On 18 October 1978 in the UEFA Cup 2nd round first leg Manchester City defeated Standard Liege 4-0. Three of those goals (one a penalty) came in the last 5 minutes, demonstrating that no one should ever leave early (unless there are significant reasons of course). No game is over until the final whistle and this game against Liege is one that should always be remembered. The reason I say this… My dad made us leave early as it was a school night (I’d celebrated my 10th birthday a week or so earlier). We left when it was 1-0 with about 6 minutes to go.
I remember us walking down the Platt Lane tunnel and getting to the exit gates and hearing the roar – an obvious goal! Then as we walked down the pink passage behind the Platt Lane there was another roar. A third roar was heard a little later and then a fourth just as we neared our car and that was that! We only knew the actual score when we got home because, back then, there was no radio in dad’s car. Throughout that journey back to Hyde me, my brother and my dad tried to guess what the final score would be. We knew we’d heard four roars and assumed we’d missed four goals but the first roar would’ve been for the penalty award and the second for the penalty itself.
Missing three goals at the age of ten is not great. Hmm!
Anyway, for those, like me, who missed it here are the match facts and a video of those goals:
Attendance: 27,487
City Goalscorers: Hartford, Kidd 2 (1 pen), Palmer
Asa Hartford scored in the 13th minute but, despite several attempts that was all that separated the clubs up to the 85th minute. A frantic late rally by the Blues saw three goals in four minutes to create a decisive and emphatic victory. All those who had left the stadium early (to get to their cars and buses) realised that no game is over until the final whistle.
The transformation was heralded as a high point in the career of Peter Barnes. Barnes demonstrated his skills superbly as he made Liege suffer with attack after attack. Peter Gardner: “Twisting, turning, tormenting and teasing the harassed Belgians, Barnes paved the way for that final three-goal fling with Kidd grabbing tow and Palmer the last. It was Barnes at his brilliant best although Hartford and Watson were also heroes on a night when City proved that patience always pays.”
My biography of Peter Barnes talks about this game of course and you can buy copies here:
On this day (17 October) in 1980 John Bond officially became the Manchester City manager. Back in November 1995 I interviewed the former Manchester City manager. At the time I was researching my in-depth history of the club called Manchester The Greatest City (later updated as Manchester The City Years).
I met John at his home and spent a good few hours with him chatting about the Blues and his career. I loved doing this interview and was always grateful for the time he gave me. He was quite frank, open and honest – which delighted me because he was a great talker. He was also happy for me to quote everything he said in the interview. I did end up quoting him extensively in the book (and in others I’ve produced) but none of the interview has ever been heard by the wider public.
You can hear the interview I did that day. In this first section he talks about the steps taken by City to appoint him; the interview (and the directors involved in that notorious filmed job interview for the City documentary in 1980-81); the signing of Tommy Hutchison, Bobby McDonald and Gerry Gow. As I said earlier, he is quite frank in his comments and that may surprise a few.
This audio recording of the first 17 minutes of the interview is available to subscribers of my blog whether annual or monthly. If you want to hear it then please subscribe below.
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Today (14 October) marks the anniversary of the death of legendary Manchester City coach Malcolm Allison. He passed away in 2010. I’ve interviewed Malcolm often over the years and you can listen to one of those interviews here:
Here’s also an article I published in September this year on Allison. It included comments from a variety of interviews I have performed over the decades. Allison’s views on then young footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips are captured and comments from various people who know Allison well are included.
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Last Friday was a special day when all of our plans to recognise the pioneering Manchester Corinthians 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:
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’m still keen to track down other Corinthians (I’m writing the history of the club and am keen to make this the story as told by the women who played for the club). Please get in touch if you’re a former player or have a collection connected with the club: Gary@GJFootballArchive.com
You can find out more on the book which will be published in 2024 here:
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:
I’ll post more as the week goes by on Friday’s Corinthians plaque unveiling but in the meantime here are a few photos. The majority of these were taken by Jayne Comer, from the Manchester City Women Supporters Club. Thanks for all your help Jayne in capturing the day. Others were by myself, Heidi, the mayor’s office and other attendees.
If you’re wondering what all of this was about have a read of this:
PIONEERING WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM TO BE RECOGNISED WITH A BLUE PLAQUE
Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Club to be recognised with a blue plaque
Unveiling will take place at Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, their home for over 20 years from formation in 1949
The plaque, two murals of the team and other tributes will be unveiled at the park on Friday 6 October at noon
The plaque and murals were funded by an appeal which included significant donations from the Football Association and Manchester City Council, alongside dozens of individual donations
Over 20 players, including a 92 year old who joined the team at formation, will be in attendance
A Blue plaque and other tributes to the pioneering women’s football team Manchester Corinthians will be unveiled on Friday 6 October at noon at the site of their formation, Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, Manchester. In attendance will be over 20 women who played for the club between 1949 and 1983 and representatives from the Football Association, Manchester Football Association, Manchester City Council, football fans, members of the public and former England international Kerry Davis.
One of the former players in attendance will be 92 year old, Dorothy Alcock, who first joined the team at formation in 1949. Others present on the day participated in trophy winning tours across Europe and South America during the fifties, sixties and seventies.
Dorothy Alcock, Manchester Corinthian from formation in 1949
The Corinthians raised significant amounts of money for charity during their existence while also promoting football and female endeavour at a time when participation in the sport was often frowned upon.
During the 1950s, playing as an unofficial England side, the Corinthians won a major European tournament in Germany and were supported on their travels by legendary Manchester City men’s goalkeeper Bert Trautmann.
In 1960 they found success in an unofficial ‘World Cup’ (officially the first ‘Torneo Internacional De Futbol Femenino’) in Venezuela as part of a significant tour of the West Indies and South America. Former player (outside right) Margaret Whitworth recalls: ‘We were treated like film stars. There were crowds everywhere we went. Playing in front of 56,000 was thrilling and the way women’s football was treated was so different to how it was back in England at the time. Here we had to play on park pitches or at other sports grounds, but there we played in major football stadiums.’
During the late 1960s the club’s management played a leading role in the creation of the Women’s Football Association. Both the Corinthians and their sister club the Nomads were founder members but their manager Gladys Aikin became a member of the governing body’s committee. By this time their determination was to see the growth of the game and lifting of all barriers.
The Corinthians continued to play and by the end of the 1970s they were frequently coached by the Manchester City 1956 FA Cup winner Dave Ewing at City’s Platt Lane training complex.
During the 1980s a ground move led to the club being renamed Woodley Ladies, and that club ceased to exist by the end of the decade. Many of the Corinthians from the late 1970s and 1980s became players with Manchester City’s women’s team during its inaugural season of 1988-89.
Today at least one former Corinthian, Lesley Wright, plays walking football at the highest level possible and continues to coach women’s football, continuing the Corinthian influence through to the modern day development of the sport.
The plaque and murals were funded by an appeal which included significant donations from the Football Association and Manchester City Council, alongside dozens of individual donations. The community group, the Friends of Fog Lane Park, have been instrumental in ensuring the Corinthians are remembered and that this aspect of the park’s life is properly recorded and acknowledged. The murals were designed and painted by artist Gavin Renshaw.
Manchester Corinthians mural by artist Gavin RenshawWashing in the duck pond, Manchester Corinthians by Artist Gavin Renshaw
About Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Club
Manchester Corinthian Ladies FC was an English football club founded in 1949 by Percy Ashley. He established the club because his daughter Doris wanted to play football but couldn’t find a team. At this time The FA ban on women’s football using FA affiliated grounds was in place (from 1921; lifted in 1970). During the inaugural seasons the Corinthians played friendlies and in small scale competitions in the UK, but during the mid to late 1950s they embarked on a series of European tours.
Their fame grew and they received invites to play across Europe, in Africa and in South America. Occasionally playing as an unofficial England side in tournaments (these were the days before there was an official England team), they found success often, becoming the most successful women’s team by some distance.
Under the management of Percy Ashley, followed by Gladys Aikin and then George Aikin, the Corinthians were important representatives of women’s football, both internationally and domestically, always contributing to the game’s growth and development.
The winner of a copy of the new book on Maine Road and the Etihad has been drawn. It is Steve Doohan. Congratulations Steve. The publisher, Reach, will be posting it out soon.
The question was: Who was the architect of Maine Road when it was first built in 1923?
The answer was Charles Swain. We had dozens of correct answers so we’ll done to Steve.
As for the book…
I’m delighted to say I’m one of the co-authors on the new book which focuses on Maine Road and the Etihad stadia (the two most recent permanent homes of Manchester City).
I’ve contributed the Introduction, the story of Maine Road’s first game and the 100 Maine Memories of Maine Road. I tried to make sure the 100 Maine Memories cover both the great and the unusual so, inevitably, Colin Bell is featured but so is the wonky North Stand scoreboard! If you attended Maine Road it will all make sense and if you didn’t it’ll give you a great feel for what life was like at the old place.
Please enter the competition and good luck with it.
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A Blue plaque and other tributes to the pioneering women’s football team Manchester Corinthians will be unveiled at noon today (6 October 2023) at the site of their formation, Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, Manchester. In attendance will be over 20 women who played for the club between 1949 and 1983 and representatives from the Football Association, Manchester Football Association, Manchester City Council, football fans, members of the public and former England international Kerry Davis.
I’ve talked about the women often and what they achieved but here are several interviews with a few of the women who played for Corinthians. This link includes filmed interviews we did with Gail Robertson, Jan Lyons and Lesley Wright (all Corinthians) plus there’s an interview with Jane Morley who played for United Ladies and went on to coach City Ladies too:
Manchester Corinthian Ladies FC was an English football club founded in 1949 by Percy Ashley. He established the club because his daughter Doris wanted to play football but couldn’t find a team. At this time The FA ban on women’s football using FA affiliated grounds was in place (from 1921; lifted in 1970). During the inaugural seasons the Corinthians played friendlies and in small scale competitions in the UK, but during the mid to late 1950s they embarked on a series of European tours.
Manchester Corinthians mural by artist Gavin Renshaw
Their fame grew and they received invites to play across Europe, in Africa and in South America. Occasionally playing as an unofficial England side in tournaments (these were the days before there was an official England team), they found success often, becoming the most successful women’s team by some distance.
Under the management of Percy Ashley, followed by Gladys Aikin and then George Aikin, the Corinthians were important representatives of women’s football, both internationally and domestically, always contributing to the game’s growth and development.
Washing in the duck pond, Manchester Corinthians by Artist Gavin Renshaw
Part two of the interview with Mike Sweeney on Radio Manchester has aired today and at the end of it I say a few words about Francis Lee too. The interview was to discuss the Manchester Corinthians and can be heard here (it starts with Margaret Whitworth and Margaret Shepherd at 2 hours 30 minutes):
PIONEERING WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM TO BE RECOGNISED WITH A BLUE PLAQUE TOMORROW!
Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Club to be recognised with a blue plaque
Unveiling will take place at Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, their home for over 20 years from formation in 1949
The plaque, two murals of the team and other tributes will be unveiled at the park tomorrow (Friday 6 October) at noon
The plaque and murals were funded by an appeal which included significant donations from the Football Association and Manchester City Council, alongside dozens of individual donations including one from the Dick, Kerr Ladies Foundation, demonstrating the great community of women’s football that existed in North West England
Over 20 players, including a 92 year old who joined the team at formation, will be in attendance
A Blue plaque and other tributes to the pioneering women’s football team Manchester Corinthians will be unveiled on Friday 6 October at noon at the site of their formation, Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, Manchester. In attendance will be over 20 women who played for the club between 1949 and 1983 and representatives from the Football Association, Manchester Football Association, Manchester City Council, football fans, members of the public and former England international Kerry Davis.
One of the former players in attendance will be 92 year old, Dorothy Alcock, who first joined the team at formation in 1949. Others present on the day participated in trophy winning tours across Europe and South America during the fifties, sixties and seventies.
The Corinthians raised significant amounts of money for charity during their existence while also promoting football and female endeavour at a time when participation in the sport was often frowned upon.
During the 1950s, playing as an unofficial England side, the Corinthians won a major European tournament in Germany and were supported on their travels by legendary Manchester City men’s goalkeeper Bert Trautmann.
In 1960 they found success in an unofficial ‘World Cup’ (officially the first ‘Torneo Internacional De Futbol Femenino’) in Venezuela as part of a significant tour of the West Indies and South America. Former player (outside right) Margaret Whitworth recalls: ‘We were treated like film stars. There were crowds everywhere we went. Playing in front of 56,000 was thrilling and the way women’s football was treated was so different to how it was back in England at the time. Here we had to play on park pitches or at other sports grounds, but there we played in major football stadiums.’
During the late 1960s the club’s management played a leading role in the creation of the Women’s Football Association. Both the Corinthians and their sister club the Nomads were founder members but their manager Gladys Aikin became a member of the governing body’s committee. By this time their determination was to see the growth of the game and lifting of all barriers.
The Corinthians continued to play and by the end of the 1970s they were frequently coached by the Manchester City 1956 FA Cup winner Dave Ewing at City’s Platt Lane training complex.
During the 1980s a ground move led to the club being renamed Woodley Ladies, and that club ceased to exist by the end of the decade. Many of the Corinthians from the late 1970s and 1980s became players with Manchester City’s women’s team during its inaugural season of 1988-89.
Today at least one former Corinthian, Lesley Wright, plays walking football at the highest level possible and continues to coach women’s football, continuing the Corinthian influence through to the modern day development of the sport.
The plaque and murals were funded by an appeal which included significant donations from the Football Association and Manchester City Council, alongside dozens of individual donations. The community group, the Friends of Fog Lane Park, have been instrumental in ensuring the Corinthians are remembered and that this aspect of the park’s life is properly recorded and acknowledged. The murals were designed and painted by artist Gavin Renshaw.
Manchester Corinthians mural by artist Gavin RenshawWashing in the duck pond, Manchester Corinthians by Artist Gavin Renshaw
About Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Club
Manchester Corinthian Ladies FC was an English football club founded in 1949 by Percy Ashley. He established the club because his daughter Doris wanted to play football but couldn’t find a team. At this time The FA ban on women’s football using FA affiliated grounds was in place (from 1921; lifted in 1970). During the inaugural seasons the Corinthians played friendlies and in small scale competitions in the UK, but during the mid to late 1950s they embarked on a series of European tours.
Their fame grew and they received invites to play across Europe, in Africa and in South America. Occasionally playing as an unofficial England side in tournaments (these were the days before there was an official England team), they found success often, becoming the most successful women’s team by some distance.
Under the management of Percy Ashley, followed by Gladys Aikin and then George Aikin, the Corinthians were important representatives of women’s football, both internationally and domestically, always contributing to the game’s growth and development.
Gary James' Football Archive 