Football writing, thoughts and more by Gary James
On this day (25 November) in 2020 City defeated Olympiakos in the UEFA Champions League to progress to the last 16. Subscribers can read about that game below:
You can read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per week (cancel anytime) or sign up for a year at the discounted rate of £20 per year. Subscribers get access to everything on the site, including being able to download the book Manchester A Football History and much more.
Those who saw the Manchester City v Tottenham match programme at weekend May have noticed my new series of articles. This year I’m doing a season tracker feature and have chosen the seasons 1975-76, 2010-11 and 2020-21. Each issue will cover those seasons plus I’ll write a Memory Match feature on a game from that week in one of the three seasons. The three seasons are all important ones in the history of Manchester’s Blues (every season is important of course!) and I hope I can do them justice. The reason I’ve chosen those seasons….
Typically season tracker pick seasons that are a multiple of five and usually focus on 5, 10, 25 years but I felt it was important to look at a season further back, so chose fifty years ago (1975-76 – one of my own personal favourite seasons). I also wanted to recognise the 2010-11 season as that saw Roberto Mancini’s team win their first major trophy. The 2020-21 season was of course a major trophy winning season unde Pep Guardiola.
The Memory Match I chose for the first issue was from 2010 and a day when Liverpool were defeated.
I hope everyone who gets chance to see the programme enjoys the four page feature. Thanks, as always, to those who support my writing.
With Oasis back doing what they do best this week, it feels an appropriate time to re-release this… Back on Thursday May 20 2021 I interviewed Noel Gallagher about his support of Manchester City, Pep, Europe and more. It was great for two Mancs of a similar age to get together to chat about City. I really enjoyed it.
Here’s part one:
Part two:
Part three:
Part four:
https://gjfootballarchive.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/noel-gallagher-part-4-1.mp3
Part five:
Thanks to Noel and the staff at his studios & office for making this happen.
Fancy subscribing to my website? Subscribers get access to all the 1600+ articles, interviews etc. that have been posted so far on my site and all those posted during your subscription period. It costs £20 a year (works out about £1.67 a month) or £3 a month if subscribing a month at a time.
On this day (3 July) in 2016 the new Manchester City badge was officially launched at the Cityzens Weekend. It was also the formal official welcome for new manager Pep Guardiola. There was a surreal moment for me when I was asked to go on stage to be interviewed about the new badge.
I had been consulted by the club on the history of all of City’s badges, emblems and similar for about a year or so, and had performed a series of talks to fans throughout the consultation period.
https://gjfootballarchive.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_2377.mov
This was the most detailed badge consultation had ever performed with fans at any club – sadly too many clubs impose a badge without listening to fans. Doing the talks as part of the consultation helped bring out the stories of each emblem and why it was significant – or not! Understanding why, for example, the red rose was introduced in 1972 following the takeover of the club by Joe Smith & Co. or how the 3 emblazoned lines had always been a part of City’s badge (apart from 1972 and the Swales years that followed) helped some determine what elements mattered most to them.
You can find out more about City’s badge history here:
In 2016 I was the warm up act for Pep so it’s a wonder anybody listened. It was a great, positive day for the club and for all of us there. The years since Pep’s arrival have been truly outstanding. We all had hope on this day in 2016 but who’d have thought it would have been as great as it has been?
On this day (24 May) in 2021 Pep Guardiola won the League Managers Association Manager of the Year Award. Here’s the origins. press release from Manchester City issued that day…
Pep Guardiola wins LMA Manager of the Year award
• Pep Guardiola has been named LMA Manager of the Year for the second time in four seasons
• Guardiola’s team has already completed a League and Cup double and now have their sights set on Saturday’s Champions League final
• The Catalan manager acknowledged the importance of sharing his award with the players and staff who have guided City to success this season
Pep Guardiola has been named Manager of the Year by the League Manager’s Association.
Adapting to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Guardiola guided Manchester City to a third Premier League title in four seasons and a fourth consecutive League Cup.
On Saturday, Guardiola and his players will compete in a first Champions League final in the Club’s history.
Voted for by fellow managers, it is the second time the City boss has been awarded the prize, having previously done so in recognition of the 2017/18 Centurions season.
Pep Guardiola: “I am delighted to win this award for the second time, but an award like this is only possible if a manager is surrounded by top professionals.
“My players have been fantastic – their dedication and professionalism never waver, even in a season that has been the most challenging we have ever faced.
“And my staff are also deserving of the highest praise. I am so lucky to have a team of people who give everything they have every single day to make sure Manchester City are the best we can be.
“This award is dedicated to and shared with them.”
Director of Football Txiki Begiristain added: “Pep deserves this award, absolutely. To win the Premier League and Carabao Cup, as well as reach the final Champions League final, in the most trying season we’ve ever seen, says everything about his quality as a manager.
“He has shown an outstanding ability to constantly innovate. With the challenges presented by COVID-19, he’s had to adapt to a new way of working. He’s done it brilliantly and our results say everything you need to know.
I’ve received this wonderful news about Erling Haaland…
One of the finest strikers operating in the global game, the 24-year-old has enjoyed an extraordinary two-and-a-half seasons since moving to the Etihad Stadium.
During his maiden campaign, Haaland proved one of the key catalysts in City’s historic Treble triumph, as Pep Guardiola’s side secured the Premier League, FA Cup and a first UEFA Champions League.
The 24-year-old received widespread recognition for his role that season, receiving the prestigious PFA, Football Writers’ Association and Premier League Player of the Year awards, amongst others.
His 52 goals in all competitions were more than any other striker in Europe that season and the greatest-ever tally by a Premier League player. He also broke the long-standing Premier League record for the most goals scored in a single season [36].
A second successive Premier League Golden Boot followed in 2023/24 as City became the first English men’s team to ever win four consecutive top-flight titles. Despite being sidelined by injury for almost two months, Haaland scored 38 goals in 45 appearances.
The Nordic striker has continued his goal-scoring exploits during the 2024/25 season with a further 21 goals to date contributing to a total of 111 goals in 125 games.
Haaland said: “I am really happy to have signed my new contract and to be able to look forward to spending even more time at this great Club.
“Manchester City is a special Club, full of fantastic people with amazing supporters and it’s the type of environment that helps bring the best out of everybody.“I also want to thank Pep, his coaching staff, my teammates and everyone at the Club as they have all helped me so much in the past couple of years. They have made this such a special place to be and now I am City no matter what.
“Now I want to keep developing, keep working to get better and look to do my best to try and help us achieve more success going forward.”
Director of Football Txiki Begiristain added: “Everyone at the Club is absolutely delighted that Erling has signed his new contract. The fact he is signed for so long demonstrates our commitment to him as a player, and his love of this club.
“He has made an incredible impact already in his time here and his amazing numbers and records speak for themselves.
“But in addition to his outstanding natural talent and ability, Erling’s dedication, professionalism, humility and desire to keep getting better sum up what we all strive to achieve at Manchester City.
“He is one of the finest strikers in world football, but Erling is still very young and will only continue to improve working under Pep and his coaching team. If he works hard, which I know he will, he will create an incredible legacy at this football club.
“Now he can focus on his game and continuing to play a huge part in helping us try to achieve even more success.”
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateOn this day (22 December) last year Manchester City became the first English club to hold the Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup at the same time, following their 4-0 victory over Fluminense in the FIFA Club World Cup. It was an extraordinary achievement.
Julian Alvarez opened the scoring after 40 seconds, when he chested in from close range after Nathan Ake’s long-range strike hit the post.
In the 27th minute Nino turned Phil Foden’s cross into the back of his own net to make it 2-0.
In the second half Foden darted through the middle to send home a cross from Alvarez. Alvarez made it 4-0 with his second in the 88th minute.
Afterwards manager Pep Guardiola reflected: ‘It was an incredible year. Today we closed the chapter. We won everything we could. Now time to try again.’
Highlights here:
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateOn this day (19 December) in 2021 Manchester City (the Premier League leaders) defeated Newcastle 4-0 at St James’ Park. City were on a run of seven consecutive league wins but this was not the easy, walkover the score suggests.
Ruben Dias scored an early goal with the second coming from Joao Cancelo – an incredible strike. In the second-half, a Riyad Mahrez volley made it 3-0 and the fourth came from Raheem Sterling.
Here are the highlights:
Manchester City’s recent results have inevitably brought many headlines and, of course, if you support a team whose form is one of mainly defeats then inevitably you’re bound to worry. For me, one thing it demonstrates more than anything else though is how wrong some were to claim that football is dominated by one club in a way that it has never been before. For several years now some have been claiming that City winning trophies is all about money; all about financial power that leaves others unable to cope. When we fail in life it’s easy to blame others but maybe those who make those comments should look at themselves first?
Instead, of analysing why their clubs fail, some have suggested ‘it’s not fair!’ and that there has never been a time when money has ruled football. I’ve been saying that this is untrue and that wealthy football clubs – or clubs that have received significant investment – have always been there, and that money is no guarantee of success. Those of us old enough to remember the late 1970s and early 1980s well know that City, Leeds, Wolves, Chelsea and others found that spending money could also lead to ruin.
You don’t have to look far for articles from this last year which have talked about how unhealthy the Premier League is ‘because of City’ but, as I said at the time, those comments really were out of place. Recent results have demonstrated this further. What I said earlier this year (and in recent seasons) is that significant praise was due to City and their manager Pep Guardiola for everything they’ve achieved in a highly competitive domestic and European scene. It’s also clear that those clubs, fans and others who have tried to explain away a club’s failings by simply stating: ‘It’s unfair, we can’t compete with City’ actually need to look at their own club and recognise its failings. When we fail in life it’s easy to blame others but maybe look at your self first?
City’s current form is not great and defeats are either because the opposition are better or City have failed. It’s not because one team has more money than another; it’s because they played the game better. When City win trophies it’s not because they have more money; it’s because they’ve played better; coached better; found a way to play that’s better… So can those who claim that football is uncompetitive because of City now start to look at themselves first and see why their team fails?
We should all remember, whether at times of success or failure, that football is an entertaining game. Sometimes we win; sometimes we fail… no team has ever dominated for decades and therefore successes like City’s 4 league title in a row really are major achievements that should be celebrated and recognised by all!
Here’s a few articles from months/years ago that challenge/discuss some of the comments about dominance in the past:
I’ve just received this press release from Manchester City…
Manchester City is delighted to announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. The Catalan’s new deal will mean he will have spent more than a decade as City manager. Guardiola has won a remarkable 18 trophies during his tenure at the Club, including six
Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League.
Last season, City became the first men’s team in the history of English football to win four top-flight titles in a row. The previous campaign saw Guardiola guide City to a historic Treble, winning the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup.
Across all competitions, he has won 353 of the 490 matches he has overseen, giving him a win percentage of 72%. City have scored 1,200 goals during that period, at an average of 2.45 goals per game.
Club Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said: “Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep’s journey with Manchester City will continue; allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game.
“His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our Club, and the English game at large.
“This renewal will take Pep beyond a decade of coaching Manchester City and the opportunity to continue to re-write the managerial record books.”
Guardiola said: “Manchester City means so much to me. This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and of course the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much. Hopefully now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Gary James' Football Archive 