Tag Archives: Halifax

The Allison Curse and City’s Nightmare at Halifax

Malcolm Allison’s multi-million pound Manchester City side were humbled 1-0 at Fourth Division Halifax Town in the FAC on this day (5 January) in 1980 but there’s so much more to it than that. At Christmas 1979 big spending City were 12th in the League and Malcolm Allison was in charge of the most expensive British team ever assembled up to that point.12th was disappointing of course but it wasn’t the end of the world. In those days a decent run in the League could easily lift a team (similar to the 2025-26 season in terms of the number of clubs capable of winning the League at Christmas). Sadly, City collapsed in the weeks that followed.  

A 1-1 draw at Stoke on Boxing Day was disappointing, but it wasn’t the end of the world.  Then a 4-1 defeat at First Division newcomers Brighton knocked confidence at an important time.  The next game was the third round F.A. Cup clash against Fourth Division Halifax Town at the Shay.

In his programme notes for the match Halifax Manager George Kirby predicted a shock:  “In today’s F.A. Cup 3rd round the only certainty is that there are going to be some surprises, especially with the wintry conditions underfoot.  I like to think that we are among one of the possible giant killers.  This is because we are playing against one of the certain to be ‘top teams’ of the 80s.  A 4th Div side at home to a 1st Div outfit with such stars as Joe Corrigan, Steve Daley, and Mike Robinson is a possible shock result.  It only needs an off day by a key player and Halifax are in the hunt.”

Kirby was determined to defeat football’s biggest spenders and even brought in an hypnotist, Romark (who had previously ‘cursed’ Allison while the City boss had been manager of Crystal Palace – a really interesting story which will be covered in my biography of Peter Barnes to be published in 2021), to get his players in the right frame of mind.  The game itself was played in horrendous conditions, with multi-million pound City struggling to achieve anything.  In the 75th minute it was all over as the ex-Birmingham City player Paul Hendrie converted a cross from former City schoolboy Andy Stafford to give Halifax a 1-0 victory.  It was the biggest result in Halifax history, and the most embarrassing City defeat of the Allison period.  Even today the name of Halifax and the sight of the Shay brings back nightmares for a large number of Blues.

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City Fans Accused of Stealing Ball!

Here’s a brief flashback piece published in the Halifax Evening Courier in January 1990 remembering a story from ten years earlier. It claims Manchester City fans in a car stole a football and references the famous 1980 FA Cup tie which City lost at Halifax as part of its story.

If you’d like a reminder of what had happened at Halifax Town in the FA Cup in January 1980 then why not read this 4,220 word article on the entire 1979-80 season – a season which saw heroes leave and spending get ridiculous!). 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. This is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!

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The 1920s: The English Hampden

The new series on Manchester City in the 1920s continues today with a 3,000 word subscriber article on the 1923-24 season. If you subscribe (see below) I hope you enjoy it. If you are not currently a subscriber then why not try it for a month (£3 per month or sign up for a year at a discounted £20 per year)?

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The 1920s: Building A New Stadium

The new series on Manchester City in the 1920s continues today with a 1,500 word subscriber article on the 1922-23 season. If you subscribe (see below) I hope you enjoy it. If you are not currently a subscriber then why not try it for a month (£3 per month or sign up for a year at a discounted £20 per year)?

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As well as subscriber pieces this series on the 1920s includes some free articles. Watch out for a daily post.

Maine Road 100 – Bonus Article!

As Manchester City are playing Newcastle today (19 August 2023) and I’ve been doing a 100 day countdown to the centenary of Maine Road’s first game, it’s worth pausing to remember that before Maine Road City had another major venue that had staged games at an international level; semi-finals; been the best supported League club at; and had welcomed the King to. That ground was Hyde Road and the old stadium’s last ever League game came on 28 April 1923 when City drew 0-0 with Newcastle United (hence me doing this reminder today!).

The match was watched by a crowd of around 20,000.  On the same date Wembley Stadium, built by the same people who were building Maine Road, hosted its first FA Cup final and, because of the extraordinary scenes, very little space was given over to the City game in the national ‘papers.  Instead they concentrated on Bolton’s performance and the exploits of Billy, the white horse, in clearing the Wembley pitch. 

Three months after the last Hyde Road League match, on 18 August, the last ever game, a practice match, was staged on the pitch.  Afterwards the goal posts and a few turnstiles were taken from the old ground and erected at Maine Road – about 6 were still at Maine Road in 2003 when it was demolished. Attempts were made to keep one of the oldest (from 1896) and re-erect it in a public area at the new stadium. Sadly, the day before it was to be removed the external wall was smashed and the turnstile was stolen.

One of the Hyde Road stand roofs was dismantled and sold to Halifax Town to be re-erected at the Shay. 

The Shay had opened approximately twelve months before Hyde Road’s last League match, and a stand had already been constructed.  When this stand was extended it coincided with the demolition of City’s ground.  Basically, it appears that the metalwork from one of City’s multi-span roofs was dismantled and re-erected along the touchline at the Shay.  It was linked to the existing roof, and formed one traditional style roof.  The roof still exists at the Shay today, although during the early 1990s it was re-clad.

The front stanchions look suspiciously like those at Hyde Road, while my investigations in the late 1990s highlighted that the metalwork matched that of similar roofing at a factory in Sale.  That factory’s roof was also a former stand roof from Hyde Road.  Both the Shay roof and that in Sale were so similar that it seems likely they had previously been erected at Hyde Road.

The Sale factory was dismantled and sections of the roof given to Manchester City for possible re-use in a City museum.  Sadly, by 2002 the metalwork had vanished from Maine Road and its whereabouts unknown.

A page from Charles Thurrell’s copy of Hyde Road’s last league game match programme v Newcastle, 28 April 1923
Charles Thurrell’s copy of Hyde Road’s last league game match programme v Newcastle, 28 April 1923

100 Years Ago Today: Hyde Road’s Last

Today (28 April) in 1923 Hyde Road staged its last League game as Manchester City drew 0-0 with Newcastle United.

The match was watched by a crowd of around 20,000.  On the same date Wembley Stadium, built by the same people who were building Maine Road, hosted its first FA Cup final and, because of the extraordinary scenes, very little space was given over to the City game in the national ‘papers.  Instead they concentrated on Bolton’s performance and the exploits of Billy, the white horse, in clearing the Wembley pitch. 

Three months after the last Hyde Road League match, on 18 August, the last ever game, a practice match, was staged on the pitch.  Afterwards the goal posts and a few turnstiles were taken from the old ground and erected at Maine Road – about 6 were still at Maine Road in 2003 when it was demolished. Attempts were made to keep one of the oldest (from 1896) and re-erect it in a public area at the new stadium. Sadly, the day before it was to be removed the external wall was smashed and the turnstile was stolen.

One of the Hyde Road stand roofs was dismantled and sold to Halifax Town to be re-erected at the Shay. 

The Shay had opened approximately twelve months before Hyde Road’s last League match, and a stand had already been constructed.  When this stand was extended it coincided with the demolition of City’s ground.  Basically, it appears that the metalwork from one of City’s multi-span roofs was dismantled and re-erected along the touchline at the Shay.  It was linked to the existing roof, and formed one traditional style roof.  The roof still exists at the Shay today, although during the early 1990s it was re-clad.

The front stanchions look suspiciously like those at Hyde Road, while my investigations in the late 1990s highlighted that the metalwork matched that of similar roofing at a factory in Sale.  That factory’s roof was also a former stand roof from Hyde Road.  Both the Shay roof and that in Sale were so similar that it seems likely they had previously been erected at Hyde Road.

The Sale factory was dismantled and sections of the roof given to Manchester City for possible re-use in a City museum.  Sadly, by 2002 the metalwork had vanished from Maine Road and its whereabouts unknown.

A page from Charles Thurrell’s copy of Hyde Road’s last league game match programme v Newcastle, 28 April 1923
Charles Thurrell’s copy of Hyde Road’s last league game match programme v Newcastle, 28 April 1923