1967–68 Manchester City F.C. season

English football club season March 2015 March 2015 Manchester City F.C. 1967–68 Joe Mercer andMalcolm Allison First Division 1st FA Cup Fourth round League Cup Fourth round Neil Young (19) Neil Young (21) 62,942 vs Manchester United(30 September 1967) 22,002 vs Southampton(30 August 1967) 37,223 (6th highest in league) _whitecollar 9accff 9accff 9accff FFFFFF 9accff 1966–67 1968–69 The 1967–68 season was Manchester City Football Club's seventy-sixth season of league football and their second consecutive season in the First Division. In the third full season under the management of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison, Manchester City were unfancied at the start of the season due to a mid-table finish a year before. However, following the signing of forward Francis Lee, the Blues embarked on an unbeaten run that saw them challenge for the top of the table. A televised victory against Tottenham Hotspur in snowy conditions proved particularly notable, becoming known as the Ballet on Ice. Going into the final match of the season, Manchester City led the table. A 4–3 win at Newcastle United clinched the club's second league title, with City finishing by two clear points over rivals Manchester United. The league championship was the first trophy of the most successful period in Manchester City's history. Under Mercer and Allison, the club won a further four domestic and European trophies in the following two seasons. Background and pre-season The 1966–67 season had been Manchester City's first in the top flight after winning promotion from the Second Division in 1966. A fifteenth-place finish consolidated the club's place in the division. Club captain Johnny Crossan struggled with injuries in 1966–67, and was sold to Middlesbrough for £34,500 in the close season.Penney, Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years, p. 37. Tony Book succeeded him as captain. The club made no major signings before the start of the season, though Tony Coleman, a winger with a wild off-field reputation, had arrived from Doncaster Rovers at the tail-end of the 1966–67 season.Penney, Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years, p. 33. Mercer had reservations about signing Coleman, but Allison convinced Mercer that he could pacify a man he once described as "the nightmare of a delirious probation officer".Ward, The Manchester City Story, p. 59. City also attempted to sign England international goalkeeper Gordon Banks, but were outbid by Stoke City.Tossell, Big Mal, p. 127. The team travelled to Europe in pre-season, playing friendlies against Eintracht Braunschweig and Standard Liège.Goldstone & Saffer, Manchester City Champions 1967/68, p. 11. After returning to England they played Portsmouth at Fratton Park, winning 2–0, and finished their preparations with a resounding home win against Borussia Dortmund. Between matches, the players followed a fitness plan created by former athlete Joe Lancaster, under instruction from Malcolm Allison.Tossell, Big Mal, p. 133 The training regime was initially unpopular with the players; the severity of the first session caused some players to vomit. First Division 1967–68 Football League First Division City's season opened with a 0–0 draw at home to Liverpool. City were awarded a penalty, but new captain Tony Book hit it wide.Goldstone & Saffer, Manchester City Champions 1967/68, p. 13. Two defeats followed, at Southampton and Stoke. The Stoke defeat led to a tactical switch. Mike Summerbee, who played wide on the right at the start of the season, was moved to centre-forward.Tossell, Big Mal, p. 137. The change reaped immediate dividends, with Summerbee playing a leading role in a 4–2 win against Southampton. This was the first in a run of five straight wins, after which Manchester City had caught up with the league leaders.Tossell, Big Mal, p. 138. During this run of wins young winger Stan Bowles made his league debut, scoring twice in a 5–2 win against Sheffield United.Penney, Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years, p. 39 Manchester City's first transfer business of the season brought goalkeeper Ken Mulhearn to the club from Stockport County on 21 September, a deal that involved City's back-up goalkeeper Alan Ogley moving in the opposite direction.James, The Big Book of City, pp. 124–5. Harry Dowd kept goal in the next match, a 1–0 defeat at Arsenal,Goldstone & Saffer, Manchester City Champions 1967/68, p. 33. but then dislocated a finger, prompting a debut for Mulhearn in the season's first Manchester derby. Mulhearn was reputedly so nervous before the match that Allison locked him in the medical room until he calmed down. Colin Bell scored the opener after five minutes, but two Bobby Charlton goals meant a win for Manchester United. In the second half of the match, Bowles exchanged punches with Brian Kidd, though neither man was sent off, largely thanks to the intervention of their respective captains.Penney, Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years, p. 40 The derby loss was followed by a third consecutive defeat, at Sunderland. A couple of days after the Roker Park defeat, Manchester City completed the signing of centre-forward Francis Lee from Bolton Wanderers for a club record £60,000.James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 178. During negotiations Mercer stated to Lee that "we feel we've got the start of a good side. We are just one player short, and we think you are that player."James, The Official Manchester City Hall of Fame, p. 52. Lee made his debut in a 2–0 win at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, the start of an 11 match unbeaten run,James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 53. including a 6–0 win against Leicester City.Summerbee, Mike Summerbee – The Autobiography, p. 103. Ballet on Ice Midway through their unbeaten run, City faced Tottenham Hotspur at home in snowy conditions, in a match televised on Match of the Day. As the teams came out onto the frozen pitch, commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme called the Manchester City team as "the most exciting team in England".Manchester City 4–1 Tottenham http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/archive/Manchester-City-4-1-Tottenham-1967-Unseen-pictures-of-Summerbee-Bell-and-Co-in-the-Ballet-on-Ice-article415041.html# mirrorfootball.co.uk 16 August 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100724005233/http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/archive/Manchester-City-4-1-Tottenham-1967-Unseen-pictures-of-Summerbee-Bell-and-Co-in-the-Ballet-on-Ice-article415041.html 24 July 2010 live dmy Aided by a modification to the studs on their boots suggested by Tony Book,Book, Maine Man, p. 76. City produced one of their best footballing performances in their history. One Spurs player was quoted as saying, "It was extraordinary. City moved like Olympic speed skaters while we were falling around like clowns on a skid patch." Tottenham took an early lead through Jimmy Greaves, but Bell equalised before half-time, and in the second half City besieged Tottenham, scoring three more times to win 4–1. After the match City trailed the league leaders by only a single point. The match was named as Match of the Day'''s "Match of the Season",Goldstone & Saffer, Manchester City Champions 1967/68, p. 58. and as the only match at Maine Road that season to be recorded for television,Tossell, Big Mal, p. 148. is the foremost recorded example of the 1967–68 team in action. The unbeaten run came to an end at Christmas, with back-to-back defeats in matches against West Bromwich Albion causing the club to fall to fourth place.Penney, Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years, p. 45. The team commenced 1968 with a seven match unbeaten run, starting with consecutive 3–0 wins at Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United, and culminating in a 5–1 defeat of Fulham to go top of the table.Tossell, Big Mal, p. 149. The run came to an end with a defeat at Don Revie's Leeds United, which also meant City were overtaken at the top of the table by local rivals Manchester United. A visit to United's Old Trafford ground then followed. United took an early lead, but City rallied to win 3–1.Tossell, Big Mal, p. 150. In late April, after City won 1–0 against Sheffield Wednesday and title rivals Manchester United lost to West Bromwich Albion, City were in a position where winning their final three games would all but guarantee the championship.Summerbee, Mike Summerbee – The Autobiography, p. 107. In the first of the three, a home match against Everton, City won 2–0 in a match featuring Tony Book's first league goal for the club.Book, Maine Man, p. 78. Next was Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. City took a 3–0 lead before half time, eventually winning 3–1. Title decider at Newcastle Going into the final match, City were level on points with neighbours Manchester United, with City holding the advantage in goal average – the first decider if teams finished level on points – but needing to win to be sure of staying above their cross-city rivals. Liverpool were three points behind, but had a game in hand, so could still win the title if both City and United faltered.James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, pp. 125–6. City faced tenth-placed Newcastle United at St James' Park; United were at home to bottom-half Sunderland. Bookmakers made United slight favourites for the title.Summerbee, Mike Summerbee – The Autobiography, p. 108. Mike Summerbee opened the scoring on 13 minutes, but Newcastle soon equalised.James, The Official Manchester City Hall of Fame, p. 130. Neil Young made it 2–1, but again Newcastle equalised. A second strike by Young was disallowed for offside, and at half-time the score was 2–2. Straight after half-time Young scored again, and Francis Lee scored a fourth on 63 minutes.James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 126. A late Newcastle goal set up a nervy finish, but City held on to win 4–3 and secure the title. The win was compounded by a 2–1 victory by Sunderland over Manchester United, giving City the title. Liverpool won one of their remaining games but lost the other, missing their chance to leapfrog United into second by one point. Matches DateOpponentsH / AVenueResultF–AScorersAttendance 19 August 1967 Liverpool H Maine Road 0–0 49,531 23 August 1967 Southampton A The Dell 2–3 Bell, Coleman 23,675 26 August 1967 Stoke City A Victoria Ground 0–3 22,426 30 August 1967 Southampton H Maine Road 4–2 Bell (2), Young (2) 22,002 2 September 1967 Nottingham Forest H Maine Road 2–0 Coleman, Summerbee 29,547 6 September 1967 Newcastle United H Maine Road 2–0 Hince, Young 29,978 9 September 1967 Coventry City A Highfield Road 3–0 Bell, Hince, Summerbee 34,578 16 September 1967 Sheffield United H Maine Road 5–2 Bowles (2), Bell, Summerbee, Young 31,922 23 September 1967 Arsenal A Highbury 0–1 41,567 30 September 1967 Manchester United H Maine Road 1–2 Bell 62,942 7 October 1967 Sunderland A Roker Park 0–1 27,885 14 October 1967 Wolverhampton Wanderers H Maine Road 2–0 Doyle, Young 36,476 21 October 1967 Fulham A Craven Cottage 4–2 Summerbee (2), Lee, Young 22,108 28 October 1967 Leeds United H Maine Road 1–0 Bell 39,713 4 November 1967 Everton A Goodison Park 1–1 Connor 47,144 11 November 1967 Leicester City H Maine Road 6–0 Lee (2), Young (2), Doyle, Oakes 29,039 18 November 1967 West Ham United A Upton Park 3–2 Lee (2), Summerbee 25,495 25 November 1967 Burnley H Maine Road 4–2 Coleman (2), Summerbee, Young 37,098 2 December 1967 Sheffield Wednesday A Hillsborough 1–1 Oakes 38,207 9 December 1967 Tottenham Hotspur H Maine Road 4–1 Bell, Coleman, Summerbee, Young 35,792 16 December 1967 Liverpool A Anfield 1–1 Lee 53,268 23 December 1967 Stoke City H Maine Road 4–2 Lee (2), Coleman, Young 40,121 18 December 1967 West Bromwich Albion A The Hawthorns 2–3 Lee, Summerbee 44,897 30 December 1967 West Bromwich Albion H Maine Road 0–2 45,754 6 January 1968 Nottingham Forest A City Ground 3–0 Coleman, Summerbee, Young 39,581 20 January 1968 Sheffield United A Bramall Lane 3–0 Bell, Doyle, Lee 32,142 3 February 1968 Arsenal H Maine Road 1–1 Lee 42,392 24 February 1968 Sunderland H Maine Road 1–0 Lee 28,642 2 March 1968 Burnley A Turf Moor 1–0 Lee 23,486 9 March 1968 Coventry City H Maine Road 3–1 Bell, Summerbee, Young 33,310 16 March 1968 Fulham H Maine Road 5–1 Young (2), Bell, Lee, Summerbee 30,773 23 March 1968 Leeds United A Elland Road 0–2 51,818 27 March 1968 Manchester United A Old Trafford 3–1 Bell, Heslop, Lee 63,004 6 April 1968 Leicester City A Filbert Street 0–1 24,925 12 April 1968 Chelsea H Maine Road 1–0 Doyle 47,132 13 April 1968 West Ham United H Maine Road 3–0 Young (2), Doyle 38,755 16 April 1968 Chelsea A Stamford Bridge 0–1 36,466 20 April 1968 Wolverhampton Wanderers A Molineux 0–0 39,632 25 April 1968 Sheffield Wednesday H Maine Road 1–0 Own goal 32,999 29 April 1968 Everton H Maine Road 2–0 Book, Coleman 37,786 4 May 1968 Tottenham Hotspur A White Hart Lane 3–1 Bell (2), Summerbee 51,242 11 May 1968 Newcastle United A St James' Park 4–3 Young (2), Lee, Summerbee 46,492 First Division y MCI Results summary 17 2 2 52 17 9 4 8 34 26 rsssf.com September 2016 FA Cup 1967–68 FA Cup As a top-flight side, Manchester City entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, and were drawn at home to Reading of the Third Division. With City unusually wearing their maroon change kit, the match finished goalless, with Tony Coleman missing a penalty.Penney, Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years, p. 45 The replay at Elm Park was a one-sided affair. City won 7–0, as Mike Summerbee scored a hat-trick. In the fourth round, another home tie finished 0–0, this time against Leicester City. In the replay, Manchester City squandered a 2–0 lead and lost 4–3.Goldstone & Saffer, Manchester City Champions 1967/68, p. 74. DateRoundOpponentsH / AVenueResultF–AScorersAttendance 27 January 1968 Third round Reading H Maine Road 0–0 40,343 31 January 1968 Third round replay Reading A Elm Park 7–0 Heslop 26', Summerbee 28' 49' 79', Bell 64', Coleman 75', Young 80' 25,659 17 February 1968 Fourth round Leicester City H Maine Road 0–0 51,009 19 February 1968 Fourth round replay Leicester City A Filbert Street 3–4 Lee (pen) 6', Summerbee 24', Bell 88' 39,112 League Cup 1967–68 Football League Cup Manchester City's League Cup run saw two notable debuts for young players. In the second round against Leicester City, Stan Bowles scored twice in a 4–0 win.Penney, Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years, p. 39. In the next round against Blackpool, Joe Corrigan made the first of his 605 appearances for the club.James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 156. City progressed after a replay. Fulham were the opponents in the fourth round, meaning City visited Craven Cottage for the second time in as many weeks. However, they could not replicate their league win and lost 3–2.Penney, Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years, p. 42. DateRoundOpponentsH / AVenueResultF–AScorersAttendance 13 September 1967 Second round Leicester City H Maine Road 4–0 Bowles (2), Book, Young 25,653 11 October 1967 Third round Blackpool H Maine Road 1–1 Summerbee 27,633 18 October 1967 Third round replay Blackpool A Bloomfield Road 2–0 Summerbee, Craven (o.g.) 23,405 1 November 1967 Fourth round Fulham A Craven Cottage 2–3 Oakes, Bell 11,732 Squad statistics SquadAppearances for competitive matches only''Source:James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, pp. 402–3. Pos.NameAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsFirst DivisionFA CupLeague CupTotalGKENG Joe Corrigan0 (0) 000202 (0)0GKENG Harry Dowd7 (0) 000209 (0)0GKENG Ken Mulhearn33 (0) 0400037 (0)0GKENG Alan Ogley2 (0)000002 (0)0DFENG Tony Book42 (0)1404150 (0)2DFENG Mike Doyle Mike Doyle (footballer)37 (1)5403044 (1)5DFENG George Heslop41 (0)1414043 (0)0DFENG Glyn Pardoe41 (0)0404049 (0)0DFENG Jeff Street13 (6)300001 (1)0MFENG Colin Bell Colin Bell (footballer, born 1946)35 (0)14424143 (0)17MFENG Roy Cheetham2 (1)000002 (1)0MFENG David Connor David Connor (footballer)10 (3)10.90 (1)00.90 (1)012 (5)1MFENG Stan Horne4 (1)0001 (1)05 (2)0MFSCO Bobby Kennedy Bobby Kennedy (footballer)4 (2)000004 (2)0MFENG Alan Oakes41 (0)2404149 (0)3FWENG Stan Bowles4 (0)2000.90 (1)04 (1)4FWENG Tony Coleman38 (0)8414046 (0)8FWENG Paul Hince6 (0)2004010 (0)2FWENG Francis Lee Francis Lee (footballer)31 (0)16410035 (0)17FWENG Chris Jones Chris Jones (footballer born 1945)2 (0)000002 (0)0FWENG Mike Summerbee41 (0)14444249 (0)20FWENG Neil Young Neil Young (footballer born 1944)40 (0)19414148 (0)21 Transfers In Date Pos. Name From Fee September 1967 GK ENG Ken Mulhearn ENG Stockport County October 1967 FW ENG Francis Lee ENG Bolton Wanderers £60,000 Out Date Pos. Name To Fee August 1967 FW NIR Johnny Crossan ENG Middlesbrough £34,500 1967 FW SCO Ralph Brand ENG Sunderland September 1967 GK ENG Alan Ogley ENG Stockport County Part exchange Legacy The league championship was Manchester City's first trophy since the 1956 FA Cup. The triumph was the first in the club's most successful period of the 20th century. Under Mercer and Allison, City went on to win the FA Cup in 1969, and the League Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1970. The Mercer-Allison partnership changed in October 1971, with Allison taking the manager's role, and came to an end in June 1972 when Mercer left to take charge of Coventry City. As a result of the title win, Manchester City entered European competition for the first time. However, Malcolm Allison's prediction that City would "terrify Europe" proved inaccurate, with the club losing to Fenerbahçe in the first round of the European Cup. A more humble and concentrated approach a year later proved efficient, as City clinched their first European trophy in 1970.James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 55. See also List of Manchester City F.C. seasons References Bibliography Book Tony Clayton, David Maine Man Mainstream 2004 1-84018-812-X Goldstone Phil Saffer, David Manchester City Champions 1967/68 Tempus Stroud 2005 0-7524-3611-2 James Gary The Official Manchester City Hall of Fame Hamlyn 2005 0-600-61282-1 James Gary Manchester City – The Complete Record Breedon Derby 2006 1-85983-512-0 James Gary The Big Book of City James Ward Halifax 2009 978-0-9558127-2-9 Penney Ian Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years Breedon 2008 Derby 978-1-85983-608-8 Summerbee Mike Holden, Jim Mike Summerbee – The Autobiography Century 2008 978-1-84605-493-8 Tossell David Big Mal: The High Life and Hard Times of Malcolm Allison, Football Legend Mainstream 2008 Edinburgh 978-1-84596-478-8 Ward Andrew The Manchester City Story Breedon Derby 1984 0-907969-05-4 Kay Steve 2009 mcfcstats.com http://www.mcfcstats.com 10 August 2010 External links Extensive Manchester City statistics website Category:Manchester City F.C. seasons Manchester City F.C. Category:English football championship–winning seasons