Gary James' second column looks at previous European success for City
4 minute read
Continuing the series of monthly columns focusing on the clubs in the Manchester region. The idea is to discuss each club’s modern-day activities while bringing in a bit of historical context.
With recent news about the resurrection of the European Super League idea, the Government’s white paper on football and the Premier League investigation into Manchester City, it is highly possible that major changes to both domestic and European football governance may be on their way. It is too early to know how any of this will affect our local clubs and so, for the moment, it’s worth putting all of that on the back burner until a true assessment can be made. Instead let’s look at something we do know will occur.
If they win the Blues’ first Champions League trophy it would not be their first European success
The Champions League has reached the knock-out stages with English clubs Manchester City facing RB Leipzig, Liverpool v Real Madrid, Tottenham v Milan and Chelsea v Borussia Dortmund. For City this competition has become of major importance in recent years and, while they have become the most consistent English qualifier over the last decade or so, they have yet to win the tournament.
For rival fans ‘not winning’ the Champions League has become a stick to beat City with and, like Arsenal before them, consistent qualification is important and a great achievement but until the trophy is actually won there will always be rivals and some in the media who criticise. In the Covid hit season of 2020-21 City did reach the final but any Blue who was in Porto for the final will tell you that things just didn’t quite feel right on the night and fate ensured Chelsea won 1-0. Hopefully, City will get a chance again this season.
This season Manchester’s Blues were comfortable winners of their group stage with some high scoring and impressive victories against Sevilla (4-0 & 3-1) and Copenhagen (5-0). They also beat Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad (2-1) with two goalless away games at Copenhagen and Dortmund.
Recent signing Erling Haaland has been one of the stars, scoring five goals in four Champions League matches. Haaland has City pedigree, being the son of former star Alf-Inge Haaland. It is felt that Haaland junior’s acquisition will finally help City achieve their aim of European success. If they do it is important to recognise that while that would be the Blues’ first Champions League trophy it would not be their first European success. That came in 1970.
This season Manchester’s Blues were comfortable winners of their group stage with some high scoring and impressive victories against Sevilla (4-0 & 3-1) and Copenhagen (5-0). They also beat Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad (2-1) with two goalless away games at Copenhagen and Dortmund.
Recent signing Erling Haaland has been one of the stars, scoring five goals in four Champions League matches. Haaland has City pedigree, being the son of former star Alf-Inge Haaland. It is felt that Haaland junior’s acquisition will finally help City achieve their aim of European success. If they do it is important to recognise that while that would be the Blues’ first Champions League trophy it would not be their first European success. That came in 1970.
Rival fans have often talked about City as not having any European history until recent years but, as with so many areas of fan banter, people overlook the achievements from previous eras. In fact, thanks to United’s European success and City’s League title, Manchester became the first UK city to have two teams competing in the European Cup way back in 1968. Also, whisper it to anyone you know from the other end of the East Lancs Road but City, based then at Maine Road, won a major UEFA tournament years before many modern giants, including Juventus, Barcelona and Liverpool for example, but that’s not something the fans of those clubs ever like to admit.
City’s 1970 trophy success came in the European Cup Winners’ Cup (ECWC) which was, at the time, UEFA’s second most important competition. Playing in their famous red and black strip of the era they defeated Poland’s Gornik Zabrze 2-1 at Vienna. The goalscorers were Neil Young, who is often overlooked by the wider media when discussing City greats, and the bustling England international Francis Lee.
The 1969-70 season saw City win the cup double of ECWC and League Cup to add to the FA Cup and League title they had won in the previous two seasons under manager Joe Mercer and coach Malcolm Allison. This was a golden era for City but over the months that followed the ECWC success a takeover battle was launched and that ultimately brought a premature end to Joe Mercer’s time as manager.
The takeover group included Ian Niven and Michael Horwich, both friends of Malcolm Allison, and an uneasy peace was made between some of the old board and those seeking to control the club. Ultimately, the Alexander family, who had directly been guiding figures at City from the 1890s, were pushed to the side and Altrincham director Peter Swales became chairman.
The 1969-70 season saw City win the cup double of ECWC and League Cup to add to the FA Cup and League title they had won in the previous two seasons under manager Joe Mercer and coach Malcolm Allison. This was a golden era for City but over the months that followed the ECWC success a takeover battle was launched and that ultimately brought a premature end to Joe Mercer’s time as manager.
The takeover group included Ian Niven and Michael Horwich, both friends of Malcolm Allison, and an uneasy peace was made between some of the old board and those seeking to control the club. Ultimately, the Alexander family, who had directly been guiding figures at City from the 1890s, were pushed to the side and Altrincham director Peter Swales became chairman.
Under Swales life for City changed significantly. The days of major success became limited to just one trophy – the League Cup in 1976 – during his twenty-year reign.
Although the Blues were to experience great European nights in the UEFA Cup during Swales’ time, including an extraordinary couple of games against Milan in 1978-79, the opportunity to challenge in the European Cup simply did not exist. Only the League champions qualified for European Cup football prior to 1997 which meant that from 1969 until 1993 neither Manchester club took part in the competition.
For City the situation changed significantly following the 2008 takeover and the club has found major success on a regular basis since then. For fans who remembered the successes of previous eras, it was a welcome return. Now those fans will be hoping that Europe’s top footballing prize comes their way. It would be a fitting reward for the loyalty and dedication City fans have demonstrated across the last forty years or so.
About the writer
Gary James is a Mancunian football historian and writer in Greater Manchester. He will be contributing a monthly column focusing on the clubs in the Greater Manchester area. He’ll be mixing modern-day situations while bringing in context.
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