Author Archives: garyjamesfootballarchive

Bobby Robson: “If we don’t win it, I hope you do.”

When Manchester City defeated title chasing Ipswich 2-1 on 2 April 1977 their manager Bobby Robson told Tony Book:   “If we don’t win it, I hope you do.”  In the end City finished second – one point behind Liverpool – and Ipswich finished third.

The match had been a thrilling one with both sides level at 1-1 until Dave Watson thundered forward to powerfully head home a corner from Peter Barnes four minutes from time. Highlights here:

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.

Choose an amount

£2.50
£5.00
£7.50

Or enter a custom amount

£

Your contribution is appreciated.

Donate

Football Pioneer Percy Ashley’s Birth

On this day (1 April) in 1892 at Bolton the pioneering football manager Percy Ashley was born. Ashley was the founding manager for the Manchester Corinthians pioneering women’s football team. My research for Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History has documented, for the first time, Percy’s life, achievements and corrected many myths that are out there about him and the team. You can now find out the facts (not the fiction!) about this incredible man and the team in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of 356 pages.

It is illustrated throughout and you can order it now for £25 (including UK postage and packaging). I’ll sign all copies ordered direct from me below.

If you live outside the UK then please contact for details of additional postage costs.

You do not need to have a PayPal account to order – use the ‘Pay with PayPal’ button above and it will give you the option to pay by credit/debit card without creating a PayPal account.

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This will be published in late December 2024. This is UK only at £25 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£25.00

The 1990s: Crystal Palace 1 Manchester City 3 Video Highlights

Here are some highlights of the Crystal Palace-Manchester City game played on this day (1 April) in 1991 when the Blues won 3-1 with a hat trick from Niall Quinn. Here’s the clip:

The 1990-91 season had included a shock managerial departure which could have disrupted the club but ultimately the Blues finished 5th, 3 points ahead of Manchester United. Here’s a 2,700 word article on that season:

Subscribe to get access – Monthly

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) to access everything posted since 1 October 2022 or there’s a special annual rate below which gives greater access and works out much cheaper.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access – Annual

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (above) or £20 a year (here) to access everything posted since the site was created in December 2020. This special rate works out about £1.67 a week and gives access to everything posted, including PDFs of 3 of my books.

Subscribe

This series of articles and features will run throughout March with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. There will be flashbacks to great games, players and more. Every day in March will offer something to enjoy.

Subscribers will get access to everything, while some on this day material will be free for all to view.

If you want to know more on this incredible decade for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read it all? If you’d like to know more about subscribing then see:

How To Subscribe

The 1950s: West Ham Utd 2 Manchester City 4

On this day (31 March) in 1951 Manchester City won 4-2 away at West Ham with goals from George Smith (2 goals; photographed here in a game at Maine Road v Manchester United), Johnny Hart and Dennis Westcott. The attendance was 21,533.

If you’d like to read more on this season, then her’es a 1,500 word article on the 1950-51 season. Enjoy!

This is a subscriber article and you can read it by subscribing below.

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month or you can subscriber for the discounted annual rate of £20 per year. Each subscriber gets access to everything posted so far, including PDFs of a couple of my books.

Subscribe

The 1950s: Sunderland v Manchester City

On this day (30 March) in 1956 Manchester City defeated Sunderland 3-0 before 40,394 at Roker Park. The City scorers were Joe Hayes and Don Revie (pictured with Ken Barnes and Johnny Williamson) plus an own goal. You can read more on this 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.

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month or you can subscriber for the discounted annual rate of £20 per year. Each subscriber gets access to everything posted so far, including PDFs of a couple of my books.

Subscribe

The 1990s: City 3 Southampton 3 Video Highlights

Here are some highlights of the Manchester City-Southampton game played on this day (30 March) in 1991 when the Blues drew 3-3 with goals from Clive Allen, Mark Brennan and David White (pictured from an earlier season). Here’s the clip:

The 1990-91 season had included a shock managerial departure which could have disrupted the club but ultimately the Blues finished 5th, 3 points ahead of Manchester United. Here’s a 2,700 word article on that season:

Subscribe to get access – Monthly

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) to access everything posted since 1 October 2022 or there’s a special annual rate below which gives greater access and works out much cheaper.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access – Annual

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (above) or £20 a year (here) to access everything posted since the site was created in December 2020. This special rate works out about £1.67 a week and gives access to everything posted, including PDFs of 3 of my books.

Subscribe

This series of articles and features will run throughout March with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. There will be flashbacks to great games, players and more. Every day in March will offer something to enjoy.

Subscribers will get access to everything, while some on this day material will be free for all to view.

If you want to know more on this incredible decade for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read it all? If you’d like to know more about subscribing then see:

How To Subscribe

The 1950s: Manchester City 1 Leeds United 0

Today (29 March) in 1958 saw Manchester City defeat Leeds 1-0 with a goal from Billy McAdams. Here’s a brief match report:

To find out more on this period in football then why not read my series on Manchester City in the 1950s. Here’s a 2,200 word article on the 1957-58 season. Enjoy!

This is a subscriber article and you can read it by subscribing below.

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month or you can subscriber for the discounted annual rate of £20 per year. Each subscriber gets access to everything posted so far, including PDFs of a couple of my books.

Subscribe

Manchester Corinthians Win A Tournament

On this day (28 March) in 1971 the Manchester Corinthians won a multi club tournament at Macclesfield Town. You can find out more about this tournament and the state of women’s football in the North West (and in England) in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of 356 pages (hardback).

It is illustrated throughout and you can order it now for £25 (including UK postage and packaging). I’ll sign all copies ordered direct from me below.

If you live outside the UK then please contact for details of additional postage costs.

You do not need to have a PayPal account to order – use the ‘Pay with PayPal’ button above and it will give you the option to pay by credit/debit card without creating a PayPal account.

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This will be published in late December 2024. This is UK only at £25 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£25.00

The 1950s: Wolves Defeated

On this day (28 March 1953) Frank McCourt, Billy Spurdle and Ken Whitfield each scored as Manchester City defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 at Maine Road. The attendance was 27,127. You can read more on this period for Manchester’s Blues with the following 2,000 word article on the 1952-53 season. Enjoy!

This is a subscriber article and you can read it by subscribing below.

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month or you can subscriber for the discounted annual rate of £20 per year. Each subscriber gets access to everything posted so far, including PDFs of a couple of my books.

Subscribe