He left League One Wigan for a York side in the National League, albeit one with ambition coursing through its veins.
“It was a pretty easy decision to join York,” explained the hard-running frontman.
“I wouldn’t have really counted myself as an EFL player at the time because I wasn’t really playing.
“I was in and around the squad [at Wigan] but never really got my chance.
“When I spoke to the Matt (owner Matt Uggla) about his plans and ambitions for the club, it all made sense and was one of the easiest decisions I’ve had to make.
“I enjoyed my time at Wigan and my coaches there, Stephen Crainey and Frankie Bunn, improved me massively.
“They helped me to reach levels I didn’t know I had, so I’m thankful for that, definitely.”
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Stones, a Leeds United season-ticket holder, counts former Elland Road favourite Kalvin Phillips and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard among his inspirations growing up.
With the run-in fast approaching, the forward is confident in himself and his team-mates.
Stones is heavily inked, with some of his tattoos honouring his family members.
He added: “We’ve got winners here at York, we’ve got experience and I think the main thing is that we’ve got runners.
“Whenever we’ve dropped points this season, it’s been because our running stats haven’t been as good as when we’ve won.
“That speaks for itself and shows that, if you’ve got a team who are willing to run for each other, then you get the ball back and when we’ve got possession, the opposition have to run.
“I think we’re just a well-drilled group and, to a man, very good.
“Growing up, my dad was always my idol and him, my mum and my sister are my inspirations. I want to do them proud.”
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