Hospital Ball welcomes York City striker Dipo Akinyemi for the 100th episode of the podcast.

In this in-depth interview, Dipo reflects on his professional journey — from his early career at Stevenage, through a series of character-building loan spells, before finding his feet at Welling United and getting his career back on track.

A move north of the border to Ayr United followed, where a spectacular first season saw Matt Uggla break the York City transfer record to bring Dipo to the LNER Community Stadium.

Although his stay with the Minstermen lasted only two seasons, his impact was keenly felt by supporters. Here, Dipo talks candidly about his affection for York City, his relationship with the fans, and his departure from the club last year.

This special milestone episode is sponsored by long-time supporter Ol Crabtree.

If you enjoy the Hospital Ball podcast, please consider donating to our charity via justgiving.com/yorkhospitalradio.

Original artwork image created by Tom Poole.

Our final episode in this series on cult heroes features perhaps the ultimate York City cult hero – Gary Swann

Born in York, Gary began his footballing career at Hull City, where he rose through the ranks to become a first-team regular, achieving two promotions over six seasons. He then moved to Preston North End, adding another promotion to his career achievements, before joining York City on a free transfer in 1992.

At Bootham Crescent, Gary became an integral part of John Ward’s side and secured his place in Minstermen folklore with his vital goals in the playoffs. He later went on to play for Scarborough and enjoyed spells in Hong Kong and China before retiring from the game.

This interview was conducted by Dan Tait and edited/produced by James Charters.

If you’ve enjoyed this podcast series, please consider supporting us by donating via York Hospital Radio’s JustGiving page.

In 1995, Paul Stephenson arrived at Bootham Crescent for a bargain £35,000. His dazzling skill and quick feet made an instant impact on York City supporters. Despite battling injuries in his first season, he played a key role in the club’s famous League Cup triumph over Premier League side Everton in 1996 and became a firm fan favourite during his three seasons at the club.

In this exclusive interview, Paul reflects on his years with the Minstermen and his remarkable football journey. Starting out in Newcastle United’s youth ranks alongside Paul Gascoigne, he earned England youth honours before breaking into the first team at St James’ Park and then enjoying successful spells with Millwall and Brentford. His move to York City was followed by a return to his native North East, where he closed out a career of over 500 appearances with Hartlepool United.

Paul speaks candidly about the highs and lows of professional football — from unforgettable victories to the mental and physical challenges of long injury layoffs. This is a heartfelt and insightful conversation for anyone who loves the game, hosted by Dan Tait and produced by James Charters.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting our charity at: https://www.justgiving.com/charity/yorkhospitalradio