Memories of Newcastle May 1968, title decider.

[blue by birth]

Going into the last game, the league table looked like this:

1. City 56pts (GA 2.05)
2. United 56pts (GA 1.66)
3. Liverpool 55pts (GA 1.84)
4. Leeds 53pts (GA 1.86)
5. Everton 50pts (GA 1.58)

Leeds has lost 4-3 at Arsenal in Game 41 so were out of the title race on the final day.
In Game 39 Everton lost 2-0 at City and they drew at West Ham in Game 41 to keep them out of the title race.

City had the toughest final day fixture of the three teams still in thre title race:
City played Newcastle (10th) away
United played Sunderland (15th) away
Liverpool played Stoke (18th) away

Scores ended up being:
Newcastle 3 City 4
Sunderland 2 United 1
Stoke 2 Liverpool 1

View attachment 141467

The yoonited v Sunderland game was at the swamp mate..
Always liked Sunderland though..

 

[BrookedaleBlue]

Was fourteen, and away at boarding school. Furthermore, nobody whatsoever in my family was a football fan of any kind, let alone the fan of a specific club. I was already a City fan.
Full disclosure (gulp, here goes)! I had been a Chelsea fan from autumn of ‘66 to autumn of ’67, and was kind of a City fan and a Chelsea fan during that winter of ’67-’68 (I know, that's impossible bollocks, but it was so). How so? Because I grew up in north London. My local team, I suppose, was Watford. But I didn't much fancy them. And Chelsea had this wonderful ball player, Charlie Cooke, and a kind of handy attacking player in Peter Osgood. They played good football. Had a couple of cult heroes in defence, too — “Chopper” Harris and David Webb, proper old school hatchet men.
Why then the transition to City? Because it became clear during the winter of ’67 to ’68 that the family was moving to Manchester (job appointment) and I wanted to actually go and see my local club, stand on the terraces, as I had been doing in various London grounds, and especially Stamford Bridge, for about a year. I took to the terraces like a duck to water. It was everything boarding school wasn't. I loved it, and still miss terraces, although I think I'd find it a bit of a stretch to stand for ninety odd minutes these days, honestly.
Was there another club in Manchester? Well, yes, there was Stockport County, in Greater Manchester. I heard rumours of a third club being around…
We first lived in service flats in West Didsbury, while we were looking for a house to buy. My stepfather lived there first, and we were in London while waiting for the house. But we did stay with him there, briefly. Went out to the local park, got myself into a kickabout with a bunch of lads, was called a queer by one of them (sorry, but that was the exact word used) — wrong accent, on several counts. Middle class, southern. Still, to this day. And still, to this day, people turn round and stare in the South Stand when I shout a bit too loudly. I can see them thinking “ ’oo is this suthern ****?!”
I do remember this, very clearly. Used to go and stay at my gran's in north London from time to time during holidays. She always got the Mail, or the Express delivered to the door. Can't remember which. But I remember opening it up over breakfast, turning straight to the sports page, and seeing with pure euphoria and elation that City had beaten the other lot at Old Trafford, so the title was still on. Oddly, I still have in my papers the programme from the match against Coventry earlier that month, in March, but no memory whatsoever of the match itself. I've always wondered if I did in fact go to the match, or if someone else bought the programme for me.
Very jealous of anyone who trekked up the A road to Newcastle. I still think that the club should do a proper documentary about it, while people are still alive. I can visualise so clearly the crammed cars overtaking the equally crammed coaches, scarves flying, people probably giving the thumbs up or waving. And there aren't many left. I'm not talking about players, particularly, or club staff (although, why not?). The event as seen from the ordinary fan's perspective.
I swear that if I lived in Manchester I would do the footslogging to interview people about it. Then get it properly edited down with the help of someone professional in the media. Sort of along the lines of what Studs Terkel did (if anyone knows his oral history pieces, particularly Working, which I recommend strongly). It is a part of our heritage, every bit as important as the preceding title and the ones that have followed in recent times. And the living memory of it is disappearing, because sic transit gloria mundi…

The journey was as you imagined it!

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

This all leads me on to another question:
Now there's obviously been a lot of talk and testimony about the Gillingham game that sent us up — it's got to be one of the most thoroughly documented and generally picked-over games in City's history, almost to the point where I feel that I was there, even though I wasn't — and just about as much about the euphoric and crazy game at Ewood Park (in which Blackburn apparently hit woodwork about four times before City scored) that sent us up the next season.
Are any of the old timers on here able to talk about the final game of the ’65-’66 game, against Southampton? Was it clear before then that we had got promotion settled? And was there a carnival atmosphere at that final game?
I see from the excellent History section of the forum that the registered crowd was 34,653. Now that's a handsome crowd for any second division match, but I'm just a tad disappointed that it wasn't more, to be honest. And yes, I'm aware that there were almost always more people in the ground than the official figures indicate. Anybody who was there think that figure is a bit on the low side?

 

[TShed]

This all leads me on to another question:
Now there's obviously been a lot of talk and testimony about the Gillingham game that sent us up — it's got to be one of the most thoroughly documented and generally picked-over games in City's history, almost to the point where I feel that I was there, even though I wasn't — and just about as much about the euphoric and crazy game at Ewood Park (in which Blackburn apparently hit woodwork about four times before City scored) that sent us up the next season.
Are any of the old timers on here able to talk about the final game of the ’65-’66 game, against Southampton? Was it clear before then that we had got promotion settled? And was there a carnival atmosphere at that final game?
I see from the excellent History section of the forum that the registered crowd was 34,653. Now that's a handsome crowd for any second division match, but I'm just a tad disappointed that it wasn't more, to be honest. And yes, I'm aware that there were almost always more people in the ground than the official figures indicate. Anybody who was there think that figure is a bit on the low side?

Was my 4th ever game
Orient
Bolton
Leicester in FAC
Then Southampton
Yes we were both up and we were already champions hence the trophy presentation at the end of the game

Yes our crowds were notoriously sporadic and fluctuating a lot
The Leicester cup game had over 50k then next home game would be nearly halved that

Happened constantly till we got to the Etihad which incidentally averaging 50k plus every season is incredible

Just checked Leicester 57k+
Week later Cardiff at home 29k

 

[stan bowles]

Wolstenholme and the MOTD cameras naturally opted to cover the United vs Sunderland game - nothing has changed there then with the BBC - despite us being the leaders at kick off time on the final Saturday. As the earlier poster stated, shame the footage recorded for posterity is of poor quality, even by 1968 standards. At least Busby was gracious in the post match interviews.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Going into the last game, the league table looked like this:

1. City 56pts (GA 2.05)
2. United 56pts (GA 1.66)
3. Liverpool 55pts (GA 1.84)
4. Leeds 53pts (GA 1.86)
5. Everton 50pts (GA 1.58)

Leeds has lost 4-3 at Arsenal in Game 41 so were out of the title race on the final day.
In Game 39 Everton lost 2-0 at City and they drew at West Ham in Game 41 to keep them out of the title race.

City had the toughest final day fixture of the three teams still in thre title race:
City played Newcastle (10th) away
United played Sunderland (15th) at home
Liverpool played Stoke (18th) away

Scores ended up being:
Newcastle 3 City 4
United 1 Sunderland 2
Stoke 2 Liverpool 1

View attachment 141467

Brings you up with a jolt when you see that you could lose ten matches and be champions. Ok, the season was longer, but still. United too, ten lost, eight drawn.
Dippers have lost one match, and we're not far from the half-way mark.

 

[1964]

i didnt go ,my only memory of the day is the tv link up with joe and matt busby after the game .
"congratulations joe.
thank you matt"
its funny what sticks in your head :

This all leads me on to another question:
Now there's obviously been a lot of talk and testimony about the Gillingham game that sent us up — it's got to be one of the most thoroughly documented and generally picked-over games in City's history, almost to the point where I feel that I was there, even though I wasn't — and just about as much about the euphoric and crazy game at Ewood Park (in which Blackburn apparently hit woodwork about four times before City scored) that sent us up the next season.
Are any of the old timers on here able to talk about the final game of the ’65-’66 game, against Southampton? Was it clear before then that we had got promotion settled? And was there a carnival atmosphere at that final game?
I see from the excellent History section of the forum that the registered crowd was 34,653. Now that's a handsome crowd for any second division match, but I'm just a tad disappointed that it wasn't more, to be honest. And yes, I'm aware that there were almost always more people in the ground than the official figures indicate. Anybody who was there think that figure is a bit on the low side?

 

[1964]

promotion was more or less confirmed i think city needed to lose by six goals to blow it
it was a night match and i recall the pitch invasion at the final whistle ,
a long held tradition to this day

 

[ColinBellsjockstrap]

This all leads me on to another question:
Now there's obviously been a lot of talk and testimony about the Gillingham game that sent us up — it's got to be one of the most thoroughly documented and generally picked-over games in City's history, almost to the point where I feel that I was there, even though I wasn't — and just about as much about the euphoric and crazy game at Ewood Park (in which Blackburn apparently hit woodwork about four times before City scored) that sent us up the next season.
Are any of the old timers on here able to talk about the final game of the ’65-’66 game, against Southampton? Was it clear before then that we had got promotion settled? And was there a carnival atmosphere at that final game?
I see from the excellent History section of the forum that the registered crowd was 34,653. Now that's a handsome crowd for any second division match, but I'm just a tad disappointed that it wasn't more, to be honest. And yes, I'm aware that there were almost always more people in the ground than the official figures indicate. Anybody who was there think that figure is a bit on the low side?

I went to every home game of the title winning 1967/8 season, and the average attendance was just over 37,000.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

My late father was born 11 12 13

Blimey. That was a long labour for his mum.

We'd just started going to the odd game then, but only at Maine Road. Also I don't remember my dad being at home that afternoon so he must have been working. All I remember of the game is watching the teleprinter clattering out the scores of all the games for the last few minutes. There was no live feed on the radio so that was all we had.

It typed out the late Newcastle goal that made it 4-3 and it was an absolutely nerve-wracking last five minutes as you had no idea what was happening. Then it typed out the final score, and added the line "Manchester City are champions (or might have been 'win the title') for the second time". And that was it.