Category Archives: Gary James

John Stapleton – 2014 Interview

Back in August 2014 I interviewed John Stapleton on his career and support of Manchester City. As part of my tribute to him, I’m posting it here as it was published eleven years ago. Hopefully it adds to the positive stories of him that have been appearing over the last few days. I always enjoyed meeting and chatting with John. Here’s the feature as published in August 2014:

John, you’re known today for ITV’s Good Morning Britain but your career started in local newspapers, with your early TV work coming on This Is Your Life. It was your idea to make Joe Mercer a subject for one show wasn’t it?

Yes it was. I did it purely for the benefit of me and my dad.  Eamon Andrews, the presenter, had of course a great interest in sport and I put the idea to him and the rest of the production team.  Together with Norah, Joe’s wife who in recent years I often sat with at games sharing her boiled sweets, we concocted a situation where Joe and Malcolm were in a London hotel before a trip to watch a European game in 1970. Malcolm disappeared – deliberately as part of the show though Joe didn’t know this – and Joe was called to reception urgently.  Eamon leaped out to do the big ‘This Is Your Life’ reveal and Joe had no idea whatsoever. It was a great day for us all and Joe was thoroughly deserving of it as well.

More on that special ‘This Is Your Life’ here: https://gjfootballarchive.com/2023/03/25/this-is-your-life-joe-mercer/

This is Your Life Joe Mercer 1970 MCFC squad

How did you first become interested in City?

My grandfather, who lived in Denton, was at the first game at Maine Road and attended matches at Hyde Road and now my son Nick is a regular, so we’ve had a good four generations of Blues so far.  When I was about 7 I was taken to watch City play Blackpool, in the days when Stanley Matthews played for them of course, and I loved simply being at the ground.  It felt like home and that was it really.  I was hooked.  We used to have to go on two buses and a tram to get there from where we lived in Saddleworth – it seemed such a long journey at the time, but it was always worth it. No matter what the result.

Can you remember who your first heroes were?

Well, my dad went to the 1955 FA Cup final and then the year after we watched the final against Birmingham on our television.  So exciting, because televisions were new to most of us back then and to be able to live the drama of the game, and of course Bert Trautmann’s injury, live in your own home was amazing really.  The world’s moved on so much, but the black & white set felt so modern at the time.  It was then that my first real hero emerged – Dave Ewing.  A wonderful, uncompromising defender and I remember him protecting Bert in those final minutes as best he could.

Did you ever meet Dave?

Sadly, no, but I did meet his son. I left Manchester when I was 21 to work in Fleet Street and so opportunities to bump into your heroes were few. I was also less able to get back to Manchester as often as I do now, and so I watched City in the south and travelled back as often as work and finance allowed.  I have since met quite a few of my heroes from that period, people like Ken Barnes and of course his son Peter. Two great City legends. Ken was a wonderful rascal and very funny and Peter is a really nice guy. I’ve also got to know Mike Summerbee quite well – and bought several of his shirts over the years and they weren’t cheap!  He came to our house a few years back and charmed my parents.  For my father it was great to be in his company and I think we all cherished that day. Even my lawyer was talked in to buying some of Summerbee’s shirts.

How do you feel about attending games today?

It’s an absolute joy and the fan in me never goes away.  For my son, living in London and under so much pressure from his peers to support Arsenal, the years before the takeover were difficult.  Those that had experienced the glories of the fifties to seventies had good memories of success, but the younger generation who had never seen us lift a major trophy must have found it tough.  But it was all character building and fortunately he can now experience the success that this club deserves.  It means more if you’ve been through the thick and thin – and he certainly experienced the thin alongside me!

Alongside the Mercer-Allison era, today is the best we’ve ever known and, hopefully, will keep on getting better.  We’ve waited a long time but it’s been worth it.  I’ve no complaints about any aspect of City today and the club is as friendly as ever, if not more so in some respects. It gives me a real buzz every time I walk into the stadium, or meet a former player, or chat to a fellow Blue like you Gary.  We all have a shared bond and recognise that what we’re experiencing now is truly exceptional – long may it last!

In the mid 1970s you came in to contact with City professionally via the Junior Blues rally.  What do you remember of it?

It was held at Belle Vue and there were thousands of Junior Blues there. It was a great event and we had the full team on the stage, giving fans the chance to ask questions to the team and the management. Peter Swales had asked me to present it – for free I might add but it was a major honour to do it – and it was probably the first time any club had opened up in such a way. City were quite forward thinking in terms of the media and fan relations at the time. I was also involved with the BBC Nationwide series on City.

That was another landmark moment in football’s relationship with the media. What was your involvement?

I was a Nationwide presenter and we’d managed to get City to open their doors for the cameras. Reporter Kevin Cosgrove did most of the progress reports and I came in at the end of the series to do a big outside broadcast on the last day of the season. I did some pre-recorded interviews, including one with Franny Lee, and then I did all the links at the ground. It went out to the full BBC network and was very good for the club and, of course, the BBC.

There’s a chant “City Are Back!” we’ve been singing for years, but I now feel that the club I first supported is back. Is this true for you?

In many ways yes.  I’ve been a good friend of present day FA boss Greg Dyke for years as we’ve worked together in TV. He was given a tour of the club and the new facilities by Brian Marwood and he told me that this really is a friendly and forward looking club. He was very impressed and it’s satisfying to know others are now recognising how special this club is.

Those facilities will help City develop talented young players in future years. It’s ironic really that people have been urging certain other clubs to spend, spend, spend recently, but we’ve been the ones tagged as the big spenders.

That’s going away now I believe. The evidence is clear and we had to spend to catch up, just like other teams have throughout history. We should never forget either that two of our greatest and most consistent players – Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta – arrived before the takeover.  Kompany is a truly great leader and I’ve been fortunate to meet him and he is also a wonderful man.  He is the perfect captain for this club, but we’re so fortunate to have so many brilliant players. Just think of David Silva… outstanding quality!

You’ve worked with Manchester United supporter Eamon Holmes in the past, did the two of you ever discuss football?

We’ve had some good banter over the years.  Good craic!  In fact I took him to two games.  The first was when Beckham scored from a free kick at Maine Road. Eamon jumped up in the directors’ box and you can imagine how that went down.  The second time he was booed into the ground by City fans!

Your own personal greatest game?

Obviously, the last game v QPR in 2011-12, but also the 6-1 against United at Old Trafford.  I turned to Nick my son and said ‘savour this moment. No matter how long you live you’re unlikely to experience this feeling again.’  And of course, there’s the 1999 play-off final without which we may never have come back at all. What a transformation in 15 years – hopefully, there’s more to come.

Book Launch at the Embassy of Ireland

Last Monday was a special night when a book I’ve co-edited with Fiona Skillen and Helena Byrne was launched at the Embassy of Ireland in London. We were absolutely delighted with the evening and support we received from the Embassy. I’ve been fortunate to have my books launched in some pretty spectacular venues over the years, this was the first time any of my books have been launched at an embassy. In fact, it’s the first time I can recall ever being in an embassy.

The book we launched was ‘Histories of Women’s Football in Britain and Ireland’ and the launch was attended by academics, researchers, historians, practitioners, international footballers and many others who have helped us along the way. The whole event was hosted by the Embassy and we were delighted that Orla McBreen, the Deputy Head of Mission, was so interested in the book. Both Orla and the rest of the Embassy team, made us feel so welcome and Orla introduced us with a nice speech too. Thanks for that.

Orla said: ‘The book turns our attention to an area of history that has too often been overlooked. By tracing both regional and national developments, and by spotlighting the work of historians, heritage practitioners, artists, and documentary makers, this volume shows how academic research can travel beyond archives into public spaces, shaping attitudes, inspiring communities, and ensuring that the struggles and achievements of women in football are preserved.’

After Orla’s speech came a panel discussion between myself, Fiona and Helena and then we opened up the discussion to questions from the audience. Over 100 people attended and the whole event was a great success. It was wonderful to see so many former players and administrators there and to have key representatives from organisations such as the Irish FA (Northern Ireland) and the FA, as well as officials from the Embassy of Ireland of course.

I’d like to say special thanks to Helena Byrne who, on behalf of all the authors and editors, put so much effort into making this launch happen at the Embassy. I’d also like to thank everybody at the Embassy for their efforts and support. It really is appreciated and was a special night.

The book is the culmination of several years work and includes the following chapters (author names in brackets after each chapter):

Setting the Scene: The Origins Story of Women’s Football in Scotland (Richard McBrearty)

The First Tour of Women’s Association Football – 1881 (Stuart Gibbs) 

Women’s Football in Wales, 1890–1950 (Craig Owen Jones) 

‘Testimonial to Mrs Walter Scott’: A Brief History of Diana Scott (Alexander Jackson)

Excommunicating the Women’s Game: The English FA’s 1921 Ban Revisited (Dilwyn Porter) 

The Media Framing of Women’s Football in Wales During the English FA’s 1921–1970 Ban (Beth G. Clarkson, Keith D. Parry, Rafaelle Nicholson and Alice Hunter)

‘Proving themselves no mean experts at the game’: Women’s Football in Scotland, 1914–1921 (Fiona Skillen) 

The Development of Women’s Football in Trafford (Gary James)

A Hollow Victory: Exploring the Limited Impact of the Removal of Formal Restrictions on Women’s Football in Scotland on the Development of the Women’s Game in the 1970s and 1980s (Karen Fraser)

Surviving or Thriving? Women’s Football in 1970s Northern Ireland (Conor Heffernan) 

The Development of Women’s Soccer in Dublin (Conor Curran) 

The Trailblazers – Organised Women’s Football in the Interwar Period (Helge Faller)

The Dick, Kerr Ladies from Paris and Sydney: Globalisation the Image and Influence of British Women’s Football Overseas (Keith Rathbone) 

Game Changer: Looking Back on the First UEFA Competition for Women (Helena Byrne) 

Winning Working Women – the Story of Sweet F.A. (Paul Beeson)

The Representation of Women Within the Scottish Football Museum (Demi Boyd) 

UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Heritage Programme: A Case Study (Caterina Loriggio) 

From Pitch to Screen – PurpleTV’s Documentary Films on Women in Scottish Football (Margot McCuaig) 

The publishing blurb says: ‘This book brings together a range of researchers to explore the growth and development of the women’s game in Britain and Ireland. They are active across a diverse range of fields, from historians and heritage practitioners, to those from the arts such as playwrights and documentary directors. This edited collection draws together both regional and national studies to provide a more nuanced understanding of the history of the women’s game in Britain and Ireland than has been possible before. Chapters in this book explore new findings around the development of key teams, players, and organisations, and in doing so enrich the historiography of the game.


‘Often books on the history of football have taken a narrative approach focusing only on the research findings or ‘story’. This is of course important, but in this book the editors also wanted to reflect the ways in which research into the history of women’s football has been shared and explored within a range of spaces and communities. There is a huge untapped audience who want to engage with the history of the sport. By reflecting on previous arts/heritage-based projects we can explore new avenues regarding how academic research can be made accessible to the general public and in turn how arts/ heritage-based projects can inform academic research.’

The book has been published by academic publisher Peter Lang and is, inevitably, priced accordingly. If you’d like to read the book then I’d encourage you to ask your local library or archive to stock a copy. Thanks

South American Film on the Manchester Corinthians

It’s a bit early to say much about this but my research and book on the Manchester Corinthians has inspired the creation of a short video film aimed at a South American audience on the pioneering women’s team. The Corinthians toured South America and the West Indies in 1960 and it’s been a dream of mine to see something created specifically for South Americans to enjoy on the club.

I was approached a while back about the club’s stories and connections to South America and am delighted something is now being created on them. It’s wonderful to know that this story is spreading across continents again, just as the Corinthians did when they toured all those decades ago.

Some of the filming for the South American video occurred at Fog Lane Park, Didsbury – the club’s home for its opening couple of decades – with the Blue Plaque we unveiled in October 2023.

I’ve been told my book will appear in the film (a still below) and it’s been used for much source material too. One of the main reasons I did my research was I wanted to spread the word about these remarkable women.

Watch this space for more on the South American video. In the meantime, if you’d like to know why this club is so special take a look at the only Authorised History of the club. Details here:

Manchester Corinthians

The 1920s: Ernest Mangnall

Continuing the series on Manchester City in the 1920s here’s a free to read 1300 word article on 1920s City (and 1900s United) manager Ernest Mangnall. Enjoy!

Although JAMES ERNEST MANGNALL is usually remembered as the first man to bring Manchester United trophy success – with a side containing the key members of City’s 1904 FA Cup triumph – he actually spent more years managing the Blues and saw City as the bigger club with more potential.  

People tend to focus on his successes at United but his commitment to the Blue cause and determination to move City to the best stadium in English football, are perhaps the most interesting aspects of his life.  His United successes are clearly significant moments in Manchester football, however City fans prefer to remember his Blue achievements.  

He joined City in 1912 but the most interesting aspect of his arrival is the way it was carried out.  Mangnall had been United’s leader since 1903 and had achieved so much that no one could ever have expected him to move.  As well as the trophy successes (promotion, two League titles and the FA Cup) he was also credited with being instrumental in United’s move from Clayton (where the Velodrome’s BMX track is today, close to the Etihad Stadium) to Old Trafford.  

City were still regarded as the region’s number one club despite the problems they had faced in the period 1905-1912, and they stunned the football world when they lured Mangnall away from the Reds.  Never before had a manager left a major club for its biggest rivals after so much success, but what made the story more of a sensation was the fact Mangnall had agreed to become City manager while still in office at Old Trafford, and that he had watched the Blues’ opening game at Notts County when he was supposed to be with United at Arsenal.  He actually remained in charge of United for the Manchester derby of 7th September 1912 at Old Trafford.  

Occasionally United historians dispute that Mangnall was officially their manager on the day of the derby but leading newspapers of the period, most notably the Umpire and the Daily Dispatch, are perfectly clear that he was officially in charge.  City won the Old Trafford match 1-0 despite being down to ten men for most of the game.  Mangnall, according to one report, was delighted with the City win despite, officially at least, still being a Red.  “United speeded their manager rejoicing with two points to his new club” read one article. 

The following Monday Mangnall moved into his Hyde Road office, and within a few weeks his side were looking like Championship contenders:  “Manchester City stand out boldly as the only first class team in the two divisions of the League, the Southern and the Scottish Leagues, with the highest possible points to their credit.  The Citizens of Manchester have earned every point in September.  Other clubs have remained undefeated, but they have not annexed the maximum marks.  Nine years have passed since Manchester City commenced a campaign in this stimulating style.”

The title didn’t arrive, however Mangnall did develop a decent-looking side by the time of the First World War – they missed the 1914-15 title by three points.  City were also proving a highly popular side to watch, so much so that the ground could hardly cope.  A notorious cup match with Sunderland in February 1913 had to be abandoned due to overcrowding.  Incredibly – and this is difficult to appreciate today – the team manager was also responsible for the management of the ground at this time, and so Mangnall was held responsible for all matters concerning safety and crowd control as well as picking the team and buying the players.  A reporter named Veteran accused Mangnall of spending too much time with the team and said:  “I am rather surprised at Mr. Mangnall being caught napping, but it may be that he has been away with the team and had had little to do with the home management.”

During the hostilities Mangnall kept the Club alive and brought some trophy success in the wartime tournaments that replaced the League.  

After the war, Mangnall’s side became very popular and he had to focus on ground issues as well as team matters.  With the Blues filling the 40,000 capacity on a regular basis, Mangnall regular had to face the press, the FA, the Football League, Manchester City Council, and the police to explain why chaotic scenes were being experienced game after game in the streets around the ground.  

In 1920 fire destroyed the Main Stand and exacerbated the problems Mangnall faced.  He approached his former club United about using Old Trafford, the ground he had been primarily responsible for, but they met his request with exorbitant terms that were ridiculed in the press.  Perhaps they still felt a little aggrieved about his departure almost a decade earlier?

Mangnall’s view was that City had to move from Hyde Road.  Its forty thousand capacity was far too small, and the manager worked with club officials, most notably another former City manager Lawrence Furniss, to plan the development of a new ground.  One with potential.

At the same time as the ground debates, Mangnall guided the Blues to second place in the League and their popularity increased further.

By the start of 1921-22 far too many people were missing out on watching Manchester’s favourite team.  That season he created plans for an “English Hampden” on the Moss Side/Rusholme border.  

In 1923 City moved to the 85,000 capacity Maine Road, and in Mangnall’s final season (1923-24) he almost managed to guide the Blues to the FA Cup Final.  With the 49 year old Billy Meredith back in Mangnall’s side, City were defeated by Newcastle.  That run was important as it perhaps demonstrated the reason why Mangnall had been determined to join the Blues back in 1912 for his City side attracted a few magnificent attendances including over 76,000 for a cup tie with Cardiff.  At the time this was the largest crowd for any footballing fixture played in Manchester including three FA Cup finals (1893, 1911 replay & 1915).  Mangnall knew all about City’s popularity and he must have felt a great deal of satisfaction at seeing such a large crowd in the stadium he had pushed for.

The following May his contract was not renewed, although It seems likely he chose to step down feeling that there was little more he could achieve at Maine Road.  After leaving the Blues he became a director of his home town team, Bolton, and was a significant figure within the PFA.  He died of a cerebral embolism in 1932 at St. Annes. 

In addition to his roles at Burnley – his first club as secretary, United, City, and Bolton, he was also recorded as the man responsible for founding the Central League and the Football Managers’ Association.  

Modern day football rarely remembers men like Mangnall, however his place in the history of Manchester must always remain a significant one.  He restored pride and passion to the Blues and was the key figure in City’s move to Maine Road.  That move enabled City to rediscover their ambition, drive, and natural position as one of England’s elite.

Football historians tend to focus on Mangnall’s United career but that does the man a great disservice.  He may have won trophies at Old Trafford but his entire career was packed with achievements.

Mangnall should always be remembered as the catalyst for City’s regeneration during a difficult period.  The fact that he walked out on United to take on the City challenge adds an angle that Blues love.  Mangnall was a great Blue.   

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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The 1920s: Tommy Johnson

Continuing the series on Manchester City in the 1920s here’s a free to read 1100 word article on 1920s City (and 1930s Everton) star Tommy Johnson. Enjoy!

Tommy Johnson was a huge favourite with City supporters throughout his eleven year career with the Blues.  Their love affair with the Dalton-in-Furness born goalscorer was borne out of a tremendous appreciation of his contribution to the Blue cause.  They also recognised that despite the fame and adulation Johnson was from the same background as they were.  For much of his City life he lived in the Gorton area and was often seen in the pubs and clubs talking and mixing with supporters.

In an interview I did with him two decades ago, Johnson’s son Alan remembered his father being a familiar presence in Gorton: “My father was proud of being an ordinary bloke.  The players didn’t get paid large wages and life at times was tough, and I think most of his neighbours and friends understood that he really wasn’t any different from them.  After he’d left City and joined Everton he would sometimes bring Dixie Dean to Gorton and the two of them would sit in the Plough or one of the other pubs chatting away.  In fact Dixie became as well known in the pubs of Gorton as my Dad was!”

Around 1918 City full back Eli Fletcher spotted the promise of Dalton-In-Furness born Johnson when he saw him play.  He contacted the Blues and urged them to sign the exciting 17 year old.  Johnson joined the Blues in February 1919, and he immediately made an impression during that final season of wartime football.

Once the full League programme resumed in August 1919 Johnson had to wait for his opportunity to impress in the First Division.  His chance did not come until the following February, but when it did he scored both goals in City’s 2-0 defeat of Middlesbrough.  It wasn’t however until the 1922-3 season that the striker could be regarded as a regular.  That season he played 35 of City’s 42 League games and scored on 14 occasions.

In 1926 Johnson appeared in the FA Cup final and a few weeks later he made his England debut at inside left against Belgium in Antwerp.  He scored as England won 5-3.  A journalist of the period described him as: “an inside forward with a left foot shot few players have equalled and a penchant for the telling cross-field pass.”  

During 1926-7 Johnson broke the twenty goals a season barrier when he scored 25 in 38 League appearances, including a hat-trick in the 8-0 victory over Bradford on the final day of the season.  The following season he became recognised across the country as a major striker as he managed to score a Club record 38 goals in 39 League appearances.  Five of those goals came in one incredible match with Everton at Goodison when City defeated the home side 6-2.

Tommy Johnson’s record breaking 38th League goal of the season as drawn for the Liverpool Echo.

The following season was to be his last at Maine Road despite his role as the fans’ favourite.  There were plenty of magical moments from Johnson.  The Manchester derby of October 1929 saw one of Johnson’s most memorable performances.  According to the renowned Manchester journalist Ivan Sharpe writing in the Athletic News:  “Johnson should have been a fairly happy man.  He has the credit of making the match come to life.  It was going to pieces early in the second half when Moore thoughtlessly pulled up while appealing for off-side and Johnson – with his right foot – scored and set the game alight.”

The game with United ended in a 3-1 City victory but it also saw one of the more controversial moments of the season when the referee blew for full-time a good two minutes before time was actually up.  This was particularly galling for Johnson as he netted the ball after an amazing run just at the moment the whistle went.  Ivan Sharpe gave his entertaining thoughts on the incident in his match report:  “When Thomas CF Johnson was a boy he dreamed of playing for a First Division team, and like every youngster, of playing at centre-forward.

“On his night of nights he was playing against his own club’s deadly rivals, and over 100,000 eyes were riveted upon him as he darted through the defence – ‘Go on Johnson!’ – dodged this man and that man, drew out the goalkeeper, dribbled the ball round the other side’s last hope and with the roars of the delighted populace acclaiming his performance, rolled the ball through the untenanted goal.  I have not asked him, but I know it’s true, because every schoolboy gets those midnight, alone-I-did-it goals.

“But isn’t it a hard world?  The once-in-a-lifetime goal dribbled around the goalkeeper on the aforesaid deadly rivals’ very own ground all came true in this battle of Manchester, and the referee said the time had expired a moment before the ball had crossed the line!  And that’s not all.  Time had not expired.  My watch and every watch around me – plus the carefully compiled record I invariably keep of the minutes of the passing show – definitely established that the referee was two and a half minutes too soon.  And this is making no allowance whatever for lost time.

“How curious that the referee got in a muddle with his minutes on the day the clock goes back.  He provided the last ‘rows’ of summer!”

The following March, Johnson was transferred to Everton for £6,000.  The supporters were furious.  Petitions were written.  Demonstrations were made, and even a boycott of the Blues was threatened, but there was nothing the fans could do to actually stop the transfer.  City’s average attendance did drop by several thousand however.    

At Everton Johnson won the Second Division Championship and the FA Cup – beating City 3-0 in the final.  A spell at Liverpool followed before he became player-manager of Darwen.

In the late 1940s he became licensee of a pub in Gorton and attended Maine Road regularly.  He purchased his own season ticket for several years.  According to his son Alan, Tommy Johnson was a dedicated City fan:  “At Everton he had a lot of success – he won more trophies than he had in Manchester – but City remained his club.  In fact, after he’d left City he kept coming back to Maine Road and sometimes paid to stand on the Kippax side of the ground.  He was often recognised and was usually congratulated simply for being ‘Tosh’ Johnson!”

Johnson passed away in 1973 at the age of 71.  Four years later Manchester City Council named part of a new Moss Side housing development ‘Tommy Johnson Walk’ in his honour close to Maine Road.

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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Five, Fifteen, Fifty – New MCFC Match Programme Series

Those who saw the Manchester City v Tottenham match programme at weekend May have noticed my new series of articles. This year I’m doing a season tracker feature and have chosen the seasons 1975-76, 2010-11 and 2020-21. Each issue will cover those seasons plus I’ll write a Memory Match feature on a game from that week in one of the three seasons. The three seasons are all important ones in the history of Manchester’s Blues (every season is important of course!) and I hope I can do them justice. The reason I’ve chosen those seasons….

Typically season tracker pick seasons that are a multiple of five and usually focus on 5, 10, 25 years but I felt it was important to look at a season further back, so chose fifty years ago (1975-76 – one of my own personal favourite seasons). I also wanted to recognise the 2010-11 season as that saw Roberto Mancini’s team win their first major trophy. The 2020-21 season was of course a major trophy winning season unde Pep Guardiola.

The Memory Match I chose for the first issue was from 2010 and a day when Liverpool were defeated.

I hope everyone who gets chance to see the programme enjoys the four page feature. Thanks, as always, to those who support my writing.

Rico Lewis’s Joy

I noticed on Twitter/X that this video of mine of Rico Lewis celebrating Manchester City’s 2023 Premier League success has been retweeted hundreds of times in only a few minutes. As I’m travelling today I didn’t know why but soon investigated and found the news that he may be leaving City.

I don’t know anything more but hope he stays. Regardless of what happens it is a nice reminder of the joy Rico demonstrated on the day of City’s Premier League success.

Video of History Of Women’s Football Talk

If you’re interested in women’s football or in football in Trafford or Manchester then get your self a brew, settle down and enjoy this video of my talk. It was part of my work on the #WEuro2022 Heritage Lottery funded project and my long standing project into the history of women’s football in Manchester. Here goes:

This talk on the history of women’s football was staged at the National Football Museum a few years back. The talk lasts about 47 mins. Enjoy!

The history of women’s football in Trafford is documented in the new book on women’s football I’ve co-edited. You can find out more about that here:

Book Launch at the Embassy of Ireland

My work on the Manchester Corinthians continues and you can find out about the Authorised History here:

Manchester Corinthians

Thank You

On Saturday 2 August 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 recent 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 this year’s 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

Maine Road Now and Then

It’s worth comparing this image from recent years, showing the housing and school now built on Maine Road, with this 1940s image of the Maine Road site. The boundary lines are visible, demonstrating how the site changed usage.

This 1971 aerial image shows the stadium from another angle, looking west.

Maine Road aerial 1971 from Farewell To Maine Road

If you’d like to read more on the history of Maine Road, take a look at Farewell To Maine Road, which can be downloaded from this page:

Farewell To Maine Road – Part One

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