Mancunian Dave Wagstaffe was a Manchester City and Wolves star who made his City debut in September 1960. Fifteen years ago I interviewed Dave and spent a really enjoyable afternoon chatting with him about every period of his career. This was a for an article on his time at City and the 3000 word article that eventually came out of that can be read below.
Sadly, Dave died in 2013 after a heart attack. He was only 70.
The following interview is available to subscribers to the site and is published here as it was written back in 2010 with Dave’s words written as he said them.
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Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1960-61 season. If you’d like to read this 1200 word article, plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below).
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Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1963-64 season. If you’d like to read this 1700 word article, plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below). As with most of the other features in this series it includes words from interviews I have performed with those who were there.
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Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1962-63 season. If you’d like to read this 1900 word article, plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below). As with most of the other features in this series it includes words from interviews I have performed with those who were there.
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Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1961-62 season. If you’d like to read this 1600 word article, plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below). As with most of the other features in this series it includes words from interviews I have performed with those who were there.
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Now that Pep Guardiola has managed his 500th Manchester City game (yes, I know he’s been ill and missed games but he’s still the manager when they occurred) here’s a brief look at the only manager ahead of his record at the club, Les McDowall (note: Les missed some games on scouting missions, so similar to Pep’s missed games?). Enjoy!
Les McDowall
June 1950 – May 1963
Previously: Impressive wing-half for City during 40s.
Took Over From: Jock Thomson, who left in February 1950 as City headed towards relegation, but it is believed Wilf Wild with Fred Tilson filled the void between managers.
Inherited: Bert Trautmann, Roy Clarke, Joe Fagan & Johnny Hart.
Players Brought In Included: City’s talented forward Don Revie & inspirational captain Roy Paul. Also Alex Harley & Peter Dobing.
Best Buy: For his role in the Revie Plan and long term commitment to the City cause – Ken Barnes.
Youngsters He Gave Debuts To: Joe Hayes, Dave Wagstaffe, John Benson, Neil Young, Alan Oakes & Glyn Pardoe.
First Game: Preston North End 2 City 4 (City scorers George Smith 2, Roy Clarke and Dennis Westcott), 19 August 1950, attendance 36,294.
High Points: Winning promotion during his first season; FA Cup finalists in 1955 & FA Cup winners in 1956 (and finishing fourth that season).
Coaches: Thirties stars Fred Tilson & Laurie Barnett.
Tactics: Became noted for tactical innovations such as the Revie Plan (although people assume this to be Revie’s idea the name came from the fact he was the key player; it had previously operated in the Reserves with Johnny Williamson in the role). The Plan revolutionised City’s play and led to the mid-fifties success.
Last Game: West Ham United 6 City 1 (City scorer Alan Oakes), 18 May 1963, attendance 16,602.
Season By Season Record:
League
1950-51 P 42 W 19 D 14 L 9 GF 89 GA 61 Pts 52
1951-52 P 42 W 13 D 13 L 16 GF 58 GA 61 Pts 39
1952-53 P 42 W 14 D 7 L 21 GF 72 GA 87 Pts 35
1953-54 P 42 W 14 D 9 L 19 GF 62 GA 77 Pts 37
1954-55 P 42 W 18 D 10 L 14 GF 76 GA 69 Pts 46
1955-56 P 42 W 18 D 10 L 14 GF 82 GA 69 Pts 46
1956-57 P 42 W 13 D 9 L 20 GF 78 GA 88 Pts 35
1957-58 P 42 W 22 D 5 L 15 GF 104 GA 100 Pts 49
1958-59 P 42 W 11 D 9 L 22 GF 64 GA 95 Pts 31
1959-60 P 42 W 17 D 3 L 22 GF 78 GA 84 Pts 37
1960-61 P 42 W 13 D 11 L 18 GF 79 GA 90 Pts 37
1961-62 P 42 W 17 D 7 L 18 GF 78 GA 81 Pts 41
1962-63 P 42 W 10 D 11 L 21 GF 58 GA 102 Pts 31
2 points for a win
FA Cup
1950-51 P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 GF 0 GA 2 Reached 3rd round
1951-52 P 2 W 0 D 1 L 1 GF 3 GA 6 Reached 3rd round
1952-53 P 3 W 1 D 1 L 1 GF 9 GA 6 Reached 4th round
1953-54 P 2 W 1 D 0 L 1 GF 5 GA 3 Reached 4th round
1954-55 P 6 W 5 D 0 L 1 GF 10 GA 4 Reached final
1955-56 P 7 W 6 D 1 L 0 GF 11 GA 4 FA Cup winners
1956-57 P 2 W 0 D 1 L 1 GF 5 GA 6 Reached 3rd round
1957-58 P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 GF 1 GA 5 Reached 3rd round
1958-59 P 2 W 0 D 1 L 1 GF 3 GA 4 Reached 3rd round
1959-60 P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 GF 1 GA 5 Reached 3rd round
1960-61 P 4 W 1 D 2 L 1 GF 4 GA 4 Reached 4th round
1961-62 P 2 W 1 D 0 L 1 GF 1 GA 2 Reached 4th round
1962-63 P 3 W 2 D 0 L 1 GF 3 GA 2 Reached 5th round
League Cup
1960-61 P 2 W 1 D 0 L 1 GF 3 GA 2 Reached 3rd round
1961-62 P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 GF 2 GA 4 Reached 2nd round
1962-63 P 6 W 3 D 2 L 1 GF 10 GA 12 Reached 5th round
TOTAL (League & cup fixtures)
P591 W220 D127 L244 GF 1049 GA 1135
Trophies Won: FA Cup (1956)
Other Competitive Fixtures: 1 Charity Shield game
They Said: “Les McDowall was very much an old school manager – shirt & tie, office type. You rarely saw him but when you did it was usually when he was unveiling one of his new tactical plans. We had one where we played with 5 at the back and I had a number 7 shirt on. He would probably have excelled in today’s game because he was absolutely driven with tactical formations.” Defender Bobby Kennedy talking in 2005.
Followed By: George Poyser
After City: Became Oldham Athletic manager shortly after leaving City. Died in August 1991 at the age of 78.
The series of features/articles covering Manchester City in the 1970s continues with a 1,700 word article on the entire 1973-74 season – a season which included a Wembley final, multiple managerial changes and a controversial Manchester Derby at Old Trafford! You can read this below. This series of articles and features on Manchester City in the 1970s has been running throughout January with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. 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 1,700 word article is on the 1973-74 season and is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!
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City’s penultimate match of the season turned out to be one of the most controversial derby matches of all time. Both clubs were languishing at the foot of the table, and a derby victory would more or less guarantee the victor’s survival.
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The City players lined up to applaud Wolves and congratulated them on their success. Dave Wagstaffe believed this was well received by his team mates: “That was great. Wonderful. If you looked at our team none of us had ever won anything. Even Derek Dougan! I think City were saying ‘Well done’. We really appreciated that. It meant a lot and said something about City. That night we celebrated at a club after the formal dinner and Franny Lee walked in with bottles of champagne. He gave them to us and said well done. It was a great gesture and said a lot about him and City at that time.”
Here for subscribers is the story of a final that, from a Manchester City perspective is often forgotten (in the early 2000s a history video of the club neglected to include it at all!):
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On this day (2nd March) in 1974 Manchester City faced Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup final at Wembley. It was City’s second League Cup final in four years and saw the Blues, managed by Ron Saunders, lose 2-1. Colin Bell scored for City. For the story of the game, including quotes from interviews I’ve performed with Bell, Swales, Wagstaffe etc., see:
Gary James' Football Archive 