A new series on Manchester City in the 1920s begins today with a 1,000 word subscriber article on the 1921-22 season. If you subscribe (see below) I hope you enjoy it. If you are not currently a subscriber then why not try it for a month (£3 per month or sign up for a year at a discounted £20 per year)?
Here’s the article:
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The new series on Manchester City in the 1920s continues today with a 2,350 word subscriber article on the 1920-21 season. If you subscribe (see below) I hope you enjoy it. If you are not currently a subscriber then why not try it for a month (£3 per month or sign up for a year at a discounted £20 per year)?
Here’s the article:
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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 a month (cancel anytime) or sign up for a year at £20 per year. Subscribers have access to the 1000s of articles, features, interviews etc. posted so far and all those posted during your subscription.
A new series on Manchester City in the 1920s begins today with a 2,350 word subscriber article on the 1919-20 season. If you subscribe (see below) I hope you enjoy it. If you are not currently a subscriber then why not try it for a month (£3 per month or sign up for a year at a discounted £20 per year)?
Here’s the article:
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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 a month (cancel anytime) or sign up for a year at £20 per year. Subscribers have access to the 1000s of articles, features, interviews etc. posted so far and all those posted during your subscription.
Always a controversial question but back in the early 1900s there was only ever one answer and that was Manchester City who were often referred to as simply ‘Manchester’ in official publications for both City and their Manchester rivals. Here’s an image of the title section of the official programme which directly references ‘Manchester’ (meaning City) and Newton Heath.
Obviously, as there was no Manchester United then I guess it was inevitable that City would be known as Manchester to some. It just surprises me that an official publication for both clubs would use ‘Manchester’ so regularly. Presumably both clubs were happy with this. So if anyone asks ‘which club is Manchester? then the one both were happy to call Manchester must be in with a big shout!
On another topic… notice the opportunity to have your flask filled up at City’s headquarters, the Hyde Road Hotel, before the match? Imagine if that option was brought back at the Etihad!
If you’re interested in women’s football or in football in Trafford or Manchester then get your self a brew, settle down and enjoy this video of my talk. It was part of my work on the #WEuro2022 Heritage Lottery funded project and my long standing project into the history of women’s football in Manchester. Here goes:
This talk on the history of women’s football was staged at the National Football Museum a few years back. The talk lasts about 47 mins. Enjoy!
The history of women’s football in Trafford is documented in the new book on women’s football I’ve co-edited. You can find out more about that here:
On 27 July in 2021 I attended the unveiling of a blue plaque commemorating the life and career of Bert Whalley at Stalybridge Celtic. Whalley is one of Manchester & Tameside’s unsung footballing heroes. Bert passed away in Munich, a victim of the air crash in 1958. The unveiling was performed by former United captain Bryan Robson and Bert’s granddaughter Lindsay Vare.
Several former United players were there, including Tony Whelan who had given a one hour talk to United’s under 23s about Bert. It’s great to see clubs educating their current/future stars about the names from their past.
Special recognition to Mark Metcalf for his efforts ensuring the plaque happened. Mark’s been responsible for organising several blue plaques over the last decade, including one for Joe Mercer in Ellesmere Port.
For those interested Bert Whalley’s plaque is situated at Stalybridge’s Bower Fold ground and can be viewed on the exterior of the main stand.
2025 marks the 140th anniversary of the first final of the Manchester Cup (later known as the Manchester Senior cup). The Manchester Cup was the first competition either Manchester United (as Newton Heath) or Manchester City (as Ardwick) won and was a hugely significant competition at the time of their first victories. In many ways it was more important locally than the FA Cup. The final was held on 25 April 1885 and you can read a match report of the game here and then my own words on the final:
The first season of the Manchester Cup proved to be very exciting with games involving Hurst and Newton Heath grabbing much attention in the local newspapers. In fact the two sides competed in the first Manchester Cup final. This was played at Manchester FC’s Whalley Range ground and had an attendance of approximately 3,500. The Ashton club won 3-0 and at the end of the match all the Hurst players were lifted shoulder high by their fans and there was tremendous excitement on the pitch. It was perhaps the first time a Manchester side had experienced success that actually meant something. Hurst could rightly claim to be the best in the area, and after the game finished the President of the Manchester FA, Mr. Colbert, presented the cup to J. Ingham, Hurst’s Captain. The Reporter newspaper then described the fantastic parade that took place all the way back to Ashton: ‘All the way from Whalley Range the victors kept cheering and the band playing, the cup being held up in front of one of the carriages in which the journey to Ashton was made. On arriving in town their cheers were redoubled and they received a great ovation in the streets.
‘The victors crowded into the Pitt & Nelson, and Mr. Joseph Fletcher, holding in his hand the cup which was filled with liquor, and addressing the captain of the club, said he had great pleasure in presenting to Mr. Ingham the cup on behalf of the Hurst Cricket & football Club.’
Joseph Fetcher was the landlord of the Pitt & Nelson and according to the Reporter he made a speech saying that he: ‘had lately been in Blackburn and he could assure them that the fame of the Hurst club was well known in that district and he was certain that the next season they would be called upon to play with teams from that district, the Mother of the Game.’
This was undoubtedly the finest moment for any of the Manchester clubs at this stage in history, and Hurst were worthy recipients of the praise. Hurst had done more than most to encourage the game to develop and, as well as entering the FA Cup, they also tried to arrange fixtures with teams beyond the Manchester boundaries. In March 1885 they had welcomed Welsh side Rhyl to Hurst and the Ashton side won 8-1 before 3,000 fans, then on Good Friday they played their return match and, according to reports from the period over 750 fans travelled from Ashton for the game which Hurst won 4-0. Considering the nature of travel, working conditions, and the state of the game at the time this was a major achievement.
You can find out more about the origins of football in Manchester in my book Manchester A Football History. The book is long out of print but PDFs of the entire 2010 edition is available to subscribers to this site.
This is the Introduction for the 2010 edition of the book Manchester A Football History (Gary James, published by James Ward). As with everything else on this site copyright laws apply. The book is published here for the personal use of subscribers to this site. For any other use please email the publishers at info@manchesterfootball.org
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Sorry to hear the news of the death of former Bolton, City, United and Stockport forward Wyn Davies. At Bolton he had a good attacking partnership with Francis Lee and it was Lee who suggested to Malcolm Allison (first and then manager Joe Mercer) to sign the player for City in 1971. Coincidentally it was this week in 1971 when Newcastle (Davies’ club at the time) agreed a fee with City.
Screenshot
Davies made his City debut on 14 August 1971 at Maine Rd v Leeds. His last City game on 9 September the following year, shortly before he became one of a relatively small group of players to transfer directly between the Manchester clubs.
At City and, presumably his other clubs, the chant ‘you ain’t seen nothing like the mighty Wyn’ was frequently sung. Years later the same chant was resurrected for Niall ‘the mighty’ Quinn.
It’s worth comparing this image from recent years, showing the housing and school now built on Maine Road, with this 1940s image of the Maine Road site. The boundary lines are visible, demonstrating how the site changed usage.
This 1971 aerial image shows the stadium from another angle, looking west.
Maine Road aerial 1971 from Farewell To Maine Road
If you’d like to read more on the history of Maine Road, take a look at Farewell To Maine Road, which can be downloaded from this page:
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Here’s an advert from the official Manchester City and Newton Heath match programme, published in September 1899. It demonstrates a period when football clubs looked to raise money however they could. Here ‘business men’ could advertise on almost any part of City’s Hyde Road ground or United’s Bank Street ground. I always find it funny when people try to claim that football has only become a ‘business’ in recent decades… Ever since the game became professional it has been a business and those owning clubs have looked at ways to increase income or profitability.
More on the 1899-1900 season elsewhere on the site. Why not search for features?
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