Tag Archives: Ipswich Town

Abandoned Match: City v Ipswich

Today (3 January) in 1994: After 39 minutes Manchester City’s game with Ipswich Town was abandoned with the Blues winning 2-0.  The scorers were Vonk and Ingebrigtsen – his only League goal for the Blues was expunged from the records as a result!

The referee David Elleray angered the City players, especially Tony Coton, by abandoning the tie due to a waterlogged pitch.  The pitch had been appalling at the kick-off and perhaps the game should not have commenced.  Naturally, it was a big disappointment at the time.

I was at this abandoned game in the ‘new’ Platt Lane Stand. Were you also at Maine Road that day? If so why not leave your memory as a comment or email it to me for possible future use on this website?

You can read more on the 1993-94 season here:

Manchester City Season – 1993-94

The 1960s: Neil Young’s First League Goal

On this day (23 December) in 1961 Neil Young scored his first League goal for Manchester City. It came in a 3-0 victory over Ipswich Town. The other scorers were Peter Dobing and Joe Hayes. Subscribers can read more on City’s 1961-62 season below. The Young photo here is from the start of the following decade of course! If you’d like to read the 1600 word article, plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe. 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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Top Two Divisions Attendances and Table From 40 Years Ago!

Last week I posted the top flight attendances for this last week forty years ago and this led to a number of comments/questions and so to answer some of those I’ve now posted the top two divisions attendances together with the two League tables AND the end of season average attendances. People asked for clarity on how the figures compared to the second tier and whether League position played its part in affecting crowds. As a reminder here’s last week’s attendances…

And here’s this week’s (published 24 November 1985) and the League table too.

Obviously, these are only snapshots from that season but to add a bit more context here are the end of season averages here are the top 46 best supported clubs in order that season (hopefully it might make those who sing songs like ‘Where Were You?’ think about the crowds at their own clubs first):

A few notable League positions for those who do sing ‘Where Were You?’… The top eight clubs in the League were: Liverpool (champions), Everton, West Ham, Man Utd, Sheff Wed, Chelsea, Arsenal and Forest. Manchester City (who were 4th best supported club) were 15th (only 4 points above relegation zone), Spurs were tenth, Newcastle 11th and Aston Villa 16th.

In the Second Division best supported club Sunderland were 18th (avoiding relegation by 4 points); the top four were Norwich, Charlton, Wimbledon and Portsmouth.

If you’d like to know more about Manchester City at this time, here’s a 2,500 word subscriber feature on the 1985-86 season. Enjoy!

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Attendances 40 Years Ago!

These two results tables for top flight football in November 1985 make interesting reading. I’ve included the details published today (17 November, for games played the previous day) in 1985 and also the week after’s details too. This gives an idea of what the top clubs were attracting back then. Notice West Ham’s game attracted more at home than Arsenal’s and that Liverpool were over 26,000 less than Manchester United. Arsenal’s crowd was 6,000 less than struggling Manchester City and Tottenham attracted more than Arsenal too. Reigning League champions Everton were some way ahead of the London clubs and only about 600 behind Liverpool. Obviously, these are only snapshots from two weekends but hopefully it might make those who sing songs like ‘Where Were You?’ think about the crowds at their own clubs first.

the Marwood scoring for Sheffield Wednesday was of course Brian Marwood who went on to play a key part in Manchester City’s modern return to glory. If you’d like to know more about Manchester City at this time, here’s a 2,500 word subscriber feature on the 1985-86 season. Enjoy!

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Manchester City 2 Ipswich Town 1

The February 1994 (on this day in 1994) meeting between the two clubs made the headlines as it heralded the dawn of the Francis Lee era at Maine Road and, not for the first time that season, much of the focus was on off-field activities.  Nevertheless the game itself was an extremely pleasing from a City perspective.  It commenced in typical City big match style – Garry Flitcroft’s attempted back pass ended up gifting Ian Marshall, the former Oldham player, a rather simple opportunity to score!

Fortunately, City didn’t give up.  David Rocastle, who had joined City from Leeds in a £1 million exchange for the out of form David White in December, had quickly established himself as an important member of Brian Horton’s side.  Many saw him as a great addition to the Blue cause, and this match proved to be his greatest as he clearly helped City attack Ipswich.  At one point he cut through two defenders, charged to the goal-line and sent over a superb cross for Carl Griffiths to flick in a great goal.  Afterwards the new Chairman claimed Rocastle possessed Brazilian-style skill and few argued.

The goal brought more confidence and with Michel Vonk defending superbly, and Steve Lomas controlling midfield, the Blues dominated.  Terry Phelan attempted an overhead shot, before a foul on Lomas brought a free kick.  Keith Curle took it and Vonk knocked it down for Garry Flitcroft to touch in the winning goal.

That night City fans celebrated their first League victory since 8th December.  They ended the season in16th place while Ipswich finished 19th (one point above the relegation zone).

Stats: Premier League, 5th February 1994

City 2 Ipswich Town 1

Scorers – City: Flitcroft, Griffiths

Ipswich: Marshall

City:  Coton, Edghill, Phelan, Lomas, Curle, Vonk, Rocastle, Flitcroft, Griffiths, Shutt, Sheron

Attendance: 28,188

More on this season here:

The 1990s: 1993-1994 Swales Out

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The 1960s: 1962-1963 Paying The Penalty

Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1962-63 season. If you’d like to read this 1900 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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First League Cup Game

The first League Cup game between Manchester City and Ipswich was on 11 September 1961 at Portman Road.  The crowd of 14,926 watched City lose 4-2 to an Ipswich side destined to win the League Championship that season.

MCFC v Ipswich: Gow Goal

This weekend it’s Manchester City v Ipswich. My new series of programme articles starts on Saturday. It’s a 2 page feature in which I find a photo from City’s past and then explain the image and talk about those involved and the moment itself. I’ll leave everyone to guess which image has been selected but before then here’s another image from a City-Ipswich match.

This is from 6 December 1980. It’s a photo of tenacious Gerry Gow scoring against Bobby Robson’s Ipswich Town at Maine Road.

City were losing 1-0 and then in the 76th minute a scramble in the visitors penalty area saw Phil Boyer (centre of this photo) battling for the ball close to future City ‘keeper Paul Cooper. In the end it’s Gerry Gow, on the right being challenged by John Wark, who digs out the ball and sends it goalwards to make it 1-1.

This was a season of classic games against Ipswich, who were chasing a potential treble trophy success. You can read about the others if you’re a subscriber. Subscribers can read the following ten thousand word long read on the 1980-81 season. Enjoy!

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MCFC V Ipswich: Abandoned Match

The last two games abandoned at Maine Rd were actually both meetings between City and Ipswich. Here’s a reminder of one of them. It’s the 3 January 1994 meeting. After 39 minutes City’s game with Ipswich Town was abandoned with the Blues winning 2-0.  The scorers were Vonk and Ingebrigtsen – his only League goal for the Blues was expunged from the records as a result!

The referee David Elleray angered the City players, especially Tony Coton, by abandoning the tie due to a waterlogged pitch.  As a fan I wasn’t particularly happy either! The pitch had been appalling at the kick-off and perhaps the game should not have commenced.  Naturally, it was a big disappointment at the time.

As I mentioned, I was at this abandoned game in the ‘new’ Platt Lane Stand. Were you also at Maine Road that day? If so why not leave your memory as a comment or email it to me for possible future use on this website?

You can read more on the 1993-94 season here:

Manchester City Season – 1993-94

The 1970s: Favourites For The Title?

Despite drawing 2-2 at Newcastle on this day (16 February) in 1977 and Ipswich heading the table, Norwich’s Ken Brown believed Manchester City were the most likely team to win the title. City were certainly the team with all the flair this season and perhaps deserved success but ultimately it was the grim, more negative football played by Liverpool that was to find trophy success.

You can read a 2,100 word article on the entire 1976-77 season – a season which saw City miss the title by a point – below. This series of articles and features on Manchester City in the 1970s has been running throughout January & February with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others.

Subscribers can access everything. If you want to know more on this incredible decade for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read it all? You could even subscribe for a month and see what you think. The following 2,100 word article is on the 1976-77 season and is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!

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