It’s City v Tottenham today. The two teams first met in a FA Cup tie in January 1909 with the first League game coming at White Hart Lane on 27 December 1910. City’s first scorer in a League match with Spurs was John Smith, who netted in that first League game (a 1-1 draw). Smith played in only 18 League games (scoring 6) for City.
There are plenty of articles on my website concerning games between City and Tottenham, and here’s a link to the heatwave game played on 27 September 1913:
Good luck to Inter Milan tonight. Their fans were excellent in Istanbul two years ago when I was there to watch Manchester City win the Champions League for the first time. I hope Inter do it tonight.
If all goes to plan today (20 May 2025) will see Kevin De Bruyne play his last competitive home game for Manchester City. KDB has been a wonderful player for City and my feature in tonight’s match programme highlights this. I try to consider the thorny question of ‘greatest player of all time’.
It’s an impossible question to answer but I’d really appreciate your views. Where does Kevin fit in City’s list of greatest all-time players? Better than Bell, Doherty, David Silva, Aguero etc? What’s you view?
It’s the men’s FA Cup final today. For those wanting to read content in preparation for the big game here are all the articles/features on my site that are tagged ‘Crystal Palace’ and all those tagged ‘FA Cup’. Enjoy:
Manchester City Women will compete in the inaugural World Sevens Football tournament in Portugal this month.
City are the latest top-flight team announced to take part, completing the line-up alongside FC Rosengard (Sweden), Paris Saint Germain (France), Roma (Italy), Benfica (Portugal), Bayern Munich (Germany), Manchester United (England) and Ajax (Netherlands).
The tournament will take place from May 21 to 23 at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota in Estoril.
Manchester City Women will travel to Portugal this month to compete in the first-ever World Sevens Football (W7F) tournament.
Taking place at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra in Estoril, Portugal from 21 May to 23 May, City join seven other top-flight teams in the seven-a-side competition.
Beginning with a two-day group phase, a knockout stage and final will then determine the first-ever W7F champion on the third day of competition.
It means City could play up to five 30-minute games depending on progress, with the full line-up of eight teams confirmed as FC Rosengard, Paris Saint Germain, Roma, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Benfica and Manchester United.
Interim head coach Nick Cushing will lead a side made up from the first team playing squad, giving a blend of international experience and youth talent a chance to shine on a new stage.
Manchester City Women Director of Football, Therese Sjogran, said: “The tournament is an exciting new competition for the women’s game, and, as a Club that continually looks to blaze the trail, we are proud to be part of this milestone moment from the beginning.
“We look forward to bringing our players to Portugal.”
Adrian Jacob, Head of Football, W7F, added: “With these final four teams, we’ve assembled a line-up that reflects some of the very best of women’s football clubs renowned for their ambition, skill, and global fanbases.
“The W7F tournament will deliver a new kind of football: fast, fearless, and packed with world-class talent. Fans can expect every match to be a showcase of innovation and intensity. We can’t wait to see these teams light up Estoril and inspire the next generation of players and supporters.”
Kelley O’Hara, W7F Player Advisory Council member, continued: “It is so exciting to finally announce the final four teams joining our inaugural World Sevens Football tournament, kicking off in just a few short weeks.
“These top-tier clubs are setting the tone for what’s to come, and I can’t wait to see their players take the pitch for what promises to be really supercharged and competitive football. Having them on board is a huge statement and the best part is we’re just getting started!”
Tomorrow brings the 2025 FA Cup semi final between Manchester City and Nottingham Forest at Wembley – I’m always pleased that my team has reached Wembley but I do wish FA Cup semi finals were played at neutral League grounds instead! For many fans the timing and cost of a Wembley semi final are simply too much. Sadly, I don’t think they’ll ever change that now. Reaching the semi does give opportunity to remember past Wembley trips. A few years back I made this special audio recording talking about the years building up to the 2011 FA Cup semi and the day itself from a Manchester City perspective. Many of you have listened to this already but if you haven’t then it tells the story of the 2011 FA Cup semi final and the years between 1976 and that moment in 2011 for City.
I included audio from interviews I did with a variety of people including Khaldoon, Peter Swales, Garry Cook, Brain Marwood and many others.
If you have heard it before then maybe you should listen again to remind yourself of how we all felt and why that game was so significant.
I included a few words from Roberto Mancini recorded in 2011 and at one point he talks about the view that was then being expressed that City were ‘trying’ to buy success (now they say City ‘have’ bought success!). His words are a reminder that City have been having that particular criticism thrown at them for well over a decade! Oh well, I wonder how long those criticisms were laid at other clubs who had seen major investment which propelled them forward?
Anyway, get yourself a brew and be prepared to be transported back in time. Here’s the recording:
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Good luck to Manchester City in tonight’s women’s Champions League quarter final second leg at Chelsea. Fingers crossed the 2-0 first leg is enough (or can be added to!).
Good luck to Manchester City in today’s Women’s League Cup Final at Derby’s Pride Park. The game kicks off at 12.15 and sees Blues boss Nick Cushing look to capture the first major silverware of the season.
The final is live on BBC One from 11:45, with live radio commentary from 12:00 on BBC 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, and text commentary on BBC Sport website.
Of course City and Chelsea have met before in the League Cup final. You can read this article I did a few years ago on that and on City’s first League Cup success here:
I’m not certain how many match going fans realise how close the site of Manchester City’s is to the site of Manchester United’s old Bank Street ground. The Reds moved back in 1910 to Old Trafford and the site is now the home of the BMX indoor centre. You can see the old ground on the right of the old map below (c.1910), while City’s current Etihad Stadium can be seen in the middle of the newer map. A few other things to look out for:
Rowsley Street still exists (this is the road that cars turn on to just before the main access road which heads towards the main entrance of the Etihad.
Philips Park, the river, the railway, canal and main roads remain.
Part of the Electricity works complex still survives, near the Velodrome. As does part of the gas works, north west of the Etihad.
Present day Alan Turing Way is a slightly modified Mill Street/Grey Mare Lane. Forge Lane is now within the car parking area, east of the stadium, but the Forge Lane bridge over the canal still exists between the Co-op Live arena and the car parks (to the east of Joe Mercer Way’s more modern bridge).
Tonight’s it’s Tottenham v City. The two teams first met in a FA Cup tie in January 1909 with the first League game coming at White Hart Lane on 27 December 1910. City’s first scorer in a League match with Spurs was John Smith, who netted in that first League game (a 1-1 draw). Smith played in only 18 League games (scoring 6) for City.
There are plenty of articles on my website concerning games between City and Tottenham, and here’s a link to the heatwave game played on 27 September 1913:
Gary James' Football Archive 