Recent content by Gary James

As a response to some negativity about our PL results I thought I’d write this comparing this season with 2020-21 when some made very similar comments to this season. Worth a read (follow the link): https://gjfootballarchive.com/2025/11/01/lessons-from-history-mcfc-2020-2025/

I think the fact it was played at Bath probably added to the unusual aspect of it, though they played there for some time. The Video is well worth watching via my earlier link. It shows both the Maine Rd and Twerton Park games.

Yes, it’ll be this game (there’s film of the match too): https://bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/History/Matches/Match.aspx?id=4040 The game was at Bath.

We’ve definitely played Bristol City but have never had a competitive game against Exeter. Full list of teams we’ve faced here: https://bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/History/Matches/Opponents.aspx

Ricky, Hattersley & Hyde: https://gjfootballarchive.com/2025/10/20/ricky-hatton-hattersley-and-hyde/

Roy Cheetham?

This might be useful…. https://gjfootballarchive.com/2021/03/09/the-origins-of-manchester-city-facts-not-fiction/ The ‘vicar’s daughter’ story was introduced in the 1970s by someone who missed crucial evidence; many of us fell for it; in 2000s a man writing a book on multiple clubs founded by...

Thanks for the mention but, in truth, I don’t think anyone should ever be seen as ‘Mr Manchester City’ as we all contribute to this club in some way. There are fans who bang the drum repeatedly; others who have spent a fortune buying everything the club produce; others travelled everywhere etc...

John lived in Saddleworth for a while too. He talked about getting the bus to City from there when I interviewed him years ago: https://gjfootballarchive.com/2025/09/22/john-stapleton-2014-interview/

I often think that when someone dies it's often better to hear their own words on their life, career or interests and so today as my tribute to John I've published an interview I did with him back in 2014. You can read it here...

100 years ago today (12 September) the first Maine Rd derby was staged. The stadium opened 2 years earlier but Utd were, of course, a Second Division team then. Photo on my site is of Sam Cowan scoring: https://gjfootballarchive.com/2025/09/12/the-1920s-first-maine-road-derby/

Can’t get a publisher! Would love to update the full history but no one wants to publish it sadly.

'Which club is Manchester?' If you want to wind up any Reds... They had an official answer back in the early 1900s (follow the link): https://gjfootballarchive.com/2025/08/18/which-club-is-manchester/

Yes. Malcolm Allison told me the story about the bet - it was at Utd’s title winning banquet in 1965 and Allison and Mercer had listened to lots of Utd officials laugh at City. That night Allison snapped and told Matt Busby’s son that his dad had a twenty year start but that Allison’s& Mercer...

He was the man responsible for Maine Rd and viewed City (rightly) as the bigger club. He spent more years at City too.