Category Archives: Manchester City

Manchester City v Wimbledon: The First Time

The first League meeting between Manchester City and Wimbledon occurred on this day (25 August) in 1984 was an altogether new experience for City.  Relegation in May 1983 had brought many changes to the club, including the arrival of manager Billy McNeill and his assistant Jimmy Frizzell.  Their first season in charge had seen the Blues finish fourth behind Chelsea, Newcastle, and Sheffield Wednesday, and much was expected from their second campaign. 

The opening fixture of the 1984-5 season saw City take to the field against Wimbledon for the first time.  It should have been an easy victory for McNeill’s men, particularly as the Blues viewed themselves as championship contenders whereas Dave Bassett’s Wimbledon had risen from Division Four in two consecutive seasons.  It seemed at the time as if everyone in football doubted that Wimbledon would be able to handle life in Division Two.

The match commenced with City hopeful, but within fifteen minutes of the start Wimbledon were 2-0 up thanks to goals from Stewart Evans and Glyn Hodges.  City just didn’t know what had hit them.

By half-time, however the Blues had pulled a goal back and by full-time had equalised.  Gordon Smith and Derek Parlane had provided the crucial City goals, but the game was certainly one which made City realise promotion was not going to be as straightforward as some had suggested.  Apart from a victory over Grimsby a few other worrying results followed, then McNeill’s men got their act together and moved up the division.  Gradually they rose up the Division – although it’s fair to say there were a few heartstopping moments along the way!.  The Blues ended the season in the third automatic promotion spot, while Wimbledon ended the season in an encouraging 12th place – their best ever at the time.

Stats:  Division Two 25th August 1984.

Wimbledon 2 City 2

Scorers – City: Smith, Parlane

Wimbledon: Evans, Hodges

City:  Williams, Phillips, Power, Bond, McCarthy, Wilson, McNab, Baker, Cunningham, Smith (Tolmie), Parlane

Wimbledon:  Beasant, Kay, Winterburn, Galliers (Gage), Smith, Morris, Evans, Ketteridge, Cork, O’Berg, Hodges

Attendance: 8,365

More on the 1984-5 season here:

The 1980s: 1984-1985 Promotion

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The 1920s: The English Hampden

The new series on Manchester City in the 1920s continues today with a 3,000 word subscriber article on the 1923-24 season. 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)?

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

The 1920s: Building A New Stadium

The new series on Manchester City in the 1920s continues today with a 1,500 word subscriber article on the 1922-23 season. 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)?

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The 1920s: Meredith Returns

A new series on Manchester City in the 1920s begins today with a 1,000 word subscriber article on the 1921-22 season. 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)?

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

The 1920s: A Neighbour In Need

The new series on Manchester City in the 1920s continues today with a 2,350 word subscriber article on the 1920-21 season. 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)?

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

The 1920s: The King’s Blues

A new series on Manchester City in the 1920s begins today with a 2,350 word subscriber article on the 1919-20 season. 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)?

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

Starting Tomorrow

Starting tomorrow a new series of articles and features on Manchester City in the 1920s. Some of these will be free to read by everyone while others will only be available to those who subscribe to the site on a monthly or annual basis. The 1920s was an important decade for Manchester’s Blues with title challenges, FA Cup finals and stadium moves.

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Which Club is ‘Manchester’?

Always a controversial question but back in the early 1900s there was only ever one answer and that was Manchester City who were often referred to as simply ‘Manchester’ in official publications for both City and their Manchester rivals. Here’s an image of the title section of the official programme which directly references ‘Manchester’ (meaning City) and Newton Heath.

Obviously, as there was no Manchester United then I guess it was inevitable that City would be known as Manchester to some. It just surprises me that an official publication for both clubs would use ‘Manchester’ so regularly. Presumably both clubs were happy with this. So if anyone asks ‘which club is Manchester? then the one both were happy to call Manchester must be in with a big shout!

On another topic… notice the opportunity to have your flask filled up at City’s headquarters, the Hyde Road Hotel, before the match? Imagine if that option was brought back at the Etihad!

An Arsenal Appreciation

In September 1924 the Manchester City match programme referred back to City’s welcome at Arsenal (Arsenal game was played on 1 September 1924). Apparently in the Arsenal programme City were described: ‘The Citizens have established an unfading popularity in London, and for more years than we care to recall they have upheld the best traditions of the highest class of football.’

It’s great to read how City were viewed back then, especially as in the last decade or so some connected with the London club have tried to imply City have ‘no history’ or little connection to the period before Arsenal won a major trophy (Arsenal’s first major trophy came in 1930; City’s first was in 1904). Views change over time of course.

Notice the use of the word ‘Citizens’ too. Often clubs, including City, used that nickname for the Blues.

If you’d like to know more about Manchester City in the 1920s then have a read of this subscriber article on the 1924-25 season. 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)?

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City v Wolves: A Manchester City Goal After 14 Seconds!

It’s Wolves x Manchester City this weekend. There are plenty of features on games between the two clubs on my site such as this one… On 22 March) in 1958 City pulled off a surprise draw at eventual champions Wolves. The odds had been against City getting a point with the football world of the time assuming Champions-elect Wolves would easily defeat City. Amazingly, City took the lead after a mere 14 seconds. Here’s a description of the goal (it was an own goal! Is this the earliest own goal ever?):

Here’s the rest of the match report:

To find out more on this period in football then why not read my series on Manchester City in the 1950s. Here’s a 2,200 word article on the 1957-58 season. Enjoy!

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