Manchester City qualified for the Champions League for the first time when they defeated Tottenham 1-0 via an own goal from Peter Crouch on this day (10 May) in 2011. Crouch had deflected a James Milner cross past his own ‘keeper. This had been a rather tense game against a Spurs team desperate to get into a European place. They ended the day sixth, behind fifth place Liverpool. City were fourth, two points behind third placed Arsenal and seven ahead of fifth placed Liverpool with only two games remaining.The target remained third place, as this avoided a Champions League play off, and success in the FA Cup final. Finishing in the top four for the first time since the 1970s was an achievement in its own right, but winning the FA Cup would end 35 years without success at the highest levels of the game. The final was against Stoke at Wembley on 14 May.
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7 May 1966 was the day when Manchester City effectively won the Second Division title. City’s scorers were Bell and Sorrell (an own goal) as City drew 2-2 at Orient. The point was enough for the media to claim them as champions (Southampton could potentially have overtaken them but it would have meant them scoring a significant number of goals). There were only two games left after this match in the Second Division with the next game being away at Charlton. The trophy would be presented at the final game of the season at home to Southampton.
Were you there that day? If you were please feel free to add your comments. Here’s some match reports from the Leyton Orient game:
You can find out more on Manchester City during the 1965-66 season by reading the following 4100 word article. As with most of the other features in this series it includes words from interviews I have performed with those who were there. This is a subscriber article (see below).
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If you enjoy all the free material on my website and would like to support my research and keep this website going (but don’t want to subscribe) then why not make a one-time donation (or buy me a coffee). All support for my research is valued and welcome. It allows me to keep some free material available for all. Thanks.
Congratulations City on winning the WSL for the second time. Arsenal’s draw away to Brighton was enough to guarantee City the title without playing tonight. Great work this season Blues.
I had an enjoyable afternoon today talking to a Ladies Guild meeting in Audenshaw about women’s football history. I focused on the Corinthians but spent quite a bit of time explaining about a couple of Tameside clubs (Droylsden & Benfica) from the 1950s. Like the Corinthians one of these toured overseas in the 1950s and I have interviews from women who played for that club too (in addition to the 50+ Corinthians I’ve interviewed and the dozens of others who have played for clubs across Greater Manchester). It was wonderful to share these stories with a group of women who were keen to hear all about them. The talk had been set up some time ago after a similar event in Droylsden almost two years ago.
Thanks to all the women who attended and asked such wonderful questions too. Obviously, we discussed the recognition the Corinthians have received from Manchester and the footballing authorities (the Blue Plaque for example). I was also asked about the book and was delighted to highlight that a revised and updated edition of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History will be published this year.
As with the first edition this book will be non-profit. Also, anyone ordering a copy now will get their name published in the book as a supporter of the project. Copies can be ordered now (see below). This promises to build further on the original book, viewed as a landmark publication. Income from the book will continue to be used to promote these remarkable women; stage events for them and capture their stories for posterity. Over fifty Corinthians were interviewed for the first edition and others have been found and interviewed for this updated version. This includes additional Corinthians from the 1940s, adding to the three founding Corinthians interviewed for the first edition. Their voices are so important to the story of this remarkable club.
I’m determined to ensure all Corinthians are remembered so please also get in touch if you’re a Corinthian who may have slipped through the net somehow.
Order before 1 July 2026 and you will get your name published within a special roll of honour within the book and it will be sent out to all subscribers on publication at the start of October 2026. This will be before it appears in any shop. Sadly, due to postage costs the book can only be posted to UK addresses. You do not need to have a PayPal account to order – use the ‘Pay with PayPal’ button below and it will give you the option to pay by credit/debit card without creating a PayPal account.
UK ONLY – one copy of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)
The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for one paperback book at £19.95 ()incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.
£19.95
Opportunities to buy multiple copies, sponsor the book or donate exist too. Please email Gary@GJFootballArchive.com for more information on those opportunities. For those wishing to order ten copies then a special panel will be included within the book thanking you for supporting the Corinthians’ project & book, plus you’ll get ten copies for the discounted total of £150 (including UK deliver).
UK ONLY – Ten copies of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)
The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for ten paperback books at £150 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.
£150.00
Note: the cover is currently being redesigned and is likely to be different to the ones shown here.
60 years ago today (5 May 1966) Matt Busby formally congratulated Manchester City on their return to football’s top flight. The previous day City had won 1-0 at Rotherham to earn promotion. Colin Bell was the scorer. If you missed this yesterday, here are some contemporary match reports and photos from that day.
Here for subscribers are match reports and details of that day:
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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or sign up at a discounted £20 per year. Every subscriber gets access to the 1000s of articles already posted and those posted throughout your subscription. This includes the full Manchester A Football History and my first City book published in 1989
If you enjoy all the free material on my website and would like to support my research and keep this website going (but don’t want to subscribe) then why not make a one-time donation (or buy me a coffee). All support for my research is valued and welcome. It allows me to keep some free material available for all. Thanks.
70 years ago today (5 May 1956) Manchester City defeated Birmingham City 3-1 in the FA Cup final with goals from Bobby Johnstone, Jack Dyson and Joe Hayes. The final became known for Bert Trautmann’s exploits and during the night I was on Talksport about 2am talking with Paul Ross about Bert’s life. I also, briefly, mentioned Bert’s role with the Manchester Corinthians. You can listen here (my part starts around 1 hour 17 minutes into the show):
Subscribers can read more on the 1955-56 season below…
Here for subscribers is a 3,900 word article on the 1955-56 season when City won the FA Cup final (nowadays known as the Trautmann Final) and Bert Trautmann was FWA Footballer of the Year (presented in the days before the final). Enjoy!
You can read the article by subscribing below.
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If all goes to plan I’ll be on Talksport Radio with broadcaster Paul Ross tonight around 2am (5 May) chatting about the legendary Manchester City ‘keeper Bert Trautmann. We’ve recorded it now and I really enjoyed it. I met and chatted with Trautmann quite a few times over the years and it was great discussing him on national radio. I even managed to get mentions in there of the Corinthians.
If you subscribe to my site and want to know more about Trautmann then read on. This is a small article about him that looks back to a day when I visited his birth place and first football club. It also talks of his involvement with the Manchester Corinthians women’s football team.
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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or there’s a special annual subscription below. Monthly subscribers get access to everything posted since 1 October 2022.
Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month or there’s a special annual subscription of £20 per year (works out about £1.67 per month). Annual subscribers get access to everything posted since the site was created in December 2020.
On 4 May 1976 and for the second consecutive League derby at Old Trafford, a meeting between United and City was cut short when thousands stormed the pitch before its natural conclusion. Home fans invaded the pitch before the 90th minute with United leading 2-0. Afterwards it was reported that the police had signalled to the referee to blow the whistle while fans were on the pitch. Referee Roy Capey told reporters: ‘My only concern was for the linesman who had to run from the far side of the ground. But he got into the dressing room safely.’
Screenshot
Derek Wallis, writing for the Daily Mirror, explained that United fans had raced on to the pitch: ‘ahead of time last night – nearly three minutes by my watch – and diplomatically referee Roy Capey promptly blew for time.’
A few days earlier United had been defeated by Second Division Southampton in the FA Cup final and United reporter David Meek started his Manchester Evening News report of the derby with this interesting line (his emphasis): ‘”WE’D RATHER win the derby than the Cup,” sang the Stretford enders as Manchester United sailed to a 2-0 win over Manchester City at Old Trafford last night.’
60 years ago today (4 May 1966) Manchester City won 1-0 at Rotherham to earn promotion back to football’s top flight. Colin Bell was the scorer and the win became immortalised in a song. Here are some contemporary match reports and photos from that day:
Here for subscribers are match reports and details of that day:
Subscribe to get access
Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or sign up at a discounted £20 per year. Every subscriber gets access to the 1000s of articles already posted and those posted throughout your subscription. This includes the full Manchester A Football History and my first City book published in 1989
If you enjoy all the free material on my website and would like to support my research and keep this website going (but don’t want to subscribe) then why not make a one-time donation (or buy me a coffee). All support for my research is valued and welcome. It allows me to keep some free material available for all. Thanks.
A year ago today (4 May 2025) we managed to take a small group of Manchester Corinthians to the WSL Manchester Derby at Old Trafford as guests of United. They were taken pitchside and also had seats in the Directors Box. Players from the 50s to 90s were there, such as Linda Hallam, who scored the only goal against Juventus when the team won a major tournament in 1970. Margaret Whitworth, who participated in the tour of South America was also one of our party. Others, like Wendy Crossland, had been significant players during the club’s first league successes – back when the Corinthians became champions of the highest league available to them. Here are a few photos from the day, plus images of the match programme article I wrote for United. It talks about the full history of the club of course and mentions Maureen Charlton, one of three original players in 1948 (yes, 1948 not 1949 as is often claimed), who I interviewed for the book:
You can discover more on the Corinthians’ history (the facts not the fiction!) in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History. It is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of over 350 pages. It is illustrated throughout and you can find out more here:
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