Tag Archives: Platt Lane

Air Raids Around Maine Road

It’s 1941 and there are air raids across Manchester… Have a look at this map. What does it signify? Well, the map shows Manchester City’s Maine Road Stadium as it looked between 1931 and 1934, before the main part of the Platt Lane Stand was built (and after the corner was erected). But that’s not why I’ve posted it. I’ve posted it because of those pen circles that appear on it.

This is actually a Manchester City Council plan of buildings hit by bombs in the area immediately east of the Maine Road stadium. As you can see a house in Thornton Road was hit but none of the Maine Road stadium itself was hit in those January 1941 raids on Manchester. The stadium had a lucky escape but sadly many residents and Mancunians did not.

1941 Bomb damage near Maine Road

Here’s an aerial photo of Maine Road from 1971 to give a feel for the site. The Platt Lane corner is number 3 and Thornton Road is the street that backs on to Maine Road near number 6.

Maine Road aerial 1971 from Farewell To Maine Road

If you’d like to read more on the history of Maine Road, take a look at Farewell To Maine Road, which can be downloaded from this page:

Farewell To Maine Road – Part One

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Maine Road’s 1994 Redevelopment Plan

Here’s a 1994 plan of what might have been in terms of Maine Road’s development. This image is of how the entire stadium was supposed to look. To explain the colour image looks towards the stadium from above the Kippax car park. The North Stand is on the right and the Platt Lane on the left. The black and white image is from the other side of the ground, looking towards the Kippax from the Main Stand.

1990s Maine Rd redevelopment plans as seen in Farewell To Maine Road

You can see from the black and white image that the plan was to replicate the general look of the new Kippax (being planned at this stage – this was January 1994 and the old Kippax was still standing) around the ground. The North Stand was to have a second tier added and hospitality boxes between the levels, like the new Kippax. The Platt Lane was to have a second tier added above the two lines of existing hospitality boxes.

The Main Stand would have part of the seating chopped away and a new second tier added.

To facilitate all of this some houses were to be bought and demolished on the streets immediately behind the North Stand and the Kippax/Platt Lane corner.

The new Kippax was the first phase of the development but Manchester’s bids for the Olympics changed thinking. Couple that with relegation in 1996 and the wholesale redevelopment of Maine Road was postponed after the Kippax opened and then dropped completely.

As mentioned previously, Francis Lee’s plans would have seen the new Kippax followed by a phased development of each of the other three stands. These images might give an indication of how it would have progressed.

The following 1971 aerial image shows the proximity of the housing on Thornton Road (bottom left, near number 6) and behind the North Stand (number 10). They were planned to be demolished in Lee’s 1994 plan.

Maine Road aerial 1971 from Farewell To Maine Road

If you’d like to read more on the history of Maine Road, take a look at Farewell To Maine Road, which can be downloaded from this page:

Farewell To Maine Road – Part One

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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Sunderland’s Last

The 1990-1 season was Sunderland’s first in the top flight since 1985, although it was far from successful.  By the last match, on this day (11 May) in 1991, of the season the Wearsiders needed a win to avoid relegation, while Manchester City were enjoying their best League season since they finished 4th in 1978.

A large away following of around 9,000 filled the Kippax corner terracing and the Platt Lane Stand.  In fact this was the last great crowd housed in the old Platt Lane Stand which was demolished a year later, after being designated for away fans only since the mid-80s.  The result brought the Wearsiders nothing but disappointment as the Blues won 3-2 thanks to goals from future Sunderland star Niall Quinn (2) and David White.

Little did Quinn and City manager Peter Reid realise that within a few seasons they would be helping to resurrect the fortunes of Sunderland and its passionate supporters.  Despite the result in 1991, Reid and Quinn must have been impressed by the positive support given by the Wearsiders.

City ended the season in fifth place behind Arsenal, Liverpool, Crystal Palace, and Leeds, while Quinn was voted City player of the year.

Stats:  League Division One.  11th May 1991.

City 3 Sunderland 2

Scorers – City: Quinn 2 White

Sunderland: Gabbiadini, Bennett.

City:  Margetson, Hill, Pointon, Heath, Hendry, Redmond, White, Brennan, Quinn, Harper, Clarke (Beckford).

Sunderland: Norman, Owers, Hardyman (Brady), Bennett, Ord, Pascoe, Bracewell, Hawke (Hauser), Davenport, Gabbiadini, Kay.

Attendance: 39,194 (the highest Maine Road crowd since 23/9/1989)

While you’re here why not subscribe and read a series of articles covering Manchester City in the 1990s (and other decades too)? Here’s an article on the 1990-91 season when a shock managerial departure could have disrupted the club but ultimately they finished 5th, 3 points ahead of Manchester United: (it’s a 2,700 word article available to subscribers):

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The 1990s: The Derby at Maine Road AND Old Trafford

The series of articles covering Manchester City in the 1990s continues today with a reminder of the Manchester Derby played on this day (20 March) in 1993. The match ended in a 1-1 draw (City were leading 1-0 before Cantona equalised). Here’s City scorer Niall Quinn’s view of the game:

The game was the first derby at Maine Road in the Premier League that had been established that season and United would go on to win the title, so this draw was viewed as a significant result for City at the time. The attendance was 37,136 which was an absolute sellout. The new Umbro Stand (Platt Lane) had opened that month.

There were issues about ticket touts and capacity, leading to MUFC showing the match at Old Trafford too. 10,000 were reported to have watch the game there. Here are some cuttings about that.

Here’s a 3,200 word article on that full season from a Manchester City perspective:

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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: 1992-1993 A Whole New Ball Game

The series of articles covering Manchester City in the 1990s continues today with the 1992-93 season when the Premier League was born. Here’s a 3,200 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:

How To Subscribe

The 1970s: 1977-1978 Bell’s Return

The series of features/articles covering Manchester City in the 1970s continues with a 3,700 word article on the entire 1977-78 season – a season which saw an emotional return to the League for Colin Bell and a MCFC title challenge (well, we hoped!). You can read this below. This series of articles and features on Manchester City in the 1970s has been running throughout January and now into February with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. Every day in January offered something to enjoy and I’ll continue this series for a little while yet. Thanks for all the positive comments about it.

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 3,700 word article is on the 1977-78 season and is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!

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The 1970s: Kidd’s Four for 3rd Placed City

Today (22 January) in 1977 the title race hotted up a little as Manchester City defeated Leicester 5-0 with goals from Mike Doyle and Brian Kidd (4). This was a great day to be a Blue and I know I was in the Platt Lane Stand behind the goal (right of camera). It’s great to see City fans in that stand celebrating again and it takes me right back to the excitement felt in my childhood. Back then we hoped City would win the title and they did come close (missing it by a point). You can watch the goals from the game here (listen for Barry Davies’ comment about foreigners watching the 3rd best team!):

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The 1980s: 1981-1982 Plans For A Change

A new daily series of articles for subscribers started yesterday 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 1981-82 season. Enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s feature is on the 1982-83 season. If you missed the earlier features then start here:

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

Don’t Leave Early: The Goal Standard

On 18 October 1978 in the UEFA Cup 2nd round first leg Manchester City defeated Standard Liege 4-0. Three of those goals (one a penalty) came in the last 5 minutes, demonstrating that no one should ever leave early (unless there are significant reasons of course). No game is over until the final whistle and this game against Liege is one that should always be remembered. The reason I say this… My dad made us leave early as it was a school night (I’d celebrated my 10th birthday a week or so earlier). We left when it was 1-0 with about 6 minutes to go.

I remember us walking down the Platt Lane tunnel and getting to the exit gates and hearing the roar – an obvious goal! Then as we walked down the pink passage behind the Platt Lane there was another roar. A third roar was heard a little later and then a fourth just as we neared our car and that was that! We only knew the actual score when we got home because, back then, there was no radio in dad’s car. Throughout that journey back to Hyde me, my brother and my dad tried to guess what the final score would be. We knew we’d heard four roars and assumed we’d missed four goals but the first roar would’ve been for the penalty award and the second for the penalty itself.

Missing three goals at the age of ten is not great. Hmm!

Anyway, for those, like me, who missed it here are the match facts and a video of those goals:

Attendance: 27,487

City Goalscorers: Hartford, Kidd 2 (1 pen), Palmer

City: Corrigan; Clements, Donachie, Booth, Watson, Viljoen (Keegan), Palmer, Bell, Kidd, Hartford, Barnes

Asa Hartford scored in the 13th minute but, despite several attempts that was all that separated the clubs up to the 85th minute.  A frantic late rally by the Blues saw three goals in four minutes to create a decisive and emphatic victory.  All those who had left the stadium early (to get to their cars and buses) realised that no game is over until the final whistle. 

The transformation was heralded as a high point in the career of Peter Barnes.  Barnes demonstrated his skills superbly as he made Liege suffer with attack after attack.  Peter Gardner:  “Twisting, turning, tormenting and teasing the harassed Belgians, Barnes paved the way for that final three-goal fling with Kidd grabbing tow and Palmer the last.  It was Barnes at his brilliant best although Hartford and Watson were also heroes on a night when City proved that patience always pays.”

My biography of Peter Barnes talks about this game of course and you can buy copies here:

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Maine Road: The Back of Platt Lane

During my Maine Road 100 series of free articles commemorating the centenary of Manchester City’s former stadium I had hoped to post this image showing players playing head tennis on the directors’ car park with the Platt Lane Stand in the background. I couldn’t find my scan until this week sadly, so here it is now.

As a kid I used to sit in the Platt Lane and sometimes, if we didn’t walk through the corner tunnel, we’d climb those steps up to the back of the stand. You can see elsewhere (follow links below) stories about the old stand explaining how it was expanded, its age and so on, but the relevant bit for me today is the stair case(s). Back in the 70s they used to scare me. Climbing up or down I felt they were rickety and you could see through the gaps. I much preferred going down the tunnel.

Do you have memories of the old Platt Lane? Feel free to post them as comments here. Thanks.

Maine Road 100 – Day 10
Maine Road 100 – Day 7
Maine Road 100 – Day 11