Category Archives: Seasons

Aguero’s 200th (& 201st) Goal

Today (5 August) in 2018 Sergio Aguero scored his 200th and 201st goals for Manchester City as they defeated Chelsea 2-0 in the Community Shield. You can watch the goals here:

https://www.mancity.com/citytv/match-highlights/2018/august/chelsea-v-man-city-community-shield-extended-match-highlights

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1904 or 1926 FA Cup Train: The Answer

A few days ago I asked for train enthusiasts to help identify a train so that I could work out whether this photo I was given about twenty years ago was from 1904 or 1926. The person who gave it to me was certain it was from 1904 but someone else suggested 1926. Personally I had no idea whether it was either year but I hoped someone out there could help. Obviously, the year of construction could help identify the year the photo was taken. Well, the call for help worked and various people contacted me with suggestions.

John Nisbet found a piece on the engine and wrote to me after identifying the train numbers 349: ‘I found this with a search showing a loco with the number 349. It mentions that it was withdrawn after a 35 year working life which suggests it was built around 1922 ish.’

If that’s true then the train was not around in 1904 and therefore the image seems to be more likely to be 1926.

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Peter Barnes MCFC Return?

On this day (2nd August) in 1981 the Sunday Mirror published an interview with Peter Barnes saying he would return to Manchester City if he could. The player was at WBA and, following Ron Atkinson’s move to Manchester United, it looked like Peter was to move from the Hawthorns.m

Both City and Leeds United seemed interested. This article from 1981 talked of Barnes’ final days at Maine Road two years earlier. Of course this time is extensively covered in my book The Peter Barnes Authorised Biography which is now available direct from most bookshops. If yours doesn’t stock it then let them know they can get hold of it from their usual supplier or direct from me.

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David James

On this day (1 August) in 1970 former Manchester City and England goalkeeper David James was born in Welwyn. Here for subscribers is a profile of James:

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United’s First Homecoming Led By City Man

This is an important photo of Manchester United’s first homecoming parade in 1909. The Reds had won the FA Cup and City director Albert Alexander (senior) was asked by United to lead the homecoming parade. City had won the same cup in 1904 and Alexander had led that parade, so the decision was taken to show continuity between the two trophy successes (the first for each club).

Alexander is the man who supplied the carriages and horses and can be seen on this photo holding the reins in between manager Ernest Mangnall and United star Charlie Roberts.

I met and interviewed Albert’s grandson Eric quite a few times over the years – on one occasion Eric took me on a tour of the Isle of Man where he lived and where he acted as an official in the island’s famous TT races. Eric was a wonderful ambassador for City and football in general. He was rightly proud of his family’s direct involvement in the fortunes of City from the 1890s through to the modern era. Eric’s grandfather held almost every position at the club, including acting manager in 1925-26 (taking City to Wembley) and Eric’s father, Albert junior, was chairman when City achieved tremendous success in the 1960s and early 1970s. Albert junior had been a programme seller back in early 1900s too!

Eric was chairman after his father and had to make way for Peter Swales in 1973. You can read more on the Alexanders across this site (use the search or tags).

United and City were close throughout the lives of both Alberts with Matt Busby once asking Albert junior to be a director at Old Trafford (he declined saying City was his club). A seat was reserved for Albert junior at every United home game.

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Ralph Brand

On this day (30 July) in 1965 it was reported that new Manchester City manager Joe Mercer was trying to sign Scottish international Ralph Brand. Brand was to be one Joe’s first signing at City (people often incorrectly claim Mike Summerbee was his first signing).

Any Train Experts Able To Help?

About twenty years ago I was given this photo of a train dressed to take Manchester City to the FA Cup Final. The person who gave it to me was certain it was from 1904 but someone else suggested 1926. Personally I have no idea whether it was either year but hopefully someone out there can help. Is anyone able to work out whether the train itself would’ve been around in 1904 or 1926? Obviously, the year of construction could help identify the year the photo was taken. Any help appreciated.

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Newton Heath Victoria Ladies and Billy Meredith

My research into women’s football in Manchester continues to try and find teams, clubs and women who played football at some point in the region’s history. People often narrow down Manchester’s women’s football history into one or two clubs and that’s unfair on the thousands of women who played football in the conurbation from the 1800s through to today. Obviously, I’ve published books on the Manchester Corinthians and Manchester City and a booklet on the borough of Trafford, but these are really just representative of the depth of football being played and organised by women. In the fifties for example I’ve presented at conferences on multiple clubs that played regularly in the city. Elsewhere on this site you’ll also find Steve Bolton’s wonderful research into Manchester Ladies – a team that predated the Corinthians.

The Corinthians are remarkable and I’d urge everybody to read their story (get it from a library if you don’t fancy buying it) but so are all the others. At least one other Manchester women’s team toured Europe in the 1950s for example.

Which brings me on to this photo. It shows a team from Newton Heath around the First World War but notice who is also on the photograph… The great Billy Meredith (far right) who, at this time, was back with City coaching and playing. He was officially still a United player but had fallen out with them about payments he believed he was still owed from his benefit match. After the war he had to return to United as they held his contract but during the war he chose to play for City and also took time out to coach at least one women’s team.

I’d love to know more about this team from Newton Heath (and others in the region of course). I believe a Manchester City director was also the founder of the team but I don’t yet have absolute proof.

If you’re aware of women’s teams from the region prior to 1980 or know of women who played in the 1940s-1960s or for the Manchester Corinthians then please let me know. For the Corinthians I’m keen to develop my database of players with the aim of ensuring as many as I can identify are recorded. Thanks.

Record Average Crowds

I’ve not done one of these for a while but I know they always prompt a bit of debate, so here goes… a feature on Manchester City FC attendances. It is a fact that the Blues have, generation after generation, been one of the English game’s top attractions. Like all – and I do mean all – English clubs there have been some average attendance lows over the years, but when the entire history of Manchester City is reviewed and the club’s average figures are compared with the national average it is clear that the Blues have consistently been one of football’s most attractive draws.  Take a look at the following:

  • Since the beginning of the Football League in 1888 only nine sides have topped the table for average attendances.  In chronological order of their first appearance at the top of the average table they are: Everton (1888-9), Villa (1898-99), Newcastle (1904-05), Chelsea (1907-08), Tottenham (1909-10), City (1910-11), Liverpool (1922-23), Arsenal (1929-30), & Manchester United (1956-57) 
  • As early as 1895-96 City were the third best supported side in the entire League despite being a Second Division side.  Only First Division sides Everton & Aston Villa could better the Blues.  Modern day giants Arsenal were 10th; Liverpool were 19th; United were 21st and Chelsea had yet to exist.
  • In 1900-01 City were the 2nd best supported side in the entire League with only 400 people separating Villa (1st) and City 
  • The 1910-11 season saw Manchester’s Blues top the attendance charts for the first time.  City’s average was 26,000 and was the 8th highest average of all time at that point (all clubs, all seasons). 
  • Regularly amongst the best supported sides throughout the inter war period, City’s average exceeded 37,000 for the first time in 1927-28 when the Blues established a record average crowd for the Second Division.  This was also the entire League’s highest.
  • In 1947-48 City’s average crowd exceeded 42,000 for the first time.  Prior to that season only Chelsea (1919-20 & 1946-7), Arsenal (1934-5, 1936-7, 1937-8, & 1946-7) , Newcastle (1946-7), Liverpool (1946-7), United (1946-7), and Wolves (1946-7) had exceeded that figure.
  • From 1975 to relegation in 1983 City were always one of the top 4 best supported sides, usually third behind United and Liverpool.
  • Since the 1980s whenever City have played outside of the top division, they have tended to be the best supported side in that division.  
  • Since moving to their current home in 2003, the increased capacity has allowed City to re-establish itself as one of best supported clubs again. Maine Road’s capacity from 1994 onwards was extremely low compared to the club’s entire history and prevented the Blues from staging games in front of attendances of approximateley 35,000 upwards.

In general many people believe success increases support, and while that is undoubtedly true to some extent, for City it is often periods of adversity that prove the loyalty of the Club’s fans.  It is highly significant, for example, that the first time City were the best supported side in the entire League (1910-11) Manchester United (6th best supported side) won the League title for the second time in 3 seasons.

Similarly, in 1925-26 when City were the best supported side in Division One and had established a new record average, the Blues were actually relegated.  This coupled with significant poverty and hardship in Manchester at the time should have reduced support but loyalty increased!  In my book “Manchester A Football History” I explore the relationship between attendances and Manchester’s major sides and it is fair to say that City fans can feel immensely proud of their loyalty throughout the history of the game.  Something that cannot be said by all of the League’s biggest names.  

In fact, it is worth highlighting that City have never been the worst supported side in their division but, of today’s so-called giants, Arsenal (1912-13 – average = 9,100) and Manchester United (1930-31 – average = 11,685) have.  City’s worst average of the Twentieth Century came in the desperate 1964-65 season and was 14,753 (half the average of 1960-61 and a 3rd of the 1957-8 figure).  However it is significant that for every League season City’s average has always been above the divisional average and, apart from 17 seasons, has always been in the top 11 nationally.  Again, few of today’s giants can’t say that – United’s 20th Century low stands at 4,650 and Chelsea averaged 15,731 as recently as 1988-89. In fact City’s lowest League attendance is more than double United’s lowest League attendance at Old Trafford (United have several crowds of less than 4,000 at Old Trafford, including top flight games; City’s lowest in the League was a little over 8000 in the second tier).

For fans average attendances are often used as an indicator of size of club and so a number of people over the years have tried to produce a definitive ‘all-time’ attendance table.  Several years ago analysis by a member of the Association of Football Statisticians claimed that if stadium capacity was not an issue for any club City would be the fourth biggest side in terms of attendance.  That analysis compared postwar attendance detail with performance on the pitch.  

In 2002 writer Brian Tabner calculated an all-time attendance table based on each club’s average attendance position during seasons 1925-2002.  His top ten were:  Arsenal, Liverpool, United, Everton, Tottenham, Newcastle, City, Chelsea, Villa and Sunderland.  Since 2002 several clubs have increased their capacities of course and this will have a positive impact on each club’s standing in a more up to date analysis.   

Figures can be manipulated in many different ways, but City should feel proud that they have many attendance firsts that can never be matched by today’s perceived biggest clubs.  

The Seasons City Have Topped the Divisional Charts

The following figures show the seasons when City were the best supported side in their division and the Club’s highest individual crowd that season.  Those crowds marked in italics were also the highest individual crowds for the entire division that season (crowds pre-1925 are inconsistently recorded and so have not been highlighted).  It is fair to say that when an average crowd is within 4,000 of the highest then the stadium is likely to have been full for the majority of games with the size of away support varying.     

Average         Season          Highest Crowd                                  

10,000            1895-96         30,000 (Liverpool)                

10,000            1898-99         25,000 (N. Heath)    

16,000            1902-03         30,000 (United)        

18,275            1909-10         40,000 (Oldham)

26,000            1910-11         40,000 (Liverpool)    

21,000            1914-15         40,000 (Oldham)

32,000            1925-26         62,994 (United)

30,848            1926-27         49,384 (Bradford C)

37,468            1927-28         59,500 (Preston)

31,715            1928-29         61,007 (United)

35,016            1950-51         45,842 (Hull)

27,739            1965-66         47,171 (Huddersfield)

24,220            1984-85         47,285 (Charlton)

23,500            1988-89         40,070 (Chelsea)

26,753            1996-97         30,729 (Oldham)

28,273            1998-99         32,471 (York)

32,001            1999-00         33,027 (Blackburn)

33,059            2001-02         34,657 (Portsmouth)

With the increase in capacity at the Etihad coming this year it will be interesting to see how attendances develop. No doubt I’ll post more on this as the season progresses. Undoubtedly City will establish a new record average attendance in 2026-27.

Rev Arthur Connell

Here’s a photo of the Rev Arthur Connell who was the rector at St Mark’s Church in West Gorton when the boys of the parish established the club’s first association football team. That team continued (via a number of incarnations, reformations etc.) to become Ardwick AFC, the predecessor of Manchester City. Arthur and his family established many pioneering activities in the parish with the hope of improving the lives of ordinary working class inhabitants. Savings banks, libraries, soup kitchens etc. It was a grim life for many at the time. I’ve written about this extensively over the years and much can be found elsewhere on this site. Why not subscribe and read everything? Here’s another image of Connell, a bit younger here.

Arthur Connell
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