Tag Archives: Francis Lee

A Derby Hat-trick

On this day (12 December) in 1970 a hat-trick from Francis Lee (this was City’s last hat-trick in a derby until Haaland and Foden in 2022!), together with a goal from Mike Doyle, gave Manchester City a comfortable 4-1 victory over Manchester United before an Old Trafford crowd of 52,636.  That victory meant City had won 5 and only dropped 4 points in 8 consecutive League derby meetings with the Reds. There was also a devastating injury to Glyn Pardoe (more on that in another post!). Here is the background, report and verdict of that game…

Subscribe to get access – Annual

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. Annual subscribers pay £20 per year to access all material posted since December 2020 and all articles throughout the life of their subscription. Monthly subscribers pay £3 per month (see below).

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access – Monthly

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. Monthly subscribers pay £3 per month to access all material posted since 1st October 2022 and all articles throughout the life of their subscription. Annual subscribers pay £20 per year (see above).

Subscribe

IN SEARCH OF THE BLUES – Ian Bowyer

Back in 2010 one of my interviews with Ian Bowyer was published. Bowyer won European trophies at both Manchester City and Nottingham Forest. The interview ended with Bowyer talking about modern day football (this was 2010 before City rediscovered their trophy winning ways) and he commented: ‘Can I add that I really want to see City re-establish themselves as a successful side? I know what this Club can achieve and I hope success – real success – comes soon.’  Subscribers can now read this 3,000 word article here as it was first published:

Subscribe to get access – Annual

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. £20 per year (access to everything posted since Dec 2020) or £3 per month (see below).

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access – Monthly

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. £20 per year (see above) or £3 per month here. The monthly subscription provides access to everything posted since 1st October and the subscription can be cancelled any time. Why not sign up for a month and see how it goes?

Subscribe

IN SEARCH OF THE BLUES – Frank Carrodus (interviewed September 2004)

Midfielder Frank Carrodus joined Manchester City in November 1969.  Over the course of the following five years Frank made a total of 37 appearances plus ten as substitute before joining Aston Villa in July 1974.  Gary James caught up with him at the City Social in September 2004 to discuss his career. Here for subscribers is that interview.

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. If you’d like to support my research then why not subscribe? Every subscription directly helps support my research and provides annual subscribers with access to everything posted on this site, including the entire Manchester A Football History and From Maine Men To Banana Citizens books, plus interviews, articles and more. I am not employed by anyone and all my research is self funded or comes from subscriptions to this site.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. You can subscribe at either £20 per year (above) or at £3 per month here (cancel any time). For those subscribing £3 per month you will be able to access all content from October 2022 onwards for as long as you are a subscriber. Those subscribing £20 a year have access to everything posted since December 2020.

Subscribe

Only 13,646 at Old Trafford

On this day (30 October) in 1973 The second round League Cup tie between Manchester City and Walsall went to a second replay.  City won the game 4-0 with a hat-trick for Francis Lee, but a pitiful crowd of 13,646 witnessed the match at Old Trafford.  City fans didn’t mind playing a 2nd replay, but they did object to it being played at United’s ground.

Subscribe to get access

If you’d like to support my research then why not subscribe? Every subscription directly helps support my research and provides annual subscribers with access to everything posted on this site, including the entire Manchester A Football History and From Maine Men To Banana Citizens books, plus interviews, articles and more. I am not employed by anyone and all my research is self funded or comes from subscriptions to this site.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. You can subscribe at either £20 per year (above) or at £3 per month here (cancel any time). For those subscribing £3 per month you will be able to access all content from October 2022 onwards for as long as you are a subscriber. Those subscribing £20 a year have access to everything posted since December 2020.

Subscribe

On This Day – Francis Lee

On this day (9 October) in 1967 Francis Lee finally signed for Manchester City from Bolton Wanderers. Heres a long profile of Lee I’ve written on him:

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £20 a year to get full access to everything on this site throughout their subscription. have a search and see whats available.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. You can subscribe at either £20 per year (above) or at £3 per month here (cancel any time). For those subscribing £3 per month you will be able to access all content from October 2022 onwards for as long as you are a subscriber. Those subscribing £20 a year have access to everything posted since December 2020.

Subscribe

Managerial Merry Go Round

On this day (7th October) in 1997 Steve Coppell became Manchester City’s manager. Here’s the story of that period with quotes from exclusive interviews I have performed with Coppell’s assistant Phil Neal.

This article is available for subscribers…

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £20 a year. Throughout your subscription you have full access to all content on this site. Do a few searches to see what’s available.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. You can subscribe at either £20 per year (above) or at £3 per month here (cancel any time). For those subscribing £3 per month you will be able to access all content from October 2022 onwards for as long as you are a subscriber. Those subscribing £20 a year have access to everything posted since December 2020.

Subscribe

Allison’s Red and Black

On this day in 1968 Manchester City wore Red & Black stripes for the first time. Malcolm Allison had suggested adopting AC Milan’s colours and City first wore them for their meeting at Everton on October 5th 1968. Sadly, City were defeated 2-0 at Goodison and the colour change wasn’t popular with fans at first. However, due to a colour clash with Leicester, the new colours were worn in the 1969 FA Cup final. The club won that trophy and the kit soon entered City folklore as an important kit.

City chose to wear the new style for all the successful major finals that followed during Joe Mercer & Malcolm Allison’s time, including the club’s first European trophy in 1970.  At one point Allison suggested making red and black the first choice kit.

There were however plenty of complaints about City adopting the colours. Take a look at an earlier post I made on those complaints here:

Complaints About MCFC Kits!

Lee One Pen

For decades now Francis Lee’s name has been linked with the 1971-72 season and, especially, with him scoring a record number of penalties that season. He netted 13 penalties in a 42 game League season and it’s a record that still stands to this day. This record has often led to the suggestion that Lee ‘won’ more penalties than perhaps he ought to and so for this article I’ve analysed every penalty awarded and taken by Manchester City that season.

This analysis and commentary on Lee’s penalty record is available to subscribers.

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £20 a year or £3 per month if paying a month at a time. You receive full access to everything on the site throughout your subscription.

Subscribe

Manchester City Win The League

On this day (May 11) in 1968 Manchester City defeated Newcastle United and won the League title. Here’s the build up to that game; the story of the match itself and quotes from those involved.  Enjoy!

Subscribe to get access – Annual

Read more of this content and everything else on this site when you subscribe today. £20 a year (works out about £1.67 a month) and you access all the interviews, articles and the entire Manchester A Football History book too for as long as you’re a subscriber. Thanks Gary

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access

You can also sign up on a monthly basis for £3 per month (cancel anytime). So why not try it for a month?

Subscribe

MCFC 20TH CENTURY CHRONICLE SEASON 1967-68

The Matches

As with the 1936-7 Championship season, the first few weeks gave little indication of what the Blues were ultimately to achieve as only one point – a goalless game with Liverpool – was obtained during the first three matches.  Fortunately, this was followed by a 5 match unbeaten run, lifting City into the top 5. 

Subscribe to get access

Read more of this content when you subscribe today.

Subscribe