Tag Archives: Gordon Smith

Manchester City v Wimbledon: The First Time

The first League meeting between Manchester City and Wimbledon occurred on this day (25 August) in 1984 was an altogether new experience for City.  Relegation in May 1983 had brought many changes to the club, including the arrival of manager Billy McNeill and his assistant Jimmy Frizzell.  Their first season in charge had seen the Blues finish fourth behind Chelsea, Newcastle, and Sheffield Wednesday, and much was expected from their second campaign. 

The opening fixture of the 1984-5 season saw City take to the field against Wimbledon for the first time.  It should have been an easy victory for McNeill’s men, particularly as the Blues viewed themselves as championship contenders whereas Dave Bassett’s Wimbledon had risen from Division Four in two consecutive seasons.  It seemed at the time as if everyone in football doubted that Wimbledon would be able to handle life in Division Two.

The match commenced with City hopeful, but within fifteen minutes of the start Wimbledon were 2-0 up thanks to goals from Stewart Evans and Glyn Hodges.  City just didn’t know what had hit them.

By half-time, however the Blues had pulled a goal back and by full-time had equalised.  Gordon Smith and Derek Parlane had provided the crucial City goals, but the game was certainly one which made City realise promotion was not going to be as straightforward as some had suggested.  Apart from a victory over Grimsby a few other worrying results followed, then McNeill’s men got their act together and moved up the division.  Gradually they rose up the Division – although it’s fair to say there were a few heartstopping moments along the way!.  The Blues ended the season in the third automatic promotion spot, while Wimbledon ended the season in an encouraging 12th place – their best ever at the time.

Stats:  Division Two 25th August 1984.

Wimbledon 2 City 2

Scorers – City: Smith, Parlane

Wimbledon: Evans, Hodges

City:  Williams, Phillips, Power, Bond, McCarthy, Wilson, McNab, Baker, Cunningham, Smith (Tolmie), Parlane

Wimbledon:  Beasant, Kay, Winterburn, Galliers (Gage), Smith, Morris, Evans, Ketteridge, Cork, O’Berg, Hodges

Attendance: 8,365

More on the 1984-5 season here:

The 1980s: 1984-1985 Promotion

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40Years Ago: MCFC v Wimbledon

This will make you feel old! The first City-Wimbledon fixture shown on Match of the Day was the 3-0 City victory on 19th January 1985.  This was only the second fixture between the two sides and goals from Smith, Baker and Phillips made this a comfortable Second Division win. Highlights here:

More on that season here:

The 1980s: 1984-1985 Promotion

If you enjoy all the free material on my website and would like to support my research and keep this website going (but don’t want to subscribe) then why not make a one-time donation (or buy me a coffee). All support for my research is valued and welcome. It allows me to keep some free material available for all. Thanks.

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Programme Flashback City V Wolves 29 December 1984

On this day in 1984 Manchester City faced Wolves.

Here for subscribers is a flashback piece detailing what features were in the MCFC match programme that day:

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The 1980s: Join the Hamper Club

Today’s 1980s flashback is a brief reminder from the Manchester City match programme for this day (29 December) in 1984 when City defeated Wolves 4-0 (yes, another day of beating Wolves at Christmas) at Maine Road.

The goalscorers were Graham Baker, David Phillips, Gordon Smith and Clive Wilson but today’s reminder isn’t really about the game it’s about this programme advert for the MCFC Hamper Club. That’s right City’s Development Association used to have a hamper club whereby you could save all year and receive an hamper full of items you might just need over Christmas, like a tin of ham or real fruit jellies!

Did you join City’s hamper club? My family used to get one from Park Hampers, not City sadly! Now, back to the football…

You can find out more on this season and the rest of this important decade in the history of Manchester City Football Club by subscribing. The following subscriber article is a 2,600 word feature on the 1984-85 season. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1985-86 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald

The 1980s: Away v Charlton

Today’s 1980s flashback is a brief reminder of this day (15 December) in 1984 when a crowd of 5,568 witnessed Manchester City’s 3-1 victory at Charlton Athletic. This was a promotion season for City and the club’s goalscorers that day in the old Second Division (2nd tier) were Jim Melrose, David Phillips and Gordon Smith. The return game with Charlton was hugely significant.

You can find out more on this season and the rest of this important decade in the history of Manchester City Football Club by subscribing. The following subscriber article is a 2,600 word feature on the 1984-85 season. Enjoy!

Subscribe to get access – Monthly

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.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access – Annual

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.

Subscribe

If you’d like to know more about subscribing then see:

How To Subscribe

Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1985-86 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald

The 1980s: 1984-1985 Promotion

A new daily series of articles for subscribers started last week covering the 1980s. This is a seasonal journey through a truly important decade in the history of Manchester City Football Club. Today’s article is a 2,600 word feature on the 1984-85 season. Enjoy!

Subscribe to get access – Monthly

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.

Subscribe

Subscribe to get access – Annual

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.

Subscribe

If you’d like to know more about subscribing then see:

How To Subscribe

Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1985-86 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

The 1980s: 1980-1981 Gow, Hutchison & McDonald

The First Don

The first League meeting between Manchester City and Wimbledon came on this day (25 August) in 1984. It was an altogether new experience for City.  Relegation in May 1983 had brought many changes to the club, including the arrival of manager Billy McNeill and his assistant Jimmy Frizzell. Their first season in charge had seen the Blues finish fourth behind Chelsea, Newcastle, and Sheffield Wednesday, and much was expected from their second campaign. Subscribers can read a feature, including match reports, on the first meeting with Wimbledon below:

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