Here’s a nice cover from the Radio Times featuring Manchester City’s 1969 FA Cup winners. They defeated Leicester 1-0 thanks to a goal from prolific City scorer Neil Young.
Category Archives: FA Cup
Manchester City v Exeter – The First Time
Today’s (8 December 2025) FA Cup third round draw has resulted in Manchester City and Exeter being drawn against each for what will be the first competitive fixture ever between the clubs. It’s always satisfying when the FA Cup throws up a unique occasion like this. Looking forward to it.
Amazing Comebacks?
I’ve been asked if Manchester City have ever thrown away a four goal lead… I’ve not started searching but there is a game in 1957 that saw City throw away a 3-0 lead in the first 30 minutes. The game ended in a 5-4 defeat and here’s the story of that match as told in my book Manchester The City Years (with contemporary match reports for subscribers below too):
In the FA Cup third round tie at struggling Newcastle (January 1957), a crowd of 57,890 were entertained with a performance from both sides that had many pondering why the League was such an issue. The game ended 1-1 at a rain soaked St. James Park, although Bill McAdams missed a relatively simple chance towards the end thanks to the poor conditions.
The following Wednesday 46,988 watched a match that was acclaimed the “game of the year.” Playing again in heavy conditions, the Blues were leading 3-0 within thirty minutes thanks to a Bob Stokeo own goal, an excellent header from the reliable Bobby Johnstone, and a minute later a Paddy Fagan effort from a fine through pass by McAdams. Newcastle appeared dead and buried, but the game was far from over.
Three minutes into the second half Newcastle fought back with a penalty from Tommy Casey. Sixteen minutes from time Alex Tait brought Newcastle’s tally to two, then with the pressure on City’s goal increasing the Geordies seemed destined to find the equaliser. Sure enough, with only five minutes remaining, Newcastle levelled via a Bill Curry header. According to Newcastle based reporters even the City fans applauded!
City had now lost the initiative. The match went into extra time and the Newcastle supporters began singing the “Blaydon Races.” The game appeared to be Newcastle’s, but with typical City unpredictability the Blues took the lead again. Bobby Johnstone netting his second of the game and third of the tie.
Despite the goal, Newcastle managed to regain control and Len White scored twice to end City’s hopes of a decent cup run. For Newcastle this has been recorded as “arguably the club’s most thrilling encounter.” The Big Book Of Football Champions even claimed that this “stirring battle of the giants” ensured the FA Cup remained “the greatest sporting competition in the world.”\
You can watch highlights here:
https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/61312/
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DonateWere You One of These MCFC Fans in 1969?
Spotted this image from 1969 of Manchester City fans at Trafalgar Square for the FA Cup Final. I wonder if there’s anyone reading who is on this photo? Feel free to let me know if you are on it.
You can find out all about Manchester City during the 1968-69 season by reading the following subscriber article. If you’d like to read this 6,000 word article , plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below).
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City Fans Accused of Stealing Ball!
Here’s a brief flashback piece published in the Halifax Evening Courier in January 1990 remembering a story from ten years earlier. It claims Manchester City fans in a car stole a football and references the famous 1980 FA Cup tie which City lost at Halifax as part of its story.
If you’d like a reminder of what had happened at Halifax Town in the FA Cup in January 1980 then why not read this 4,220 word article on the entire 1979-80 season – a season which saw heroes leave and spending get ridiculous!). My article, like the other indepth pieces, contains material from interviews I have performed with many of the key figures – chairman, managers, players and others. This is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!
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If you’d like to know more about subscribing then see:
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DonateA Magazine Advert from 1978
Here’s a magazine advert from November 1978 which gives mention to Manchester City. The brewery involved had no connection to City at the time, so it may seem remarkable to some but back then the fact City had won the FA Cup in the same year as a canned beer was launched in the UK was too good for an ad agency to miss. They could have picked the 1956 League champions (Manchester United) but maybe their spell in the Second Division (promoted in 1975) or the stories of crowd disorder that had dogged United during this era may have given more of a negative angle for the beer.
If you’d like to find out more about Manchester City in the 1970s then take a look at the following 5,700 word article on the entire 1978-79 season – a season which saw City mount a UEFA Cup challenge and a former hero return (if only he hadn’t!). My article, like most of my other indepth pieces, contains material from interviews I have performed with many of the key figures – chairman, managers, players and others. You can read this below.
The article is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!
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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 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.
If you’d like to know more about subscribing then see:
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.
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DonateThe 1920s: Peter Hodge
Continuing the series on Manchester City in the 1920s here’s a brief post on 1920s City manager Peter Hodge. Enjoy!
Peter Hodge
City Manager between: 26 April 1926 – 12 March 1932
Previously: Former Leicester City manager.
Took Over From: Committee led by vice-chairman Albert Alexander snr.
Inherited: Sam Cowan, Tommy Johnson & Frank Roberts.
Players Brought In: Eric Brook & Fred Tilson.
Youngster Gave Debut To: Matt Busby
Players He Let Go/Sold: Tommy Johnson in 1930, leading to widespread demonstrations and a boycott (crowds dropped by around 8,000 following the move).
First Game: City 2 Leeds Utd 0 (City scorers Austin & Johnson), 27 April 1926, Division One, attendance 43,475
Lows: Relegation five days and 2 games after taking over in 1926.
Last Game: Arsenal 1 City 0, 12 March 1932, FA Cup semi final at Villa Park, attendance 50,337.
Unusual Start: It was agreed Hodge would become City manager in 1926 but would only take up the post after his current club Leicester ended their own season. Their last game was on 24th April 1926 and he became City’s manager with 2 League games left the following Monday. The Blues looked safe from relegation, but defeat at Newcastle saw City demoted (a point would have kept them up).
Similar End: Hodge’s City career ended with defeat by a solitary goal in the dying seconds of the FA Cup semi-final with Arsenal in 1932. The manager had already agreed to return to his previous club Leicester once City’s FA Cup campaign ended.
Season By Season Record:
League
1925-26 P 2 W 1 D 0 L 1 GF 4 GA 4 Pts 2
1926-27 P 42 W 22 D 10 L 10 GF 108 GA 61 Pts 54
1927-28 P 42 W 25 D 9 L 8 GF 100 GA 59 Pts 59
1928-29 P 42 W 18 D 9 L 15 GF 95 GA 86 Pts 45
1929-30 P 42 W 19 D 9 L 14 GF 91 GA 81 Pts 47
1930-31 P 42 W 18 D 10 L 14 GF 75 GA 70 Pts 46
1931-32 P 32 W 11 D 10 L 11 GF 70 GA 59 Pts 32
2 points for a win
FA Cup
1925-26 City competed in the FA Cup Final 2 days before he took over.
1926-27 P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 GF 1 GA 4 Reached 3rd round
1927-28 P 3 W 2 D 0 L 1 GF 3 GA 2 Reached 5th round
1928-29 P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 GF 1 GA 3 Reached 3rd round
1929-30 P 5 W 2 D 2 L 1 GF 18 GA 7 Reached 5th round
1930-31 P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 GF 0 GA 3 Reached 3rd round
1931-32 P 5 W 4 D 0 L 1 GF 16 GA 7 Reached semi-final
TOTAL (League & cup fixtures)
P260 W122 D59 L79 GF 582 GA 446
Trophies Won: Second Division title 1927-28, the season after missing out on promotion by the tightest margin in the history of the game.
Followed By: City secretary Wilf Wild who went on to become a truly successful manager.
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.
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Action Shots of Blackburn v Manchester City From Over 100 Years Ago
The quality isn’t great but here are some images from Manchester City’s 2-1 win at Blackburn on 21 February 1914. City’s scorers were Howard and Joe Cartwright.
Gundogan Record
On 3 June 2023 Ilkay Gundogan City secured his place in national football history with the quickest goal in a FA Cup final. It was a stunning volley after only 12 seconds. That day Gundogan scored two and helped City to 2-1 FA Cup final victory over Manchester United.
As well as the speed of the first goal, Gundogan’s goals gave him another MCFC record. Dave Masey, who has been collecting stats and historical information on Manchester City for years contacted me to tell me about one of his spreadsheets which holds details of City scorers in trophy winning games.
His records capture those who have scored in major cup finals, but besides Cup Finals he also records other trophy-winning games. These include the deciding League games from 1937 onwards against Sheffield Wednesday (1937), Newcastle, QPR, West Ham, Brighton and Villa (2022), but nothing from three recent title successes where the Blues clinched the title when they were not playing. Got that? Good, now….
Dave tells me that the FA Cup success saw Gundogan move to the top of the list with 5 goals, overtaking Neil Young and Sergio Aguero. So he has scored more goals in trophy-winning games than any other Blue.
The list of scorers in trophy winning games reads:
| 1904 | Meredith |
| 1934/7 | Tilson (3), Brook (2), Doherty |
| 1956 | Hayes, Dyson, Johnstone |
| 1968/70 | Young (4), Lee (2), Summerbee, Doyle, Pardoe |
| 1976 | P Barnes, Tueart |
| 2011-(former) | Aguero (4), Y Toure (2), Nasri (2), Kompany (2), D Silva (2),Jesus (2), Sterling (2), Dzeko, Zabaleta, Navas, Fernandinho |
| 2016-(current) | Gundogan (5), Laporte (2), Rodri (2), Mahrez, De Bruyne |
Dave also tells me that in the three seasons where somebody else’s defeat clinched the title for City, the scorers in the club’s last game before the title confirmation were:
Gundogan (3), Sterling (2), Jesus, Haaland.
As Dave says, Ilkay gets a remarkable number of important goals, particularly for somebody who is ‘just’ a 1 goal in 5/6 games player (63 in 357 for City by June 2025).
Manchester City’s 2011 Homecoming Parade
On this day (May 23) in 2011 Manchester City staged their first official homecoming victory parade since 1976. Here’s the story of what happened in the stadium for fans who couldn’t be there.
Here for subscribers is the story of that parade and City’s celebrations…
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Gary James' Football Archive 