The 1970s: A FAC Tie With Wigan

The series of features/articles covering Manchester City in the 1970s continues with the day the Northern Premier League’s Wigan Athletic came to Maine Road to face the ECWC & League Cup holders City. Who’d have thought that one day these two clubs would meet in a FA Cup final and that Wigan would be victorious? Hang on, let’s not talk about that. Let’s get back to the 1970s…

Colin Bell netted the only goal of this day (2 January) in 1971 and you can watch it here:

The Wigan Athletic Supporters Club website tells the Wigan perspective on this day and is well worth reading:

The third round draw pitted them against Manchester City away at Maine Road.  City at the time were holders of the League Cup and European Cup-Winners Cup and were doing well in the League.  Their team that day, 2 January 1971, was full of star names:  Joe Corrigan in goal; Tony Book, Arthur Mann, Mike Doyle, Tommy Booth, Alan Oakes, Mike Summerbee, Colin Bell, Francis Lee, Neil Young and Derek Jeffries, with Frank Carrodus on the bench.

‘Latics had in their line-up Dennis Reeves; Alan Turner, Billy Sutherland, Gordon Milne, Doug Coutts, Ian Gillibrand, Derek Temple, Bobby Todd, Geoff Davies, Jim Fleming and Graham Oates with sub Ian Ledgard.

‘The referee was one of the top officials of the time, Pat Partridge from Middlesbrough.

‘Both teams changed their strip, City into their renowned (at the time) black and red striped shirts with black shorts – the colours they’d worn to victory in both the FA Cup in 1969 and the European Cup-Winners Cup in 1970.  Latics wore all white with blue trim.  But best of all, BBC’s “Match of the Day” cameras were there to record the scene.

‘Not being overawed by their European trophy-holding opponents, or by the 46,212 fans, Latics held out until the 72nd minute when goalkeeper Dennis Reeves’ boot split when taking a goal-kick.  The ball went to Neil Young, who flicked it inside to Colin Bell, who made no mistake.  One goal was enough for City, and two late fine saves from Joe Corrigan put paid to Latics’ dreams.  They received a standing ovation from the crowd.

You can read more on Wigan’s season and history at the Wigan Athletic Supporters Club website:

https://www.wiganathleticsupportersclub.co.uk/wigan-athletic-197071-season/

This series of articles and features on Manchester City in the 1970s will run throughout January with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. There will be flashbacks to great games, players and more. Every day in January will offer something to enjoy.

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Subscribers will get access to everything. If you want to know more on this incredible decade for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read it all? You could even subscribe for a month and see what you think. The following 5,600 word article is on the successes of 1970 and is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!

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The 1980s: New Year’s Eve at Swindon

The series of articles covering Manchester City in the 1980s continues today with a reminder of the day in 1988 when City travelled to Swindon on New Year’s Eve. I’ll give the result lower down but first here’s highlights of the game. The commentary is from Piccadilly Radio’s Brian Clarke:

That game was played on 31 December 1988 and ended in a 2-1 City win with goals from Brian Gayle and Jason Beckford. 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

City v Southampton on New York TV

On this day (30 December) in 1978 if you just happened to be in New York you could watch Manchester City v Southampton in the All Star Soccer programme (or should that be program?) while you waited for Steve Austin, the six million dollar man later that day.

The game actually took place on 9 December, so there’s a good chance you’d have known the result. I won’t spoil it though as you can see highlights of the game here (5m 33secs in to this review of 1978-79):

The 1980s: White Double

Continuing this series of features covering the 1980s for Manchester City… Today it’s back to this day (30 December) in 1989 and Manchester City v Millwall. That day David White scored twice as the Blues won 2-0 at Maine Road in the top flight. Today that first goal would probably get debated at length when VAR eventually brings a decision but back then we just celebrated and enjoyed the moment.

You can watch the goals from this game below. It’s great to see the second goal involves Paul Lake and White seemed determined it would go in no matter what. Enjoy!

If you want to know more about 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: Wolves Beaten Again

Following on from yesterday here’s another 1980s Christmas visit to Maine Road by Wolverhampton Wanderers and just like yesterday’s reminder, this game also ended in a Manchester City win. This was one year and one day after yesterday’s match and was played on 28 December 1981. This programme cover is not quite as Christmassy as yesterday’s but the Blues did make an attempt at highlighting the festive season.

The previous season’s FA Cup finalists had signed Trevor Francis at the start of the season and he scored, as did Asa Hartford (on the cover of the programme), to help the Blues to a 2-1 victory.

You can read more on Trevor Francis and the 1981-82 season elsewhere on this site. There are lots of articles, many free including an interview I did with Trevor a few years back. Follow the link for more:

https://gjfootballarchive.com/tag/trevor-francis/

If you enjoy all the free material on my website and would like to support my research and keep this website going (but don’t want to subscribe) then why not make a one-time donation (or buy me a coffee). All support for my research is valued and welcome. It allows me to keep some free material available for all. Thanks.

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The 1980s: Corrigan Bottled as Liverpool Lose 3-1 to MCFC

Here’s another 1980s themed story. On this day (26 December) in 1981 Manchester City defeated Liverpool 3-1 at Anfield but it was a day marred when City keeper Joe Corrigan was felled by a bottle thrown at him. Here are highlights of the game plus a brief audio clip of John Bond talking about the LFC reaction that day.

In 1995 I interviewed former City boss John Bond at his home. The interview lasted about two hours and here’s a brief snippet from that interview where he talks about that win over Liverpool on Boxing Day 1981.

The Blues won 3-1 (Bond, Hartford & Reeves) then two days later (Bond says it’s the next day in this clip but it was 28th December) City defeated Wolves 2-1 at Maine Rd. John discusses a brilliant goal from Trevor Francis. City went top of the League after the Wolves victory.

Stick with the clip because it ends with Bond’s views on how Liverpool used to react to wins and defeats. I’d best not comment – have a listen:

Here are a couple of cuttings from the day.

The 1980s: VAR would love this!

Happy Boxing Day! Continuing this series of features covering the 1980s for Manchester City… Today it’s back to this day (26 December) in 1989 and Manchester City. v Norwich. Watch these video highlights for two disallowed goals and an effort from Clive Allen. VAR officials and TV companies would love these two disallowed goals now. They’d be replaying them over and over again before deciding whether the goals should stand or not. See what you think.

Manchester City won the match at Maine Road 1-0.

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 the last 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: Panto Time (Oh No It Isn’t!)

Continuing this series of features covering the 1980s for Manchester City… Today it’s back to December 1989 and this reminder of the Junior Blues pantomime ‘Brother Goose’. This City panto was a key annual event from the late 1960s through to the 2000s, having been established in the years before the Junior Blues. Once the Junior Blues was in existence though it seemed logical that the panto would become part and parcel of the junior supporters club.

‘Brother Goose’ of course referenced City’s sponsor of the time Brother.

As you can see from this programme feature on the 1989 panto City’s first team players and coaching staff were often involved and over the years some of the club’s biggest names appeared.

Did you attend a panto or were you one of the people working behind the scenes to make them a huge success? Feel free to post your memories here.

If you want to know more about 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: 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: 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