On this day (4 April) in 1998 Shaun Goater scored his first goal for Manchester City. It came when City defeated near neighbours Stockport County 4-1 at Maine Road. As well as Goater’s first goal Richard Jobson also netted his first City goal while Lee Bradbury scored two.
While you’re here why not read this 9,500 word article on that season. It’s available to subscribers, so why not subscribe and relive this season and an extraordinary decade? As with all these 1990s subscriber features it contains material from interviews I’ve performed with key figures from that time.
Here’s the 9500 word article on that season:
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This series of articles and features will run throughout March with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. There will be flashbacks to great games, players and more. Every day in March will offer something to enjoy.
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Manager Roberto Mancini knew that victory over Sunderland on this day (3 April) in 2011 would lift Manchester City to third place in the League. Despite early season optimism that a League title could be possible that opportunity had faded and now the target, as far as the League was concerned, was to finish third or better. While fourth place would bring a Champions League play-off place, third would bring automatic qualification.
City took a ninth minute lead, but it wasn’t until Carlos Tevez doubled that lead via a penalty six minutes later that Mancini’s team looked in total control. An adventurous looking City pushed and pressed Sunderland and further chances came from Tevez and Balotelli before the break, but it remained 2-0. That changed in the second half as the Blues’ dominance brought reward.
Three goals in ten minutes made this an extremely positive day with City looking at their absolute best. In the 63rd minute a shot from Balotelli rebounded for David Silva to send home the rebound. Four minutes later Aleksandar Kolarov fired across goal following a corner and Patrick Vieira slid in to steer the ball in at the back post. Vieira had only come on as substitute two minutes earlier.
The fifth and final goal was slotted in by Yaya Toure in the 73rd minute. The win meant third placed City were a point clear of fourth placed Chelsea (though they had a game in hand) and ten behind leaders United. Mancini’s team were six points clear of fifth placed Tottenham with seven games left for the Blues.
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60 years ago today (2 April 1966) Manchester City and Plymouth met in the Second Division. The game ended 1-1 with City’s goal coming from Johnny Crossan. Subscribers can read contemporary match reports below from a scrapbook on the entire 1965-66 season I have.
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On this day (1 April) in 2002 City won awy at Wolves during Kevin Keegan’s Division One title winning season. Shaun Wright-Phillips scored both goals. You can read the following 5,400 word article on the entire 2001-02 season:
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Today (31 March) is the anniversary of a 1971 European Cup Winners’ Cup between Manchester City and Gornik Zabrze played in Copenhagen. This was a replay after the earlier games had ended 2-2 on aggregate. Back then replays were used instead of penalty shootouts to decide games like this. For subscribers, here’s an article looking back at this day.
This 1500 word article is available for subscribers…
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On this day (30 March) in 1960 Manchester City defeated West Ham United 3-1 with goals from Colin Barlow, Denis Law and Billy McAdams. You can read more on this period for City with a series of articles posted on the 1950s and 1960s. Why not start with the following subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1959-60 season? If you’d like to read this 1200 word article, plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below).
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60 years ago today (29 March 1966) 60,349 watched a goalless FA Cup quarter final replay at Goodison Park between Everton and Manchester City. Once again City ‘keeper Harry Dowd was one of the star men but a curious team selection issue cropped up before the game. City striker Neil Young went down with flu on the way to the match. Then Ralph Brand turned down the chance to play as he believed he was not fit enough. Manager Joe Mercer turned to Matt Gray, but he couldn’t play because he didn’t have any boots! City looked for some size 8 boots but couldn’t find any. So Gray couldn’t play. Ultimately, Roy Cheetham managed to get to Goodison Park 15 minutes before kick off and took Young’s place.
Here for subscribers are match reports and details of that day:
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On this day (28 March) in 1964 legendary Bert Trautmann played his last competitive first team game for Manchester City. At the time he was the Blues’ record appearance holder with a total of 545 first team appearances. Sadly his final game ended in a 2-0 League defeat at Preston and the great man was beaten with a penalty scored by former Manchester United forward Alex Dawson. Brian Godfrey was the last player to score against Trautmann while he was a City first team player.
Interestingly the Guardian match report of the game mentions Trautmann a couple of times. Once when he accidentally kicked an opposition player and the other time it said that ‘Trautmann wears well and delighted the crowd with several fine saves.’ The Preston fans must have given him the kind of respect he deserved.
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.
100 years ago today (27 March 1926) the first all-Manchester FA Cup semi final occurred. You can see film of that game here and subscribers can read about the match below. Here’s the film from Bramall Lane:
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A hugely controversial away game at QPR on this day (27 March) in 1976 brought unsavoury headlines. Manchester City lost 1-0 to an 81st minute goal to the League leaders but that wasn’t the real issue this day, it was the extremely negative way the London club played. This all led to a controversial incident following an Asa Hartford tackle. The Belfast Newsletter reported: ‘The already tattered disciplinary reputation of the League leaders took another knock in the game with Manchester City at Loftus Road… In the 75th minute City’s Asa Hartford went in to tackle with foot held high, and Wolverhampton referee Terry Bosi immediately whistled for a foul. He was talking to Hartford when Thomas, not concerned in the original incident, ran a dozen yards to attack the City player from behind and pull his hair. Hartford retaliated with a blow, and within seconds other players were involved.’
Hartford was sent off much to the dismay of City fans, staff and most neutral journalists. The Sunday Express reported: ‘Don Masson kicked Hartford and Dave Thomas aimed a punch… the Rangers pair were lucky to escape without even a booking.’
After the game the rival managers, Tony Book and Dave Sexton, publicly argued in front of journalists about the physical nature of QPR and Hartford’s sending off.
The suspension of Hartford and an injury to Dave Watson led to selection issues for the away game at Stoke the following Friday. In the end a magnificent performance from youngster Paul Power was rightly praised in a goalless draw seen as a positive result in the circumstances.
Five days later a third successive away game saw City lose 2-1 to Bobby Robson’s Ipswich Town. Ipswich opened the scoring four minutes before half time, with Ged Keegan equalising in the 47th minute. Eleven minutes later Ipswich scored their winner and their pressure from then on disrupted every opportunity City had to search for an equaliser.
One point from three games led to Tony Book taking a decision that would excite the Maine Road faithful: Colin Bell was to return for the following game.
You can read more on the 1975-76 season with this 5,320 word article – a season which saw Tony Book guide the club to major success. If you want to know more on this incredible decade for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read it all? You could even subscribe for a month and see what you think. The following 5,320 word article is on the 1975-76 season and is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!
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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) to access everything posted since 1 October 2022 or there’s a special annual rate below which gives greater access and works out much cheaper.
Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (above) or £20 a year (here) to access everything posted since the site was created in December 2020. This special rate works out about £1.67 a week and gives access to everything posted, including PDFs of 3 of my books.
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.
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.
Gary James' Football Archive 