MANCHESTER CITY
GUIDE TO FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES
ISSUE NO 9 - 1954/55
WELCOME TO ISSUE 9 OF MY CITY GUIDE TO COLLECTING PROGRAMMES. THIS ISSUE CONCENTRATES ON SEASON 54/55, FINALLY THE START OF SOME SUCCESS ON THE FOOTBALLING FRONT FOR CITY SINCE BEFORE THE WAR.
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CITY DURING THE SEASON HAD INTRODUCED THE REVOLUTIONARY "REVIE PLAN" AND REACHED THE CUP FINAL ALONG WITH FINISHING A RESPECTABLE 7TH IN THE LEAGUE - THEIR BEST FINISH SINCE 48/49 SEASON WHERE THEY ALSO FINISHED IN 7TH. BACK TO THE PROGRAMMES AND THIS WAS THE FIRST SEASON OF A NEW PROGRAMME FRONT. GONE WAS THE OLD "BLUE & WHITE" FRONT WHICH HAD BEEN GOING SINCE CITY FIRST STARTED PRODUCING PRGRAMMES AND A NEW DESIGN WAS HERE. THE FRONT AS SHOWN OPPOSITE SHOWS A BOLDER HEADING OF MANCHESTER CITY WITH THE MIDDLE SHOWING A DESIGN OF THE MAINE ROAD STADIUM ALONG WITH A DESIGN OF A PLAYER SUPER IMPOSED. FINALLY THE BOTTOM FINALLY TELLS YOU WHO THE OPPONENTS ARE!! PREVIOUSLY IN THE "BLUE & WHITE" ISSUES IT ONLY MENTIONED THE OPPONENTS IN THE MIDDLE. THE PRICE HAD ALSO FINALLY INCREASED TO 3d AND WAS NOW 12 PAGES, UP BY 4 PAGES - THE MOST PAGES SINCE BEFORE THE WAR. THE NEW STYLE OF PROGRAMME INSIDE ALWAYS FEATURED ON THE FIRST PAGE THE "STONE-DRI" ADVERT - OPPOSITE WAS COMMENTS FROM THE EDITOR. PAGES 4 AND 5 NORMALLY FEATURED MAINE ROAD GOSSIP AND INFO ON THE VISITORS. THE MIDDLE PAGES STILL HAD THE TEAM LINEUPS BUT OPPOSITE WAS THE HALF TIME SCOREBOARD. THE REMAINDER WAS FILLED BY THE LEAGUE TABLES, FIXTURES AND A PAGE ON RESULTS FROM EVERYBODY'S FIXTURES DURING THE SEASON IN A MATRIX FORMAT. |
SOME OF THE EARLIER HOME PROGRAMMES ON THE EDITOR'S PAGE ALSO INCLUDED A CARTOON PORTRAIT OF A CITY PLAYER.
24 NUMBERED ISSUES WERE PRODUCED - 21 FOR LEAGUE GAMES, 1 CUP GAME, 1 FRIENDLY AND POSSIBLY A POSTPONED PROGRAMME, OR IS IT? CITY WERE DUE TO PLAY WOLVES ON 26TH FEB BUT THE GAME DID NOT TAKE PLACE. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY POSTPONEMENT DUE TO WEATHER AT THE LAST MINUTE AND UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS A GAP OF OVER A MONTH BETWEEN THE CARDIFF (NO 17) AND BOLTON (NO 19) GAMES THUS NO MENTION OF WHAT HAPPENED. I'M SHORT ON RESERVE ISSUES THIS SEASON SO THEY CAN'T HELP ME YET EITHER!! OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A NO 18 PROGRAMME BUT ON LOOKING THROUGH THE CARDIFF PROGRAMME IT MENTIONS FUTURE MATCHES AND SAYS THAT ASTON VILLA WERE PLAYING DONCASTER IN A 4TH ROUND FACUP 2ND REPLAY ON 7TH FEBRUARY - THE MONDAY AFTER THE CARDIFF GAME. IS THIS THE MYSTERY NO 18? CAN ANYONE HELP ON THIS MATTER WHO COLLECTS VILLA OR DONCASTER PROGRAMMES OR EVEN NEUTRAL GAMES AT MAINE ROAD. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYONE I KNOW WHO HAS THIS PROGRAMME, IF YOU DO LET ME KNOW AND IF IT IS THE MYSTERY NO 18!! IF IT IS IT WILL KNOCK OFF ONE MORE OFF QUITE A FEW COLLECTORS WANTS LISTS!!!
HARD HOME PROGRAMMES FROM THIS SEASON INCLUDE CHELSEA (SOUGHT AFTER FROM CHELSEA COLLECTORS - THEIR ONLY CURRENT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON) WHICH WOULD BE ON OFFER AND GO FOR AROUND £20. OTHER DIFFICULT ONES TO OBTAIN ARE LEICESTER AND SHEFF WED, BOTH OF THESE WOULD GO FOR OVER £25 ON LISTS OR OFFERS. THE OTHER HIGHER PRICED PROGRAMMES WOULD BE THE 2 HOME GAMES AGAINST MAN.UTD IN THE LEAGUE AND CUP WHICH WOULD BE PROBABLY BETWEEN £10-£15. ALL THE REMAINDING GAMES ARE ON LISTS BETWEEN £5-£10.
A SELECTION OF AWAY PROGRAMMES FROM 1954/55 SEASON
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A LOT OF OTHER TEAMS PROGRAMMES IMPROVED DURING THE 54/55 SEASON AND FOR THE PERIOD GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY AND A GOOD SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON YOUR CLUB. MOST OF THE AWAY PROGRAMMES FROM THIS SEASON ARE QUITE EASY TO GET HOLD OF - AS USUAL THOUGH THERE ARE A FEW EXCEPTIONS.
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THE HARDEST I WOULD SAY IS SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY, IT WAS CITY'S LOWEST AWAY ATTENDENCE THIS SEASON AND THE ONLY REASON I CAN IMAGINE ITS HARD BUT ITS CERTAINLY PUSHING TOWARDS £50. OTHERS THAT ARE NOT FAR BEHIND IN THE PRICE STAKES ARE AGAIN SUNDERLAND - PROBABLY £35-£40. THE NEXT ONE THOUGH ON THE PRICE SCALE HAS PARTICULAR INTEREST TO CITY COLLECTORS AND FANS… MAN.UTD (PICTURED OPPOSITE) THE RESULT 5-0 TO CITY, AT OLD TRAFFORD ASWELL!! YES CITY'S OWN VERSION OF THE TREBLE WAS ACHIEVED OVER UNITED THIS SEASON WITH AN EMPHATIC WIN. CITY HAD EARLIER WON 3-2 AT HOME AND 2-0 A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THIS GAME IN THE CUP. BRILLIANT!! THE PROGRAMME WOULD FETCH AROUND £30-£35 AND IS VERY POPULAR AS YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH CITY COLLECTORS. ALL THE OTHERS ARE SIMILAR IN OBTAINING VARYING BETWEEN £10 TO £20 IN GOOD CONDITION. PARTICULAR FAVOURITES OF MINE THIS SEASON REGARDING FRONT COVERS IS THE CARDIFF AWAY PROGRAMME ALONG WITH THE NEWCASTLE. THERE ARE NO POSTPONED AWAY GAMES FOR THIS SEASON SO NO COMPLICATIONS THERE LIKE THE IS THERE OR ISN'T THERE WITH THE HOME GAME AGAINST WOLVES. |
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F.A. CUP SPECIAL
THIS ISSUE WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A MENTION OF CITY'S EXPLOITS IN THE FA CUP. UNFORTUNATELY CITY DID'NT WIN AT WEMBLEY BUT HAD A VERY GOOD RUN ALONG THE WAY. YOU WILL SEE IN THE MEMORABILIA SECTION A SEPARATE SPECIAL FEATURE OF SOME OF THE TICKET STUBS USED FOR THE GAMES ALSO, THIS WILL BE PRODUCED SHORTLY AFTER THIS ISSUE GOES ON LINE.
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THE FIRST GAME WAS AGAINST DERBY AWAY WHO WERE IN THE 2ND DIVISION AT THE TIME - CITY WON THE GAME 3-1 AND A VERY GOOD 16 PAGE PROGRAMME WAS PRODUCED. THE NEXT ROUND UNITED WERE BEAT AT HOME 2-0, CITY'S NORMAL 12 PAGE PROGRAMME WAS ISSUED. THE 5TH ROUND WAS ANOTHER AWAY GAME AGAINST A 2ND DIVISION SIDE - LUTON. THE PROGRAMME'S NOT UP TO MUCH - ONLY 8 PAGES BUT A NICE FRONT COVER DESIGN AS LUTON'S NORMALLY ARE. BIRMINGHAM WERE CITY'S 6TH ROUND OPPONENTS AND AGAIN CITY WERE AWAY AGAINST A 2ND DIVISION TEAM. A 10 PAGE PROGRAMME WAS PRODUCED AND IS QUITE NEATLY PRESENTED AND COMPACT IN SIZE. ALL THE PRICES FOR THESE 4 PROGS RANGE FROM £10 TO £25. |
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THE 2 PROGRAMMES FEATURED ABOVE ARE THE OFFICIAL PROGRAMME (LEFT) AND ONE OF THE PIRATE PROGRAMMES (RIGHT) FOR THE SEMI FINAL AGAINST SUNDERLAND. I SAY ONE AS I HAVE 2 PIRATE PROGRAMMES, THERE MIGHT EVEN BE MORE!! FOR BIG GAMES SO MANY PIRATE PROGRAMME SELLERS TRIED TO CASH IN ON THE OCCASION OF THE GAME.
THE OFFICIAL PROGRAMME HAS A SEPIA TYPE FRONT COVER AND IS ONLY 8 PAGES - PRETTY CRAP REALLY FOR AN FA CUP SEMI !! ALL THAT'S INSIDE IS PEN PICS OF CITY AND A TEAM GROUP, THE SAME FOR SUNDERLAND AND A 2 PAGE SPREAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TEAMS. THE TWO PIRATES I HAVE ARE BOTH 4 PAGES, THE FIRST ONE (PICTURED) HAS A NICE COLOURFUL FRONT WITH THE TEAMS IN THE MIDDLE AND A LIST OF PAST CUP WINNERS ON THE BACK. THE PROGRAMME WAS PRODUCED BY VICTOR OF LONDON. THE OTHER PIRATE HAS A SIMILAR FRONT BUT HAS A PICTURE OF WEMBLEY ON THE BOTTOM THIRD OF THE COVER. INSIDE ARE THE TEAMS PLUS ITEMS OF INTEREST AND PREVIOUS FA CUP WINNERS LIKE THE OTHER PIRATE AND EIGHT PICTURES OF PLAYERS ON THE BACK DONE AS A WHO'S WHO. NONE OF THE EIGHT FEATURED ARE SUNDERLAND OR CITY PLAYERS!!
FINALLY FOR THE FINAL THE NORMAL WEMBLEY CUP FINAL ISSUE WAS PRODUCED WHICH HAD NOW FOR 3 OR 4 YEARS HAD A SIMLAR STYLE FRONT COVER. IT WAS PRICED AT ONE SHILLING AND 20 PAGES. THE FIRST HALF OF THE PROGRAMME SHOWS A PICTURE OF THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH - THE GUESTS OF THE DAY, AN INTRO TO CITY WITH A TEAM PICTURE, PEN PICS OF CITY, ACTION FROM THE SEMI FINAL AND THE PROGRAMME OF EVENTS. IN THE MIDDLE IS HOW THEY REACHED WEMBLEY AND THE LINE UPS. THE 2ND PART OF THE PROGRAMME COVERS SIMILAR STUFF ON SUNDERLAND, PREVIOUS CUP WINNERS, AND FUTURE EVENTS HAPPENING AT WEMBLEY.
BELOW IS 54/55'S FRIENDLY AND MINOR CUP GAMES AND IF A PROGRAMME (*) WAS PRODUCED
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PUBLIC PRACTICE MATCH ENGLAND XI ENGLAND XI ABERDEEN MILLWALL GLASGOW RANGERS BARROW BARROW OLDHAM ATHLETIC RSD STRASBOURG FC MAINZ SAARBRUCKEN SV EINTRACHT TRIER ALEMANNIA AACHAN |
H H H H A A H A H A A A A A |
14/08/54 28/09/54 28/09/54 06/10/54 18/10/54 27/10/54 03/11/54 03/01/55 21/03/55 15/05/55 19/05/55 21/05/55 22/05/55 25/05/55 |
1ST TEAM V 2ND TEAM FRIENDLY (*) FRIENDLY (MORNING GAME) FRIENDLY (AFTERNOON GAME) FRIENDLY (*) FRIENDLY (*) FRIENDLY LANCASHIRE SENIOR CUP 1ST ROUND LANCASHIRE SENIOR CUP 1ST ROUND REPLAY (*) MANCHESTER SENIOR CUP SEMI FINAL (*) TOUR FRANCE (*) TOUR FRANCE TOUR GERMANY (*) TOUR GERMANY TOUR GERMANY |
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CITY HAD A FAIRLY LESS STRENUOUS SET OF FRIENDLY AND MINOR CUP GAMES FOR THE 54/55 SEASON COMPARED WITH 53/54. ONCE AGAIN THERE WAS A PUBLIC PRACTICE MATCH, ITS ONLY RECENTLY THAT A PROGRAMME IS KNOWN TO EXIST FOR THIS GAME (THANKS TO DAVE MASEY FOR THE INFO - HE HAS IT!!). I'D GUESS THIS COULD FETCH POSSIBLY £100 ON OFFER IF AVAILABLE. THE NEXT SET OF GAMES FEATURED GAMES AGAINST AN ENGLAND XI WITH 2 GAMES BEING PLAYED, ONE IN THE MORNING AND ONE IN THE AFTERNOON. NOTHING IS KNOWN AS TO IF A PROGRAMME WAS PRODUCED BUT ITS UNLIKELY. |
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THE NEXT SET OF GAMES WAS ANOTHER TWO FRIENDLY'S WHERE PROGRAMMES WERE PRODUCED FOR GAMES AGAINST ABERDEEN AT HOME AND MILLWALL AWAY. THE ABERDEEN PROGRAMME IS A STANDARD CITY ISSUE FOR THE SEASON AND IS ISSUE NUMBER 7, IT GOES FOR AROUND £10 - £15 ON LISTS. THE MILLWALL PROGRAMME SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THEIR STANDARD ISSUES WITH 12 PAGES AND IS QUITE COMMON TO GET HOLD OF STRANGELY. THE PRICE VARIES BETWEEN £5 TO £10 ON NORMAL LISTS.
CITY'S NEXT SET OF FRIENDLY AND MINOR CUP GAMES INCLUDED A FRIENDLY IN OCTOBER AWAY TO GLASGOW RANGERS, SURPRISINGLY NO PROGRAMME WAS PRODUCED. THE OTHERS WERE ALL MINOR CUP GAMES, BARROW WERE THE OPPONENTS IN THE LANCASHIRE SENIOR CUP AND ALTHOUGH NO ONE KNOWS IF A PROGRAMME WAS PRODUCED FOR THE HOME GAME I'M QUITE CONFIDENT THERE IS ONE, ITS JUST VERY HARD!! DEFINITELY A £50 PLUS PROGRAMME. THERE IS ONE FOR THE REPLAY THOUGH AT HOLKER STREET (PICTURED ABOVE LEFT) AND AN EXCELLENT READ IN THE 12 PAGE PROGRAMME PRODUCED BY THE THEN 3RD DIVISION NORTH SIDE. THIS WOULD FETCH UPWARDS OF £30 TO GET HOLD OF. THE FINAL MINOR CUP GAME OF 54/55 WAS AT HOME TO OLDHAM IN THE MANCHESTER SENIOR CUP, A PROGRAMME WAS PRODUCED AND IT WOULD BE A RESERVE STYLE ISSUE SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS SEASONS ISSUES. NOT MUCH INFO APART FROM THAT ONLY THAT IT WOULD FETCH UPWARDS OF £75 IF AVAILABLE.
THE END OF THE SEASON OVER THE LOSING FA CUP FINALISTS EMBARKED ON TWO TOURS COVERING 10 DAYS ABROAD IN FRANCE AND GERMANY. FOR THREE OF THE MATCHES AGAINST FC MAINZ (FRANCE), SV EINTRACHT TRIER AND ALEMANNIA AACHAN (BOTH GERMANY) NOTHING IS KNOWN IF A PROGRAMME EXISTS, BUT WITH THE OTHER CLUBS PRODUCING THERE IS A CHANCE THERE OUT THERE.
THE OTHER GAMES THOUGH AGAINST FIRSTLY STRASBOURG (ABOVE RIGHT) DID PRODUCE. STRASBOURG'S PROGRAMME IS AN ABSOLUTE CRACKER, A 24 PAGE PRODUCTION OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY FOR THE TIME PACKED WITH INFORMATION, ITS JUST A SHAME ITS ALL IN FRENCH!!! THE PROGRAMME WOULD EASILY FETCH OVER £100. LIKEWISE THE OTHER PROGRAMME PRODUCER FOR THE GAME AGAINST SAARBRUCKEN WOULD ALSO FETCH OVER £100. JUST AS HARD TO OBTAIN THIS IS A4 IN SIZE BUT ONLY A 4 PAGE PRODUCTION WITH THE TEAM LINE-UPS IN THE MIDDLE SURROUNDED ROUND THE OUTSIDE WITH SMALL ADVERTS. THE BACK PAGE HAS AN ARTICLE ON BERT TRAUTMANN BUT DENIED IN READING IT AGAIN AS THIS IS ALL IN GERMAN!!
