Tag Archives: John Motson

The 1990s: Loyal Support?

A slight diversion here. The cutting above is from March 1995 and was published in a Liverpool newspaper about attendances at Anfield and Goodison. It’s not worth getting into the local support rivalry that clearly existed on Merseyside then (and probably still does today) but it is worth showing this cutting as it demonstrates that the biggest clubs haven’t always had full stadia.

People assume the 1990s was a decade of full houses but that’s not always the case. The 1994-95 season is an interesting one because there was building work at many stadia as a result of the move to all seater grounds. Manchester City averaged 22,725 which may not sound to great but the season started with City’s capacity down to less than 20,000 for several games. The capacity increased in stages, ultimately reaching about 28,000 that season but this was the first complete season of Franny Lee’s chairmanship and demand was huge.

You can read more on 1994-95 season below. This article is almost 5,000 words long. It’s available to subscribers, so why not subscribe and relive this extraordinary season? As with all these 1990s subscriber features it contains material from interviews I’ve performed with key figures from that time.

Here’s the 5000 word article on that season:

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This series of articles and features will run throughout March with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. There will be flashbacks to great games, players and more. Every day in March will offer something to enjoy.

Subscribers will get access to everything, while some on this day material will be free for all to view.

If you want to know more on this incredible decade for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read it all? If you’d like to know more about subscribing then see:

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The 1990s: 1994-1995 Horton’s Entertainers

The series of articles covering Manchester City in the 1990s continues today with the 1994-95 season. Another significant season and this article is almost 5,000 words long. It’s available to subscribers, so why not subscribe and relive this extraordinary season? As with all these 1990s subscriber features it contains material from interviews I’ve performed with key figures from that time.

Here’s the 5000 word article on that season:

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

This series of articles and features will run throughout March with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. There will be flashbacks to great games, players and more. Every day in March will offer something to enjoy.

Subscribers will get access to everything, while some on this day material will be free for all to view.

If you want to know more on this incredible decade for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read it all? If you’d like to know more about subscribing then see:

How To Subscribe

John Motson

Sorry to hear the news about John Motson, who has died. I’ve several Motty anecdotes that I’ll always cherish. I wrote to him over 30 years ago about Joe Mercer not really expecting a reply but he phoned me up at 10.30pm to share his memories. Wonderful stuff though it did initially worry me that someone was phoning from a number I didn’t recognise at that time. I answered the phone thinking that there could be some sort of family emergency only to hear the voice on the other end say: ‘Is that Gary James? This is John Motson. How are you doing old boy?’

Another time there was also a surreal moment when I drove him to his 1st visit to the COM Stadium (now Etihad of course). I’d asked him to do some voice over work for the new MCFC museum – I was project managing the development as a freelance consultant. Throughout the 20 mins journey he bombarded me with statistical questions before I managed to divert his attention on to a few of his anecdotes. I’d never been questioned so much on long lost players and records. That journey even made it into Motty’s book….

A page from Motty’s Year. John Motson’s book.

Though he didn’t reveal how he’d kept me on my toes throughout the journey and our meeting that day!

The recordings we were due to do that day were delayed considerably as I’d invited City’s Secretary Bernard Halford over for lunch. Bernard and Motty were great friends and they spent several hours talking about various people and clubs. It was a wonderful insight into how their minds worked.

When we did get around to do the recording John had a few questions about the scripts I’d written. There was one bit that he told me off about! I’d written about the 1981 FA Cup final when Tommy Hutchison scored both for City and against City. My words said something like: ‘Then tragedy struck as Hutchison diverted the ball into his own net.’ Motty looked at me and said: ‘Now then Gary. It wasn’t a tragedy.’ I replied something like: ‘It was to City. It cost us the game and everything that followed.’

‘Yes, but Gary that’s not a tragedy. Heysel’s a tragedy. Conceding a goal is a misfortune.’ Motty was of course absolutely right and while football is full of hyperbole ever since that day I’ve always tried to focus on the specific meaning of words like that. An own goal or defeat is a misfortune.

Thanks Motty for your help that day and on the other occasions over the decades we’ve chatted etc.

RIP Motty

A City-Spurs Classic

Today (22 October) in 1994 Brian Horton’s Manchester City defeated Ossie Ardiles’ Spurs 5-2, with goals from Walsh (2), Quinn, Flitcroft, and Lomas.  This was a very memorable and popular match and when it was shown on Match of the Day that evening the BBC also chose to re-screen highlights from the December 1967 ‘Ballet on Ice’ meeting between the sides.  The game was later described by BBC commentator John Motson as one of his all-time top three classic Maine Road matches. Subscribers can read more on the 1994 classic below:

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