Category Archives: Seasons

The 1980s: Why Did Bond Sit In The Directors’ Box?

It’s December 1980 and the City match programme’s letters page contained this letter about new City boss John Bond. Back then many managers would prefer to sit in the directors’ box at games as it would give them a good view and John Bond chose to do that for many games during his opening months as manager (often throughout his actual time at City to be fair). It wasn’t so unusual but this fan wanted to understand why and wrote to the City programme looking for an answer.

It’s actually the sort of question that would seem more appropriate today as few managers ever really spend time in the directors’ box. I certainly wouldn’t expect Pep to sit up there on a regular basis.

Just one of the many things that has changed over the decades. The letter writer claimed that Malcolm Allison never sat in the directors’ box – that’s not true. There are plenty of occasions in the 60s & 70s when Allison sat up there.

You can find out more on the 1980s, John Bond (including a fairly frank audio interview I did with him years ago) and City elsewhere on this website. Subscribers get access to a lot of extra content. To subscribe see the following:

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The 1980s: Redmond Double

Today’s 1980s flashback is to a game that ends 2-2 after Manchester City had twice gone behind to Coventry. It’s from this day (21 December) in 1986 and the goalscorer who twice saved City from possible defeat is defender Steve Redmond. Watch the highlights here on a video clip that contains no commentary (MCFC in red and black). I was at the game that day as this was my first trip to Coventry City and I am stood in the away section to the right of the screen in the open end (far right). Sadly, the away section is not visible but I remember this as a good away following.

My series on the 1980s highlights a truly important decade in the history of Manchester City Football Club. You can read about this period in the following article – it is a 2,500 word feature on the 1986-87 season. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1987-88 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald

The 1980s: Reeves Goal V Leeds

Continuing the series of articles covering the 1980s. Today’s is an on this day (20 December) from 1980 when Kevin Reeves scored a City goal at Maine Road against Leeds United. City are wearing their popular all blue (and white numbers etc.) kit. You can see Reeves’ goal here:

The game ended 1-0 and if you’d like to know more about that season then why not subscribe and read the following ten thousand word long read on the 1980-81 season. Enjoy!

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Manchester City V Real Madrid, 19 December 1979

On this day (19 December) in 1979 Manchester City’s first meeting with Real Madrid occurred. Back then it was viewed as a prestigious friendly, or at least that’s what it was supposed to be, but it turned out to be a controversial game with implications for the Blues for some time. Here’s an 1800 word article with images of that game and the controversy surrounding it.

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The 1980s: Season’s Greetings

Continuing the series focusing on Manchester City in the 1980s here’s a nice Christmassy themed programme cover from today (18 December) in 1982. If you’re wondering City’s sponsor was SAAB and this was the first season of shirt sponsorship at Maine Road.

The day’s opponents were Brighton and the game ended 1-1 (Kevin Bond scoring for the Blues). Bond is the player on the far left of this photo. Notice Joe Corrigan (far right)… I get the impression he’s muttering ‘what is the game coming to? Cars on the pitch… there’ll be referees sat in a room miles away awarding a penalty after a perfectly good save is judged to be a foul, by someone sat watching a telly next!’

If you want to know more about this period then why not subscribe? As well as all the other benefits you could read the following 3,500 word feature on the 1982-83 season. Enjoy (well, if you know the outcome of this season you can enjoy this memory refresh while reflecting on the modern day successes of the Blues!).

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1983-84 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald

Forward as Goalkeeper for 3/4 of Game v Chelsea

I love this cutting showing Manchester City striker Eric Brook in nets, deputising for the Blues’ injured keeper. It looks like Brook had a bandana on his head here too! The photo was taken on this day (December 17) in 1932 when the Blues faced Chelsea.

You can read the match report here. City were losing 1-0 when Nicholas was injured 15 minutes into the match and the scoreline became even more convincing as the game progressed. However this report (from a London edition of a national newspaper) states that City were the better team in both halves.

The 1980s: Full Members Final?

Today’s 1980s flashback is an on this day (17 December) from 1985 when newspapers carried the news that Full Members’ Cup finalists Manchester City and potential finalists Chelsea planned to meet to set a date for the competition’s final. These were strange days and I guess there are many younger fans who have no idea what the Full Members’ Cup was all about. Elsewhere on this site you can find material on it or you can read the article on this season below (see boxes on subscribing below).

The issue was that the competition needed a Wembley final to add some credibility to it and both City and Chelsea were determined this would take place at a weekend. The preferred date was 1 March 1986 but this required clubs to postpone fixtures as the article suggests. What was not realised on 17 December 1985 was that City’s opponents on 1 March would object. Why? Well, City’s opponents were Oxford and they were the team that Chelsea had to beat to reach the national final. Had Oxford won then it seems likely they would have had no objection to rearranging their League game with City, but once Chelsea beat them the chance of City getting their preferred date was never going to happen.

In the end the final was played on Sunday 23 March, the day after an Old Trafford Manchester derby!

The 1980s was a truly important decade in the history of Manchester City Football Club and you can find out more on this season by reading the following 2,500 word feature on 1985-86. 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

The 1980s: Kendall v Everton

Continuing this series of features covering the 1980s for Manchester City… Today it’s back to this day (17 December) in 1989 and Everton v Manchester City. It’s a goalless game but this match is important as it’s new City manager Howard Kendal’s return to Goodison right at the start of his MCFC career. You can watch a brief interview with Kendall before the match action. City wearing their maroon and white stripes away kit with maroon shorts here. Enjoy!

If you want to know more about that weekend and the entire 1989-90 season then become a subscriber and read the following 8,000 word article on that season. Enjoy!

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Today’s feature was one of many on the 1980s. I hope you’ve enjoyed them. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald

The 1980s: Machin’s Warning

The series of articles covering Manchester City in the 1980s continues today with a reminder of the day in 1988 manager Mel Machin warned the City team to be careful of Shrewsbury. See the newspaper article. The Blues were due to play them the day after this article (published on Friday 16 December 1988) was published. Anybody remember the score? I was in the Kippax that day and you can watch what happened here (look out for future Blue Carl Griffiths!):

That game was played on 17 December 1988. If you want to know more of the 1988-89 season for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read the following 4,100 word feature on the 1988-89 season. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is the last on the 1980s as we tell the story of the 1989-90 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald

The 1980s: Away v Charlton

Today’s 1980s flashback is a brief reminder of this day (15 December) in 1984 when a crowd of 5,568 witnessed Manchester City’s 3-1 victory at Charlton Athletic. This was a promotion season for City and the club’s goalscorers that day in the old Second Division (2nd tier) were Jim Melrose, David Phillips and Gordon Smith. The return game with Charlton was hugely significant.

You can find out more on this season and the rest of this important decade in the history of Manchester City Football Club by subscribing. The following subscriber article is a 2,600 word feature on the 1984-85 season. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1985-86 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald