Football writing, thoughts and more by Gary James
Fifty years ago today (3 December 1975) Manchester City defeated Mansfield Town 4-2 in the League Cup. Subscribers can read all about the game below.
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Fifty years ago today (11 October 1975) a goalless draw with Burnley led to lots of issues at Maine Road. Dressing room disagreements (some say fights) led to captain Rodney Marsh being placed on the transfer list. Some fans protested but new captain Mike Doyle spoke out, explaining that the players supported the manager. Marsh never played for City again and in the games that followed Dave Watson and Tommy Booth both filled in as forwards in games (and both scored). Centre forward Joe Royle was injured as well.
While you’re here why not subscribe and read a 5,320 word article on the entire 1975-76 season – a season which saw Tony Book guide the club to major success. You can read this below.
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DonateThose who saw the Manchester City v Tottenham match programme at weekend May have noticed my new series of articles. This year I’m doing a season tracker feature and have chosen the seasons 1975-76, 2010-11 and 2020-21. Each issue will cover those seasons plus I’ll write a Memory Match feature on a game from that week in one of the three seasons. The three seasons are all important ones in the history of Manchester’s Blues (every season is important of course!) and I hope I can do them justice. The reason I’ve chosen those seasons….
Typically season tracker pick seasons that are a multiple of five and usually focus on 5, 10, 25 years but I felt it was important to look at a season further back, so chose fifty years ago (1975-76 – one of my own personal favourite seasons). I also wanted to recognise the 2010-11 season as that saw Roberto Mancini’s team win their first major trophy. The 2020-21 season was of course a major trophy winning season unde Pep Guardiola.
The Memory Match I chose for the first issue was from 2010 and a day when Liverpool were defeated.
I hope everyone who gets chance to see the programme enjoys the four page feature. Thanks, as always, to those who support my writing.
Fifty years ago today (20 June 1975) it was reported that Dave Watson’s move to Manchester City from Sunderland was great news for Watson’s family. In the article posted here a newspaper from the area of Nottingham that Dave was from included comments from his family. Interestingly, the paper quoted his mum and, amazingly, included her home address! I’ve blanked it out, but back in 1975 it would’ve been possible for any reader of the newspaper to turn up at Mrs Watson’s door. Fairly irresponsible I guess, but back then it was fairly standard for local papers to post addresses.
The article makes interesting reading and note the line about City remaining a glamour club – take note those who think football history started with the birth of the Premier League!
Here’s a newspaper cutting from this day (5 June) in 1975 about England International Dave Watson who was rumoured to be leaving Sunderland. Manchester City seemed favourites to sign him and, of course, he was ultimately to join the Blues (becoming my hero too!). There are lots of articles that mention Dave on my site and here’s a link to all those tagged ‘Dave Watson’:
When Manchester City defeated title chasing Ipswich 2-1 on 2 April 1977 their manager Bobby Robson told Tony Book: “If we don’t win it, I hope you do.” In the end City finished second – one point behind Liverpool – and Ipswich finished third.
The match had been a thrilling one with both sides level at 1-1 until Dave Watson thundered forward to powerfully head home a corner from Peter Barnes four minutes from time. Highlights here:
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DonateOn this day (27 November) in 1976 a goalless game at Birmingham caused Manchester City to drop to fifth place but, with only two defeats coming in the side’s opening 15 games (and conceding only one goal in 6 games), there was still a great deal of optimism about the place. In fact consistency was perhaps the side’s greatest strength.
On the pitch there had been few changes with Corrigan (1), Donachie (3), Doyle (4), Watson (5), Royle (9), Hartford (10), and Tueart (11) being everpresents at this stage in the season in every competition – League, UEFA Cup, and League Cup.
Off the pitch, the mid 70s was a difficult one for supporter behaviour nationally. Although the Blues took the lead with their great work with young fans and supporters clubs, nationally hooliganism was strong. The 1975-76 season had seen British Rail cancel all soccer specials following a number of high profile acts of hooliganism, although City’s supporters’ club took a lead in keeping fans on the move during 1976-77 as they managed to keep rail specials for members of the City travel club going. In fact they continued to run rail specials until the 1990s.
Supporter behaviour was a major issue and there was the first call, by the Daily Mail, to introduce ID cards for fans. The previous season the supporters of Manchester United and Chelsea had rioted in an attempt to get games in which they were losing abandoned and so City’s great work with the Junior Blues and Supporters’ Club was trying to buck the trend. Throughout the 1976-77 season the Blues devoted a two page feature (out of 24) each programme to a different supporters branch.
Sadly, there were still instances of trouble at City games and the Birmingham match was no exception. Young supporter Ian Hodgkinson (aged 16) was particularly upset at the situation at St. Andrew’s: “The City fans in the Tilton Road End were attacked by Birmingham supporters. This caused the City fans to run to the entrance. The Birmingham police then informed us that it was safe to return, but when we got back, the police vanished and once more we were attacked. Two of my mates had their scarves stolen and were punched many times.”
Ian’s comments were typical of many that were sent to City and the local media, but sadly despite the strength of City’s relationship with supporters at this time, there was little being done elsewhere in football, other than caging fans in (something the Blues tried to avoid at Maine Road).
Results
27 Nov 1976 Birmingham City (A) 0-0, Attendance 29,722
Subscribers can read a 2,100 word article on the entire 1976-77 season below – a season which saw City come close to League success. You can read this below. Enjoy!
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.
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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DonateI love this photo of Dave Watson. He’s looking at the flowers as if to say: ‘What the XXXXXXXXX are they? We’re playing football!’ I’ve posted it today because that photo was taken on this day (November 23) in 1978. Manchester City drew 2-2 with Milan at the San Siro and here is a 1100 word piece plus rare colour photos from that highly significant UEFA Cup game (which should have been played a day earlier – details below).
The following piece is available to subscribers to this site. It costs £3 per month or £20 a year to subscribe. Subscribers get full access to all the material on the site. Have a search to see what’s available. Thanks.
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If you’d like to read more about 1978-79, here’s a 5,700 word article on the entire season – a season which saw City mount a UEFA Cup challenge and a former hero return (if only he hadn’t!). My article, like the other indepth pieces, contains material from interviews I have performed with many of the key figures – chairman, managers, players and others. You can read this below.
Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or there’s a special annual rate of £20 per year (works out £1.67 a month) which works out much cheaper. My entire Manchester A Football History is included as a PdF to download and that was more expensive than either subscription.
On this day (5 October) in 1973 Peter Swales became Manchester City’s chairman. There was an initial positive blip but after that it was more or less downhill all the way for City. Bad times!
In 1977 the BBC in the northwest showed the following incredible profile of him. On several occasions over the last decade or so myself & Will McTaggart have included this video profile of MCFC chairman Peter Swales in our Boys In Blue film show. Each time those who missed it have asked if they could see a video of it. That wasn’t possible for years but now it is. You can see the Swales profile here…
I would urge all MCFC fans and others to watch this. Some of you may wish to jump to the David Brent-esque clip at 3 mins 20. Others may want to see the Ian Niven roof plan that was thwarted by signing Dave Watson at 1 min 45 secs. Then there’s the scene where Swales gives Watson financial advice (45 secs) and it ends with Swales telling us he was a bit like Kevin Keegan (4 mins).
This really is MCFC gold. Enjoy:
https://bbcrewind.co.uk/asset/6139d63a544c6f0021171865?q=Manchester%20cityu0026amp;size=75
On this day in 1975 Manchester City faced Stoke at Maine Road.
Here for subscribers is a flashback piece detailing what features were in the MCFC match programme that day and game information:
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Gary James' Football Archive 