2005-06 Season

15th in the Premier League
League Cup: 2nd Round, Doncaster Rovers a. lost on penalties
FA Cup: 6th Round, West Ham United h. 1-2

Highlight:
3-1 win over Manchester United 14/1/06

Low Spot:
1-2 defeat at home to Fulham (their only away win) 29/4/06

Good:
Sylvain Distin
City rely heavily on this strong and mobile defender. Does his job in a quiet, effective manner. The type whose worth would be really apparent if they left.
Andy Cole
People remain sceptical about this fella but he was scoring a goal every other game again before his injury and City went to pieces without him.

Bad:
Ben Thatcher
Premier League football is just one, long struggle for Thatcher. He would surely be more at home in the Championship.
Joey Barton
There was nothing wrong with his performances but his pathetic "bigger than the club" attitude really stunk and made nobodies job any easier at City.

In Brief:
Typical City really. They promised much in the early part of the season but still managed to get knocked out of the League Cup to League Two opposition and ended the season with an awful run.
Stuart Pearce's honeymoon period is now definitely over and he needs to really prove himself next season. His signings will be of interest especially as his big money move for Samaras is yet to convince.

Man City History

The exact date of the formation of the club that would become Manchester City remains the subject of debate. Some believe the correct date is 1887 when Ardwick FC came into being. Others reckon 1880 is more appropriate. It was at that time that a football club was started at St Marks Church in West Gorton. This team later amalgamated with Gorton Athletic to become Gorton FC. This club in turn became Ardwick FC when they moved to the Hyde Road ground in 1887.

This club would become known as Manchester City from 1894 and moved to Maine Road in 1923 after a fire destroyed the Hyde Road ground.

As Ardwick FC the club were founder members of Division Two in 1892. The club had a fairly quiet start to their league history but gained promotion as champions in 1899. City were relegated in 1902 but responded by again winning the second division championship the very next season. They then enjoyed a fine season on their return to the first division.

City finished the 1903-04 season as runners up in the league behind The Wednesday and also went on to capture the FA Cup. They had never previously been beyond the second round of the competition but after beating Sunderland, Woolwich Arsenal, Middlesbrough and The Wednesday they found themselves up against Bolton Wanderers in the final. Billy Meredith, one of the great names in early football, scored the only goal of the game at the Crystal Palace to give City their first major honour.

In 1910 the club again won the second division championship at the first attempt following relegation and City went through a relatively quiet period either side of the First World War.

The 1925-26 season provided an early example of the perverse character the club would go on to assume. Another fine cup run saw City reach Wembley for the first time in the FA Cup but in the league there was another relegation. Ultimately there was cup disappointment too as Bolton gained revenge for their earlier defeat at City's hands.

On this occasion City needed two seasons in the second division before winning the championship once again.

The 1930's saw Manchester City emerge as a greater force than hitherto. They reached the FA Cup semi finals in 1932, the final in 1933 when they lost 3-0 to Everton before winning the trophy in 1934 with a 2-1 win over Portsmouth when Fred Tilson scored both their goals.

Then, even by their own unpredictable standards, City surpassed themselves. In 1937 the club won their first ever league title, scoring 107 goals in the process. The following year, however, they managed to get relegated, even though they were the highest goalscorers in the first division and ended with a positive goal difference.

Although the club again only needed two seasons to regain a place in Division One it was a prolonged absence as these seasons spanned the Second World War.

City went through another relegation/promotion double header before reaching successive cup finals in 1955 and 56. In 1955 they were soundly beaten, 3-1, by Newcastle United but were impressive in beating Birmingham City by the same scoreline the following year when Don Revie turned in a man of the match performance without scoring and goalkeeper Bert Trautmann completed the game with a broken neck.

The club slipped out of the limelight for a spell after this and looked to be in serious decline for a time in the mid 1960's after another relegation in 1963.

The arrival of Joe Mercer as manager in 1965, however, heralded a remarkably swift transformation and the club embarked on the greatest decade of its history.

Inspired by the vibrant attacking talents of Bell, Summerbee, Lee and Young the club stormed through to win the second division championship in 1966.

Two years later they eclipsed that feat by winning the Division One title, edging out neighbours United on the last day of the season.

1969 saw the FA Cup return to the club when Neil Young's goal was enough to defeat Leicester City and in 1970 City claimed both the League Cup and the Cup Winners Cup. They beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 to take the League Cup with the unlikely goalscoring combination of Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe while in Europe they overcame Gornik Zabrze of Poland by the same scoreline by virtue of Neil Young and a Francis Lee penalty.

In 1972 City looked almost certain to claim another league title until a late collapse, after the expensive signing of Rodney Marsh, saw them finish in fourth place, though still only one point adrift of champions Derby County.

City lost in the final of the 1974 League Cup to Wolverhampton Wanderers but returned to Wembley in 1976 to claim the trophy after a 2-1 win over Newcastle United. Peter Barnes scored their first goal and Dennis Tueart provided the winner with a spectacular overhead kick.

City began to look less of a force as Malcolm Allison spent rashly in the late 1970's but reached the 1981 FA Cup final under his successor John Bond. Leading Tottenham through a splendid Tommy Hutchison header it looked as though City would capture the trophy until Hutchison managed to deflect a Glenn Hoddle free kick past Joe Corrigan to take the game to a replay.

The second game ranks as one of Wembley's classics but this was of little consolation to City as they lost 3-2.

In 1983 City were relegated behind Luton Town after losing at home to their relegation rivals on the final day of the season. Again the exile was brief as the Citizens won promotion back to the top flight in 1985.

The yoyo existence continued with relegation in 1987 followed by promotion in 1989. City then managed seven seasons in the top flight before once again dropping into the second tier in 1996. Two seasons later the unthinkable happened and City dropped into English footballs' third tier.

After a sluggish start to the season City improved after appointing Joe Royle as manager and ended up in the play off positions. Despite beating Wigan Athletic in the semi finals City looked doomed to another season in Division Two when they trailed 2-0 to Gillingham in the final at Wembley with normal time just about through. Goals by Kevin Horlock and, in a generous period of stoppage time, Paul Dickov sent the game into extra time and then on to penalties where City won through.

Typically City then had two further promotions sandwiched around one relegation in the next three seasons which, happily, left them in the Premier League where they have managed to remain for the past three seasons and now, under Stuart Pearce, the club look set for a prolonged run in the top flight. Knowing City, however, it would perhaps be wisest not to put money on it.

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