Tag Archives: Billy Gillespie

The 1890s: 1896-1897 Gillespie Arrives  

The series of features on Manchester City in the 1890s continues today with an article on Manchester City in 1896-97.

This series covers the final years of Ardwick, the birth of Manchester City and the Club’s first national success.

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The 1900s: Manchester’s First Major Trophy Success

On this day in 1904 (23 April) Manchester City won its first major trophy a mere decade after being established as MCFC. The captain and goalscorer was, of course, the great Billy Meredith.

A few years back, following the purchase of the oldest surviving FA Cup by Sheikh Mansour (to loan to the National Football Museum) I helped Manchester City with the story of the cup and its significance to Manchester. They’ve produced a video telling the story and it can be viewed here:

https://www.mancity.com/citytv/mens/manchesters-first-trophy-1904-fa-cup-documentary-63745781

City chairman John Chapman used City’s success as part of his political campaign.

For more on the significance of this FA Cup trophy check out the category 1903-04 in the drop down list below.

The 1890s: Manchester’s First National Success

On this day (April 22) in 1899 Manchester City became the first side to gain automatic promotion when they won the Second Division title after a 4-1 victory over Blackpool. Goals from Meredith (2), Gillespie and Ross gave the Blues the win.

A series of test matches, similar to play offs, had been utilised in previous seasons. The Blues were also the first of the Manchester teams ever to earn promotion and the football season ended with Manchester City as comfortable champions of the Second Division. This meant they were the first Manchester team to win a national League competition too. 

Near neighbours Glossop were also promoted that day. Here’s the final table:

Subscribers can read about the final game and other information from that season below:

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City 2 Glossop North End 1

On this day (12 November) in 1898 Manchester City’s tenth League game of the season saw them travel to promotion rivals Glossop North End.  According to the Glossop Chronicle the attendance was 7,000 with over half the attendance coming from Manchester.  City won the match 2-1 with goals from Gillespie and Meredith.  The Chronicle reporter described the opener as ‘the softest I have ever seen.’ He went on:  ‘Williams [Glossop’s ‘keeper] got down to stop the ball as it rolled quietly goalwards, but he completely missed it, although it was going so slowly it hardly rolled as far as the net.’

The Glossop match came in the middle of a 13 match unbeaten run, placing City as comfortable League leaders. The main photo is of Glossop in 1898 and the following is of City that same season.

You can find out about the return game here:

Glossop Beat City!

Nice Old Team Photo

Here’s a team photo of Manchester City, taken at Hyde Road, in 1900. It’s a typical squad pose in front of the old Hyde Road main stand which was destroyed by fire twenty years later. Notice the way the wooden wall of the stand was painted in City blue and white. People often talk about Hyde Road as if it was this dull, dismal ground but the stand here had only been erected a few years earlier and Joshua Parlby, Lawrence Furniss and the others behind the club made sure it was frequently painted blue and white (plus green) wherever possible.

Over the following twenty years City continued to invest in the ground but the site restricted the club’s growth and 40,000 crowds could not be accommodated particularly well. Often gates would be closed some way off capacity under the orders of the local police who tried to keep crowds back. Bennett Street and even Hyde Road itself were often overcrowded with fans hoping to get in.

There’s lots more on here about Hyde Road and City’s other grounds. Do a few searches and see what you find. Some is only for subscribers but much is available freely. It takes a lot of time, effort and money to research Manchester’s football history so if you want to support this work and get something back then please subscribe. Thanks.

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Manchester’s First National Success

On Saturday April 22 1899 the football season ended with Manchester City as comfortable champtions of the Second Division. They were the first side nationally to gain automatic promotion (a series of test matches, similar to play offs, had been utilised in previous seasons) and the first of the Manchester teams ever to earn promotion and win a national League competition. 

Subscribers can read about the final game and other information from that season below:

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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £20 a year (here) to access everything since December 2020 or for £3 per month (below) you can access everything from 1 October 2020.

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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £20 a year (above) to access everything since December 2020 or for £3 per month (here) you can access everything from 1 October 2020. Why not join for a month and see what you think?

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FA Cup Progression

On this day (9 March) in 1904 Manchester City took a major step forward in their quest for their first major trophy when they won 3-1 at Middlesbrough in the FAC quarter-final replay. The goalscorers were Billy Gillespie, George Livingstone and Sandy Turnbull.

Subscribers can read all about Tom Maley, City’s manager at the time, here:

True Blues – Tom Maley