On this day (23 March) in 1968 came a game between two title challenging teams – Leeds Utd and Manchester City. The view was that this game could knock City out of the title race if it went Leeds’ way. So what happened? Here’s film of the game:
You can find out more aboutthe potential impact of this game by reading this subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1967-68 season. If you’d like to read this 7,600 word article (yes, 7,600 words on one season!), plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below). As with most of the other features in this series it includes words from interviews I have performed with those who were there.
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On this day (31 January) in 1968 Manchester City defeated Reading 7-0 in a FA Cup replay. As the players left the field the Elm Park tannoy announcer claimed: ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, you have just seen one of the greatest teams England has produced in a long time.’
Goalscorers were Mike Summerbee (3), Colin Bell, Tony Coleman, George Heslop and Neil Young. This photo is of the Bell, Lee & Summerbee statue at the Etihad today.
Dozens of letters arrived at Maine Road commenting on City’s performance. Many Reading fans wrote in saying they could have watched the Blues all night. Other letters arrived commenting on how well behaved the City supporters were, while fans themselves commented on the cheerfulness of the Reading police.
These points may seem trivial today, but in 1968 football had already begun to enter its hooligan period. Football supporters had started to be seen as trouble causers and incidents of violence, or of vandalism, soon found their way into national newspapers. Although City supporters were never totally blameless, during the late 1960s Blues fans continued to gain commendations rather than condemnation.
You can read more on this remarkable, trophy winning season below. If you’d like to read this 7,600 word article (yes, 7,600 words on one season!), plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below). As with most of the other features in this series it includes words from interviews I have performed with those who were there.
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On this day (27 January) in 1968 40,343 watched as Manchester City and Reading played out a goalless draw in the FA Cup at Maine Road. City had missed a penalty too! The Manchester Evening News reporter Peter Gardner was not impressed with City (see below report). A nice reminder that even the greatest of teams can have off days!
Peter Gardner’s summary of MCFC V Reading, FAC January 1968
The tie went to a replay and you can find out what happened next in the following 7,600 word article (yes, 7,600 words on one season!) on the 1967-68 season. This is available to subscribers, who also have access to all other articles on the site. As with most of the other features in my series on the 1960s it includes words from interviews I have performed with those who were there.
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Continuing the series of features on the 1960s, here’s a subscriber article on Manchester City during the 1967-68 season. A trophy winning season. If you’d like to read this 7,600 word article (yes, 7,600 words on one season!), plus all other articles on the site, then please subscribe (see below). As with most of the other features in this series it includes words from interviews I have performed with those who were there.
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There’s a lot of furore this week about Manchester City’s decision to wear their new Oasis inspired kit instead of their home kit for their Champions League game with Inter Milan. Lots are talking about tradition, heritage and the like, so I thought I’d add a few words here that might have been overlooked or forgotten. So here goes…
Firstly, my position is clear that I’ve always been keen to see City wear home colours/blue for every fixture possible (whether home, away or at a neutral venue) but I’m a pragmatist and know that’s no longer likely. History and tradition does mean something but of course, when it comes to football, traditions change frequently. People may think City have only ever worn a particular colour at home or that the traditional away colours are red & black but these things are not true. Times change.
When it comes to wearing alternative kits at home it has been done more often than perhaps people realise. In fact the only decade when it hasn’t happened appears to be the 2010s – I say appeared because I haven’t got evidence of every home game in the 1890s and 1900s!
These last few days have caused some to recall the Middlesbrough game when David James went up front and the two Tottenham games at Maine Road in 80s/90s when the referee felt the kits were too close and City ended up changing. But there have been many other occasions. In fact it’s well over 100 years since City first chose to wear away colours/alternative strips at home when they didn’t need to!
The image above of Neil Young comes from the 1971 ECWC semi-final v Chelsea. Notice that Young is wearing City’s away colours.
Often when there was a clash of colours in a cup game City would wear their away strip. Games in the 1920s right through to 1970s saw the Blues don maroon, red/black and even scarlet at times at Maine Road.
Here’s another image from that Chelsea semi final:
1971 ECWC v Chelsea. Francis Lee. Photo by Alan Jubb
To the right you can see the North Stand under construction, as you can in the Young image.
Other games in living memory (not necessarily mine, but living memory for many older blues) include:
January 1971 – City v Wigan in FA Cup (red & black)
September 1970 – City v Bologna in Anglo-Italian Cup (red & black)
January 1968 – City v Reading in FA Cup (all maroon)
March 1966 – City v Everton in FA Cup (all maroon)
March 1966 – City v Leicester in FA Cup (all maroon)
March 1956 – City v Everton in FA Cup (maroon shirts, white shorts)
In earlier decades City often chose to wear an away shirt for cup ties where there was a clash. Prior to 1921 the FA rule was that home teams would have to change if there was a clash.
In March 1924 City chose to wear a kit they described as ‘Lucky scarlet’ for a FA Cup tie with Cardiff at Maine Road. So for well over 100 years City have often chosen to wear alternative kits at home instead of traditional blue when they didn’t need to.
Personally, I’d still prefer City to always wear blue no matter where they play, but that’s never going to happen anyway.
Incidentally, 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:
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On April 13 2014 Manchester City’s women’s team played its first competitive game after the relaunch. It was a FA Cup tie against Reading played at the Regional Athletics Arena. As with the first game as Manchester City Ladies back in November 1988 I was there for this first game as Manchester City Women.
Here for subscribers is a section of Manchester City Women: An Ora History discussing that opening game:
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My new book on an earlier pioneering team, Manchester Corinthians, will be published this summer. You can order that now and all pre-publication orders will have the purchaser’s (or another) name printed in the book. See:
Today’s feature in the series covering Manchester City in the 1990s is a reminder of crowd related activities in the 1998-99 season. It was City’s only ever season in the third tier and they were met with capacity crowds throughout the season. These newspaper cuttings are from today (29 March) in 1999 and follow City’s game at Reading on 27th.
The match made the front page of the local paper in Reading. There was no crowd trouble or anything but the remarkable scenes of a full house at Reading made the news. Have a read of these to remember those days when the loyalty of City’s support was often the story.
Here’s an actual report of the game too (from the Reading perspective):
While you’re here, why not read the following 8000 word article? 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 4900 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:
On this day (24 November) in 2007 Martin Petrov (11 mins) and Stephen Ireland gave Manchester City a 2-1 victory over Reading. Ireland’s goal came in the last minute of the game. You can see highlights of the game here:
You can read other articles about this era and these players elsewhere on the site. Why not start with this:
On this day (April 13) in 2014 Manchester City’s women’s team played its first competitive game after the relaunch. It was a FA Cup tie against Reading played at the Regional Athletics Arena.
Here for subscribers is a section of Manchester City Women: An Ora History discussing that opening game:
Subscribe to get access to this and entire site
Read this and have access to the rest of the site throughout your subscription. £20 per year (works out about £1.67 a week).
Gary James' Football Archive 