Tag Archives: Paul Simpson

Top Flight Wimbledon

Wimbledon’s first fixture in English football’s top flight was against Manchester City forty years ago today (23rd August 1986) at Maine Road.  The game was goal-less at half time, but by the end City had won 3-1 with goals from Trevor Christie and two from Graham Baker.  The Wimbledon scorer was Andy Thorn.  The Dons’ lineup for this historic first match was:  Beasant, Kay, Winterburn, Galliers, Morris, Thorn (Gage), Wise, Cork, Fashanu, Sanchez, and Hodges.  For the record City comprised of:  Suckling, May, Wilson, Clements, McCarthy, Redmond, Davies, McNab, Christie, Baker, and Brightwell (Simpson).

Although goalkeeper Perry Suckling made his debut in this City-Wimbledon fixture, he very nearly didn’t make it to Maine Road.  On the day of his arrival he travelled to Old Trafford claiming he’d been given directions there instead of Maine Road!  A United official had to direct him back to Manchester.  Suckling later became more famous as the goalkeeper who conceded 9 goals while playing for Crystal Palace at Anfield.  No doubt a few Wimbledon fans remember that match!

You can read more on that season for MCFC here:

The 1980s: 1986-1987 We Never Win At Home And We Never Win Away

The 108th Manchester Derby in the League

Forty years ago today (22 March 1986) Manchester United hosted Manchester City in the 108th League derby between the teams. The fixture was the first of two high profile games for the Blues in consecutive days with the other game coming on Sunday at Wembley. See this story for news of that Wembley final:

https://gjfootballarchive.com/2023/03/23/wembley-wembley-86-mcfc-v-chelsea/

Here for subscribers are the match stats, background, match report, film and other details from the 1986 Old Trafford derby: 

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Forty Years Ago Today: Nottingham Forest v Manchester City

15,140 watched as Manchester City defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0 at the City Ground on 16 November 1985. The scorers were Paul Simpson and Clive Wilson. This photo shows City ‘keeper Eric Nixon and Forest defender Aiden Butterworth and clearly City managed to end this Forest attack. Nixon kept a clean sheet that day of course!

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

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1986-87 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

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

We Never Win Away

On this day (21 October) in 1987 Manchester City’s incredible run of 34 league games away from home without a win finally came to an end with a 4-2 win at Bradford (the first of two consecutive significant results at Bradford for the Blues). Those of us there that night will never forget the feelings of finally winning away from home.

For months we’d been hoping for a win and our travelling support seemed to increase game after game as we waited for that victory. You just had to be there and, fortunately for me, I was there on this Wednesday night in October. 

It was however a tense night… Subscribers can read the story below, along with contemporary match reports.

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The 1980s: Impressive Win

Today’s 1980s flashback is an on this day (14 December) from 1985 when Manchester City thrashed Coventry City 5-1 at Maine Road. ‘Woo Gordon Davies’ opened the goalscoring in the 18th minute. Paul Simpson made it 2-0 (though some reports claimed it was an own goal). In the end Davies (2), Simpson (2) and Mark Lillis scored with Coventry’s goal coming from Terry Gibson.

The 1980s was a truly important decade in the history of Manchester City Football Club and you can find out more on this season by reading the following 2,500 word feature on 1985-86. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1986-87 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

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

The 1980s: Significant Praise from Stiles for ‘City Babes’

Continuing the series of articles covering Manchester City in the 1980s. Here’s a nice article from this day (5 December) in 1987. It was a piece praising Manchester city’s youth players with quotes from Nobby Stiles, the legendary Manchester United and England star. High praise indeed and these players deserved the focus.

Subscribers can find out more about the 1987-88 season by reading my 4,000 word feature on it below. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1988-89 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

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

The 1980s: 1988-1989 Bananarama

A new daily series of articles for subscribers started earlier this month 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 4,100 word feature on the 1988-89 season. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is the last on the 1980s as we tell the story of the 1989-90 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

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

The 1980s: 1987-1988 Remember When

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 4,000 word feature on the 1987-88 season. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1988-89 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

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

The 1980s: 1986-1987 We Never Win At Home And We Never Win Away

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 2,500 word feature on the 1986-87 season. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1987-88 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

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

The 1980s: 1985-1986 Trophy Success

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 2,500 word feature on the 1985-86 season. Enjoy!

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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.

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1986-87 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

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