Mills made a statement of intent to win the Conference Premier title in 2011–12. His summer recruitment was focused on signing players who would improve the team's goalscoring record, and he succeeding in doing this when signing Matty Blair, Paddy McLaughlin and Jason Walker. York consistently occupied a play-off position throughout 2011–12, eventually securing one after finishing fourth in the table. The team played a passing style in the first half of the season, before often grinding out results with "The Press" saying they "compensated for a loss of craft with bundles of graft".