Category Archives: Manchester United

Manchester City’s First Overseas Born Player

Although most Mancunians were unaware at the time, one of the players with Ardwick AFC (Manchester City’s predecessors) was actually the first overseas international to play in the Football League.  Walter Bowman was born in Canada during 1862, and arrived in the British Isles in August 1888 as a Canadian international.  

The Canadians were playing a number of friendly fixtures against sides in Ireland, Scotland and England, and they even faced Newton Heath winning 2-0 with Bowman scoring.  Whether this appearance was witnessed by any of the Ardwick officials at the time isn’t known, but Bowman returned to Canada with his team mates shortly afterwards.

A second tour followed in 1891 – including a 3-1 Ardwick victory on 12th December 1891 – and Bowman remained behind after the rest of the Canadians had returned home.  He joined Accrington, making his debut in January 1892.  That match made him the first overseas international to play in the League and on 25 August 1892 he signed for Ardwick.  He didn’t manage to make his Ardwick debut until 18 February 1893 when he scored as Crewe were defeated 3-1.

Bowman became a Manchester City player when the Club was re-established and he remained with the Blues until the close season of 1900, with one of his most significant matches being the 11-3 record victory over Lincoln on 23rd March 1895, although Bowman failed to make the scoresheet.

After City little is known of Bowman’s life.  An article in April 1929 talked of a reunion in Toronto of the touring side but Bowman did not attend.  It was believed he was living in the USA in a copper mining city in western Montana called Butte, but he was never traced.  No matter what the final resting place of Bowman, his place as the Football League’s first overseas player means his name will never be forgotten.

Ardwick and the Manchester Cup

Following on from yesterday’s Ardwick AFC feature, here’s another one. This focuses on the Manchester Cup… As football in Manchester developed, so did Ardwick’s desire to become one of the regions elite clubs.  The Manchester Cup had been established in 1884-5 and this was quickly perceived by the majority of Mancunians as the most prestigious competition around.  The Football League was not in existence until 1888 and even then Manchester failed to have any representatives, while the FA Cup had been established since the 1860s but was not seen in a positive light by Manchester’s sides.  Entry into the Cup required great expense as games could be played anywhere in the United Kingdom – during the 1880s sides from Ireland competed in the FA Cup, while Scottish sides had been amongst the earliest supporters of the competition.  The cost of travel clearly limited Ardwick’s ability to play beyond the Manchester region.

In April 1891 Ardwick reached the Manchester Cup final for the first time in their history.  This was a major landmark and it was also the first major meeting with Newton Heath, present day Manchester United.  Newton Heath had previously played in every final of the competition since it was created in 1884-5 and so this was seen as a real test for the Ardwick players.

Despite the fact that Newton Heath were the more experienced side, Ardwick took the lead thanks to a seventh minute goal from the influential captain Davie Weir.  Reports simply stated that “Weir scored with a long shot”, however they did give a little information before that to suggest that the goal owed much to the earlier persistence of Bob Milarvie.  Milarvie had challenged the Newton Heath goal a couple of times and had clearly surprised the Heathens.  Then, after gaining the ball following a Newton Heath attack, Milarvie “got on a splendid run but was badly fouled.”  From the resulting free kick Ardwick attacked and Weir netted the goal.

Ardwick did actually have another goal disallowed – they were awarded an indirect free kick and the taker blasted the ball straight into the Heathens goal without any other player touching it – but the trophy was won by the Hyde Road side for the first time.

Success in the trophy perhaps went a little to their heads when at the 1891 Football League AGM Ardwick – along with Darwen, Newton Heath, Nottingham Forest, Stoke, and Sunderland Albion – applied to join the newly expanded Football League.  All the applicants, with the exception of Ardwick, were members of the Football Alliance – a league originally set up to rival the Football League.  Not surprisingly, Ardwick failed to gain admittance, with the new places were filled by Stoke, who had won the Alliance, and Darwen.  There was a consolation prize however and Ardwick were admitted to the Alliance League for the 1891-2 season.  

The Manchester Cup had proved to be the Club’s major breakthrough and it had also proved the Ardwick were already perceived as Manchester’s club.  Although Newton Heath had been the more successful club so far, Ardwick were perhaps seen as being more progressive and were already the better supported of the two.  The Hyde Road derby in the Alliance League attracted a crowd of over 10,000, whereas the Heathens home game at North Road was watched by around 4,000.  Even the Hyde Road derby attendance was bettered by Ardwick on two other occasions in the Alliance that season.  

As well as their large support, Ardwick managed to prove their ability to live with the best when they won the Manchester Cup again.  This time they convincingly defeated Football League side Bolton Wanderers 4-1.  The dream of playing League football was getting closer and the Manchester Cup successes had helped that dream.  One man who was proud of this achievement was Walter Chew (image below), who was with St. Mark’s in their first season of 1880-81.  In 1888 he joined the Manchester FA Committee and remained an influential figure there until his death in 1949.  

Manchester 1840-1919 (Part One)

Every Monday I’m posting a section from my book ‘The Emergence of Footballing Cultures: Manchester 1840-1919’. It tells the story of the origins of men’s football in Manchester and discusses the birth of both City and United plus the clubs that predated them such as Hulme Athenaeum, Manchester AFC, Birch etc. Today’s section is the introduction to the book. There is material in every section of the book that should interest fans of Manchester football, no matter which team you support, or academic researchers/historians.

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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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Starting Monday: Manchester 1840-1919

Every Monday starting on 3 August 2025 I’m posting a section from my book ‘The Emergence of Footballing Cultures: Manchester 1840-1919’. It tells the story of the origins of men’s football in Manchester and discusses the birth of both City and United plus the clubs that predated them such as Hulme Athenaeum, Manchester AFC, Birch etc. There is material in every section of the book that should interest fans of Manchester football, no matter which team you support, or academic researchers/historians.

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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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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.

Hyde Road – More Cover Than Old Trafford

In 1913 the Edinburgh Evening News included this on City’s Hyde Road ground within a feature on the club. There are some interesting comments in this about the Hyde Rd Ground. I”ve argued for years that City’s old stadium was actually better than is often claimed and this article tends to back that view up. Back in 1910 City spent significant amounts to ensure there was cover on all four sides of the stadium. Part of the reason was because United had moved to Old Trafford the previous year and, while that was a new stadium, there was limited cover. In 1910 City claimed there was covered accommodation for over 35,000 (in a stadium that typically could house no more than about 40,000).

Enjoy this brief article.

The Oldest Manchester Club

Here’s a brief cutting from October 1912 which mentions that Manchester City FC was the ‘oldest’ Manchester club. At the time there were plenty of people around who had been involved with the establishment of both Manchester Football League Clubs and so it seems logical to me that we listen to these views. Both clubs were newly formed organisations in 1894 (City) and 1902 (Utd) though both claims roots going back decades earlier. In their earlier incarnations City’s earliest known game is in Nov 1880, as is United’s (one week later). More on this elsewhere on the site and in my book The Emergence of Footballing Cultures: Manchester 1840-1919.

60,332: The Etihad’s Highest

Yesterday Manchester City’s final home game of the season saw the Etihad stage its record crowd for football (any sport actually). It was also City’s highest home attendance for 54 years. The attendance was 60,332 and next year the capacity will increase again as some hospitality areas will then open. The game was also the final emotional match for manager Pep Guardiola, Bernardo Silva and John Stones.

MCFC photo
MCFC photo
MCFC photo

I posted the following the other day, but here is the last home crowd of 60,000+ City attracted at Maine Road (ignoring the Charlton 1985 promotion match which many think was around that figure). There’s also a little bit of history of capacities at City.

The last 60,000+ crowd was for the Manchester Derby on 6/11/1971 and was 63,326. These images are from that game (lots changed since then – the MCFC badge has been redesigned 3 times; Brian Kidd became a Blue, then a Red coach then a Blue coach)

The last 60,000+ home cup attendance was 60,844 v Newcastle on 29/1/1969.

For those wondering about home attendances over 75,000, the last one of those was 76,129 for City ve Everton in the FA Cup on 3/3/1956.

For the first 49 years of its existence the capacity of Maine Road was over 60,000, with the record attendance at the old place being 84,569 (see the story of this elsewhere on this site). Stadium developments, alongside safety changes and legislation, reduced the capacity from that high to about 63,000 by 1967. The Ibrox disaster of 1971 caused a reconsideration of stadium safety and a further reduction and City took the decision to seat the one year old North Stand. That meant the capacity from 1972 was approximately 52,600 (there was an attendance of over 54,000 in 1972-73 which I’ll explain about another day based on an interview – and admission – by the then club secretary Bernard Halford!).

The capacity of Maine Road (based on official records and announcements) over the years is:

1923 – 84,000

1931 – 86,000

1935 – 88,000

1946 – 84,000

1953 – 76,500

1957 – 77,000

1963 – 64,000

1972 – 52,600

1989 – 48,500

1992 – 39,359

1994 – 19,150 (first game of the season; increased gradually throughout the season)

1995 – 31,458

1997 – 32,147

1999 – 34,026

2000 – 34,421

2002 – 35,150

You can read more about Maine Road’s record crowd here:

A National Record – 84,569

And watch Maine Road’s opening game in 1923 here:

Maine Road