Football writing, thoughts and more by Gary James
Defender Bobby Kennedy proved to be a popular player after joining the Blues in 1961. He went on to make 251 (plus 3 as sub) appearances for City over a seven year period and was a key member of City’s mid sixties side. In April 2005 Gary James caught up with him at the stadium.
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I’m delighted to say that I’m working on a new project capturing the stories of women who played football. The project is part of a wider project connected with the Women’s Euros to be staged this summer (See below for details). If you are a woman who has played football then maybe you can help the project. We’re keen to capture your stories and memories. The details are:
In preparation for the Women’s Euros which will open at Old Trafford at the start of July Trafford Local Studies are keen to interview women who have played football. We are particularly keen on hearing the stories of women footballers from the borough or from women who played for teams within Trafford.
For those uncertain the Trafford borough covers a number of towns and areas including Altrincham, Bowden, Flixton, Irlam, Old Trafford, Sale, Stretford, Timperley, Trafford Park and Urmston. If you are a woman from the area and played football then please get in touch. Also, if you played either for or against a team from the Trafford area then we also want to hear your memories of that game.
The Trafford area has incredibly strong links to the history of women’s football. In 1921 a game between Dick, Kerr Ladies and Bath Ladies at Old Trafford was watched by over 30,000 and over the following century significant games were staged at White City, Stretford, Timperley and other venues in our borough. In fact on this day (7 April) in 1968 the renowned Manchester Corinthians played Kippax Ladies (from Yorkshire not Maine Road!) at the White City Stadium (see image above).
Over the last fifty years or so many prominent local teams have developed and played in the area such as Sale Hotel, Trafford, Redstar, Urmston and many others, while women from Trafford have played for prominent teams outside of the borough.
We are keen to hear the memories of women who have contributed to this rich history of women’s football in the area. If you are from Trafford or played for a team based in our borough then please get in touch. Your memories will help to develop our archive and ensure future generations are aware of the experiences of women footballers.
In addition, we are keen to locate objects, match programmes and memorabilia associated with women’s football, so if you have an item that you feel may help please get in touch.
If you would like to help then please email me via gary@GJFootballArchive.com
This project is part of a National Lottery heritage programme which seeks to bring this history into the light through a number of physical and virtual exhibitions, and to create a documentary record of the game at this moment, through oral history interviews with local players and fans and a contemporary collecting programme.
Here’s some background from earlier this year:
Today’s anniversary game is a meeting between Manchester City and Brentford played on this day (April 3) in 1937. Believe it or not that season City and Brentford had been title rivals.
The early months of the season were difficult for City. Significant injuries to captain Sam Barkas, and attackers Alec Herd and Fred Tilson had hampered City’s progress during the opening months. By the end of November the Blues were 12th and somewhat off the pace. However, things were about to change for Manchester’s Blues with an incredible undefeated run that began with victory over Middlesbrough on Boxing Day.
Before the away game at Brentford on April 3, City had gone 15 consecutive League games without defeat.
Subscribers can read what happened next in this 1200 word article…
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Not the best season to focus on but here for subscribers is the latest post covering the 1997-98 season for Manchester City. Those were the days hey? Enjoy – if you can. Well, at least City have won a few trophies since then.
Manager
Frank Clark had been appointed manager during the previous season, but was replaced by popular former Blue Joe Royle in February 1998.
League Overview
1997-98 was expected to see an end to the troubles and misery of the previous seasons. It was anticipated Frank Clark would develop a side capable of seeking promotion. The Blues had struggled to find form under each of the managers appointed since the dismissal of Brian Horton in 1995 and Chairman Francis Lee was facing much criticism. Everyone recognised that the 1997-8 season had to see improvement.
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It was a typical season of highs and lows when City and United met in the first all-Manchester FA Cup semi-final, played on this date (27th March) in 1926. Here I’ve delved into the archives to see what happened at Bramall Lane in 1926. Subscribers can read this article below:
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Gary James considers a time when Burnley and City battled for the League
Today I’m taking a look back to 101 years ago today when, believe it or not, both City and Burnley were major rivals for the League title. People often assume today’s giants have always been the game’s powers but the evidence shows otherwise. Burnley, like City, have a history of success and, again like City, first appeared in the European Cup in the 1960s.
1920-21 seems – it is – an awful long time ago but it’s a crucial season in the development of both Burnley and City. It is one of those seasons that we really should remember for a variety of reasons, not least because it speeded up City’s desire to move stadium because of the huge crowds that wanted to see the Blues play.
Here for subscribers is a 1600 word piece on an extraordinary time in 1920-21:
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Paul Moulden joined the Blues from Bolton Lads Club as an apprentice in June 1984, and made his first team debut in a Full Members’ Cup game in November 1985 when he was 18. Always popular with fans, Moulden scored 18 goals in 48 (plus 16 as sub) League games. Gary James met up with him at his chip shop in Bolton to discuss his career in March 2005.
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It was vital the Blues achieved promotion in 1984-5 after the previous season, under former Celtic captain Billy McNeill, had seen City finish fourth behind Chelsea, Sheffield Wednesday, and Newcastle in an extremely strong Second Division. 1984-5 opened with the club’s first League meeting at Wimbledon, who had been promoted from Division Three the previous May. City were two goals down after a fifteen minute bombardment from the Dons, but a fightback including goals from Gordon Smith and Derek Parlane brought a point.
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After achieving promotion the previous season City embarked on the 1989-90 First Division campaign with a view to consolidate rather than set the world alight. The relatively low-key City manager, Mel Machin, seemed determined to play down expectations, especially as other clubs – in particular Manchester United – were spending millions on strengthening their squad. City could not afford to spend wildly, although they did increase their overdraft by signing Clive Allen and Ian Bishop during the close season for a combined fee of around £1.75m.
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On this day (20 March) in 1976 a penalty from Dennis Tueart and a goal each from Mike Doyle and Ged Keegan gave City victory by the odd goal in five against Wolves at Maine Road. City ended the season eighth while Wolves were relegated alongside Burnley (their last appearance in the top flight until 2009-10) and Sheffield United.
Gary James' Football Archive 