Tag Archives: Roy Clarke

Spanish Trips

On this day (18 May) in 1952 Manchester City and Sevilla played each other for the first time.  I’m sure most City fans will remember the club’s UEFA Champions League meetings in  2015-16 and in 2022-23. Many will have attended those games but what about their first meeting in 1952? Is there anyone out there who attended that game? If there is please get in touch and tell me your story. Anyway, here for subscribers is a 1400 word article on City’s first trip to Spain…

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The 1955 FA Cup Final

Today (7 May) marks the anniversary of the 1955 FA Cup final between Manchester City and Newcastle United. Here for subscribers is a 1200 word article on the final and highlights. Enjoy!

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Roy Clarke and the 1955 FAC Semi Goal

In 2003 I interviewed Roy Clarke about his 1955 semi-final goal for Manchester City (which happened on this day, 26 March, in 1955). It was the only goal of the game and sent City through to the 1955 FA Cup final where they faced Newcastle. Roy was always an entertaining character whenever I met up with him. This is what he said about his goal when we discussed it all those years ago:

‘Joe Hayes centred a free kick towards Bobby Johnstone.  I was in the outside left position near the back of the box and I just had a feeling that Bobby would miss the ball.  I don’t know why but it was clear as day to me that this would be my chance, not Bobby’s.  Before the ball even reached Bobby I started to dive.  It passed him and I connected.  I headed with such pace that the ball flew past the Sunderland ‘keeper and into the far corner.

‘There’s a couple of photographs taken of the goal.  One shows the mud and the wet, the other shows the cold, wet fans stood in the Villa Park Main Stand paddock.  They didn’t celebrate or show any emotion because I think they were soaking wet and couldn’t move!‘

Subscribers can read more about Roy and that game here:

Manchester City Hall of Fame: Roy Clarke’s significant game

Manchester City 5-1 Newport County

On this day (June 16) in 1947 the Western Mail carried this match report of Manchester City’s 5-0 victory over Newport County, which was played on June 14. The game was remarkable for a number of reasons:

  • Prior to the 2019-20 Covid affected season this was the club’s latest finish to a season. 2019-20 ended in August (Champions League) with the League campaign ending on July 26 2020. The 1946-47 season had been affected by snow and frozen pitches, causing many games to be postponed.
  • City played with only ten men for much of the second half due to an injury to Billy Walsh
  • The Blues won 5-1 with George Smith scoring all five goals. No player has ever scored more goals for the Blues in a League game (Sergio Aguero of course also scored 5 v Newcastle in October 2015). Denis Law did score 6 goals in a FA Cup tie v Luton but this was abandoned and wiped from the records.
  • Roy Clarke made his City debut and, as City were promoted, he became the first man to play 3 successive league games in 3 different divisions when he appeared in his next City game. He’d joined from Cardiff (Division 3); made his City debut in Division 2 then played in Division 1. Subscribers can read more about Roy Clarke here:
MANCHESTER CITY – HALL OF FAME: Roy Clarke
  • City had achieved promotion over a month earlier (May 10) when they defeated Burnley 1-0 in front of a Maine Road crowd of 69,463. You can read about that game here:

https://gjfootballarchive.com/2021/05/10/69463-watch-mcfc-and-burnley-in-division-two/

  • City were promoted as champions.

Subscriber Post – Manchester City’s Oldest

Recently, I covered the youngest, now it is the turn of the oldest. Today I’m taking a look at some of Manchester City’s landmark oldest record holders.

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One-nil in your semi-final

From World War Two up to and including 2011 Manchester City won every FA Cup semi-final they played with a 1-0 scoreline.  That’s five games.  In 2013 I caught up with two of the goalscorers – Tommy Booth (1969) and Paul Power (1981) – to discuss their memories of those games. Here for subscribers is what they said:

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