Happy Birthday Mike Summerbee MBE

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City_Shirts

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Happy 83td Birthday to City legend and current club ambassador Mike Summerbee OBE

One of the most popular City players of all time, Summerbee made his professional debut for Swindon Town in 1959, aged just 16. By the time Joe Mercer brought him to Manchester City in 1965 for £35,000, the 22-year-old had more than 200 league appearances under his belt. He was to spend a decade at the heart of the stylish, attacking City side that at the time was seen as the greatest in the club’s history.
As an incisive, goal-scoring right winger, he was a key component in the team that won four trophies between 1968 and 1970. Alongside team mates Colin Bell and Francis Lee he was the third member of the “Holy Trinity”. In the deciding League fixture of 1968, he scored one of City’s goals in the thrilling 4-3 win over Newcastle which clinched the Championship. During the 1969 FA Cup Final, Summerbee’s run down the wing and eventual cross set up Neil Young’s goal; the only one of the game.
Something of a practical joker, Summerbee (or "Buzzer" as teammates nicknamed him) was also known for a fiery temperament, a trait described by teammate Francis Lee as "retaliating first”.

Over a five-year period, which encompassed the 1970 World Cup, Summerbee played for England eight times. He made his international debut against Scotland in front of 134,000 spectators at Hampden Park on 24 February 1968, and helped to secure a 1–1 draw to clinch qualification to the UEFA Euro Championships in 1968.

After a career at City spanning 10 years Summerbee left Manchester City in June 1975, moving to Burnley, for a £25,000 fee.

He made 449 appearances for City scoring 67 times.

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Of that original team that so dazzled me, and which I first saw live in the spring of 1968, he is nearly the last man standing. Franny's gone, Colin's gone, Nelly's long gone, Michael D gone, Glyn's gone. George long gone. Skip, finally, bowed out.
I see that Alan Oakes is still with us (was he maybe the most underrated player in that stellar team?). And so, interestingly, is Tony Coleman, who is a bit forgotten (although I don't forget him). These men were a big part of my youth. When they are all gone, I shall know, finally and irrefutably, that I am old.
I didn't necessarily admire him the most, but I loved Buzzer the most. So right that he should still be standing, and to be here to see everything he's seen. The bad days, and the good. He is fiercely loyal to “his” team, and is still prepared to argue that, at their best, they would have given any contemporary City team a run for their money! (Let's allow him that indulgence…).
A fine, fine ambassador for the club. One of his finest moment's outside of playing was in the aftermath of the 2011 Community Shield, when he had virtually the whole studio scoffing against him. He just said, you'll see. On 23 October, only a few months later, they saw.
Happy birthday, Buzz. Keep us company a little while longer.
 
City_Shirts said:
Happy 83td Birthday to City legend and current club ambassador Mike Summerbee OBE

One of the most popular City players of all time, Summerbee made his professional debut for Swindon Town in 1959, aged just 16. By the time Joe Mercer brought him to Manchester City in 1965 for £35,000, the 22-year-old had more than 200 league appearances under his belt. He was to spend a decade at the heart of the stylish, attacking City side that at the time was seen as the greatest in the club’s history.
As an incisive, goal-scoring right winger, he was a key component in the team that won four trophies between 1968 and 1970. Alongside team mates Colin Bell and Francis Lee he was the third member of the “Holy Trinity”. In the deciding League fixture of 1968, he scored one of City’s goals in the thrilling 4-3 win over Newcastle which clinched the Championship. During the 1969 FA Cup Final, Summerbee’s run down the wing and eventual cross set up Neil Young’s goal; the only one of the game.
Something of a practical joker, Summerbee (or "Buzzer" as teammates nicknamed him) was also known for a fiery temperament, a trait described by teammate Francis Lee as "retaliating first”.

Over a five-year period, which encompassed the 1970 World Cup, Summerbee played for England eight times. He made his international debut against Scotland in front of 134,000 spectators at Hampden Park on 24 February 1968, and helped to secure a 1–1 draw to clinch qualification to the UEFA Euro Championships in 1968.

After a career at City spanning 10 years Summerbee left Manchester City in June 1975, moving to Burnley, for a £25,000 fee.

He made 449 appearances for City scoring 67 times.

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After Nicky got abuse from crowd at Maine rd playing for Sunderland Mike said he’d never set foot back in the place.
 
Happy birthday Buzzer. Back in the day, my mum had a cafe in the Corn Exchange and Mike and his business partner Frank Rostron were regulars.

I'd work there during the school holidays and if Mike was in on his own, and the lunchtime rush was over, he'd get me to join him for lunch. Got to learn quite a bit about the personalities at City and how Big Mal managed them all.

In 2022 when I stepped down from City Matters I was invited to the Chairman's Lounge for a game (which happened to be a game v Palace, where we went 2 down but Haaland got what I think was his first hat-trick for us).

We sat down to lunch and Buzzer was our host at the table, so I reminded him that it wasn't the first time we'd lunched together.
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
Happy birthday Buzzer. Back in the day, my mum had a cafe in the Corn Exchange and Mike and his business partner Frank Rostron were regulars.

I'd work there during the school holidays and if Mike was in on his own, and the lunchtime rush was over, he'd get me to join him for lunch. Got to learn quite a bit about the personalities at City and how Big Mal managed them all.

In 2022 when I stepped down from City Matters I was invited to the Chairman's Lounge for a game (which happened to be a game v Palace, where we went 2 down but Haaland got what I think was his first hat-trick for us).

We sat down to lunch and Buzzer was our host at the table, so I reminded him that it wasn't the first time we'd lunched together.
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No doubt Buzzer replied: “I remember you as a snotty nosed kid back then.”
Buzzer was hard as nails, opposing full backs invariably came off second best in any clash.
Happy birthday, Buzzer.
 
From his time at Burnley I have a vague memory of Mike Summerbee being one of the players who went on a training run up on the moors and somehow "lost their way", ending up in a pub in Yorkshire!
 
Happy Birthday Mike..a true City legend..used to see Mike in the family stand when I sat there with my granddaughter..he always had time to say hello to everyone..such a down to earth bloke
 
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