The United friendly game that Paul Stewart played in came in a four-team tournament at Maine Road held over two successive nights at the start of August 1987. It featured City, United, a Brazilian outfit called Atletico Mineiro, and PSV Eindhoven (who won the European Cup just under three months previously).
On the first night, Mineiro played PSV and City faced United, with the two losing sides to play the next night in third-place play off and the two winning sides to play to win the tournament. Mineiro beat PSV in the first game, and then United beat us 3-1. As noted earlier in the thread, Stewart was taken off at the behest of the ref, who said the player would be sent off if Machin didn't sub him. The next night, we beat PSV 3-1 and United beat Mineiro.
The tournament was originally announced as an annual thing, with City and United to alternate as hosts. IIRC, though, United backed out the next year. Officially, they claimed that they were relaying the pitch at Old Trafford, but when City offered to host it again with United then taking the next two in a row, they still refused, suggesting they just didn't fancy it any more.
City played a third testimonial in addition to those mentioned above for Albiston in May 1988 and Duxbury in August 1989. There was one for Kevin Moran in August 1988. We took another huge following, and were 2-1 up at one stage but lost 5-2. We played pretty well, though, and I remember it making me fairy optimistic about our chances of promotion. A couple of the goals came right at the end and, while United were a little better on the day, the eventual scoreline flattered them a little bit.
I remember the Palace game clearly. They were a bunch of thugs, as noted, and they were trying to rile Nixon all game, but it was a blatant sending off. I remember John Gidman, as an experienced old pro, signalling to Nixon to go down but he just stood there. To say there were around 20K in a ground holding more than 50K, it was a great atmosphere even before the sending off, but that took it up even another notch. I remember the place going mad when, at 1-1, we got a penalty.
Unfortunately, Stewart smacked it against the post and Stevie Redmond, as a stand-in 'keeper, could produce no McDonald/Gleghorn/Quinn heroics between the sticks. Ended an unbeaten run of 12 games in which we scored 44 times, and though we won at Millwall the next week, we then went into freefall a bit and were never serious promotion contenders in the New Year.
On the first night, Mineiro played PSV and City faced United, with the two losing sides to play the next night in third-place play off and the two winning sides to play to win the tournament. Mineiro beat PSV in the first game, and then United beat us 3-1. As noted earlier in the thread, Stewart was taken off at the behest of the ref, who said the player would be sent off if Machin didn't sub him. The next night, we beat PSV 3-1 and United beat Mineiro.
The tournament was originally announced as an annual thing, with City and United to alternate as hosts. IIRC, though, United backed out the next year. Officially, they claimed that they were relaying the pitch at Old Trafford, but when City offered to host it again with United then taking the next two in a row, they still refused, suggesting they just didn't fancy it any more.
City played a third testimonial in addition to those mentioned above for Albiston in May 1988 and Duxbury in August 1989. There was one for Kevin Moran in August 1988. We took another huge following, and were 2-1 up at one stage but lost 5-2. We played pretty well, though, and I remember it making me fairy optimistic about our chances of promotion. A couple of the goals came right at the end and, while United were a little better on the day, the eventual scoreline flattered them a little bit.
I remember the Palace game clearly. They were a bunch of thugs, as noted, and they were trying to rile Nixon all game, but it was a blatant sending off. I remember John Gidman, as an experienced old pro, signalling to Nixon to go down but he just stood there. To say there were around 20K in a ground holding more than 50K, it was a great atmosphere even before the sending off, but that took it up even another notch. I remember the place going mad when, at 1-1, we got a penalty.
Unfortunately, Stewart smacked it against the post and Stevie Redmond, as a stand-in 'keeper, could produce no McDonald/Gleghorn/Quinn heroics between the sticks. Ended an unbeaten run of 12 games in which we scored 44 times, and though we won at Millwall the next week, we then went into freefall a bit and were never serious promotion contenders in the New Year.