Category Archives: Hyde Road

The Origins Of Manchester City: The Early 1870s

Continuing here: the story of Manchester City’s origins. Today’s feature is on the early 1870s. Association football clubs were starting to develop in Manchester, although the clubs that led to the formation of Manchester City were still a few years off. Below is a 1000+ word article on that period and the latest part of a series looking at Manchester City’s origins prior to 1890.

Already there are seasonal articles on every season from 1890-91 (Ardwick) through to 2009-10 and now, throughout February, I’ll be adding the history of the Club prior to 1890. I’ll be telling via a series of articles the story of key individuals/origins/moments that contributed to the establishment of a football club. The series continues below with the second feature on the early 1870s.

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The Origins Of Manchester City: The 1860s

Continuing here: the story of Manchester City’s origins. Today’s feature is on the 1860s. As I’ve mentioned previously, this was before association football clubs were in existence in East Manchester but steps were taken in the this decade that would ultimately lead to the establishment of teams in West Gorton. Below is a 1500+ word article on that period and the second part of a series looking at Manchester City’s origins prior to 1890.

Already there are seasonal articles on every season from 1890-91 (Ardwick) through to 2009-10 and now, throughout February, I’ll be adding the history of the Club prior to 1890. I’ll be telling via a series of articles the story of key individuals/origins/moments that contributed to the establishment of a football club. The series continues below with the second feature on the 1860s.

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These articles will be available to subscribers to this site. It costs £3 per month (cancel any time) or sign up for a year for the discounted price of £20 per year (works out about £1.67 a month to access every article on this site). To date in excess of 1,500 articles/features have been posted including interviews, talks and more.

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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 Origins Of Manchester City: The 1850s

Starting here: the story of Manchester City’s origins, beginning with the 1850s. This was many years before association football clubs were in existence in East Manchester but steps were taken in the 1850s that would ultimately lead to the establishment of teams in West Gorton. Below is a 1000+ word article on that period and the first part of a series looking at Manchester City’s origins prior to 1890.

Already there are seasonal articles on every season from 1890-91 (Ardwick) through to 2009-10 and now, throughout February, I’ll be adding the history of the Club prior to 1890. I’ll be telling via a series of articles the story of key individuals/origins/moments that contributed to the establishment of a football club. The series starts below with the first feature on the 1850s.

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These articles will be available to subscribers to this site. It costs £3 per month (cancel any time) or sign up for a year for the discounted price of £20 per year (works out about £1.67 a month to access every article on this site). To date in excess of 1,500 articles/features have been posted including interviews, talks and more.

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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 1910s: 1919-1920 The King’s Blues

The new series of features on Manchester City in the 1910s continues today with a 2,400 word article on the 1919-20 season. This was an important season in the history of City. If you’re a subscriber you can read all about this season below. If you’re not a subscriber then why not sign up for a month and see what you think?

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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or sign up a year at a time for the discounted annual fee of £20. This gives access to everything on the site, including PDFs of 3 of my books and various other articles, interviews and audio material. Each subscriber has access to all content posted during their subscription period too. Why not sign up for a month and see what you think?

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The 1910s: 1918-1919 Peace Returns

The new series of features on Manchester City in the 1910s continues today with a brief feature on the 1918-19 season when the Football League returned. If you’re a subscriber you can read all about this season below. If you’re not a subscriber then why not sign up for a month and see what you think?

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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or sign up a year at a time for the discounted annual fee of £20. This gives access to everything on the site, including PDFs of 3 of my books and various other articles, interviews and audio material. Each subscriber has access to all content posted during their subscription period too. Why not sign up for a month and see what you think?

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More on the 1910s soon. Why not subscribe and read this and all the other subscriber features?

The 1910s: 1910-1911 Ground Work

The new series of features on Manchester City in the 1910s continues today with a 1500 word article on the 1910-11 season. If you’re a subscriber you can read this below.

If you’re not a subscriber then why not sign up for a month and see what you think?

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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or sign up a year at a time for the discounted annual fee of £20. This gives access to everything on the site, including PDFs of 3 of my books and various other articles, interviews and audio material. Each subscriber has access to all content posted during their subscription period too. Why not sign up for a month and see what you think?

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More on the 1910s soon. Why not subscribe and read this and all the other subscriber features?

Action From Boxing Day 1913 – MCFC V LFC

Here’s an image I found a few years back while researching Manchester City’s games against Liverpool. I know it’s a poor quality photo and so was unable to use it in the piece I was doing back then. However, I think it’s worth posting here to highlight that there are photos out there that appeared in newspapers of key games involving both clubs.

This photo shows City attacking the Liverpool goal at Hyde Road on Boxing Day 1913. The game ended 1-0 to City with Fred Howard the goalscorer. Howard had scored two goals against Liverpool the previous day (yes, Christmas Day) at Anfield as well.

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An Official Programme from October 1900

Here’s the Official Programme cover and Manchester City comments (below), published on 27 October 1900 for City’s game with Derby at Hyde Road. Back then the programme was a shared one with Second Division Newton Heath (later United) and a couple of rugby clubs. the comments below on City’s performances and preview of the Derby game are interesting. The 3-0 game it opens with was City’s 3-0 Division One defeat at Sunderland. The Monday game it mentions was a 2-0 victory over Newton Heath in the Lancashire Cup.

The ‘Doctor’ mentioned lower down was City half back William ‘Doc’ Holmes. The preview suggested this would be a tough game for City, though the return of Jimmy Ross was welcomed. Ross, a former Preston Invincible, was a key member of the side and he’d been sidelined for the previous six League games.

The match with Derby ended in a 2-0 victory with both goals scored by Fred Williams. If you’d like to find out more on this season for Manchester City then why not read the following 1200+ word article telling the story of 1900-01? Why not subscribe and read this and all the other content on here? You can even try it for a month at a time if that works best?

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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or sign up a year at a time for the discounted annual fee of £20. This gives access to everything on the site, including PDFs of 3 of my books and various other articles, interviews and audio material. Each subscriber has access to all content posted during their subscription period too. Why not sign up for a month and see what you think?

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Manchester City’s Three Royal Boxes!

Last Saturday (25 October 2025) I was fortunate to be invited to the England v Brazil women’s international as a guest of the FA. My seat was in the Royal Box at the Etihad (City of Manchester Stadium as it was named on the night due to sponsorship reasons). On social media someone commented that the Royal Box was a bit of a stretch in terms of its name but the truth is that the Directors Box (as it’s more commonly known) has housed members of the British royal family, including the late Queen Elizabeth II. In fact it was originally named the Royal Box for the Commonwealth Games in 2002. Back then I remember suggesting it should retain the name and now, maybe, the original name should return?

Other royals, including the former King of Spain, have sat there for Manchester City games and other events, so the name would be quite apt. Funnily enough, the Etihad’s ‘Royal Box’ isn’t the first part of a City ground to be given that name. It’s not even the second but the third! Both Maine Road and before that Hyde Road, had visits from senior members of the British Royal Family and on each occasion the Directors Box was spruced up and renamed the Royal Box for the game. Here’s the current King’s great grandad at Hyde Road’s Royal Box in 1920:

The King with the Mayor in Hyde Road’s ‘Royal Box’. Notice Lawrence Furniss stood, behind the King. Furniss was a major figure from the 1880s to the 1940s at City.

So, City, how about renaming the Directors Box the Royal Box again?

The following subscriber article talks about all of that, but in essence the current King’s dad, grandad and great grandad have all attended City matches at one of City’s home grounds. You can read about those visits here:

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Manchester City 3 Bolton Wanderers 1

On this day (2 October) in 1920 Bolton Wanderers were defeated by Manchester City 3-1 with goals from Tommy Browell, Fred Fayers and Wilf Woodcock. A crowd recorded as 40,000 at the time watched the match at Hyde Road.

For more on this season why not read the following 2,350 word subscriber article. If you subscribe (see below) I hope you enjoy it. If you are not currently a subscriber then why not try it for a month (£3 per month or sign up for a year at a discounted £20 per year)?

Here’s the article:

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As well as subscriber pieces this series on the 1920s includes some free articles. Watch out for a daily post.