Mad Eyed Screamer
Moderator
Whatever happened to "The Class of 1986"?
Thirty seven years ago today, Manchester City won the FA Youth Cup for the first time, beating arch rivals Manchester United 2-0 at Maine Road to win 3-1 on aggregate.
Of the thirteen players used over the two legged final, seven went on to play for the 1st team - indeed all seven started together on one occasion away at Brighton in April 1989.
The magnificant seven are
Ian Brightwell, Andy Hinchcliffe, Paul Lake, Paul Moulden, Steve Redmond, Ian Scott and David White.
Hinchcliffe and White went on to play for England.
The other six lads:
Steve Macauley had a long career with Crewe Alex, Rochdale and Macclesfield,
Andy Thackeray with Wrexham, Rochdale and Halifax.
Goalkeeper Steve Crompton, briefly with Carlisle and Stockport but more notably with Wycombe (then non league).
Steve Mills was cruelly released shortly after having incurred a cruciate ligament injury. He signed for Sheffield Wednesday but struggled for fitness and was released, dropping into the semi pro leagues before moving to South Africa. Here he played for Bidvest Wits (Johannesburg) and also Pretoria City, before his knee finally forced him to quit in 1994.
Glasweigen David Boyd was released and had a brief spell with Hearts and then was diagnosed with ME, gave up playing and went into football coaching.
John Bookbinder was released within weeks of the final and generally lost his appetite for the game. He briefly played for Belper Town and played amateur football as a means of keeping fit, before becoming a social worker in London. He very sadly passed away in 2006 having developed throat cancer.
Of the thirteen lads, twelve were English - of which six came from within Greater Manchester and the others coming from Liverpool, Blackpool, Congleton, Sheffield, Huddersfield and (the furthest away) Derby.
Between the seven who played in the 1st team, they made a total of 1,397 appearances (Ian Brightwell topping the list with 382 from August 1986 to March 1998 and was awarded a testimonial game)
From May 1986 through to August 1993, at least one of the boys was on the team sheet for every 1st team game, a run of seven full seasons totalling three hundred and fifty five games.
Pictures
1. Steve Redmomd lifts the FA Youth Cup, with the jubilant Steve Mills next to him.
2. The boys celebrating in the changing room with coaches Tony Book and Glyn Pardoe as well as club captain Paul Power.
3. Ten of the team on the pitch five days later parading the cup before the final 1st team game of the season.
4. Cover of the programme for the 2nd Leg game.
5. Cover of my book Teenage Kicks (Empire Publications 2013) about this wonderful team and individuals
Thirty seven years ago today, Manchester City won the FA Youth Cup for the first time, beating arch rivals Manchester United 2-0 at Maine Road to win 3-1 on aggregate.
Of the thirteen players used over the two legged final, seven went on to play for the 1st team - indeed all seven started together on one occasion away at Brighton in April 1989.
The magnificant seven are
Ian Brightwell, Andy Hinchcliffe, Paul Lake, Paul Moulden, Steve Redmond, Ian Scott and David White.
Hinchcliffe and White went on to play for England.
The other six lads:
Steve Macauley had a long career with Crewe Alex, Rochdale and Macclesfield,
Andy Thackeray with Wrexham, Rochdale and Halifax.
Goalkeeper Steve Crompton, briefly with Carlisle and Stockport but more notably with Wycombe (then non league).
Steve Mills was cruelly released shortly after having incurred a cruciate ligament injury. He signed for Sheffield Wednesday but struggled for fitness and was released, dropping into the semi pro leagues before moving to South Africa. Here he played for Bidvest Wits (Johannesburg) and also Pretoria City, before his knee finally forced him to quit in 1994.
Glasweigen David Boyd was released and had a brief spell with Hearts and then was diagnosed with ME, gave up playing and went into football coaching.
John Bookbinder was released within weeks of the final and generally lost his appetite for the game. He briefly played for Belper Town and played amateur football as a means of keeping fit, before becoming a social worker in London. He very sadly passed away in 2006 having developed throat cancer.
Of the thirteen lads, twelve were English - of which six came from within Greater Manchester and the others coming from Liverpool, Blackpool, Congleton, Sheffield, Huddersfield and (the furthest away) Derby.
Between the seven who played in the 1st team, they made a total of 1,397 appearances (Ian Brightwell topping the list with 382 from August 1986 to March 1998 and was awarded a testimonial game)
From May 1986 through to August 1993, at least one of the boys was on the team sheet for every 1st team game, a run of seven full seasons totalling three hundred and fifty five games.
Pictures
1. Steve Redmomd lifts the FA Youth Cup, with the jubilant Steve Mills next to him.
2. The boys celebrating in the changing room with coaches Tony Book and Glyn Pardoe as well as club captain Paul Power.
3. Ten of the team on the pitch five days later parading the cup before the final 1st team game of the season.
4. Cover of the programme for the 2nd Leg game.
5. Cover of my book Teenage Kicks (Empire Publications 2013) about this wonderful team and individuals
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