Manchester City on this day: Trashing the Terriers
It was 30 years ago when Manchester City found themselves in the second tier of English football. The FA Cup Final replay defeat, in 1981, against Tottenham seemed a long time ago and City were struggling. Certainly miles away from the side headed by Joe Mercer, who had won all those trophies only a couple of decades before.
The season had not been as good as maybe City fans had expected. Before the game on November 7th, City had only accumulated 23pts from the initial 48 available. The 20,000 fans who turned up, witnessed a historic Maine Road fixture, as the Blues welcomed Huddersfield Town to Maine Road.
It didn’t start that way though. The visitors, with ex-Blue Andy May in their ranks, dominated the early minutes. Their striker, Duncan Shearer, had a few decent chances early on which he failed to convert. Determination from City’s Neil McNab saw the deadlock broken. A low drive in the 12th minute opened the scoring.
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Even then, Huddersfield continued with the pressure, until Paul Stewart struck in the 29th minute to double the lead. Tony Adcock added a third five minutes later, with David White securing a 4-0 half-time lead three minutes before the whistle.
The second half started with Huddersfield already the beaten side. Adcock added his second, and City’s fifth only seven minutes after the restart. His hat-trick was secured fifteen minutes later with City’s 7th goal, a minute after Paul Stewarts second of the game.
Stewart would himself complete his hat-trick with ten minutes remaining, putting City 8-0 up. David White added a ninth five minutes from time before becoming the third City player to get the hat-trick a minute from time.
Huddersfield did get a consolation goal, coming via a penalty between the last two White strikes. John Gidman had knocked Huddersfield’s David Cork, giving the referee an easy decision. Up stepped ex City player, Andy May, who slotted home to cheers from both Huddersfield and City fans.
Jimmy Frizzell, the General manager, said after the match:
"“For once we gave our fans just what they wanted. They shouted for seven goals, then eight, then nine, then ten. And we got them.”"
Manager Mel Machin and David White were awarded checks after the game, with White also picking up the ‘Performance of the week’ trophy. A funny side story, revealed many years after the fact, was that City were scrambling to get the appropriate number of ‘match’ balls and champagne, traditionally given to hat-trick scorers. Back then, games were usually played with the same ball so that, and our finances, meant it was an expensive victory for Chairman, Peter Swales.
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Despite that victory, City wouldn’t get promoted at the first attempt. That season we’d finish ninth, and have to play Huddersfield another four times. Losing the return League fixture, we also faced them in the FA Cup three times. Finally, after the second replay, we progressed.
The Manchester City side on that day: Nixon, Gidman, Hichcliffe, Clements, Lake, Redmond, White, Stewart, Adcock, McNab and Simpson.