Tag Archives: Albert Alexander

The 1970s: Hijacking a Successful City!

The series of features/articles covering Manchester City in the 1970s continues with this newspaper reminder (published on this day – 15 January – in 1971) of the bitter takeover that killed off Manchester City’s period of trophy-winning dominance and ultimately led to Peter Swales becoming chairman. It’s something that dragged the first team into the takeover battle and pitted manager Joe Mercer and assistant Malcolm Allison on opposite sides. Those seeking to takeover the club, including future director Ian Niven, believed Joe Mercer contributed nothing to MCFC (he told me this himself in April 1989 – at that time Mercer remained the most successful City manager ever) and they split up the partnership. Not only that but they started the process which led to City being downgraded and becoming a fallen giant. Here’s another cutting from January 1971 which fits with the comments I’ve just made (that end line seems to be referring to Niven & others involved with the takeover):

Some of those involved with the takeover managed to create positions for themselves which gave them status for decades at the club, while men like Mercer were cast aside. Oh, I could go on for hours about this period! If you would like to know more then this 5,200 word article on the entire 1970-71 season may help explain some of these points. 

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The 1970s: 1971-72 Mistreating Mercer

The series of features/articles covering Manchester City in the 1970s continues with a 4,700 word article on the entire 1971-72 season – a hugely significant season though one that’s often neglected. You can read this below. 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.

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 4,700 word article is on the 1971-72 season and is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!

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The 1970s: 1970-71 Takeover Madness

The series of features/articles covering Manchester City in the 1970s continues with a 5,200 word article on the entire 1970-71 season. You can read this below. 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.

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 5,200 word article is on the 1970-71 season and is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!

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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) to access everything posted since 1 October 2022 or there’s a special annual rate below which gives greater access and works out much cheaper.

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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (above) or £20 a year (here) to access everything posted since the site was created in December 2020. This special rate works out about £1.67 a week and gives access to everything posted, including PDFs of 3 of my books.

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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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Trautmann Off!

It was a miserable day all round as Manchester City’s Bert Trautmann was sent off for booting the ball at the referee on this day (8 September 1962). City lost the game with West Ham 6-1 with Trautmann’s dismissal coming after the fifth goal.

After he had booted the ball at the ref, the official took out his notebook and ordered Trautmann off. The German goalkeeper immediately took his shirt off and headed down the tunnel and straight out of the ground and into his car.

Here are Trautmann’s views, as told to a journalist the following day:

The view from West Ham was that their team was not particularly worth the 6-1 victory. This London report makes interesting reading:

Demonstrations followed the game expressing anger towards the manager Les McDowall but Trautmann managed to escape fan criticism.

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Maine Road 100 – Day 5

The fifth of my posts counting down to the centenary of Maine Road’s opening game. Today it’s about the Players’ Tunnel at Maine Road…

Before I start notice on the black and white image the pitchside stone post. Yesterday I mentioned the carved edge style and how originally there were two impressive stone posts, one either side of the tunnel entrance. I said that by 2003 these had been remodelled extensively to match the rest of the white perimeter wall but that one of them still showed an element of the styling used throughout the stadium at the time of construction.

Maine Road’s Tunnel post. Photo by Ed Garvey

Well on the black and white image you can see that same post (on the right of captain Jimmy McMullan) in its original form.

So, what’s my angle for today? Well, it’s the players’ tunnel itself. In this 1926 image you can see the tunnel as it looked when it was first built. Eagle eyed readers may notice that the tunnel looks a little different to how it did during the 1970s onwards. That wall above the tunnel was actually taken down and the front of the seating above the tunnel was brought forward into the tunnel during the 1960s. You can see that by looking at this image of chairman Albert Alexander and Joe Mercer who are actually sat in front of where the original tunnel wall was. The space they occupy would have been open air, floating above the tunnel only a few years earlier.

Albert Alexander & Joe Mercer in the Directors’ Box extension (Copyright Mirrorpix).

The 1926 photo of the tunnel appeared in my 1997 book Manchester The Greatest City and about a year after it was published I received a letter from Canada. It came from an elderly City supporter who had emigrated to Canada many years earlier. His daughter had returned to England for a visit in 1998 and she popped into a bookshop (I think it was the old Sportspages shop) thinking that if there was a book on Manchester City she would buy it for her dad. She saw my book and bought it.

When she returned to Canada she gave the book to her father and while reading it he was stunned to find himself as a small boy on this photo. He is pictured leaning on the wall close to his mother and father. It was a remarkable coincidence but what made it even more special is that this photo came from film of the game. I was able, with the support of the British Film Institute to get a VHS copy of the game and I sent it to Canada so that he could also see himself and his parents on film, moving around.

For me that story gave me an overwhelming feeling that researching and writing about history can add significantly to the wellbeing, interests or lives of others. Research matters. There was also a great feeling of coincidence – I could easily have chosen a different illustration; the daughter may not have bought my book; her father may have only glanced through the book and so on.

1926 City v Fulham, Maine Road. Jimmy McMullan with the ball.

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:

Farewell To Maine Road – Part One

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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1969 FA Cup Semi – Everton v Manchester City

On this day (22 March) 1969 Manchester City and Everton met in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park. Here for subscribers is the story of that day, including material from interviews I have performed with some of the key people (such as Tommy Booth). Enjoy!

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Manchester City’s Chairmen and Life Presidents

For the benefit of subscribers to my website I decided to compile for the first time ever a full list of Manchester City’s chairmen since the club’s earliest known game in 1880 through to this season:

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