Here’s an image I’ve rediscovered in my collection of Manchester City manager Billy McNeill and his assistant Jimmy Frizzell. McNeill was City boss from 1983 until 1986 and was followed by Frizzell, who then remained at Maine Road in one capacity or another for many, many years. I liked Billy McNeill but was devastated when he chose to leave City for Aston Villa in 1986. Years later when I interviewed him he told me it had been a big mistake leaving Maine Road. He was right! Both City and Villa were relegated at the end of the 1986-87 season and I can’t help thinking Billy would have found success at City had he stayed.
Category Archives: 1985-86
40 Years Ago: ‘We Want Wham’ (SWFC v MCFC)
Forty years ago today (21 December in 1985) the humour of Manchester City fans was in evidence at Sheffield Wednesday. That day I was stood in the away section behind the goal and Wednesday led 3-1 at half time. City had taken the lead via Mark Lillis in the 13th minute but Wednesday had equalised a minute later (Thompson) then taken the lead (future Blue Gary Megson, 25 mins & Sterland 42 mins). It didn’t look like it was to be City’s day but City fans were in good spirit overall. As the players trudged off the guy running the PA system put on ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham. The song had been released the previous year. A few City fans began moving to the music and there was a bit of laughter. Then the music stopped on the PA as the announcer began reading out the half time scores. City fans immediately began booing.
Then the chant ‘We want Wham!’ started to boom out from the Leppings Lane End and the boos and chanting grew louder and louder. It was one of those surreal football moments. When he’d finished reading out the half times the PA announcer, still drowned out to some extent by our chant of ‘We want Wham!’ said: ‘And now, just for the Man City fans it’s back to Wham and Last Christmas!’
The away section cheered and then what had been a small group of fans bopping along to the song initially was now a significant part of the away section.
I don’t know who the PA announcer was but he certainly ‘got’ the mood of the day and helped create one of those odd, surreal football fan moments that rarely get reported.
The game ended 3-2 to Wednesday after Neil McNab scored City’s second in the 66th minute before a Hillsborough crowd of 23,177. Here’s my programme from the game:
If you’d like to know more about Manchester City at this time, here’s a 2,500 word subscriber feature on the 1985-86 season. Enjoy!
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40 Years Ago Today: MCFC Wembley Bound
Forty years ago today (11 December 1985) a 2-0 victory (3-2 on aggregate) by Billy McNeill’s Manchester City over Brian Horton’s Hull sent the Blues to Wembley for the inaugural Full Members’ Cup Final. City’s scorers at Maine Road were David Phillips and Jim Melrose before the largest crowd (by any club) of the entire tournament, excluding the final, of 10,180. Here’s a contemporary report by Patrick Barclay of the game:
You can read more on the Full Members Cup and what it was all about here:
Top Two Divisions Attendances and Table From 40 Years Ago!
Last week I posted the top flight attendances for this last week forty years ago and this led to a number of comments/questions and so to answer some of those I’ve now posted the top two divisions attendances together with the two League tables AND the end of season average attendances. People asked for clarity on how the figures compared to the second tier and whether League position played its part in affecting crowds. As a reminder here’s last week’s attendances…
And here’s this week’s (published 24 November 1985) and the League table too.
Obviously, these are only snapshots from that season but to add a bit more context here are the end of season averages here are the top 46 best supported clubs in order that season (hopefully it might make those who sing songs like ‘Where Were You?’ think about the crowds at their own clubs first):
A few notable League positions for those who do sing ‘Where Were You?’… The top eight clubs in the League were: Liverpool (champions), Everton, West Ham, Man Utd, Sheff Wed, Chelsea, Arsenal and Forest. Manchester City (who were 4th best supported club) were 15th (only 4 points above relegation zone), Spurs were tenth, Newcastle 11th and Aston Villa 16th.
In the Second Division best supported club Sunderland were 18th (avoiding relegation by 4 points); the top four were Norwich, Charlton, Wimbledon and Portsmouth.
If you’d like to know more about Manchester City at this time, here’s a 2,500 word subscriber feature on the 1985-86 season. Enjoy!
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Attendances 40 Years Ago!
These two results tables for top flight football in November 1985 make interesting reading. I’ve included the details published today (17 November, for games played the previous day) in 1985 and also the week after’s details too. This gives an idea of what the top clubs were attracting back then. Notice West Ham’s game attracted more at home than Arsenal’s and that Liverpool were over 26,000 less than Manchester United. Arsenal’s crowd was 6,000 less than struggling Manchester City and Tottenham attracted more than Arsenal too. Reigning League champions Everton were some way ahead of the London clubs and only about 600 behind Liverpool. Obviously, these are only snapshots from two weekends but hopefully it might make those who sing songs like ‘Where Were You?’ think about the crowds at their own clubs first.
the Marwood scoring for Sheffield Wednesday was of course Brian Marwood who went on to play a key part in Manchester City’s modern return to glory. If you’d like to know more about Manchester City at this time, here’s a 2,500 word subscriber feature on the 1985-86 season. Enjoy!
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Forty Years Ago Today: Nottingham Forest v Manchester City
15,140 watched as Manchester City defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0 at the City Ground on 16 November 1985. The scorers were Paul Simpson and Clive Wilson. This photo shows City ‘keeper Eric Nixon and Forest defender Aiden Butterworth and clearly City managed to end this Forest attack. Nixon kept a clean sheet that day of course!
If you’d like to know more about City at this time, here’s a 2,500 word subscriber feature on the 1985-86 season. Enjoy!
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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1986-87 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:
The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald
40 Years Ago Today: David White
David White signed professional forms for Manchester City on this day (30 October) in 1985. You can find several articles that mention David throughout this website. Start looking here:
City Crisis!
Forty years ago (published on 25 October 1985) the Daily Mirror covered the staggering news that Manchester City’s financial crisis meant that they were paying £1,000 a day in bank loan interest alone. How times change!
The 1980s was a truly important decade in the history of Manchester City Football Club and you can find out more on this season (and why the club was in debt) by reading the following 2,500 word feature on 1985-86 (available to subscribers). Enjoy!
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Trautmann Coaches in Pakistan
40 years ago today (23 October 1985) it was reported that the former Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann was going to coach in Pakistan. Back then Trautmann worked as a kind of footballing ambassador on behalf of West Germany and he also coached in Africa for a while.
Steve Staunton for Manchester City?
Forty years ago (4 October 1985) it was reported in Drogheda that their talented local footballer Stephen Staunton was being watched by Manchester City. The feeling was that the player may be signed by the Blues, however when City were due to watch him play in a second game (a specially arranged match) the scout had to cancel his trip at the last minute!
Defender Steve Staunton signed for Liverpool a year later and eventually became most famous for his time at Aston Villa and with the Republic of Ireland.
Gary James' Football Archive 