| 1880 |
The club is formed as 'West Gorton St Marks'. |
| 1887 |
Name changed to Ardwick FC. Relocated to Hyde Road. |
| 1891 |
Played in Football Alliance which becomes Division Two of the Football League in the following season. |
| 1892 |
Finish fifth in their first season. |
| 1894 |
Club becomes a limited company and name changes to Manchester City FC
|
| 1898/99 |
Promoted to Division One - P34, W23, D6, L5. |
| 1902/03 |
Win Division 2 |
| 1904 |
Win FA Cup for first time, beating Bolton Wanderers 1-0. Also finished runners-up in the League Championship. |
| 1905 |
Billy Meredith suspended for 9 months after a bribery scandal. |
| 1909-10 |
Win Division 2. |
| 1910 |
First continental tour - played 5 games in Germany, Denmark and Sweden. |
| 1921 |
Finish runners-up in Division One. |
| 1923 |
Move to a new stadium at Maine Road, playing their first game v Sheffield United and winning 2-1. |
| 1926 |
Lose 1-0 to Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup final, and are also relegated. |
| 1927/28 |
Second Division Champions for the fourth time, scoring 100 goals. |
| 1933 |
FA Cup finalists, losing 0-3 to Everton. |
| 1934 |
FA Cup winners, beating Portsmouth 2-1. |
| 1936 |
Peter Doherty signs from Blackpool. |
| 1936/37 |
Win the First Division Championship for the first time. |
| 1938 |
Relegated to Second Division despite scoring more goals than any other team in the division. |
| 1946/47 |
Promoted to the First Division following World War II. |
| 1953 |
Floodlights installed at Maine Road. |
| 1955 |
Reach the FA Cup final, losing 1-3 to Newcastle United and playing much of the game with ten men following injury to Jimmy Meadows. |
| 1956 |
Win the FA Cup, beating Birmingham City 3-1 despite goalie Bert Trautmann playing the latter stages with a broken neck. |
| 1958 |
A unique feat - City score 104 goals and concede 100! |
| 1963 |
Relegated to Division 2. Also, 3 FA Cup rounds are played in eleven days due to a terrible winter causing fixture congestion. |
| 1965/66 |
Mike Summerbee signed from Swindon Town.
For the 6th time in their history, City win promotion as Division 2 champions under the guidance of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. Colin Bell signs from Bury. |
| 1966 |
Francis Lee signs from Bolton Wanderers. |
| 1967/68 |
City win their second First Division Championship after a memorable last game against Newcastle at St James' Park. |
| 1968 |
City win the F.A.Charity Shield, beating West Brom 6-1 |
| 1969/70 |
A unique double is achieved. City win the F.A.Cup, beating Leicester 1-0.Clinch the European Cup Winners Cup after a 2-1 win over Gornik Zabrze. |
| 1969 |
City are beaten 2-1 by Leeds United in the F.A.Charity Shield |
| 1970 |
City win the League Cup beating West Brom 2-1 after extra time |
| 1972 |
City beat Aston Villa in the 1-0 in the final of the F.A.Charity Shield. |
| 1974 |
Football League Cup finalists, losing 1-2 to Wolves. |
| 1976 |
City win the Football League Cup, beating Newcastle 2-1 and becoming only one of three sides to have won the trophy twice. |
| 1976/77 |
City finish runners-up to Liverpool in Division 1. |
| 1977 |
Steve Daley becomes City's first £1m signing. |
| 1979 |
City Reserves win the Central League for the first time. |
| 1981 |
Centenary FA Cup finalists, losing 2-3 to Tottenham Hotspur in the replay. Trevor Francis signs from Nottingham Forest. |
| 1983 |
Relegated to Division 2. |
| 1985 |
Promoted to Division 1. The Youth Team win the Lancashire FA Youth Cup for the fourth successive year. |
| 1986 |
City reach the final of the Full Member's Cup but lose to Chelsea 5-4. The Youth team win the FA Youth Cup for the first time, defeating Manchester United 3-1 over two legs. |
| 1987 |
Relegated to Division Two |
| 1989 |
Promoted to Division One after finishing as runners-up. |
| 1991 |
Record signing for a defender in British football when City pay £2.5m for Keith Curle. |
| 1992 |
City win the Lancashire Youth Cup, beating Preston 4-0 |
| 1993 |
The £5m Umbro Stand is opened, incorporating 48 executive boxes. |
| 1994 |
Maine Road's famous Kippax Stand is pulled down to comply with the requirements of the Taylor Report.
Former City and England player Francis Lee becomes the new club chairman after he and his consortium take control from Peter Swales. Uwe Rosler signed from FC Nurnburg. |
| 1995 |
The brand new £11m Kippax Stand, accommodating 11,000 fans, is unveiled. Gio Kinkladze is signed from Dynamo Tbilisi. |
| 1996 |
Record transfer fee accepted for Garry Flitcroft who joins Blackburn Rovers for £3.2million. City are relegated to the Nationwide League at the end of the season, and Alan Ball resigns as Manager in August. Steve Coppell is appointed in October, but sensationally quits 32 days later, citing health problems. Phil Neal takes over as caretaker manager. |
| 1997 |
Frank Clark becomes City's next man at the helm, arriving at Maine Road in early January. His first signing is midfielder Kevin Horlock from Swindon. Clark safeguards City's status in the Nationwide League. |
| 1998 |
The 1997/98 season sees a succession of poor results, and Clark is sacked in February. Joe Royle takes over as Manager days later. Chairman Francis Lee bows to pressure and resigns on 16th March. Royle signs Jamie Pollock, Shaun Goater and Ian Bishop in an attempt to rescue the club from relegation.
Despite Royle's efforts, Manchester City are relegated to the Second Division. |
| 1999 |
The early signs were not good as any hopes that City would march triumphantly back to Division One took an early dent. A month after the start of the season they were in fourteenth position as the firepower failed to pull the trigger in front of goal and the team conceded too many draws.
But the significant signing of central defender, Andy Morrison helped boost the promotion hopes. He scored on his debut against Colchester on October 31st and followed that up with another the following week at Oldham.
The move from Huddersfield which had started out as a loan was made permanent and City settled into an assault on the League with the real business starting with a 2-1 win at home to Stoke on December 28th.
It was a slow march up the League with defeats at home against Oldham and relegation threatened Wycombe Wanderers denying the chance of automatic promotion.
A play off place was secured and two tense and close matches which ended in a 2-1 aggregate score against local rivals Wigan ensured a trip to Wembley for the play off final on Sunday May 30th.
The match against Gillingham is now etched deeply in the history of the Blues. Gillingham took a two nil lead and looked to be coasting to a place in Division 1.
Kevin Horlock scored with a minute of normal time to go and then Paul Dickov shot home in the ninety fourth minute. 2-2 after extra time with City winning 3-1 on penalties. It transformed what was threatening to be a miserable end to a difficult Second Division season into a remarkable triumph. |
| 2000 |
The Millenium season ended in triumph for City as their four year exile from the elite of English football ended on the final day of the season.
At Ewood Park against Blackburn Rovers the Blues had to avoid defeat to guarantee them automatic promotion in second place.
It was the culmination of a season in which the team had shown immense spirit and character often digging out results when not playing well.
In the second week of the season City were twenty first in the Division, by the middle of October they were perched on top and remained there for a seven week stretch.
A poor run at the start of March saw them slip to fourth spot until a run of five wins and two draws in April left them poised for the Premiership.
But after a first half at Ewood Park on a glorious sunny May day it looked as if City would have to depend on the lottery of the play offs to gain promotion.
Blackburn had taken a 1-0 lead and were overwhelming the City defence in a performance Joe was to describe later as,"playing like pigs in labour". Within minutes of the restart the home side twice hit the upright.
City bounced back with a Shaun Goater equaliser. Then a Blackburn own goal, before a Mark Kennedy strike and a Paul Dickov goal sparked off incredible scenes of celebration for the second successive season. |
| 2001 |
What terrible pain and disappointment as City slipped from the top table of English football after a single season. The joy of two back to back promotions were a dim memory when Matt Holland's strike for Ipswich on Monday evening 7th May confirmed relegation to the First Division.
It had all begun with bright promise, Joe Royle unveiling former World Player of the Year, George Weah in a laser Blue shirt and within weeks striker Paulo Wanchope was added to the strike force.
Sunderland were whipped 4-2 in City's first home game of the new campaign with Paulo Wanchope, the club's record signing at £3.6m, banging in a hat-trick.
Three days later the early signs of what was to come were perhaps there, but who noticed? City were defeated 2-1 by Coventry at Maine Road, an own goal from skipper Richard Edghill helping the Sky Blues to maximum points and condemning the defender to exile in the reserves.
A 2-1 win at Leeds United took City to 7th spot in the Premiership, it was to be their highest position all season, with goals from Gerard Wiekens and new signing Steve Howey.
Those two matches set the pattern for the season. City bright and determined as they re-acquainted themselves with the Premiership stadiums on their travels, but nervous and faltering at home.
Along the way there were some painful defeats, 5-0 at Arsenal and then, despite taking the lead and dominating at Upton Park in the first half of the game, succumbing to a 4-1 drubbing with all the Hammers goals coming in the second half.
George Weah had a public bust up with Joe Royle, as least the striker went public while the manager maintained a dignified silence. The Liberian left for France and Marseille but there were no tears around Moss Side. In his three month stay the striker had scored four goals. One against Liverpool in the League and three against First Division Gillingham in the Worthington Cup.
The teams only two back to back victories came at Southampton followed by the visit to Maine Road of Bradford in the second week in October. There were raised hopes as City took Everton apart 5-0 at Maine Road at the start of December with Shaun Goater scoring his first goal in the Premiership after fighting his way back from an injury which had sidelined him from the start of the season.
A 4-0 defeat by Charlton at Maine Road on the last day of the year saw City slip into the relegation zone for the first time. ut failure to win at home with 1-0 defeats at the hands of Spurs and Southampton opened the trap door. There was no escape. On the penultimate match of the season at Ipswich, City had to win to keep alive their hopes of taking the relegation issue to the last game of the season.
With sixteen minutes to go Shaun Goater scored a brave goal but, as so often during the season, City failed to protect their lead and Ipswich turned the tables with two late goals. It was a miserable journey back from Portman Road.
The final home game of the season against Chelsea saw City go down 3-1 and within two days Joe Royle was sacked by the City board who cited "fundamental differences" for the reasons behind Royle becoming the club's ninth managerial casualty in a decade.
On Thursday 24th May former England boss, Kevin Keegan was unveiled as the new manager who signed a six year contract at a reported £6m with the aim of restoring Premiership status to the club at within a season.
|
| 2002 |
The Kevin Keegan revolution reached a peak on Saturday 6th of April when in the sunshine a rampant Blues strolled past Barnsley 5-1 to secure the Division 1 Championship with two games to spare.
It was the culmination of a season of wonderful entertaining football, pure Keegan magic at times, providing rich memories of a hat-ful of quality goals. And from the opening day of the season it was what the fans had expected.
Against a much fancied Watford side new signing Eyal Berkovic took the game by the neck and paraded his skills with a typical arrogance. He capped his performance with a debut goal. It was one of two debut goals the other coming from Stuart Pearce. At thirty nine the former England international was to prove a rock in defence while his leadership qualities off the field were invaluable.
Shaun Goater was the other scorer that day as City ran out 3-0 winners that day. It was the first of a thirty two haul as he became the first City player since Francis Lee in 1971 to score thirty in a season.
But the bright opening and high expectations took a battering as City looked vulnerable on their travels being beaten by Norwich in the second game and then taking a 4-0 hammering by West Brom at the Hawthorns in early September. It was after that defeat that Kevin Keegan subsequently admitted he set about changing things in the squad.
In mid September an Algerian midfielder, Ali Benarbia called in for lunch with the coaching staff at City's Carrington training complex. The midfielder was on the look out for an English club and had just had a trial with Sunderland. Whatever was on the menu that day has not been revealed but whatever the price it was the cheapest lunch which Kevin Keegan will ever stand anyone. Ali Benarbia, a free transfer from Paris St Germain, became City's talisman for the club's march back to the elite.
The playmaker's skill, his vision, passing range and all round play lit up the First Division. Goal after goal was created by this most affable of players and often in tandem with Eyal Berkovic destroyed the opposition.
His influence off the pitch too was immense coaching and helping Shaun Wright-Phillips who, as the season progressed, made significant strides on the pitch knocking in 8 goals along the way and earning a call up to the England U21 squad.
By mid-December City were second in the Division and at the turn of the Year claimed top spot. Apart from a couple of weeks at the end of February as they concentrated on the FA Cup they remained in top spot.
It proved too to be a record breaking season for the Blues equalling the club's all time scoring record of 108 goals in a season. Amidst the celebrations on the final day of the season at Maine Road Kevin Keegan took the salute of the fans but was quick to remind everyone that all he has done in his first season was to take the club back to where it belonged, the Premiership.
|
| 2003 |
In City's first season back among the elite of English football they finished in ninth spot. Kevin Keegan could not hide his disappointment after the final game at Maine Road ended in a disappointing 1-0 defeat by Southampton.
In early season he had talked of a top six finish and a place in Europe and while there were times that the Blues looked capable of achieving that objective the season was marked by inconsistency.
There were defeats at home to Charlton and West Brom. City had Spurs on the wrack only to let slip their 2-0 lead at Maine Road.
At the same time the team showed great character surprising many with wins on the road at Birmingham, Liverpool and White Hart Lane.
But the highlight of the season for every fan was on a November day at Maine Road when the Blues ended fourteen years of derby drought with a 3-1 win over Manchester United.
The defence was depleted with regulars Sylvain Distin and Steve Howey sidelined through injury but the Blues responded magnificently with replacements Lucien Mettomo and Gerard Wiekens hardly putting a foot wrong.
It was a memorable day too for Shaun Goater who scored twice, the second bringing up his total of a hundred goals for the club. The, "goat" then scored a vital equaliser at Old Trafford coming on as a substitute and scoring after just nine seconds, at the time the quickest goal for a substitute in the Premiership.
New players were drafted in during the season. David Sommeil joined from Bordeaux a tough no nonsense defender he was followed within a fortnight by striker Robbie Fowler.
The former Leeds and Liverpool forward had pulled out of an earlier deal but Kevin Keegan pursued the striker again and the transfer was finally sealed.
Midfielder, Joey Barton a product of the City Academy established himself in the engine room in the final seven games of the season and scored his first Premiership goal in the win over Spurs.
And it was farewell to Maine Road the result was not what the capacity crowd may have wanted on Sunday May 11th but eighty years of football with all its ups and downs was celebrated with style with an emotional farewell to City's former home. |
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