The ground first hosted a match against First Division opposition on 12 January 1935 when York played Derby County in an FA Cup third-round match, which set a new club record attendance of 13,612. Attendance records were set at four successive stages of the 1937–38 FA Cup, culminating in the 28,123 attendance for the sixth-round match against Huddersfield Town on 5 March 1938. By now the ground's capacity was around 23,000, and seats were placed around the pitch to accommodate more fans. During the Second World War, the tunnel at the back of the Popular Stand was used as an air-raid shelter for pupils and staff of Shipton Street School. The ground was slightly damaged after the air-raid on York in April 1942, when houses along the Shipton Street End were bombed. Considerable improvements were made in the immediate post-war period. Deeper drainage and the concreting of the banking at the Grosvenor Road End were completed, and loudspeaking equipment was installed.