Tag Archives: George Heslop

60 Years Ago Today: Portsmouth’s Free Seats for Women

On this day (8 January) 1966 Portsmouth welcomed Manchester City to Fratton Park. Subscribers can read a contemporary match report below of that important game in City’s quest to earn promotion from the second tier (Joe Mercer was not happy!). What also made the day special was that Portsmouth chose that day to introduce a policy of free tickets for women (to accompany their men according to this cutting in my collection!). I’m not certain how long their policy lasted but it’s worth noting that many clubs had previously had a policy of half price tickets for women (City had been doing that from the 1890s).

Here for subscribers is a contemporary match report of Portsmouth v City (you can find out why Joe Mercer was angry too!):

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From My Collection: The 1967-68 Champions

Here’s an odd item from my collection. It’s a compliment slip by a Star Press (the ‘champion printers’) which lists the players in Manchester City’s 1967-68 title winning team. There are a couple of spelling mistakes. See if you can spot them. One side of the compliments slip shows the League Champions and the other side looks like this:

I’m not certain if there was a close connection between Manchester City and Star Press at this time.

You can find out more about the 1967-68 season by reading the following subscriber article. If you’d like to read this 7,600 word article (yes, 7,600 words on one season!), plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below). As with most of the other seasonal features it includes words from interviews I have performed with those who were there.

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The 1960s: 1967-1968 Leeds v Manchester City

On this day (23 March) in 1968 came a game between two title challenging teams – Leeds Utd and Manchester City. The view was that this game could knock City out of the title race if it went Leeds’ way. So what happened? Here’s film of the game:

You can find out more aboutthe potential impact of this game by reading this subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1967-68 season. If you’d like to read this 7,600 word article (yes, 7,600 words on one season!), 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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The 1960s: Summerbee Treble

On this day (31 January) in 1968 Manchester City defeated Reading 7-0 in a FA Cup replay. As the players left the field the Elm Park tannoy announcer claimed:  ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, you have just seen one of the greatest teams England has produced in a long time.’

Goalscorers were Mike Summerbee (3), Colin Bell, Tony Coleman, George Heslop and Neil Young. This photo is of the Bell, Lee & Summerbee statue at the Etihad today.

Dozens of letters arrived at Maine Road commenting on City’s performance.  Many Reading fans wrote in saying they could have watched the Blues all night.  Other letters arrived commenting on how well behaved the City supporters were, while fans themselves commented on the cheerfulness of the Reading police.  

These points may seem trivial today, but in 1968 football had already begun to enter its hooligan period.  Football supporters had started to be seen as trouble causers and incidents of violence, or of vandalism, soon found their way into national newspapers.  Although City supporters were never totally blameless, during the late 1960s Blues fans continued to gain commendations rather than condemnation.

You can read more on this remarkable, trophy winning season below. If you’d like to read this 7,600 word article (yes, 7,600 words on one season!), 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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The 1960s: Summerbee Double

On this day (29 January) in 1966 Mike Summerbee scored twice as Manchester City defeated Middlesbrough 3-1. The other goal came from Neil Young (the photo is of course Neil Young in 1971 at Maine Road). 1965-66 was an important season in MCFC history and you can read more on it in the following 4100 word article. This (plus all other articles on the site) is available to subscribers (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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The 1960s: 52,661 Watch City v Blackpool

On this day (24 January) in 1966 52,661 watched at Maine Road as Manchester City defeated Blackpool 3-1 in the FA Cup with goals from Mike Doyle, Mike Summerbee and Johnny Crossan (the photo is of course of Mike Summerbee with Colin Bell and Francis Lee in October 1967). 1965-66 was an important season in MCFC history and you can read more on it in the following 4100 word article. This (plus all other articles on the site) is available to subscribers (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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The 1960s: A Wonderful Manchester Derby Film

Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a wonderful film from the Manchester derby played at Maine Road on this day (21 January) in 1967:

The game ended in a 1-1 draw before almost 63,000 at City’s old stadium. You can read more on the 1966-67 season (a 3200 word article; plus all other articles on the site) if you 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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The 1960s: 1968-1969 The Fourth FA Cup

Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1968-69 season. Another trophy winning season. If you’d like to read this 6,000 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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The 1960s: 1967-1968 Congratulations

Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1967-68 season. A trophy winning season. If you’d like to read this 7,600 word article (yes, 7,600 words on one season!), 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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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or sign up for a year at the discounted price of £20 per year (works out £1.67 per month). Subscribers access the 1000+ articles posted so far and the others scheduled during the life of your subscription.

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The 1960s: 1966-1967 A Late Developer

Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1966-67 season. Yet another important season in City’s development. If you’d like to read this 3200 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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Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) or sign up for a year at the discounted price of £20 per year (works out £1.67 per month). Subscribers access the 1000+ articles posted so far and the others scheduled during the life of your subscription.

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