Category Archives: Players

Talking City: Ian Bishop

On this day (25th March) in 1998 Manchester City cult hero Ian Bishop returned to the club. Here subscribers can read an interview I did with the former Bournemouth, West Ham and City player in 2015. 

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You can also read about the 1989-90 season and Ian’s first spell with the club on this earlier post:

Manchester City Season 1989-90

Trevor Sinclair Interview

The first Manchester derby at Manchester City’s new stadium occurred on this date (14th March) in 2004. To mark this anniversary I’ve interviewed former City winger Trevor Sinclair. Trevor scored in that game, which the Blues won 4-1. Here he talks about being a City fan; signing for City; scoring the first competitive goal at the City Of Manchester Stadium (now Etihad); and the 4-1 derby. He also talks about the 3-1 victory over Manchester United in 2006 (again he scored); present day City and other memories. 

Here’s the audio from our chat (it lasts about 26 minutes so get yourself a brew and settle down to listen):

While you’re here I’d like to thank you for taking the time and trouble to visit my website. I have been researching and writing about Manchester football for a long time (no wonder I’m going grey!) with my first book published in 1989. I am not employed by anyone and no one pays me to do research or interviews like the one posted here. I do not have sponsorship either. I’ve set up this website to help share my 32 years plus writing and research.

From Wednesday, for subscribers I’ll be posting the entire hour long plus interview I did with Malcolm Allison about his first period at Manchester City. Here’s a brief clip from the interview (he’s talking about his relationship with Joe Mercer):

The intention is to develop the archive and to provide access to as much of my material as possible over the coming weeks, months & years. Subscribers can already access over 280 articles/posts including the entire Manchester A Football History book and an audio interview with former City boss John Bond I performed in 1995. My interview with Allison will also be available from Wednesday.

If you’d like to support my research and writing while benefitting from accessing all the content on here then it costs £20 a year (it works out £1.67 a month) or £3 if you’d like to sign up a month at a time (you get full access for as long as you subscribe).

If you enjoyed the interview posted here then please subscribe (see below) to access all the content and, over time, I’ll add other interviews too. Thanks for the support and interest in my work, Gary.

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Each subscriber gets full access to the 280+ articles posted so far and the hundreds scheduled to be posted in the coming months.

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If you would like to read about other Manchester derbies then check out this:

https://gjfootballarchive.com/category/manchester-derbies/

Ron Phoenix – 30/06/1929-09/03/2021

I have been informed by Matthew Phoenix that his father, Ron Phoenix died on 9th March from vascular dementia. Ron was on the books of both Manchester City and Manchester United, as well as Rochdale, Altrincham and Hyde. My thoughts are with Matthew and the rest of Ron’s family and friends. Here’s a brief summary of Ron’s career:

Ron Phoenix came from a footballing family. One brother, Eric, played for Knutsford, Hastings United, Gillingham and Exeter, while another brother, Jack, was a pre-WW2 amateur with Manchester United.

Prior to joining Manchester City in 1949 Ron had been a member of Matt Busby’s youth set up at Manchester United. The approach United took back then set the groundwork for youth systems in the decade that followed.

Ron made his City reserve debut as an amateur on Boxing Day 1949 at home to Huddersfield and he signed as a professional on 11th March 1950. At the time of his League debut (26th January 1952) he was playing as an inside-forward and he scored in the 2-2 draw at Arsenal. He kept his place for a prestigious friendly against River Plate FC from South America, this time at wing-half, and the following programme congratulated the youngster on two great displays against strong opposition.

Ron broke a leg against Newcastle in February 1953 having scored one of City’s goals in a 2-1 victory, and this injury sidelined him until the following season when he played mainly in the A team.

Despite the injury and other setbacks he did remain with the Blues until 1960, his most successful run of first team appearances as a wing-half coming in the latter half of the 1958-59 season. Sadly, family tragedy struck when in 1959 he tragically lost two children through illness.

Ron later moved on to Rochdale where he made 64 League appearances. At City he had made 52 League appearances (2 goals) & 2 FA Cup appearances. He’d also played 190 appearances in the reserves, scoring 15 goals.

My thoughts are with Ron’s family and friends.

Coming Soon – Peter Barnes Biography

I’ve been working with Peter Barnes since 2019 on his biography. This will cover his life & career and will be illustrated throughout. Personal items, such as Peter’s own artwork from school lessons (and earliest attempts at writing his autograph!), will appear in the book.

Written to a similar standard as my biography of Joe Mercer (Football With A Smile, first published in 1993, reprinted in 1994 and updated in 2010), this includes quotes from Peter throughout, alongside the views of players and managers.

This will, hopefully, prove to be a must have book for fans of Manchester City & United, West Bromwich Albion, Leeds United, Real Betis and the other clubs Peter played for.

Details will be revealed here later this year, but it is anticipated the book will be available before the end of the current football season (assuming Covid does not add any further delays). There will be the opportunity to subscribe to the book before publication (and get your name included in the subscriber section at the back of the book).

Watch this space!

First MCFC Goal Using Goal Line Technology

On this day (18th January) in 2014 Edin Dzeko netted Manchester City’s 100th competitive goal of the 2013-14 season.  

The goal was City’s opener against Cardiff and was also the first Premier League goal to be awarded after the use of goal line technology.  The Blues became the fastest team in history to reach 100 goals.

Aguero’s 250th and 251st Goals

On this day (18 January) in 2020 Manchester City looked set to take all three points against Crystal Palace when Sergio Aguero netted twice in five minutes late in the game but then Fernandinho diverted a ball from Zaha into the net in the last minute to end the game 2-2.

The Blues had gone behind six minutes before half time.

Aguero’s first goal came in the 82nd minute when he sent home a Gabriel Jesus cross. This was the Argentinian’s 250th goal for the Blues and five minutes later he netted his 251st when he headed home from a Benjamin Mendy delivery.

The game was, on the whole, somewhat frustrating for those of us in the 54,439 Etihad crowd and this was exacerbated when after the break City appeared to have been awarded a deserved penalty. Referee Graham Scott had pointed to the spot for a Jairo Riedewald handball, but then the video assistant referee overruled the decision. It was decided that a replay of the incident showed the ball had came off the defender’s foot first as he blocked Joao Cancelo’s cross. Few City fans were convinced of course!

As well as Aguero reaching 250 goals, the match saw another landmark as David Silva made his 300th Premier League appearance for City.

Highlights here:

https://www.mancity.com/citytv/match-highlights/2020/january/city-v-crystal-palace-extended-highlights

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This was just a taster of the content in GJFootballArchive.com. If you would like to read the in-depth, longer articles (including the entire Manchester A Football History book) then please subscribe below. It works out about £1.67 a month if you take out an annual subscription (£20 per year) or £3 a month if you’d like to sign up for a month at a time. Each subscriber gets full access to the 150+ articles posted so far and the hundreds scheduled to be posted in the coming weeks.

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On This Day 1953 and 1954…

On this day in 1953 Manchester City defeated Swindon Town 7-0 in the FA Cup third round at Maine Road.  The goalscorers were Hart (4), Broadis, Cunliffe, and Williamson.  

Exactly one year later future Manchester United and Manchester City full-back John Gidman was born in Garstang.  Gidman went on to make 123 first team appearances for United and 71 for City. He briefly became a cult hero at Maine Road by stating that City were the only side he would leave Old Trafford for at the time of his transfer in 1986.

Colin Bell Interview/Tribute

I did an interview for the Blue Moon Podcast the day after Colin Bell MBE passed away. It was an emotional morning of course. The guys at the podcast have made the entire interview free to listen to here:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/gary-james-pays-45924408

1974 Rodney Marsh Overhead Goal V QPR

Many goals over the years are described as the greatest ever by a City player.  Sometimes these become a talking point for a few days, sometimes for a few years but unless they happen to occur in a major trophy winning game goals tend to lose their significance as time moves on.  This is especially true for games prior to the 1990s when television coverage was limited to, at best, a handful of top flight games.

The idea of this piece today is to highlight a spectacular goal from the 1970s that has slipped from the minds of many.  

The goal featured here is Rodney Marsh’s overhead kick from the City-QPR Division One game of September 1974.  

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1977-78 Colin Bell’s Contribution To The Central League Title

When I interviewed Colin Bell a few years ago we talked about his many successes and triumphs as a player. He was as humble as ever. Then he told me something which surprised me a little and that was about Manchester City’s 1977-78 Central League title.

City’s reserve team played in the Central League back then and, due to his devastating injury, Colin played reserve games throughout that season as he pushed for full fitness. He started 22 of these games and scored five goals.

When I interviewed Colin he told me he was as pleased with this Central League success as he was with all his other medals. To him that season saw a return to competitive football and it was irrelevant whether it was a reserve league or the Football League. It mattered enormously.

Most obituaries and posts on Colin won’t talk about the 1977-78 Central League title but, as he was so keen to ensure he mentioned it to me all those years ago, I feel it’s appropriate to give it a little focus today.

His first Central League appearance of the 1977-78 season attracted almost 5,000 as many of us were determined to be there when he returned to action. For the record that game was v Huddersfield on 17th September 1977, attendance 4,921.

Colin was a wonderful player and man. Those of us who saw him play know what a great player he was; those of us who were privileged to meet him met a truly humble & wonderful human being. He was the King of our Kippax but was truly a legend of football at Bury, City and England. His name will always be remembered.

This image of my ledger for 1977-78 shows Colin in City’s Central League match records.