Tag Archives: Liverpool

The Corinthians at Liverpool

A year ago today (29 April 2025) Liverpool FC welcomed myself & several Manchester Corinthians to their women’s training facility at Melwood. The women who played for the Corinthians during the 50s-80s met the then current first team WSL squad of Liverpool; had a tour of the facilities; signed autographs (LFC wanted the Corinthians’ autographs and vice versa); and were given a wonderful lunch. I cannot stress highly enough how incredible the welcome was from LFC – all at LFC, not simply one or two people but everybody from security though to every area of the club.

The oldest Corinthian able to attend was 90 year old Centre-forward Mary Bee. Mary, along with Margaret Whitworth and Gill Holland who were also there, participated in a major international tournament in Venezuela in 1960 which the Corinthians won. She also played in the 1957 European Cup victory over Germany in Berlin (the Corinthians played as an unofficial England team). Others present today included players who had defeated Juventus in a major final in France in 1970.

Thank you Liverpool! It really was appreciated. Some photographs from the visit appear at the end of this article.

You can discover more on the Corinthians’ history (the facts not the fiction!) in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History. The updated second edition will be available in October this year but if you order it before publication you can get your name published in a special roll of honour at the back of the book. This book is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of over 360 pages.

The book will be sent out to all subscribers on publication at the start of October 2026. This will be before it appears in any shop. Sadly, due to postage costs the book can only be posted to UK addresses. You do not need to have a PayPal account to order – use the ‘Pay with PayPal’ button below and it will give you the option to pay by credit/debit card without creating a PayPal account.

UK ONLY – one copy of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for one paperback book at £19.95 ()incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£19.95

Opportunities to buy multiple copies, sponsor the book or donate exist too. Please email Gary@GJFootballArchive.com for more information on those opportunities. For those wishing to order ten copies then a special panel will be included within the book thanking you for supporting the Corinthians’ project & book, plus you’ll get ten copies for the discounted total of £150 (including UK deliver).

UK ONLY – Ten copies of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for ten paperback books at £150 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£150.00

Note: the cover is currently being redesigned and is likely to be different to the ones shown here.

If you’re wondering why the Corinthians are so important to football’s history you can also watch this free 18 minute film (including interviews with some of those at LFC today) now. You won’t be disappointed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=AWsGr3G_izE

Some photos from last year’s visit:

The 2021 League Cup Final

Pep Guardiola’s team won the League Cup for a record-equalling fourth time in succession with a deserved victory over Tottenham on this day (25 April) in 2021. The London club had dismissed manager Jose Mourinho earlier that week, placing coach Ryan Mason in charge for this final. At 29 Mason became the youngest man to be in charge for a League Cup final.

City were the dominant team for most of the game, but the game’s only goal didn’t arrive until eight minutes from time. Aymeric Laporte rose to head home Kevin De Bruyne’s free kick.

After the final Pep Guardiola told the BBC: ‘That is what these players give for the future generations of this club. It is not winning [just] one title. This team in the last decade was the team in England – since Roberto Mancini won the Premier League, this team wins a lot of times in England. It’s nice, four Carabao Cups in a row, it means consistency in the team to be there. We beat Arsenal and Manchester United on the way so we can say we deserved to win this competition. The way we played was fantastic and it’s nice when you win a title. The most impressive thing is in the last 33 games we won 30.’

The victory meant City were now level with Liverpool on eight League Cup final wins and no team had bettered that success. Similarly no manager had won the competition more than Pep Guardiola.

In this Covid-hit season there was some positive news for fans as a limited number were allowed to attend the final wearing face masks. Stewards were told to actively look for fans taking them off and frequently they went into the crowd to ask fans to re-mask otherwise they’d face expulsion. The final attendance of 7,773 included around 2,000 from each club and a number of locally based residents. At the end those from Manchester and the neutrals present stayed to watch the Blues lift their eighth League Cup.

Match Stats

25 April 2021

Manchester City 1 (Laporte) Tottenham Hotspur 0

Attendance 7,773 (Covid restrictions)

You can read my comments about attending the final here:

Covid and the 2021 League Cup Final

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King Colin’s Crown

Today (10 April 2026) marks the 50th anniversary of the day City legend Colin Bell was crowned. The story has entered folklore about the day when a fan – Dave Brammer – ran on to the Maine Road pitch with a crown he had specially made for the occasion and placed it on the head of Colin as the player warmed up just before kick-off.  This photo recently rediscovered captures the moment and you can read more about this remarkable day and see other photos of Colin in action that day below (this is a subscriber article – see below for details).

There’s also plenty of other stuff on Colin throughout the site so why not have a search and see what you can see?

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Kiki Musampa’s Strike Against Liverpool

On this day (April 9) in 2005 a 90th minute volley from Kiki Musampa – his first for the Blues – at the northern end of the stadium gave Manchester City a 1-0 home victory over eventual European Champions Liverpool.  This was Stuart Pearce’s first league victory as City manager.

The Musampa goal was described at the time as a ‘spectacular volley’.

Former City and England captain Pearce guided the Blues through the final nine games of 2004-05 after the departure of Kevin Keegan.  Apart from a 2-1 defeat in his first game, the Blues were unbeaten until the end of the season.  This run included the victory over Liverpool and wins over Birmingham (3-0), Portsmouth (2-0) and Aston Villa (2-1).       

As a result Pearce was named the Barclays Premiership Manager of the Month for April. 

For more on the 2004-05 season have a read of this:

The 2000s: This Week 2004-05

Double The Crowd: Crerand’s Bet With Allison

60 years ago this week (March 1966) Manchester City announced that their FA Cup quarter final was a 63,000 sell out. Why is this significant? Because the attendance was larger than any domestic crowd at Old Trafford that season, but why is that significant? Because at the start of the season United’s Pat Crerand bet City assistant manager Malcolm Allison that City would never get more than 30,000 for a game again! I interviewed Malcolm back in 1993 when we talked about this and he also mentioned it in he biography. The story…

Basically, Allison was sat at United’s League championship celebration and became somewhat frustrated by the glorification of United that night. While Joe Mercer took a diplomatic approach, afterall it was United’s celebration dinner, Allison decided to speak out. He told Matt Busby’s son Sandy that his dad had a twenty year start but ‘I’ll pass him in three’ and then Allison claimed he got into a discussion with Crerand about ‘little City’ compared to United. Allison claimed Crerand made a £10 bet with him that City would never again get 30,000+ in Maine Road.

A pause in the action (September 1967 Manchester derby) gives Summerbee Crerand and Dunne an opportunity to debate the action so far (Image: The Pride of Manchester, 1991)

On a Wednesday night in October (27/10/65) City attracted 34,091 for the visit of Norwich in the Second Division. Allison told me he couldn’t remember whether he ever got his £10 but he did laugh a great deal when I told him that United’s attendance the previous Saturday was 32,716 for the top flight visit of Fulham.

Malcolm Allison at the launch of Gary James’ Football With A Smile: The Authorised Biography of Joe Mercer, OBE in December 1993. Note Francis Lee appearing behind Allison.

What was even more remarkable was that the City-Everton FAC tie on 26 March 1966 was watched by 63,034 and that was higher than any domestic crowd at United that season. Allison laughed again when we discussed that briefly. As a comparison, United attracted 58,161 for their League game with Liverpool (lowest home League attendance 23,039 v Aston Villa) and they did get 60,433 for their FAC Cup quarter-final replay with Preston. Plus United managed to better all these attendances with 64,035 for their European Cup quarter-final with Benfica.

I did an earlier interview with Allison that can be listened to here:

Malcolm Allison Audio Interview Part One

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David Johnson

After a glittering career with Preston, Everton and Liverpool, striker David Johnson joined Manchester City on this day (21 March) in 1984.  Johnson scored on his City debut – an 83rd minute equaliser v Cardiff in a game the Blues went on to win 2-1. Unfortunately, despite a reputation as a lethal striker – and hard evidence of achievement – Johnson’s time at Maine Road was not particularly successful.  After one goal in four (plus two as substitute) games Johnson moved to play soccer in North America in May 1984.   

Johnson died in November 2022 and the following piece was written by Samuel Meade and published in the Mirror:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/grame-souness-david-johnson-tribute-28569782

The 1930s: Manchester City 4 Liverpool 3

On this day (1 March 1930) Manchester City defeated Liverpool 4-3 at Maine Road with goals from Tommy Tait (2), Eric Brook and Tommy Johnson. This match at Maine Road was watched by 29,973. You can find out more on the 1929-30 season below in this piece for subscribers (see below). I hope you enjoy it. If you don’t subscribe 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 1930s includes some free articles.

The 1970s: Could Colin Return For Wembley?

Fifty years ago today there was lots of discussion around Manchester of the prospect of Colin Bell returning to action for the League Cup final, planned for Saturday 28 February 1976. Much of the talk throughout February had been on who manager Tony Book would pick for the final with Newcastle. Injuries and suspensions had impacted City significantly throughout the season and reaching the final had been seen as the major achievement it was. Alongside this the Blues had maintained a challenge for the title, though there had been mixed results so far during January and February. A disappointing 2-1 defeat at Birmingham on 14 February had left City seventh, eight points behind leaders Liverpool. 

During the week that followed the Birmingham game Book decided to move a Reserve match in the Central League to Monday 23 February, five days before the League Cup final. He explained: ‘I had been hoping that my ideas on the [Cup Final] line-up would have taken firmer shape by now, but the recurring problem of getting our key midfield player Colin Bell fully fit for his first [first team] match action since early November and a doubt about the best defensive formation at my disposal, has left the situation uncertain until the last minute.’

The move of the Reserve game with Sheffield United meant that, in Book’s eyes, there were now two games to have a proper assessment of who would be in his Wembley team – a League match with Everton on 21 February and the reserve game two days later. The hope that Bell could return was greeted extremely positively by fans desperate to see their hero. He had started a Reserve game on 17 January but, in the days that followed, he had suffered a reaction. 

As City approached their League game with Everton Book admitted: ‘I will decide the team on Wednesday or Thursday of next week and part of those plans will be structured around the situation with Colin. I made it clear recently that I considered it important for our inside forward to get a couple of games under his belt to rate consideration, but whatever this weekend’s events I shall not dismiss his chances of returning until a final talk with Colin and the medical staff in midweek.’

As City fans looked forward to their League game with Everton some were already talking about attending the Reserve game with Sheffield United simply in the hope of seeing their hero.  Fifty years on, it’s difficult to stress how significant the prospect of Colin Bell returning to action was viewed. It seemed unlikely he’d play at Wembley, but everyone hoped he would pass Book’s final tests and make it. Sadly, things didn’t work out, but this week back in 1976 there was still hope.

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If you’d like to know more about this period in Manchester City’s history why not read the following 5,320 word article on the entire 1975-76 season – a season which saw Tony Book guide the club to major success. 

This article is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!

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Liverpool v Manchester City

Today’s the latest in a long line of meetings between Manchester’s Blues and Liverpool’s Reds. The first competitive meeting was on 16/9/1893 (as Ardwick)) with the first meeting as Manchester City coming on New Year’s Day 1896.

In total there have been 180 League games and many of these have been featured on this site over the years, such as this meeting at Anfield:

The 1920s: Liverpool 1 Manchester City 6

Here’s one from more recent times:

The 2020s: Victory at Anfield

Here’s a link to every other post on this site tagged Liverpool. Enjoy!

https://gjfootballarchive.com/tag/liverpool/

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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The 2020s: Victory at Anfield

Manchester City’s meeting with Liverpool on this day (7 February) in 2021 was considered by some as the day the Blues’ run of great results would end. Playing at Anfield against the reigning champions was expected to be tough and, indeed, the first half was tight with little between the sides. In the 37th minute a great opportunity to take the lead was missed when a penalty, given for a foul on Sterling, was fired over by Gundogan. City fans watching at home due to Covid restrictions felt fate was working against them.

However, the second half started positively when, in the 49th minute, Gundogan lashed in a rebound after Liverpool ‘keeper Alisson had parried a Phil Foden shot. The lead didn’t last though as Mo Salah scored from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute. Ten minutes later Gundogan was played in by Foden to convert from close range after a defensive mix-up to make it 2-1. Three minutes later (76th minute) Sterling’s diving header from a clever cross by Bernardo Silva made the score 3-1.

Man of the match Phil Foden completed the scoring in style with a sizzling strike (83rd minute). It was thoroughly deserved as Foden had been outstanding throughout the game. 

The 4-1 victory lifted City five points clear of second-placed United and with a game in hand. This was also Pep Guardiola’s first win as a manager at Anfield. He summed up the game well: ‘I have a lot of emotions, many things happening in the game. Gundogan missed a penalty – it’s like a routine against them – but we started really, really well, doing what we want to do. In the second half, the way we reacted to the goal, the way we played with quality, made the difference.’

When asked about the destination of the League title he responded: ‘It is an important win, but it is February. Of course, the gap to fifth is big right now and [qualifying] for the Champions League next season is important – but 10 [League] wins in a row in this period is something exceptional.’

Match Stats 

7 February 2021

Liverpool 1 (Salah) City 4 (Gundogan 2, Sterling & Foden)

Attendance 0 (Covid restrictions)