Manchester City F.C. History

Born with a religious background

What is famous today as Manchester City F.C. was initially born as St. Mark’s (West Gorton) and was the brainchild of Anna Connell who joined hands with two churchwardens of St. Mark’s Church in Gorton. And thus it was named so.

By 1887, the club was renamed as Ardwick Association Football Club and by 1894 it was again changed to its current name ‘The Manchester City F.C.’.

Change of Grounds

There was no single ground to be called the initial ground for the club as it changed grounds five times from 1880-87. By 1887, they moved on to a ground at Hyde Road in Ardwick when the club was renamed to Ardwick Association FC to represent it. After a fire accident in 1920, the club again moved to Maine Road in Moss Side which was nicknamed Wembley of the North. It again shifted to City of Manchester Stadium in 2003 and continues there till date. The stadium is also known as Etihad Stadium Sportcity and Eastlands.

First honour coming its way

• In 1899, the club won the Second Division and was promoted to the First Division which is considered the highest level in English Football.
• Their first FA cup win, came by in 1904 which was and is still considered as its major honour and is the first club in Manchester to win it.
• 1937 the club won the First Division Title

Records

• The Club made a record history which stills stands unbeaten. About 84,569 fans jam packed the Maine Road stadium, to witness the FA CUP 6^th round tie against Stoke City in 1934 and made a record of highest home attendance of any club in English Football history.
• League Victory against Lincoln City in 1895 with a record of highest goals scored 11-3 and against Darwen in 1899 with a record of widest margin victory.
• Record FA Cup Victory against Liverpool Stanley in 1890 with a 12-0 win

Player’s records

• Eric Brook holds the record for most number of goals (177).
• Tommy Johnson holds the record for most number of goals scored in a season (38)
• 11 players have found their way into the Hall of Fame of the National Football Museum
• Winners of Football League 1^st Division in 1936-37 and 1967-68
• Winners of Football League 2^nd Division record 7 times in 1898-99. 1902-03, 1909-10, 1927-28, 1946-47, 1965-66, 2001-02.
• Won the FA Cup 5 times in 1904. 1934. 1956, 1969. 2011
• Won the League Cup twice in 1970 & 1976
• Won the European UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup in 1970

Winning Leagues and Cups

Interesting and encouraging facts

Manchester City’s Academy has taken up the responsibility of grooming the younger players for future blooming. The first youth team was developed in 1920 by Albert Alexander and the academy is highly regarded by the country as it has to its credit of grooming and producing the highest number of professional players, a total of 35 to be precise that no other Premier League Club could even think of.

There is yet another noble proposal of the club to provide free coaching to the budding talents enrolled in Soccer Schools and City Sixes Programs in Manchester, through its City in the Community Charity Program.