Yes, I went to THE university of York. How dare the other one have the temerity to think it was THE university of York. No no, it's a jumped up teacher training college of Ripon and York St John, made university, just A university of York, not THE.
It's quite funny. In the Big Ten unversities (american midwest) it's too late for Ohio State to undo the ongoing humor of "THE Ohio State" because everyone already for decades mocks it as funny and won't let it go.
Also, York University in Canada confused things.