David Clayton - Manchester City Greatest Games

First published by Pitch Publishing, 2013

Pitch Publishing
A2 Yeoman Gate
Yeoman Way
Durrington
BN13 3QZ

www.pitchpublishing.co.uk

David Clayton, 2013

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For Jeff, Gill, Ally and Joe. Welcome home.

T HANKS TO Paul Camillin at Pitch Publishing for all his support and, as per usual, his patience plus the editing team at Pitch. Thanks to my family and to all the City fans who helped along the way with memories of games and moments that made each match special. Thanks to Chris and Vicky, too.

A special thanks to Tony Brown of the excellent stats site The English National Football Archive ( www.enfa.co.uk ).

G REATEST GAMES arent always cup finals and title deciders, which, as a lifelong Blue, is just as well as I would have been struggling to fill this book! City, of course, havent always been able to send out a starting XI full of stellar names and familiar faces and over the past 40 years or so there have been plenty of journeymen and bargain buys whove donned the sky blue jersey. For 35 years, we didnt even have a trophy to show for the 1,500 or so matches played during that period.

But as any Blue will tell you, there has been plenty of drama and many unforgettable games. It is not all about Champions League Finals and Premier League and FA Cup doubles, even though we wouldnt say no.

Our memories as City fans are filled with just as much drama and rollercoaster moments our club more than most and thats what Ive tried to capture in this book.

While most of the games you would expect to find in a collection such as this are indeed here, there are a few curveballs that might evoke some raised eyebrows and a couple that might even raise the question, Why?

Well, theres a reason behind each one and while some may be more obvious than others, I hope you enjoy reading about one or two gems that might have otherwise been forgotten and confined to a stat in a history book.

I reckon the next few years will probably yield another 20 or so new matches that could live happily in this book so with that in mind, heres to the revised edition in 2015!

Until then, here are 60 that should certainly stick in the memory banks for one reason or another.

Enjoy the book and thanks for reading it. Ill see you at the Etihad.

David Clayton, Manchester, 2013

W HEN WERE talking about greatest games, theres really only one place to start, isnt there? This isnt just one of Citys best ever matches, its one of the most incredible games of football there has ever been with more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie novel and an ending that was pure Hollywood make-believe.

City had somehow clawed their way back into the title race having seemingly been left for dead by Manchester United on the run-in and with just six games to go, the Blues had fallen eight points adrift of the leaders.

Uniteds spectacular implosion in the games that remained meant City knew they needed only to win the final match of the campaign to complete a remarkable turnaround in fortunes and lift the Premier League title for the first time simple!

Well, at least it looked that way on paper.

After a season that had so many twists and turns, the events of this match should have been no real surprise to those gathered in the Etihad Stadium or the millions watching and listening around the world.

This was drama, excitement and fate all combined in one explosive game that is perhaps one of the greatest games of football ever seen. The stars aligned to produce a gamut of raw emotions and a rollercoaster of despair and ecstasy in equal measure.

So where to begin? QPR, managed by former City boss Mark Hughes, were the opposition and they also had plenty riding on this result.

A defeat for the Hoops and a win for Bolton at Stoke and they would be condemned to an immediate return to the Championship. They had to give their all and despite possessing an awful away record, they had to believe they could spoil the party.

Apart from the manager being an ex-Blue, they also had three players who had all been popular during their time with City in the shape of Joey Barton, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Nedum Onuoha who would, on another day, have all been willing their former club to win the title.

But not today. There was tension in the air as the teams came out, but there was also expectancy. Roberto Mancinis side had been sweeping opposition away all season particularly at home and the way the Blues had kept their belief when all seemed lost made a win seem like the obvious end to the fairytale.

The fans were geared up for a party and no matter how many times the club had shot itself in the foot at the most inopportune moments, this team of winners would see the job through and bring the title home. At least, thats how it seemed.

The early indications were the game would go to form as QPR defended with ten men behind the ball in an effort to snuff out Citys creativity, particularly around the edge of the box.

Sheer weight of numbers meant the first half-hour was frustrating to say the least as Rangers defended for their lives and when the defensive block was penetrated, Paddy Kenny in the QPR goal was in inspired form, blocking, clawing and scrambling clear whatever came his way.

Just as it seemed the Blues would have to settle for a goalless first half, the breakthrough at last came. Pablo Zabaletas shot wasnt the cleanest hit hell make in his career but Kennys efforts to save it saw the ball loop up and hit the far post before nestling in the back of the net to put City 1-0 up.

Surely now everyone could sit back and relax? QPR had other ideas and the second half was barely three minutes old when the visitors, abandoning their parking of the bus tactics, came out as though they had been released of their shackles and suddenly looked a different proposition.

When Wright-Phillips lofted a ball through the middle, Joleon Lescott was flat-footed as he attempted to head it clear and merely directed it into the path of Djibril Cisse who raced through and lashed a powerful shot past Joe Hart to make it 1-1.

The doubts that had bubbled beneath the surface emerged again and the game took on another dimension. QPR, fairly resolute at the back, could sniff blood and the apprehension and anxieties of the City fans filtered down to the pitch where mistakes were now being made.