Merry Christmas to all. On this day (25 December) in 1896 Manchester City played their first competitive Christmas Day fixture. The game, staged within sight of the present day Etihad Stadium, was a derby match with Newton Heath (United). It was played at Bank Street, Clayton (behind the Velodrome and the current BMX site). It was a Manchester derby which ended in a Newton Heath victory.
Happy Christmas
Gary James' Football Archive 