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Here is Brian Judson's preview of the game
Full Record of Spurs -v- Manchester City
Prem Pl W D L For-Ag Pts
Home 5 4 1 0 7 - 2 13
Away 5 3 1 1 7 - 6 10
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Total(Prem) 10 7 2 1 14 - 8 23
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Football Lge
Home(Div 1) 46 21 13 12 84 -59 58
Away(Div 1) 46 7 11 28 39 -90 24
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Total(Div 1) 92 28 24 40 123 -149 82
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Football Lge
Home(Div 2) 2 0 1 1 2 - 3 1
Away(Div 2) 2 0 0 2 0 - 3 0
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Total(Div 2) 4 0 1 3 2 - 6 1
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Total(Prem) 10 7 2 1 14 - 8 23
Total(Div 1) 92 28 24 40 123 -149 82
Total(Div 2) 4 0 1 3 2 - 6 1
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Grand Total) 106 35 27 44 139-163 106
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This fixture was a disaster for Tottenham in season 1967-68. The game was
featured on MATCH OF THE DAY at the time. The Maine Road pitch was a sheet
of ice and was very dangerous to say the least. Normally, the game would
have been called off but the presence of the TV cameras encouraged both
clubs to play the game. If I correctly recall the sequence of events,
Spurs scored first through Greaves and then Spurs disappeared as a force,
slithering about on the icy pitch as the temperature dropped. Manchester
City took us apart and we lost 4-1. Bill Nicholson was furious with the
way Spurs played so timidly.
Generally, our record at Maine Road for League matches has been poor, This
will be our last ever visit to Maine Road as Manchester City will be
moving to a new stadium next season.
Before WW2, Manchester City were the better club in Manchester as the
other side in Manchester spent most of their time in Division 2 between
the wars. United also came very close to being relegated to the old Third
Division (North). Manchester City, of course, have experienced that lowly
rank more recently but have fought their way back up to the top flight.
The Manchester City side of the 1960s and early 1970s was probably the
best side they ever had. Colin Bell had an abnormal heart which enabled
him to motor about the pitch for longer than most other players. Francis
Lee was ponderous but had a deadly foot when it came to taking penalties.
Mike Summerbee was a player who could play up front or on the wing. Joe
Corrigan managed to rise above a series of mistakes and gaffes that he
made as a young goalkeeper to become a popular player at Maine Road. Neil
Young will always be remembered as the player who scored the goal that
beat Leicester City in the 1969 FA Cup Final. Tommy Booth was a very
effective centre-back and Alan Oakes was one of that very rare breed - a
one-club player for much of his career.
But the player who stands out most of all from Manchester City's history
is Bert Trautmann. He was captured by us during the closing days of WW2
and brought to this country as a POW. He was released after the war but
decided to stay on in this country. He was spotted playing in non-League
circles and signed for Manchester City to replace the legendary Frank
Swift. Trautmann's finest hour was the 1956 FA Cup Final when he preserved
Manchester City's winning 3-1 lead by diving at the feet of ex-Spur Peter
Murphy, breaking his neck in the process.Incredibly, he played the last 20
minutes without realising the severity of the injury. It was not diagnosed
until four days after the match when he complained of severe headaches and
went to Casualty at his local hospital. He recovered from the injury and
played up to the end of the 1962-63 season, making 508 League appearances
for Manchester City.
Spurs fans obviously prefer to remember the 1981 Final when Spurs beat
Manchester City after a replay. Spurs were fortunate to survive the first
match after Tommy Hutchison had put the City ahead but Hutchison
unfortunately conceded an own goal after he diverted a Hoddle free-kick
beyond Corrigan. Villa, who had tramped off when substituted in that
match, was the hero of the replay. Villa put Spurs ahead after 5 minutes
but Mackenzie equalised with a dramatic volley three minutes later. Spurs
fell behind when Paul Miller conceded a penalty kick and Kevin Reeves
banged the ball beyond Aleksic. But Spurs never gave up and it was Hoddle
who chipped the ball for Crooks to equalise. And then it was Galvin who
raced down the left wing, steadied himself and slipped the ball to Villa.
Villa picked himself past defender after defender with Archibald screaming
for the ball. As Corrigan came out to dive at Villa's feet, he picked his
moment to slip the ball under Corrigan into the goal. He then set off to
celebrate in front of Keith Burkinshaw. The Spurs fans roared their
approval, thinking they had witnessed the most dramatic Cup Final goal of
all time. But the best was still to come .............(Ed: Not sure what Brian means by this! I can't think of a goal in the Cup Final that surpasses Ricky's)
How will we fare on Monday night? I'd love to be able to forecast a Spurs
victory but in all honesty I can't. We have a pretty poor record at Maine
Road for starters. If we could play as we did when Nayim steered us into
the Semi-Finals of the FA Cup, I would definitely be more optimistic but
the present side doesn;t seem to be able to play for longer than an hour
before it fades from view.
To those making the long trip north to Maine Road on Monday night, I
salute you. I know just how long a ride home after we have lost there
takes as I went there when we lost in the Cup in 1970 ....
COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers, Brian
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