Manchester Footballers of the NorthWest

Manchester Footballers
Players & Managers from Manchester United and Manchester City Football Clubs

Tony Book

An inspirational and influential Team Captain for Manchester City FC, who made his debut just one month before his 30th birthday, Tony Book joined City from Plymouth Argyle for the sum of £17,000 in 1966.

During his first season he was made captain and led the team to win the FA Cup as well as being voter Player of the Year. One of City's all-time best and most effective defensive players.

Team manager from 1974 to 1979. He made 306 appearances and scored 5 goals in an 18 year career with Manchester City. A difficult start to his managing career, and overshadowed by Malcolm Allison, Tony Book had an otherwise remarkably successful career.

After the dismissal of Ron Saunders in 1974, it was Book who took over to establish a period of stability in City's troubled fortunes. During 4 years, he turned around the team's performance, and under his control they won the League Cup in 1976, and were runners-up in the following season.

Oddly, his career saw him "kicked sideways" when, he was briefly made caretaker-manager in 1989, and he was appointed first team coach in the 1990s.

 

Colin Bell

Colin Bell made an astounding 500 appearances for Manchester City and scored over 150 goals.

During his career which spanned the 1960s and early 1970s he was awarded 48 England caps, and was known for fast running and tireless stamina which earned him the nickname "Nijinsky".

Moving to City from Bury in March 1966, just before his 18th birthday, he amassed many honours, including League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Winners Cup, before a knee injury put him out of the game for all of the season 1976-77.

Continuing injury forced his premature retirement in August 1979, when he joined City's coaching staff.

 

Frank Swift

(1913-1958)
Frank Victor Swift was one of England's finest and most popular goalkeepers and his name should appear near the top of any list of great players.

He worked as a coke-keeper at Blackpool gasworks as a young man before playing football for Fleetwood Town as an amateur, and then professionally for Manchester City Football Club in October 1932.

He was a large man, over 6ft tall, weighing in excess of 13 stone and reputedly with extremely large hands - ideal qualifications for a goalkeeper.

He was also an amiable, entertaining and larger-than-life character who stood out from the crowd. Swift was part of the team that helped Manchester City to win the FA Cup in 1934 and the League Championship in 1937.

He was captain of the England side twice, the first goalkeeper to receive this honour.

His brother Fred also played in goal for Oldham and during the summer months they ran a pleasure boat together at Blackpool. Between 1932 and 1949 Swift made 338 League appearances for City and won 19 caps for England in a distinguished career.

He went on to become a respected journalist after 1949 and was killed in the Munich air crash after travelling to Belgrade with the Manchester United team as a journalist for the "News of the World".

Many believe he was the greatest British goalkeeper of all time.

 

Joe Corrigan

After a slow start to his career, Corrigan became one of Britain's best goalkeepers.

Born in Manchester, he joined City as a junior in 1966 after leaving Sale Football Club, and made his League debut for City in March 1969.

Personality clashes with Manager Ron Saunders caused an inconsistent record, though he stayed at City for 7 years, making 476 appearances, and 116 in the League Cup and European matches.

He was transferred to the Seattle Sounders in the National American Soccer League in 1983 for a sum of £30,000. Later, he played for Brighton & Hove Albion.

 

Malcolm Allison

(Manchester City FC Manager : 1974-1979) A difficult start to his managing career, and overshadowed by Malcolm Allison, Tony Book had an otherwise remarkably successful career.

After the dismissal of Ron Saunders in 1974, it was Book who took over to establish a period of stability in City's troubled fortunes.

During 4 years, he turned around the team's performance, and under his control they won the League Cup in 1976, and were runners-up in the following season.

Oddly, his career saw him "kicked sideways" when, he was briefly made caretaker-manager in 1989, and he was appointed first team coach in the 1990s

 

Willie Donachie

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Willie Donachie joined Manchester City as a junior in 1968 and was to become a celebrated City play who during his team days won 35 caps for Scotland.

A major force in fullback position, he dominated the back field during the 1970s, and played in the Scottish World Cup Final team of 1978.

He had been a full international player by the age of 22, and his speed and ball control in his favoured Left-Back position made him a great team asset.

Having made 347 League appearances for City, in 1980 he signed at fee of £200,000 to the Portland Timbers in the USA.

Later he played at Norwich, Burnley and Oldham.

 

Mike Doyle

A midfielder and defender with over 500 appearances for Manchester City, Mike Doyle was born in Manchester and originally joined Manchester City as a member of the groundstaff.

Determined to play on the pitch he had helped maintain, Doyle he was introduced as a player in March 1965 and helped promote the team back up from the 2nd Division to the top of Division One in 1968.

One of the club's finest players, by 1975 he had been made Team Captain, before injury put him out of the action.

Transferred to Stoke for a sum of £50,00 in June 1978, and later played for Bolton and Rochdale.

 

Johnny Hart

A most skilful midfielder whose career was dogged by injury and as a result only made 169 League appearances for City in his 16 year career at the club.

He was City's leading goal scorer for most of the early 1950s. A broken leg in 1955 robbed him of a Wembley Cup Final appearance, and he never really regained his form or a place in the first team thereafter.

He had joined City as a local amateur, and made his debut in the 1945-6 wartime league.

He retired in 1963 and joined City's coaching staff, before becoming Manager and leaving this post after 6 months due to ill health.

 

Asa Hartford

A Scottish International player who was discovered to have a heart condition which prevented him from making an almost completed transfer to Leeds.

However, with confidence Manchester City paid £250,000 to acquire him in August 1974, and very soon his dynamic midfield play and stamina removed all doubts as to his fitness.

He played a major part in City's rise to the top in the late 1970s, before he was transferred to Nottingham Forest for £500,000.

After a spell with Everton, he rejoined City in 1981 until 1984 when he joined Fort Lauderdale in the USA. He has amassed 50 full Scottish caps, over 30 of these while playing at City.

Played also for Norwich, Bolton, was player-manager at Stockport and then at Blackburn.

 

Brian Kidd

Born in Collyhurst, Manchester on 29th May 1949. Attended the same school as "Nobby" Stiles in Collyhurst and worked his way up through Manchester Schoolboys and United Schoolboys to become a leading forward for United between 1967 and 1974.

Nicknamed "Kiddo", by 21 he had been capped twice. His neat ball control, dextrous controlled moves and powerful shooting capability kept him in the line-up with only 4 matches missed in his United career. 255 appearances, with 70 goals. Later moved to Manchester City in August 1974.

A Scottish International player who was discovered to have a heart condition which prevented him from making an almost completed transfer to Leeds. However, with confidence Manchester City paid £250,000 to acquire him, and very soon his dynamic midfield play and stamina removed all doubts as to his fitness.

He played a major part in City's rise to the top in the late 1970s, before he was transferred to Nottingham Forest for £500,000.

After a spell with Everton, he rejoined City in 1981 until 1984 when he joined Fort Lauderdale in the USA.

He has amassed 50 full Scottish caps, over 30 of these while playing at City. Played also for Norwich, Bolton, was player-manager at Stockport and then at Blackburn.