Category Archives: Manchester City

40 Years Ago: David White’s Debut

Forty Years Ago Today (23 September 1986) David White made his debut for Manchester City. It had been a strange 24 hours after manager Billy McNeill had left the club for Aston Villa. White was the latest of City’s FA Youth Cup winning team to make a first team appearance and the Manchester Evening News report highlights him a little.

If you’re interested in knowing more, here’s a 2,500 word feature on the 1986-87 season for subscribers:

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Bobby Johnstone – Better than Carter, Doherty, Finney, Steele or Matthews?

On this day (22 September) in 1959 Manchester City’s Cup final hero Bobby Johnstone returned to his former club Hibernian after 50 goals in 137 first team appearances for the Blues. Here are a few details on him and a quote saying he was better than Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney & others. Enjoy…

At the start of that season there had been indications that 29 year old Johnstone was nearing the end of his Maine Road career.  He had made only 18 League appearances and scored four goals during the 1958-9 season and, although he was vital in a number of games, City were beginning to look to a future without him.  Les McDowall had already started looking at a nineteen year old striker playing for Huddersfield.  He appeared to offer a great deal, the only problem was the price.  City would have to pay a considerable amount to sign the young, exciting forward.  His name?  Denis Law. It would take McDowall some time to sign the youngster, but as the close season began he considered City’s strengths and weaknesses. City was in a period of transition.  Old campaigners like Johnstone were on their way out.  Indeed he left for a fee of £7,000 on this day in 1959.

Later Roy Warhurst, the City half-back signed from Birmingham during the 1957 close season, described the Scotsman as the greatest player he ever saw: ‘Johnstone was the greatest footballer I ever played with or against. I was 29 when I came to City and I’d seen all Britain’s best. But there was nobody to compare with Bobby, when he felt like turning it on. Not even Carter, Doherty, Finney, Billy Steele or Matthews. They couldn’t touch him.

‘My first game for City was a tour game in Holland. Bobby was brilliant. As the locals cheered him off the park I kept thinking “this is some great outfit I’ve joined.”  It was the greatest display I’ve seen from any player that night.’

It is widely known about Bobby’s goals in the 1955 & 1956 FA Cup finals but here’s a couple in a thrilling game v Newcastle in 1957. City lost 5-4 but it’s well worth watching for the drama of it all. Look out for the crowd scenes, especially the exaggerated acting by a lad after about 1min 25 seconds who spills his drink!

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/man-city-v-newcastle-aka-manchester-city-4-v-newca

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Manchester 1840-1919 (Part Seven)

Every Monday I’m posting a section from my book ‘The Emergence of Footballing Cultures: Manchester 1840-1919’. It tells the story of the origins of men’s football in Manchester and discusses the birth of both City and United plus the clubs that predated them such as Hulme Athenaeum, Manchester AFC, Birch etc. Today’s section is the sixth chapter of the book (a 10,000 word section). This focuses on the earliest Manchester entrants in the FA Cup, as well as Ardwick AFC and Newton Heath.

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Fred Williams

Here’s a cutting from the City match programme in October 1938 with a letter from the son of 1890s City star Fred Williams who was reporting his father’s death to the club. Williams made his debut on 28 November 1896 and went on to play 129 games for the club scoring 38 goals. He was only 63 when he died. You can read about his debut season below…

This is an article on Manchester City in 1896-97 and is available to subscribers:

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Manchester City v Sunderland

It’s City v Sunderland today. the first meeting between these clubs was a 2-1 City win in December 1899. The legendary Billy Meredith scored one of City’s goals that day. There have been cup finals, charity shield games and key matches in the League. Many of these are featured on this site. Here’s a link to all the articles tagged Sunderland:

https://gjfootballarchive.com/tag/sunderland

Brightwell and Moulden Score in Front of 8,071

Today’s the anniversary of a memorable day at Chelsea when a crowd of 8,071 (imagine the seat counters if that occurred today) at Stamford Bridge watched Manchester City defeat Chelsea 3-1. Here’s some film of the day when City’s former FA Youth Cup winners Ian Brightwell (scored 2) and Paul Moulden scored:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X42HrZYvH74

You can read more on this season below if you subscribe. This article is a 4,100 word feature on the 1988-89 season. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is the last on the 1980s as we tell the story of the 1989-90 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald

Steve Daley, MCFC Player of the Month

Over the years much has been said about Steve Daley and his time at Manchester City with many myths developing. While his price tag had a direct impact on his performances it is unfair to suggest that he achieved nothing (which is often said these days!) during his time at City. This image actually shows something positive and is a nice reminder that late in 1979 he was viewed so positively that he was acclaimed as City’s player of the month for November. Presumably his match winner v Bolton that month played its part.

Obviously, things like this are subjective but I do believe the wider narrative of him as a ‘failed’ player developed simply because the media focus on how expensive he was was overwhelming. As fans we were told that he HAD to deliver game after game because of his price (think about how that narrative is used today and consider what happens when a player doesn’t perform as the highest level expected of him; how many times are we told ‘Haaland hasn’t had a touch yet!’ because it’s a story that some want to tell?). Steve Daley was for many, many years City’s record transfer. It wasn’t Daley’s fault his transfer was so expensive but it was something that was always hurled at him if he had a poor game. I interviewed him a few years back and we discussed his transfer, City fans and the ridiculous spending City did. It was great to interview Steve and I enjoyed it immensely, helping fill in some gaps.

This interview is available to subscribers below.

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Kaziu Deyna v Manchester United

A few days ago I posted an image of Deyna on the cover of a City monthly magazine published during 1979-80 (see image below). Now here’s another photo from that magazine showing Kazimierz Deyna in action. This photo shows him during the Manchester derby of 10 November 1979 when City beat United 2-0 (goals from Tony Henry and Mike Robinson). United players Kevin Moran and Mickey Thomas are there too of course.

Back in 2003 I wrote this profile of former Manchester City player and Polish World Cup star Deyna. He was such an important and unusual signing at the time he joined City in November 1978 that I feel this article is still appropriate and of interest to subscribers to my blog today.

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A European Cup First

On this day (18 September) in 1968 Manchester City’s first European Cup fixture against Fenerbahce ended goalless at Maine Road.  This was the first time two British clubs from the same city had competed in the European Cup. Here’s a match report of the City game:

Francis Lee (left) and Mike Summberbee (right) threaten the Fenerbahce goal in City’s first European Cup tie in 1968.

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Stockport to Play Wednesday at Maine Rd

Forty years ago today (17 September 1986) it was announced that Stockport’s home game with Sheffield Wednesday would be moved to Maine Road on police advice, as the capacity of Edgeley Park was only around 5,000. I went to the game but there were only 2,089 there (so much for them moving it!) as Wednesday won 7-0 on 6 October 1986.