History
of Manchester City
Football Club
MCFC was originally
formed as St Mark's in West Gorton, Manchester in 1880, and played
on a piece of waste ground at Clowes Street. Several name changes
during the following years (including "Gorton" and "Ardwick")
the name Manchester City was adopted in 1894.
Oddly, soccer
football was not very popular at that time, Rugby being the most
widely supported team sport, and City had difficulties in finding
other local teams to play against.
However, many
successes led to the team reaching the Football League's Second
Division in 1892, and finally into the First Division in 1899,
when their famous Welsh winger, Billy Meredith scored 29 League
Goals.
Major rivals
to Manchester's other great football team, Manchester United,
local "derby" matches are eagerly supported and competitiveness
is always high amongst players and fans alike.
A devastating
fire at their Hyde Road ground in 1920 had completely destroyed
the stadium and it was this event which prompted the teams move
to a new purpose-built ground which was opened at Maine Road in
Moss Side, Manchester in 1923.
Site
of the old Maine Road Stadium
Aerial Photo Courtesy of www.webbaviation.co.uk
© 2005
CLICK
ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
The club's
fortunes have been erratic, from promotions to the top of First
Division and numerous cup championships, to relegation to lower
divisions.
However, their
descents have more often than not been matched with equally meteoric
rises and Manchester City can truly be said to be one of the greatest
of British football teams, in a city which takes its football
very seriously.
Rivalry between
City ("the blues") and Manchester United ("the
reds") are intense, and, though local football derbys are
rare and regarded as virtual public holidays.
The
City of Manchester Stadium
The 48,000
seat City of Manchester stadium was first occupied by the Manchester
City teams at the beginning of the season in August 2003.
The stadium
had originally been built to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games
in Manchester.
It had been
decided that on conclusion, Manchester City Football Club would
inherit the stadium as their new home ground to replace the old
(but much loved) Maine Road stadium in Moss Side (see above).
City
of Manchester Stadium
Aerial Photo Courtesy of www.webbaviation.co.uk
© 2005
CLICK
ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
After the
Games the Stadium was further developed, a new North Stand was
installed and the running track was removed and re-laid at other
sporting venues.
Many fine
new facilities were also added, including six restaurants and
purpose-built function rooms which provide bookable on-site hospitality
on both match days and non-match days.
There are
also over 2000 car parking spaces on site, (a vast improvement
over the old street parking at Maine Road), and a further 8,000
accredited car parking spaces in easy reach of the Stadium.
The Stadium
can also be easily reached by rail and bus, being just a 20 minute
walk from Manchester Piccadilly Station and the city centre.
Reebok
City
Situated adjacent
to the Stadium, Reebok City is home to the City Superstore, City
Social and the City Experience
City Superstore
The City Superstore stocks a wide range of Manchester City souvenirs,
leisurewear and training gear from kit sponsor, Reebok. The Store
is open seven days a week, Monday to Saturday 9.00am-5.30pm and
Sunday 11am-3.00pm.
City Social
City Social is a Sports Bar offering drinks, sandwiches and hot
food. It has large on-site television screens to allow you to
watch the latest matches via Satellite TV.
City Social
is also available for private hire for meetings, parties and events.
For further information telephone 0161-438 7650 or email: hospitality@mcfc.co.uk
See
Also:
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