Author Archives: garyjamesfootballarchive

Manchester Corinthians The Authorised History Updated: Subscribe Before End of August

I’m delighted to say that a revised and updated edition of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History will be published this year with those ordering before the end of August getting the chance to have their name published in the book. 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 31 August 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.

For more on the Corinthians see:

One Year On: The Manchester Corinthians Reunion

Aguero’s 200th (& 201st) Goal

Today (5 August) in 2018 Sergio Aguero scored his 200th and 201st goals for Manchester City as they defeated Chelsea 2-0 in the Community Shield. You can watch the goals here:

https://www.mancity.com/citytv/match-highlights/2018/august/chelsea-v-man-city-community-shield-extended-match-highlights

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Recognition for Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

I”m absolutely delighted that my book ‘Manchester Corinthians The Authorised History’ has been long listed for the Lord Aberdare Prize at the British Society of Sports History, alongside several prominent historians of sport and serious researchers/writers. It’s an incredible field and I’m particularly pleased with these words from the judges (see image).

Thanks to everyone involved in the process and thanks to all those Corinthians who, over the last 11 years or so, have allowed me to research, write and promote their story. Over 50 were interviewed for the book. An updated version will be out in October but it can be ordered now AND anyone who orders it before the end of August will get their name printed in the book. Details here:

https://gjfootballarchive.com/order-manchester-corinthians-book/

Thanks again

Manchester 1840-1919 (Part One)

Every Monday I’m posting a section from my book ‘The Emergence of Footballing Cultures: Manchester 1840-1919’. It tells the story of the origins of men’s football in Manchester and discusses the birth of both City and United plus the clubs that predated them such as Hulme Athenaeum, Manchester AFC, Birch etc. Today’s section is the introduction to the book. There is material in every section of the book that should interest fans of Manchester football, no matter which team you support, or academic researchers/historians.

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1904 or 1926 FA Cup Train: The Answer

A few days ago I asked for train enthusiasts to help identify a train so that I could work out whether this photo I was given about twenty years ago was from 1904 or 1926. The person who gave it to me was certain it was from 1904 but someone else suggested 1926. Personally I had no idea whether it was either year but I hoped someone out there could help. Obviously, the year of construction could help identify the year the photo was taken. Well, the call for help worked and various people contacted me with suggestions.

John Nisbet found a piece on the engine and wrote to me after identifying the train numbers 349: ‘I found this with a search showing a loco with the number 349. It mentions that it was withdrawn after a 35 year working life which suggests it was built around 1922 ish.’

If that’s true then the train was not around in 1904 and therefore the image seems to be more likely to be 1926.

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Peter Barnes MCFC Return?

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 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:

The John Tueart Manchester Corinthians’ Film Show

I had a nice reminder this morning that a year ago (Saturday 2 August 2025) we managed to stage another wonderful free event celebrating the pioneering Manchester Corinthians women’s team. This included a film show, talk and (most importantly) interviews with 6 Corinthians covering every era of the club’s existence. There were other Corinthians in the audience plus Wayne Murray (representing his mum and auntie – Elaine & Shirley Orange), Issy Pollard (Doncaster Belles & England) and Dennis Tueart (Manchester City, Sunderland and England).

Keeping to the best traditions of the Corinthians this free event also raised funds for the Hebden Bridge Women’s walking football team – several players were in attendance wearing their football shirts too.

Hebden Bridge was important to some of the promotion of the Corinthians’ stories. It was here in 2021 that I first publicly announced the idea of erecting a blue plaque. That was at an earlier free event and the 2025 free event at the Hebden Bridge Picture House completed the journey to some extent. Thanks to the cinema for all their support too.

The film shown was by Imprint and one of the people behind it, John Tueart, was also present. Imprint have made their film free to download too so please watch the following and share the link widely ( let’s get everybody talking about the Corinthians). Here’s the link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AWsGr3G_izE

Thanks again to all who attended, especially those who donated money for the local walking football team and those who bought the book (£5 from every book sold also went to the local team). Please keep spreading the word. Here are a few photos from the event:

Screenshot
Screenshot

David James

On this day (1 August) in 1970 former Manchester City and England goalkeeper David James was born in Welwyn. Here for subscribers is a profile of James:

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Starting Monday: Manchester 1840-1919

Every Monday starting on 3 August 2025 I’m posting a section from my book ‘The Emergence of Footballing Cultures: Manchester 1840-1919’. It tells the story of the origins of men’s football in Manchester and discusses the birth of both City and United plus the clubs that predated them such as Hulme Athenaeum, Manchester AFC, Birch etc. There is material in every section of the book that should interest fans of Manchester football, no matter which team you support, or academic researchers/historians.

Subscribing costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or you could sign up for a year at the discounted price of £20 per year. Every subscriber gets access to everything posted on the site.

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United’s First Homecoming Led By City Man

This is an important photo of Manchester United’s first homecoming parade in 1909. The Reds had won the FA Cup and City director Albert Alexander (senior) was asked by United to lead the homecoming parade. City had won the same cup in 1904 and Alexander had led that parade, so the decision was taken to show continuity between the two trophy successes (the first for each club).

Alexander is the man who supplied the carriages and horses and can be seen on this photo holding the reins in between manager Ernest Mangnall and United star Charlie Roberts.

I met and interviewed Albert’s grandson Eric quite a few times over the years – on one occasion Eric took me on a tour of the Isle of Man where he lived and where he acted as an official in the island’s famous TT races. Eric was a wonderful ambassador for City and football in general. He was rightly proud of his family’s direct involvement in the fortunes of City from the 1890s through to the modern era. Eric’s grandfather held almost every position at the club, including acting manager in 1925-26 (taking City to Wembley) and Eric’s father, Albert junior, was chairman when City achieved tremendous success in the 1960s and early 1970s. Albert junior had been a programme seller back in early 1900s too!

Eric was chairman after his father and had to make way for Peter Swales in 1973. You can read more on the Alexanders across this site (use the search or tags).

United and City were close throughout the lives of both Alberts with Matt Busby once asking Albert junior to be a director at Old Trafford (he declined saying City was his club). A seat was reserved for Albert junior at every United home game.

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