Category Archives: FA Cup

Villa Defeated

Today (14 March) in 2006 Manchester City defeated Aston Villa 2-1 to reach the FA Cup quarter-final. City’s goals were scored by Georgios Samaras (17 minutes) and Darius Vassell (48). Steve Davis netted for Villa with five minutes to go but the Blues managed to hold out for the win.

City boss Stuart Pearce commented: ‘I was so proud of my players – they were fantastic. All of them were outstanding. I thought we played pretty well when we did the things we’re good at. There was a bit of pressure on us – people think being at home it was a foregone conclusion but it never is.’

MCFC v LFC 1988

Today (13 March) in 1988 Second Division Manchester City faced Liverpool in the FAC quarter final.  At the time this was seen as a major game, shown live on television and it was full of the usual controversy that these games tend to have. You can read the full story and watch highlights of it here:

Subscribe to get access – Annual

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. Annual subscribers get access to everything posted on the site. Do a few searches and see what you think. It costs £20 a year (or £3 per month – see below).

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access – Monthly

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. Monthly subscribers get access to everything posted on the site since 1 October 2022. It costs £20 a year (above) or £3 per month (cancel anytime).

Subscribe

Controversial Goal

Today (12 March) in 1932 the FAC semi between Manchester City and Arsenal ended in a 1-0 last minute winner for the Gunners. This semi was controversial and it had major repercussions for City. You can read the full story (and watch highlights) below:

Subscribe to get access – Annual

Read this article and the entire website when you subscribe today. Annual subscribers (£20 per year) get full access to everything posted on the site (including interviews, articles, talks and books) so far plus new material for the length of their subscription. There’s also a monthly option (see below).

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access – Monthly

Read this article and the entire website when you subscribe today. Monthly subscribers (£3 per month, cancel anytime) get full access to everything posted on the site since 1 October 2022 plus new material for the length of their subscription. Why not sign up for a month and see what you think?

Subscribe

FA Cup Progression

On this day (9 March) in 1904 Manchester City took a major step forward in their quest for their first major trophy when they won 3-1 at Middlesbrough in the FAC quarter-final replay. The goalscorers were Billy Gillespie, George Livingstone and Sandy Turnbull.

Subscribers can read all about Tom Maley, City’s manager at the time, here:

True Blues – Tom Maley

A National Crowd Record Set in 1924

A record Manchester City have held for 99 years was set on this day (8 March) in 1924 – the record is the highest attendance on a club ground! Happy anniversary! The record set in 1924 saw 76,166 attend City v Cardiff. City had moved to their new Maine Road stadium in August 1923. The capacity of the venue was estimated at around 90,000 but was actually approximately 83,000 when the stadium opened (it was enlarged in 1931 and 1935).

In its first season the capacity was tested and, on this day (8 March) in 1924 the largest attendance for any footballing fixture (including three FA Cup Finals) in Manchester gathered to watch the Blues. This was also, at the time, the record crowd for any game played on an English club ground. It was beaten ten years later when 84,569 watched City v Stoke. You can read about the remarkable day in 1924 below:

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £20 a year (access to everything) or £3 per month (see below).

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £20 a year (see above) or £3 per month (cancel anytime; access to everything posted since 1 October 2022).

Subscribe

You can read about the attendance that brought this record (again by City at Maine Road) here:

A National Record – 84,569

Other record crowd articles can be seen here:

Welcome to Gary James’ Football Archive

Subscribe to get access

This has been a sample of the material on http://www.GJFootballArchive.com If you would like to read all the in-depth articles (including the entire Manchester A Football History book and the audio interview with John Bond) then please subscribe. It works out about £1.67 a month if you take out an annual subscription (£20 per year) or £3 a month if you’d like to sign up for a month at a time. Each subscriber gets full access to the 260+ articles posted so far and the hundreds scheduled to be posted in the coming weeks.

Subscribe

True Blues – Tom Maley

Continuing the weekly series of ‘True Blue’ figures associated with the early years of Manchester City, here’s an article on the first manager to bring major trophy success to Manchester – Tom Maley. You can find out why this man was such an important figure in Manchester City history below:

Subscribe to get access – Annual

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. Annual subscribers can access all the articles, talks, books and interviews posted since December 2020 for an annual subscription of £20 (works out about £1.67 per month). There’s also a monthly subscription (see below).

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access – Monthly

Monthly subscribers can access all the articles, talks, books and interviews posted since 1 October 2022 for a monthly subscription of £3 (cancel any time).

Subscribe

There will be another ‘True Blue’ featured next Monday. Use the tag ‘True Blues’ to find other profiles in this series.

The full series of True Blue profiles will feature:

Lawrence Furniss, John Allison, Joshua Parlby, Walter Chew, William Sumner, Tom Maley, St Mark’s community leaders, Billy Meredith, John Chapman, William Beastow and James Moores.

On This Day 1963: The 1st FA Cup Tie

On this day (6 March) in 1963, due to an exceptionally snowy winter, both Manchester City’s and Manchester United’s first appearances in the FA Cup that season occurred. The games had been delayed until this date due to the poor weather.  

For the record, the Blues won away at Walsall 1-0 in the 3rd round (Alex Harley scored).  7 days later they beat Bury (1-0 at Maine Road, 41,575 crowd) in the 4th round and then lose to Norwich (2-1 at Maine Road on 16 March) in round 5.

The Reds defeated Huddersfield 5-0 at Old Trafford (Law 3, Giles & Quixall) before 47,703. They also defeated Aston Villa (1-0 on 11 March at Old Trafford), Chelsea (2-1 on 16 March at Old Trafford), Coventry (3-1 on 30th March), Southampton (1-0 at Villa Park on 27th April) and Leicester City 3-1 in the final at Wembley on 25 May.

Subscribe to get access to the entire site

This was a brief sample of the site. If you would like to read the in-depth articles (including the books, articles, history talks and interviews etc.) then please subscribe. It works out about £1.67 a month if you take out an annual subscription (£20 per year) or £3 a month if you’d like to sign up for a month at a time (see below).

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access to the entire site

If you would like to read the in-depth articles (including the books, articles, history talks and interviews etc.) then please subscribe. It costs £3 a month (access everything since 1 October 2022; cancel anytime) or £20 a year (see above)

Subscribe

FA Cup Quarter-Final

On this day (1 March) in 1969 Manchester City faced Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup quarter-final at Maine Road.  The Blues showed their determination from the very first minute, although Spurs were equally determined.  Jimmy Greaves and Alan Gilzean attacked the Blues like no other in the competition so far and City felt the pressure, while defensively the Londoners were determined to stop the Blues no matter what.  Johnson was booked for tipping up Bell near the penalty area, then Knowles found the referee taking his name after the player sent Coleman crashing heavily to the ground in another dangerous tackle.    

It was a tough match all round but the in the 64th minute City found an opening.  A lofted ball from Coleman, out deep on the left, stretched across the penalty area where Bell headed it back untroubled into the middle.  Doyle forced his way forward for the ball, then Summerbee turned it forward to Lee.  From approximately eight yards out Lee sent the ball scraping in from the inside of the post, with Jennings unable to reach it. Despite pressure from Greaves & Co. City held on and entered the draw for the semi-final alongside Everton, Leicester, and Cup holders West Bromwich Albion.  In the end the draw paired City with Everton at Villa Park. 

You can read more on the 1968-69 season for Manchester City here:

MCFC 20TH CENTURY CHRONICLE SEASON 1968-69

68,614 Afternoon Attendance

On 21 February 1934 Manchester City defeated Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 at Maine Road in a fifth round FA Cup replay.  A remarkable Wednesday afternoon crowd of 68,614 enjoyed the match.  Four days earlier Hillsborough’s record attendance of 72,841 had witnessed a 2-2 draw. Subscribers to this blog can read the story of that game, including photographs below:

Subscribe to get access

If you would like to read this piece and all the other in-depth articles (including the entire Manchester A Football History book) then please subscribe. It works out about £1.67 a month if you take out an annual subscription (£20 per year) or £3 a month (see below). Annual subscribers get full access to the articles, books, interviews and talks posted so far and the hundreds scheduled to be posted in the coming year.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access

If you would like to read this piece and all the other in-depth articles then please subscribe. It costs £3 a month (cancel anytime). Monthly subscribers get full access to the articles, books, interviews and talks posted since 1 October 2022 and all posted during your subscription.

Subscribe

Managerless City in 15 Goal Thriller

Today (20 February) in 1926 Manchester City recorded an amazing victory. It was a fifth round FA Cup tie with Crystal Palace to Maine Road. The Blues, without a manager since November, were being managed by committee with director Albert Alexander senior making the final decisions. It’s an incredible thought that a director without ever being known as a player, could make these decisions but Alexander was a knowledgeable football man and had been with the club since formation in 1894.

By half-time the score was 7-0 to the Blues, but Palace would not give up and quickly pulled back four goals.  City were knocked out of their period of complacency and soon found their goalscoring touch again.  By the end it was 11-4 and, according to a number of spectators present on the day, Manchester fans rushed on at the final whistle and carried off the Palace ‘keeper shoulder high.  Apparently he had played extremely well and, somehow, managed to keep the score down, although one cannot help wondering if he’d have been given such a reception had the scores been reversed.

Frank Roberts was the City star for this particular game, scoring a remarkable five, while Tommy Browell also earned a few plaudits with his hat-trick. With no management and such a miserable time in the League, no one could believe how City had been able to deliver such strong cup performances.  Here’s film of the game:

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/crystal-palace-overwhelmed