Category Archives: Free

Film of Manchester City 6-1 Brentford

With Manchester City facing Brentford today, here’s a nice bit of footage from 23 January 1932 of the two teams meeting at Maine Road. The 1930s was a good era for both clubs – in fact Brentford challenged City for the 1936-37 League title (as you’ll see if you read my programme feature in today’s match programme). The game shown here is a FA Cup tie at Maine Rd in front of 56,190.

The game is the second on this film and starts after about 1 minute 25 seconds. Watch out for some lads obviously playing up for the camera at the start of the City-Brentford clip. My favourite is the lad who larks around with his coat (below image).

There’s also a cracking City goal right at the end of the clip. Enjoy! You may need to copy the following address into your browser to get the clip to play:

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/hard-luck-for-the-wolves

City’s scorers were Tilson (3), Brook (2) and Halliday.

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ITV National News: Corinthians

Next month it will be a year since our special day when the plans I’d been working on for five years came to fruition with the unveiling of the blue plaque to recognise the pioneering Manchester Corinthians. It all came together nicely. In terms of media coverage one of the highlights was the ITV national news who did an excellent feature. You can still watch it here if you missed it:

https://www.itv.com/watch/news/manchester-honours-the-team-who-defied-an-fa-ban-on-womens-football/ckpxws1

ITV had already featured the plaque unveiling on their Granada Reports show earlier that day:

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2023-10-06/honour-for-one-of-the-oldest-womens-football-teams

There was also coverage on BBC North West Tonight (sadly that’s no longer visible online) and various radio stations. There was also a Channel Five News feature too.

I’ve explained frequently how I’m writing the history of the Corinthians and the plaque unveiling was all part of the longstanding project I set up years ago to highlight the incredible work of these women (and other women’s clubs in Manchester).

You can find out more on the book which will be published later this year here:

Order: Manchester Corinthians Book

There are lots of images from the unveiling on this site, along with stories about the Corinthians. You can find out more on the appeal and on their history here:

Recognising the Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Team

Game One For Manchester City v Bradford City

The first League game between Manchester City and Bradford City was a no score draw on this day (12 September) in 1908 at a newly improved Valley Parade – the Bantams had spent almost £10,000 on improving the ground including the construction of the Main Stand (later destroyed in the 1985 fire).  The City match was Bradford’s first home game in Division One, following promotion as Division Two champions the previous season.

The return match ended 4-3 in City’s favour at Hyde Road.  Tom Holford scored a hat-trick for City that day.

First League Cup Game

The first League Cup game between Manchester City and Ipswich was on 11 September 1961 at Portman Road.  The crowd of 14,926 watched City lose 4-2 to an Ipswich side destined to win the League Championship that season.

1920s Manchester Derby Day Rivals

Here’s an interesting clip from this day (9 September) in 1977 featuring two Manchester football fans. This was shown on the BBC north west regional news programme on the eve of the Manchester Derby and originally would’ve included a voiceover which, sadly, has not survived.

The BBC’s David Davies talks with Nellie Walker, a supporter of Manchester City since the mid 1920s and Charlie Swinchatt, who had supported Manchester United since that time too.

https://bbcrewind.co.uk/asset/61d8676881037f0022f61528?q=Manchesteru0026amp;size=30

The derby the following day ended in a 3-1 City win with Brian Kidd netting a couple. You can view highlights here:

Trautmann Sent Off and MCFC Demonstrations!

It was a miserable day all round as Manchester City’s Bert Trautmann was sent off for booting the ball at the referee on this day (8 September) in 1962. City lost the game with West Ham 6-1 with Trautmann’s dismissal coming after the fifth goal.

After he had booted the ball at the ref, the official took out his notebook and ordered Trautmann off. The German goalkeeper immediately took his shirt off and headed down the tunnel and straight out of the ground and into his car.

Here are Trautmann’s views, as told to a journalist the following day:

The view from West Ham was that their team was not particularly worth the 6-1 victory. This London report makes interesting reading:

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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Demonstrations followed the game expressing anger towards the manager Les McDowall but Trautmann managed to escape fan criticism.

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Manchester Corinthians Latest

We’re getting closer to publication of my latest book Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History and this is possibly the last chance I’ll get to do an appeal for names of women who played for the Corinthians or any of its sister clubs (yes, there were multiple sister clubs over the years, something often overlooked). So far I have over 300 names of women who played but I know there are many more, so if you played or have a relative who played then please get in touch with details.

Also, I’m compiling a list of every game I can find so if you have a match programme, ticket, report, photo or anything else of a game that I may have missed then please let me know. Thanks again.

The book has been delayed a little due to a family bereavement & health issues, but it will be published this year. It will be the most comprehensive history ever produced on the club and it will dispel myths, correct wrongs and add significant new information to our knowledge of this pioneering Manchester women’s football club, including even the formation date and the club’s end date! Yes, myths have often been repeated about both of those (and still get repeated).

There will be a fantastic array of photographs and stories included within the book. Due to the delay there is still an opportunity to order the book in advance and get your own name published within a special roll of honour. Details via link below:

Order: Manchester Corinthians Book

Blue Moon on Colin Murray Show

On Sunday 1 September 2024 I was on Colin Murray’s show (BBC Radio 5 Live) discussing the origins of Blue Moon with Colin and Pat Nevin. There was a great introduction at the start of the show (thanks Colin. Appreciated) and the main feature was on after about 33 minutes. There’s a powerful rendition played from the last day at Maine Road.

You can listen to the entire show here (or skip to 33 minutes if you only want the Blue Moon feature):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0022jmv

Both Colin and Pat are good guys who know their stuff. They talked positively of Manchester City’s anthem and I was delighted with the way it all went. Have a listen if you can.

Also, if you want to know about MCFC chants why not watch this talk I did a few years back on crowds and chanting:

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.

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How To Subscribe

United’s European Cup Ban

On this day (1 September) in 1958 it was revealed that Manchester United were to be prevented from taking a special place that had been awarded to them in the European Cup. UEFA had offered United the place as a mark of sympathy following the Munich Air Crash and the FA had approved the move but then discussions within the League proved problematic, leading to the Football League banning the move.

This cutting even quotes an unnamed official who basically said the European Cup is for champions and United ‘are not the English champions.’ It was all a mess and distasteful.

To understand the full story/impact of the Munich Air Disaster and how it affected all of Manchester then have a read of this:

The Munich Air Disaster: A Long Read

Blue Moon on Radio 5Live

If all goes to plan I’ll be on Colin Murray’s show on BBC Radio 5 Live today (between 10.00 and 12.00 UK time). I’ll be discussing the origins of Blue Moon with Colin and Pat Nevin – both of whom know their stuff and talk positively of Manchester City’s anthem. Have a listen if you can. In the meantime if you want to know about MCFC chants why not watch this talk I did a few years back on crowds and chanting: