Author Archives: garyjamesfootballarchive

40 Years Ago Today

On this day (2nd August) in 1981 the Sunday Mirror published an interview with Peter Barnes saying he would return to Manchester City if he could. The player was at WBA and, following Ron Atkinson’s move to Manchester United, it looked like Peter was to move from the Hawthorns.m

Both City and Leeds United seemed interested. This article from 1981 talked of Barnes’ final days at Maine Road two years earlier. Of course this time is extensively covered in my new book The Peter Barnes Authorised Biography which is now available direct from most bookshops. If yours doesn’t stock it then let them know they can get hold of it from their usual supplier or direct from me.

For those who use online retailers and prefer to use Amazon here’s their link:

Historic Name That Ground – Week 7

Each week for the next few weeks I’ll post an image of a football ground taken in the past and you can see if you can recognise the ground. Some will be easy (believe it or not there are some grounds that have not changed much in all those decades!), others not so. You’ll be able to post your view in comments at the bottom of each page.

The following Friday I’ll post the answer. So here goes….

Can you name the ground featured in the image above?

It’s a much more recent image than the others I have posted but this ground is no longer standing. Leave your comments below.

While you’re here why not subscribe to my site and you can then access every article, interview, audio recording etc. already posted and those that will be posted during your subscription. It costs £20 per year (about £1.67 a month) or you can sign up on a monthly basis at £3 per month (you can cancel at any time, so you could sign sign up for a month, access everything you want and then cancel). You can subscribe below:

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Manchester City at Home but Away!

When the Champions League home game for Manchester City was played in Budapest on 16th March 2021 due to the Covid situation some asked ‘have City ever played a home match away before?’ Well, yes City have and the first time this happened in European competition was on this day (July 31) in 2008. Co-incidentally City take on Barnsley tonight (6pm, July 31 2021) at the Academy Stadium. I wonder how many there will even know about this oddity of City history in 2008. Here’s the story of the 2008 game…

The close season of 2008 saw several behind the scenes changes at Manchester City. One of these was the arrival of Garry Cook, who would eventually take on the title of CEO, and another was the appointment of former Manchester United star Mark Hughes as manager. Both seemed pleased with their welcome from fans but behind the scenes the two men were surprised at how the club acted at times.  The first surprise of the season was that City’s initial home UEFA Cup tie of the season had to be played away from Manchester.  The stadium, as was often the case during the close season, had staged a concert.  The Bon Jovi concert prevented the ground from recovering in time for the Streymur return and so the decision was taken to move the game to Barnsley.  Some supporters felt the game could have been staged in Greater Manchester or at least in Lancashire, and so the trip to Barnsley was not viewed particularly positively by fans.

This game made history as it was the first occasion the Blues had played a home European tie outside of Manchester.  Previously City had played home European games at Maine Road and at the City Of Manchester Stadium (now Etihad), but work following a concert by Bon Jovi prevented the club from staging the game at home.  The decision was taken to stage the match at Barnsley.  

Subscribers can read about the first leg here:

Subscribers can read about the first leg here: https://gjfootballarchive.com/2021/01/09/manchester-city-in-europe-2008-09-v-eb-streymur-at-home-in-barnsley/

Incidentally, that first leg (played on July 17) meant that City had played a competitive game in every month of the year (not the same year obviously but the Blues had played in the usual football season August to May plus June 1947 and now July 2008). Covid also resulted in games during June and July in 2020 and 2021.

City comfortably won the second leg 2-0 with goals from Petrov three minutes into the second half and Vassell in the dying seconds, however there was some criticism in the media.  Graham Chase, writing for The Times, claimed:  “Another European win in July, but as with the first-leg victory over this amateur team from the Faroe Isles two weeks ago, Manchester City again looked very much a side working their way through pre-season as they overcame EB/Streymur at Oakwell last night through goals from Martin Petrov and Darius Vassell.

“This tie has only ever been an inconvenience to Mark Hughes and, while his team again failed to shine, the new manager is pleased to be in today’s draw for the UEFA Cup second qualifying round with no new injuries to concern him. 

“Not that opportunities were in short supply. City had 36 efforts on goal, but their finishing was poor and René Torgard, the EB goalkeeper and a garage mechanic, was in impressive form, making fine saves, particularly from Vassell and Daniel Sturridge. Even when Torgard was beaten, the woodwork denied Vedran Corluka and Petrov.” 

For some fans the game raised the concern that football seemed to play second fiddle to other activities.  It was understandable that financial considerations had played their part, but supporter Sean Riley was not impressed:  “This is why there is no other club like us.  What club can have a high profile owner and a new manager in Mark Hughes, and then his first game in charge at City is played at Barnsley because four rockers have messed the pitch up!  That can only ever happen at City as Noel Gallagher would say.  It was a total lack of professionalism and planning.  It suggested that other activities were more important than football at a club that liked to think of itself as a major club. 

“I know these things take organising, but we knew we’d be in the UEFA Cup in May and we’d hoped we’d be in it much earlier than that, so we should have thought about this.  Mark Hughes and Garry Cook must have thought, ‘what the bloody Hell have we come into here?’  I know the ground had to have UEFA accreditation or something so that would have limited options, but to be in that situation was poor.”

Looking back on 2008, it seems an alien world to today.

Match details: 

31st July 2008

Qualifying Round 1 Leg 2 (at Barnsley)

Attendance: 7,344

City 2-0 EB Streymur 

City Goalscorers: Petrov & Vassell 

City: Hart, Onuoha, Dunne, Richards, Ball, Fernandes (Hamann), Johnson, Elano, Petrov (Etuhu), Vassell, Sturridge (Evans)

Historic Name That Ground – Week 6 Answer

On Monday I asked you to name this ground. The clues I gave were: ‘This is from the 1920s and is a ground that is still in use, although it has changed significantly since this image was taken. Last time I looked most of the houses seen on this photo were still standing AND this ground has staged Premier League football within the last twenty years.’ So where is it?

The answer is Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s ground. Did you get it?

Next ground on Monday.

Bert Whalley Plaque Reveal

Earlier this evening I attended the unveiling of a blue plaque commemorating the life and career of Bert Whalley at Stalybridge Celtic.

Whalley is one of Manchester & Tameside’s unsung footballing heroes. Bert passed away in Munich, a victim of the air crash in 1958. The unveiling was performed by former United captain Bryan Robson and Bert’s granddaughter Lindsay Vare.

Several former United players were there, including Tony Whelan who had given a one hour talk to United’s under 23s about Bert. It’s great to see clubs educating their current/future stars about the names from their past.

Special recognition to Mark Metcalf for his efforts ensuring the plaque happened.

For those interested the plaque is situated at Stalybridge’s Bower Fold ground and can be viewed on the exterior of the main stand.

To read about Bert’s life see:

Guest Blog – Mark Metcalf Writing About Bert Whalley

Historic Name That Ground – Week 6

Continuing the weekly quiz… here’s the latest. This is from the 1920s and is a ground that is still in use, although it has changed significantly since this image was taken. The only other clues I’ll give are that last time I looked most of the houses seen on this photo were still standing AND this ground has staged Premier League football within the last twenty years.

As usual, leave your comments below and on Friday I’ll post the answer.

Historic Name That Ground – Week 5 Answer

On Monday I asked ‘Can you name the ground featured in the image above? The ground is still a prominent football venue.’ The answer is…

It’s Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux ground photographed in 1945 when Winston Churchill held a political rally there. According to reports there were 40,000 there.

Each week for the next few weeks I’ll post an image of a football ground taken in the past and you can see if you can recognise the ground. Some will be easy (believe it or not there are some grounds that have not changed much in all those decades!), others not so. You’ll be able to post your view in comments at the bottom of each page.

The following Friday I’ll post the answer.

While you’re here why not subscribe to my site and you can then access every article, interview, audio recording etc. already posted and those that will be posted during your subscription. It costs £20 per year (about £1.67 a month) or you can sign up on a monthly basis at £3 per month (you can cancel at any time, so you could sign sign up for a month, access everything you want and then cancel). You can subscribe below:

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today.

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Bert Whalley Blue Plaque

One of the unsung heroes of Manchester football, Bert Whalley, is to be honoured with a plaque in Stalybridge.

My grandad, a United fan, knew Bert and obviously Bert’s death at Munich affected him and all Mancunians significantly. Great to see Bert is being honoured. You can read more on Bert’s life and career here:

Guest Blog – Mark Metcalf Writing About Bert Whalley

Leeds V Real Betis: The Peter Barnes Derby?

Every game seems to need its own unique moniker these days. Every time there’s a live game on TV that is perhaps a difficult sell to those accustomed to only watching the so-called Big Two/Three/Four/Five/Six (delete as applicable depending on what decade we’re in) the TV companies rush to give them a name, often connected with a road (If Denton play Hyde would that be the M67 Derby?) or area of the country. So… as Leeds are playing Betis on Saturday (31/7/21) what better than calling it the ‘Peter Barnes Derby’?

Peter played for both clubs in the 1980s. At Betis he was known as El Rubio (the blond one) and at Leeds he was the club’s record signing (for many, many years). These are two clubs that, unless you’re a fan of either, the general public don’t tend to associate with Peter.

In The Peter Barnes Authorised Biography, which came out at the start of this month, Peter and I talk about what Leeds and Betis meant to him. Neither period was the highlight of career of course but both did mean something to him and he had been keen to play for Leeds for years. In the book he talks about almost joining the club as a boy; idolising an Elland Rd player (a Leeds legend); Don Revie’s singing interests and life at Leeds during a difficult period.

Peter’s time in Spain is also covered, including a game in which he nutmegged Maradona! To find out more order the book now.

You can still buy the book direct from me by using the link below:

The Peter Barnes Authorised Biography (£16.95 incl UK Postage)

372 pages, 110,000 words, 100s of illustrations… Of particular interest to fans of City, United, WBA, Leeds, Real Betis, Coventry, Tampa Bay Rowdies and England. Outside UK contact for additional postage cost.

£16.95

Of course, if you only ever buy your books from certain online retailers then both Amazon and Waterstones are now advertising that they have it. Outside the UK this may be the cheapest way to order your copy. If you are outside the UK then please let me know if you find an online retailer servicing your country and I’ll post the details. Thanks

Historic Name That Ground – Week 5

Each week for the next few weeks I’ll post an image of a football ground taken in the past and you can see if you can recognise the ground. Some will be easy (believe it or not there are some grounds that have not changed much in all those decades!), others not so. You’ll be able to post your view in comments at the bottom of each page.

The following Friday I’ll post the answer. So here goes….

Can you name the ground featured in the image above?

The ground is still a prominent football venue. Leave your comments below.

While you’re here why not subscribe to my site and you can then access every article, interview, audio recording etc. already posted and those that will be posted during your subscription. It costs £20 per year (about £1.67 a month) or you can sign up on a monthly basis at £3 per month (you can cancel at any time, so you could sign sign up for a month, access everything you want and then cancel). You can subscribe below:

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today.

Subscribe