143-641: The FA Cup Final is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup . It has regularly been one of the most attended domestic football events in the world, with an official attendance of 89,472 at the 2017 final (the 2020 event has been the exception, due to the COVID-19 pandemic ). The Final is the culmination of a knockout competition among clubs belonging to The Football Association in England, although Scottish and Irish teams competed in
286-527: A heraldic badge was granted by the College of Arms to the English Football League for use by City. The badge consisted of the familiar ship above a red rose but on a circular device instead of a shield (blazoned as " A roundel per fess azure and argent in chief a three masted ship sails set pennons flying or in base a rose gules barbed and seeded proper "). On occasions when Manchester City played in
429-486: A notable rivalry with Liverpool , currently considered one of the biggest in association football. Though the two clubs had been involved in a title race in the 1976–77 season , Liverpool and City's modern rivalry began in the 2010s, with the Blues beating Liverpool to the 2013–14 title by just two points on the final day of the season. In the final of the 2015–16 League Cup , City defeated Liverpool on penalties after
572-524: A 1–1 draw. The two clubs met in European competition for the first time in the 2017–18 Champions League quarter-finals, where Liverpool won 5–1 on aggregate , ultimately reaching the final and then winning the competition a year later. In the 2018–19 season , City again won the title on the final day, with the Blues' 98 points and Liverpool's 97 being the third- and fourth-highest Premier League points totals ever. The following season , Liverpool clinched
715-703: A British-based holding company valued at £3.73 ($ 4.8) billion in November 2019 and majority-owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group . City gained their first honours by winning the Second Division in 1899 ; with it came promotion to the highest level in English football, the First Division . They went on to claim their first major honour on 23 April 1904 , beating Bolton Wanderers 1–0 at Crystal Palace to win
858-532: A European trophy and a domestic trophy in the same season. The club continued to challenge for honours throughout the 1970s, finishing one point behind the league champions on two occasions and reaching the final of the 1974 League Cup . One of the matches from this period that is most fondly remembered by supporters of Manchester City is the final match of the 1973–74 season against arch-rivals Manchester United, who needed to win to have any hope of avoiding relegation. Former United player Denis Law scored with
1001-599: A backheel to give City a 1–0 win at Old Trafford and confirm the relegation of their rivals. The final trophy of the club's most successful period of the 20th century was won in 1976, when Newcastle United were beaten 2–1 in the League Cup final . A long period of decline followed the success of the 1960s and 1970s. Malcolm Allison rejoined the club to become manager for the second time in 1979, but squandered large sums of money on several unsuccessful signings, such as Steve Daley . A succession of managers then followed – seven in
1144-594: A few weeks earlier than normal as an experiment; 2010–11 and 2012–13 when the FA Cup Final was played before the Premier League season had finished, to allow Wembley Stadium to be ready for the UEFA Champions League final, as well as in 2011–12 to allow England time to prepare for that summer's European Championships ; 2019–20 when the final was delayed until August due to the COVID-19 pandemic in
1287-604: A financially precarious position. Thaksin Shinawatra had taken control of the club the year before, but his political travails saw his assets frozen. Then, in August 2008, City were purchased by the Abu Dhabi United Group . The takeover was immediately followed by a flurry of bids for high-profile players; the club broke the British transfer record by signing Brazilian international Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5 million. There
1430-406: A frequent sight in the 1988–89 season , as the craze spread to other clubs (inflatable fish were seen at Grimsby Town ), with the craze reaching its peak at City's match at Stoke City on 26 December 1988, a game declared by fanzines as a fancy dress party. In 2010, Manchester City supporters adopted an exuberant dance, dubbed The Poznań , from fans of Polish club Lech Poznań that they played in
1573-809: A golden eagle was added to the city's badge in 1958 (but had since been removed), representing the growing aviation industry. The shield featured a ship on its upper half representing the Manchester Ship Canal , and three diagonal stripes in the lower half symbolised the city's three rivers – the Irwell , the Irk and the Medlock . The bottom of the badge bore the motto " Superbia in Proelio ", which translates as "Pride in Battle" in Latin . Above
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#17328378491961716-406: A ground not being suitable to host popular teams. However, since 2003 , clubs cannot move grounds to the away side's for capacity or financial reasons. If any move has to be made, it has to be to a neutral venue and any additional monies earned by the move goes into the central pot. In the event of a draw , the replay is played at the ground of the team who originally played away from home . In
1859-513: A larger number of teams playing in Level 7–9. Consequently, for the FA Cup, entries equal the number in tiers 1–9 and is cut off to those below. Though still able to apply, Level 10 clubs are used as alternatives "subject to availability" in the event of a non/rejected applicant (with vacancies filled by Level 10 applicants with the best PPG in the previous league season). The total number of entries in
2002-432: A lid and a base. There have been two designs of trophy in use, but five physical trophies have been presented. The original trophy, known as the "little tin idol", was 18 inches high and made by Martin, Hall & Co. It was stolen in 1895 and never recovered, and so was replaced by an exact replica, used until 1910. The FA decided to change the design after the 1909 winners , Manchester United, made their own replica, leading
2145-458: A major cup final, the club wore shirts bearing the City of Manchester coat of arms, as a symbol of pride in representing the city at a major event. This practice originated from a time when the players' shirts did not normally bear a badge of any kind. The club has since abandoned the practice; for the 2011 FA Cup final , its first in the 21st century, City used the usual badge with a special legend, but
2288-615: A merger of two existing organisations in 2010: the Official Supporters Club (OSC) and the Centenary Supporters Association (CSA). City fans' song of choice is a rendition of " Blue Moon ", which despite its melancholic theme is belted out with gusto as though it were a heroic anthem. City supporters tend to believe that unpredictability is an inherent trait of their team, and label unexpected results "typical City". Events that fans regard as "typical City" include
2431-647: A new version which would be designed in the style of the older, circular variants. A design purporting to be the new badge was unintentionally leaked two days early prior to the official unveiling on 26 December 2015 by the IPO when the design was trademarked on 22 December. The new badge was officially unveiled at Manchester City's home match against Sunderland on 26 December. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. The following players have previously made appearances or have appeared on
2574-548: A new world record for a piece of football memorabilia , surpassing the £254,000 paid for the Jules Rimet World Cup Trophy in 1997. The successful bidder was David Gold , the then joint chairman of Birmingham City ; claiming the FA and government were doing nothing proactive to ensure the trophy remained in the country, Gold stated his purchase was motivated by wanting to save it for the nation. Accordingly, Gold presented
2717-416: A penalty shootout, those of 2005 (Arsenal defeating Manchester United ), 2006 ( Liverpool defeating West Ham United) and 2022 ( Liverpool defeating Chelsea). Stan Mortensen 's hat-trick for Blackpool in 1953 is the only hat-trick ever scored at Wembley in the competition's final. The fastest goal in an FA Cup Final was scored by Manchester City 's İlkay Gündoğan , 12 seconds after kick-off in
2860-602: A replay was the 1875 final , between the Royal Engineers and the Old Etonians . The initial tie finished 1–1 but the Royal Engineers won the replay 2–0 in normal time. The last replayed final was the 1993 FA Cup Final , when Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday fought a 1–1 draw. The replay saw Arsenal win the FA Cup, 2–1 after extra time. The last quarter-final to go to a replay was Manchester United vs West Ham United in
3003-497: A rivalry between Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola , the managers of Liverpool and Manchester City, with the two previously having been the respective managers of Der Klassiker rivals Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga . At the end of the 2018–19 season, Guardiola described his relationship with Klopp as a "beautiful rivalry" and called Klopp's Liverpool team "the strongest opponents I have faced in my career as
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#17328378491963146-525: A sixth-round FA Cup tie against Stoke City – a record which stood until 2016. The club won the First Division title for the first time in 1937, but were relegated the following season, despite scoring more goals than any other team in the division. Twenty years later, a City team inspired by a tactical system known as the Revie Plan reached consecutive FA Cup finals again, in 1955 and 1956 ; just as in
3289-495: A stadium suitable for the competition and The Association may reject applications at its discretion. Previously, Level 10 clubs were a prominent feature in early qualifying rounds. The gradual remodelling of the National League System to a 'perfect' 1–2–4–8–16 system, with a first phase in 2018–19, a final phase in 2021–22 (which included the promotion of 107 clubs), and played to a full quota in 2022–23 has resulted in
3432-441: A surprise victory at the same venue. Despite having most of the ball possession and creating 23 attempts at goal, City were made to rue wasteful chances while their opponent on the day converted their chances clinically. Manchester City's home colours are sky blue and white. Traditional away kit colours have been either maroon or (from the 1960s) red and black; however, in recent years several colours have been used. The origins of
3575-407: A team two divisions lower. In the late 1980s, City fans started a craze of bringing inflatable objects to matches, primarily oversized bananas. One disputed explanation for the phenomenon is that in a match against West Bromwich Albion , chants from fans calling for the introduction of Imre Varadi as a substitute mutated into "Imre Banana". Terraces packed with inflatable-waving supporters became
3718-488: Is open to all eligible clubs down to level 9 of the English football league system , with level 10 clubs acting as stand-ins in the event of non-entries from above. A record 763 clubs competed in 2011–12 . The tournament consists of 12 randomly drawn rounds followed by the semi-finals and the final . Entrants are not seeded , although a system of byes based on league level ensures higher ranked teams enter in later rounds –
3861-576: Is open to clubs before entry lists, round byes and scheduling are announced in July. All clubs in the top four levels (the Premier League and the three divisions of the English Football League ) are automatically eligible. Clubs from Level 5–9 ( non-league football ) are also eligible provided they play in either the FA Trophy or FA Vase competitions in the current season. All participating clubs must also have
4004-407: Is saved by engraving the year on during the match, and sketching the presumed winner. During the final, the trophy is decorated with ribbons in the colours of both finalists, with the loser's ribbons being removed at the end of the game. The tradition of tying ribbons started after Tottenham Hotspur won the 1901 FA Cup Final and the wife of a Spurs director decided to tie blue and white ribbons to
4147-645: The Scottish Football Hall of Fame (a.k.a. the Scottish Football Museum Hall of Fame ), and are listed according to the year of their induction within the various categories: Last updated: 30 March 2011. Source: list of SFM Hall of Fame inductees The following former Manchester City players have been inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame , and are listed according to the year of their induction: Source: Since moving to
4290-551: The 1882 final ; after the first final in 1872 the trophy was not presented to the winners, Wanderers, until a reception held four weeks later in the Pall Mall Restaurant in London. Under the original rules, the trophy was to be permanently presented to any club which won the competition three times, although when inaugural winners Wanderers achieved this feat by the 1876 final , the rules were changed by FA Secretary CW Alcock (who
4433-414: The 1939–40 season were cancelled for the duration of the war. Portsmouth's manager Jack Tinn was rumoured to have kept the FA Cup trophy 'safe under his bed' throughout the duration of the war, but this is an urban myth . Because the naval city of Portsmouth was a primary strategic military target for German Luftwaffe bombing , the FA Cup trophy was actually taken ten miles to the north of Portsmouth, to
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4576-473: The 2013–14 season the first Channel Island club entered the competition when Guernsey F.C. competed. The first game played in the Channel Islands – and thus the southernmost FA Cup tie played – took place on 7 August 2021 between Jersey Bulls and Horsham YMCA . A third club, F.C. Isle of Man , was also eligible to play in 2022–23 , but in the end all Crown Dependency teams either did not appear on
4719-533: The 2015–16 FA Cup . The original game at Old Trafford ended in a 1–1 draw, while Manchester United won the replay at the Boleyn Ground , 2–1. It was also the last FA Cup game ever played at the Boleyn Ground. The last fifth round replay saw Tottenham Hotspur defeat Rochdale 6–1 at Wembley in the 2017–18 FA Cup after the first match at Spotland Stadium ended in a 2–2 draw. The FA Cup winners qualify for
4862-550: The 2018–19 season , City completed an unprecedented domestic treble of English men's titles. Apart from winning all three of the major English football tournaments, they also won the Community Shield , the first time any team has ever held all four of England's primary football trophies at the same time. On the continental stage, the club achieved breakthrough in 2020–21 , reaching their first-ever Champions League final . In an all-English affair, City lost 0–1 to Chelsea at
5005-410: The 2023 FA Cup final . Bury's 6–0 victory over Derby County in the 1903 FA Cup final and Manchester City's 6–0 victory over Watford 2019 FA Cup final are the largest winning margins. With his goal in the 2012 Final , Chelsea's Didier Drogba became the first player to score a goal in four finals. The FA Cup Final is one of ten events reserved for live broadcast on UK terrestrial television under
5148-407: The 2024–25 competition, replays have been scrapped from the first round onwards. The decision to scrap replays received criticism from a number of lower-tier clubs and government officials. Until 1990–91 , further replays would be played until one team was victorious. In 1971–72 , a fourth qualifying round game between Alvechurch and Oxford City was played six times until Alvechurch won in
5291-658: The Bonhams auction house. In January 2021, it was revealed that the trophy had been purchased by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan , the owner of Manchester City , who stated that it would be returned on loan to the National Football Museum. The redesigned trophy first used in 1911 was larger at 61.5 cm (24.2 inches) high, and was designed and manufactured by Fattorini & Sons of Bradford, coincidentally being won by Bradford City in its first outing. On
5434-676: The Estádio do Dragão in Porto . The 2022–23 season turned out to be the greatest in the club's history, as Manchester City won their third consecutive Premier League title, the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester United, and their maiden Champions League title at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul against Inter Milan , thereby assembling a rare feat – the continental treble . The road to
5577-762: The Europa League . In 2022, Manchester City proposed the release of the Connected Scarf , that would contain a sensor tracking physiological and emotional data of the wearer, for supporters in 2023. Manchester City's biggest rivalry is with neighbours Manchester United , against whom they contest the Manchester derby . Before the Second World War , when travel to away games was rare, many Mancunian football fans regularly watched both teams even if considering themselves "supporters" of only one. This practice continued into
5720-618: The FA Cup ; the Blues narrowly missed out on a League and Cup double that season after finishing runners-up in the league campaign , but they still became the first club in Manchester to win a major honour. In the seasons following the FA Cup triumph, the club was dogged by allegations of financial irregularities, culminating in the suspension of seventeen players in 1906, including captain Billy Meredith , who subsequently moved across town to Manchester United . A fire at Hyde Road destroyed
5863-456: The FA Cup final for the second straight year but lost in a rematch to rivals Manchester United. Manchester City's era of sustained competitive excellence coincided with charges of breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. In 2020, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that sanctions placed on the club by UEFA were not justified, overturning City's two-year European ban. In 2023,
FA Cup Final - Misplaced Pages Continue
6006-434: The FA Cup final in 2011, their first major final in over 30 years, after defeating derby rivals Manchester United in the semi-finals, the first time they had knocked their rival out of a cup competition since 1975. The Blues defeated Stoke City 1–0 in the final, securing their fifth FA Cup and the club's first major trophy since winning the 1976 League Cup. On the last day of the 2010–11 season , City beat out Arsenal for
6149-525: The League Cup and regained the Premier League title on the last matchday of the season. The team's league form then slowly declined over the next couple of years, as the Blues finished second in 2014–15 and then dropped to fourth in 2015–16 , although the 2015–16 season would see City win another League Cup title and reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time. Pep Guardiola , former head coach of Barcelona and Bayern Munich ,
6292-466: The National League System maintain the same number of teams via reprieves, inevitably entry-level divisions (typically at tier 10) have to be impacted when a club leaves the pyramid. Therefore, for example, 759 teams entered in 2010–11 , a record 763 in 2011–12 , 758 in 2012–13 , 737 in 2013–14 and 736 in 2014–15 . However, since 2021–22, The FA has cut off automatic eligibility to the 10th tier (to appear only subject to availability) and instead set
6435-637: The Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events . FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup , more commonly known as the FA Cup , is an annual knockout football competition in domestic English football . First played during the 1871–72 season , it is the oldest national football competition in the world. It is organised by and named after The Football Association (The FA). Since 2015, it has been known as Emirates FA Cup after its headline sponsor Emirates . A concurrent Women's FA Cup has been held since 1970. The competition
6578-557: The Premier League Hall of Fame . Inaugurated in 2020, but delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the Hall of Fame is intended to recognise and honour players that have achieved great success and made a significant contribution to the league since its founding in 1992 . Last updated: 22 April 2024. Source: list of PL Hall of Fame inductees The following former Manchester City players and managers have been inducted into
6721-459: The inaugural Club World Championship . The club stated that entering both tournaments would overload their fixture schedule and make it more difficult to defend their Champions League and Premier League titles. The club claimed that they did not want to devalue the FA Cup by fielding a weaker side. The move benefited United as they received a two-week break and won the 1999–2000 league title by an 18-point margin, although they did not progress past
6864-535: The semi-final and final matches in 2000, from the quarter-finals in 2016–17, the fifth round in 2019–20 and the first round onwards from 2024 to 2025. Redevelopment of Wembley saw the final played outside of England for the first time, the 2001 – 2006 finals being played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff . The final returned to Wembley in 2007 , followed by the semi-finals from 2008. An application window
7007-528: The top flight of English football . Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's (West Gorton) , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894. The club's home ground is the City of Manchester Stadium , currently known as the Etihad Stadium in east Manchester, to which they moved in 2003, having played at Maine Road since 1923. Manchester City adopted their sky blue home shirts in 1894,
7150-519: The 1930s, they lost the first one, to Newcastle United , and won the second. The 1956 final, in which the Blues defeated Birmingham City 3–1, saw City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann continuing to play on after unknowingly breaking his neck. After being relegated to the Second Division in 1963 , the future looked bleak with a record low home attendance of 8,015 against Swindon Town in January 1965. In
7293-451: The 1980s alone. Under John Bond , City reached the 1981 FA Cup final but lost in a replay to Tottenham Hotspur . The club were twice relegated from the top flight in the 1980s (in 1983 and 1987 ), but returned to the top flight again in 1989 under Mel Machin . Howard Kendall guided the club to top flight safety in 1990 and the club finished fifth in 1991 and 1992 under the management of active player Peter Reid . However, this
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#17328378491967436-401: The 2024–25 campaign, prior to the first round proper). The first six rounds are qualifiers, with the draws organised on a regional basis. The next six rounds are the "proper" rounds where all clubs are in one draw. All entrants from Level 9 begin the competition in the extra preliminary round, as well as any Level 10 team filling in for a vacancy. Teams from Level 8 are ranked on their PPG in
7579-482: The 27 March 2016 episode of the BBC television programme Antiques Roadshow , this trophy was valued at £1 million by expert Alastair Dickenson , although he suggested that, due to the design featuring depictions of grapes and vines, it may not have been specifically produced for the FA, but was instead an off-the-shelf design originally meant to be a wine or champagne cooler. This was later disproved when Thomas Fattorini
7722-511: The 92 professional clubs. This followed approval two years previously for their use in the qualifying rounds only – if a team with a 3G pitch progressed to the competition proper, they had to switch their tie to the ground of another eligible entrant with a natural grass pitch. Having been strong proponents of the surface, the first match in the proper rounds to be played on a 3G surface was a televised first round replay at Maidstone United 's Gallagher Stadium on 20 November 2014. The winners of
7865-554: The Champions League victory included wins over European giants Bayern Munich, who were defeated 4–1 on aggregate, and Real Madrid, who suffered a 1–5 aggregate loss at the hands of City. The following season saw considerably less success for the Blues, as they won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup for the first time and became the first English men's club to win four consecutive league titles. City also advanced to
8008-458: The City of Manchester Stadium, the club's average attendances have been in the top six in England, usually in excess of 40,000. Even in the late 1990s, when City were relegated twice in three seasons and playing in the third tier of English football (then the Second Division , now the EFL League One ), home attendances were in the region of 30,000, compared to an average of fewer than 8,000 for
8151-528: The Empire Stadium). The 1927 final saw " Abide with Me " being sung for the first time at the Cup final, which has become a pre-match tradition. Due to the outbreak of World War II , the competition was not played between the 1938–39 and 1945–46 editions. Due to the wartime breaks, the competition did not celebrate its centenary year until 1980–81 . After some confusion over the rules in its first competition,
8294-509: The FA Cup has changed as Non-League football has gradually been expanded and reorganised over time. In the 2004–05 season, 660 clubs entered the competition, beating the long-standing record of 656 from the 1921–22 season . In 2005–06 this increased to 674 entrants, in 2006–07 to 687, in 2007–08 to 731 clubs, in 2008–09 and 2009–10 to 762. The total number of entries has also varied naturally from year-to-year as new clubs form and others dissolve at unequal rates. Though most leagues in
8437-503: The FA Cup trophy, of which there have been two designs and five actual cups; the latest is a 2014 replica of the second design, introduced in 1911. Winners also qualify for the UEFA Europa League and a place in the upcoming FA Community Shield . Arsenal are the most successful club with fourteen titles, most recently in 2020 , and their former manager Arsène Wenger is the competition's most successful, having won seven finals with
8580-480: The FA committee that "it is desirable that a Challenge Cup should be established in connection with the Association for which all clubs belonging to the Association should be invited to compete". The inaugural FA Cup tournament kicked off in November 1871. After thirteen games in all, Wanderers were crowned the winners in the final , on 16 March 1872. Wanderers retained the trophy the following year . The modern cup
8723-411: The FA decided that any drawn match would lead to a replay , with teams competing in further replays until a game was eventually won. Alvechurch and Oxford City contested the most replayed tie in the 1971–72 qualification , in a tie which went to 6 matches. Multiple replays were scrapped for the competition proper in 1991–92, and the qualifying rounds in 1997–98. Replays were removed altogether from
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#17328378491968866-419: The FA to realise they did not own the copyright. This new, larger design was by Fattorini and Sons , and was used from 1911. In order to preserve this original, from 1992 it was replaced by an exact replica, although this had to be replaced after just over two decades, after showing wear and tear from being handled more than in previous eras. This third replica, first used in 2014, was built heavier to withstand
9009-544: The First Division and four different permanent managers, Lee resigned from his role as chairman midway through the 1998 season, although remained as a shareholder, as City fell to the lowest point in their history, becoming the second ever European trophy winners to be relegated to their country's third-tier league after 1. FC Magdeburg of Germany. After relegation, the club underwent off-the-field upheaval, with new chairman David Bernstein introducing greater fiscal discipline. Under manager Joe Royle , City were promoted at
9152-422: The Manchester coat of arms was included as a small monochrome logo in the numbers on the back of players' shirts. A new club badge was adopted in 1997, as a result of the previous badge being ineligible for registration as a trademark. This badge was based on the arms of the city of Manchester , and consisted of a shield in front of a golden eagle . The eagle is an old heraldic symbol of the city of Manchester;
9295-461: The Premier League announced its own investigation of the allegations levied against Manchester City, charging the club with 115 breaches of its FFP rules up to the 2017–18 season. On 24 November 2024 in the 2024-25 season , City lost 0-4 to Tottenham Hotspur that marked the end of their 52-game unbeaten streak at home. It was the Citizen's first home defeat since November 2022 when Brentford claimed
9438-412: The Premier League in 2012 , both their first since the 1960s, followed by another league title in 2014 . Under the management of Pep Guardiola , Manchester City won the Premier League in 2018 , becoming the only team in the competition history to attain 100 points in a single season. In 2018–19 , they won four trophies , completing an unprecedented sweep of all domestic titles in England and becoming
9581-425: The Premier League who has not yet qualified for a European Competition. The FA Cup winners also qualify for the following season's single-match FA Community Shield , the traditional season opener played against the previous season's Premier League champions (or the Premier League runners-up if the FA Cup winners also won the league – the double ). Fixtures in the 12 rounds of the competition are usually played at
9724-518: The United Kingdom , and the 2021-22 when the final was held a week before the end of the league. The 2025 Final is also scheduled to take place the week before the end of the league. The draws for the Extra Preliminary, Preliminary, and first qualifying rounds used to all occur at the same time. Thereafter, the draw for each subsequent round is not made until after the scheduled dates for
9867-427: The change in ownership but was originally retained by the new board – was replaced as manager by Roberto Mancini . City finished the season in fifth position in the Premier League , narrowly missing out on a place in the Champions League but qualifying for the UEFA Europa League . Continued investment in players followed in successive seasons, and results began to match the upturn in player quality. City reached
10010-470: The close 2003–04 season , the club moved to the new City of Manchester Stadium . The first four seasons at the stadium all resulted in mid-table finishes. Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson became the club's first foreign manager when appointed in 2007 . After a bright start, performances faded in the second half of the season, and Eriksson was sacked on 2 June 2008; he was replaced by Mark Hughes two days later. By 2008, Manchester City were in
10153-401: The club being the only reigning English champions ever to be relegated (in 1938 ), the only team to score and concede over 100 goals in the same season ( 1957–58 ), or the more recent example where Manchester City were the only team to beat Chelsea in the latter's record-breaking 2004–05 Premier League season , yet in the same season City were knocked out of the FA Cup by Oldham Athletic ,
10296-437: The club won the 2001–02 First Division championship , breaking club records for the number of points gained and goals scored in a single season in the process. The 2002–03 season was the last at Maine Road and included a 3–1 derby victory over rivals Manchester United, ending a 13-year run without a derby win. Additionally, City qualified for European competition for the first time in 25 years via UEFA fair play ranking . In
10439-551: The club's home colours are unclear, but there is evidence that the club has worn blue since 1892 or earlier. A booklet entitled Famous Football Clubs – Manchester City published in the 1940s indicates that West Gorton (St. Marks) originally played in scarlet and black, and reports dating from 1884 describe the team wearing black jerseys bearing a white cross, showing the club's origins as a church side. The infrequent yet recurrent use of red and black away colours comes from former assistant manager Malcolm Allison 's belief that adopting
10582-421: The colours of AC Milan would inspire City to glory. Allison's theory seemingly took effect, with City winning the 1969 FA Cup final , 1970 League Cup final , and 1970 Cup Winners' Cup final in red and black stripes as opposed to the club's home kit of sky blue. City had previously worn three other badges on their shirts, prior to their current badge being implemented in 2016. The first, introduced in 1970,
10725-418: The competition receive the FA Cup. It is only loaned to the club by the FA; under the current (2015–16) rules it must be returned by 1 March, or earlier if given seven days' notice. Traditionally, the holders had the Cup until the following year's presentation, although more recently the trophy has been taken on publicity tours by the FA in between finals. The trophy comes in three parts – the cup itself, plus
10868-726: The competition, the Kennington Oval was used as the semi-final venue. In the period between this first decade and the reopening of Wembley, semi-finals were played at high-capacity neutral venues around England; usually the home grounds of teams not involved in that semi-final, chosen to be roughly equidistant between the two teams for fairness of travel. The top three most used venues in this period were Villa Park in Birmingham (55 times), Hillsborough in Sheffield (34 times) and Old Trafford in Manchester (23 times). The original Wembley Stadium
11011-409: The days when multiple replays were possible, the second replay (and any further replays) were played at neutral grounds. The clubs involved could alternatively agree to toss for home advantage in the second replay. The semi-finals have been played exclusively at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium since 2008 , one year after it opened and after it had already hosted a final (in 2007). For the first decade of
11154-488: The division. Research carried out by Manchester City in 2005 estimated a fanbase of 886,000 in the United Kingdom and a total in excess of 2 million worldwide, although since the purchase of the club by Sheikh Mansour, and City's recent achievements, that figure has since ballooned to many times that size. Manchester City's officially recognised supporters club is the Manchester City F.C. Supporters Club (1949), formed by
11297-525: The draw. In rounds up to and including the fourth round proper, fixtures resulting in a draw (after normal time) go to a replay , played at the venue of the away team, at a later date; if that replay is still tied, the winner is settled by a period of extra time , and if still necessary, a penalty shootout . Since 2016–17 , ties have been settled on the day from the quarter-finals onwards, using extra time and penalties. From 2018–19 , Fifth round ties are also settled by extra time and penalties. Beginning with
11440-422: The eagle and shield were the three stars, added for decorative purposes. On 15 October 2015, following years of criticism from the fans over the design of the 1997 badge, the club announced they intended to carry out a fan consultation on whether to discontinue the current badge and institute a new design. After the consultation, the club announced in late November 2015 the badge would be replaced in due course by
11583-523: The early 1960s but as travel became easier, and the cost of entry to matches rose, watching both teams became unusual and the rivalry intensified. A common stereotype is that City fans come from Manchester proper, while United fans come from elsewhere. A 2002 report by a researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University found that while it was true that a higher proportion of City season ticket holders came from Manchester postcode areas (40% compared to United's 29%), there were more United season ticket holders,
11726-507: The early years and Welsh teams regularly compete, with Cardiff City winning the Cup in 1927 and reaching the final in 1925 and 2008 . From 1923 until 2000 it was played mostly at the original Wembley Stadium , and has been played at the current Wembley Stadium since 2007. As of 2024, 143 FA Cup Finals have been played. The latest final was held on 25 May 2024 and was contested between Manchester City and Manchester United , with Manchester United winning 2–1. The first FA Cup Final
11869-459: The entry list or later withdrew. Beginning in August, the competition proceeds as a knockout tournament throughout, consisting of twelve rounds, a semi-final and then a final, in May. A system of byes ensures clubs above level 9 enter the competition at later stages. There is no seeding , the fixtures in each round being determined by a random draw. Fixtures ending in a tie are replayed once only (from
12012-424: The field, earning it the nickname "White Horse Final". The 1927 final saw " Abide with Me " being sung for the first time at the Cup final, which has become a pre-match tradition. Wembley continued to host the final until 2000, when it closed for redevelopment. The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff hosted the final between 2001 and 2006, before the new Wembley Stadium opened in 2007. Up to and including 1998, if
12155-511: The fifth replay. In their 1975 campaign , Fulham played 12 games over six rounds, which remains the most games played by a team to reach a final. Replays were traditionally played three or four days after the original game, but from 1991–92 they were staged at least 10 days later on police advice for the rounds proper. This led to penalty shoot-outs being introduced, the first of which came on 26 November 1991 when Rotherham United eliminated Scunthorpe United . From 1980–81 to 1998–99 ,
12298-490: The final day of the season with a 4–3 victory at Newcastle United. Further trophies followed: City won the FA Cup in 1969 and a year later triumphed in the European Cup Winners' Cup , defeating Górnik Zabrze 2–1 in the 1970 final . This was the club's only European honour until their triumph in the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League . The Blues also won the League Cup that year, becoming the second English team to win
12441-474: The final ended in a draw, a replay would be required. This happened on 14 occasions, the last being in 1993 between Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday . In September 1998, the Football Association decided that all future finals would be decided "on the day", meaning that a penalty shootout would decide the winner if the score was level after normal and extra time . Three finals since have been decided by
12584-399: The first English men's team to win the domestic treble . This was followed by four consecutive Premier League titles in 2020–21 , 2021–22 , 2022–23 and 2023–24 , as well as the club's first Champions League final in 2021 , which they lost to Chelsea . The 2022–23 season saw Manchester City win their maiden European Cup and complete the continental treble in the process, becoming
12727-460: The first attempt, achieved in dramatic fashion in the Second Division play-off final against Gillingham . A second successive promotion saw City return to the top division, but this proved to have been a step too far for the recovering club, and in 2001 City were relegated once more. Kevin Keegan replaced Royle as manager in the close season, and achieved an immediate return to the top division as
12870-486: The first of the 48 professional teams from Leagues One and Two . The last entrants are the 20 Premier League and 24 Championship clubs, into the draw for the third round proper. In the modern era, only one non-League team has ever reached the quarter-finals, and teams below Level 2 have never reached the final. As a result, significant focus is given to the smaller teams who progress furthest, especially if they achieve an unlikely "giant-killing" victory. Winners receive
13013-516: The first season with the current name. Over the course of its history, the club has won ten league titles , seven FA Cups , eight League Cups , seven FA Community Shields , one UEFA Champions League , one European Cup Winners' Cup , one UEFA Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup . The club joined the Football League in 1892 , and won their first major honour, the FA Cup , in 1904 . Manchester City had its first major period of success in
13156-425: The first team to win the Premier League on goal difference alone. The following season , City were unable to replicate the previous year's success. After finishing second in the league , eleven points behind Manchester United, and losing the FA Cup final 0–1 to relegated Wigan Athletic , Mancini was sacked. He was replaced by Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini . In Pellegrini's first year in charge, City won
13299-493: The following season's UEFA Europa League (formerly named the UEFA Cup; from its launch in 1960 until 1998 , they entered the now-defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup instead). This European place applies even if the team is relegated or is not in the English top flight. In the past, if the FA Cup winning team also qualified for the following season's Champions League or Europa League through their league or European performance, then
13442-565: The group stage of the Club World Championship. The withdrawal from the FA Cup, however, drew considerable criticism as this weakened the tournament's prestige and Sir Alex Ferguson later admitted his regret regarding their handling of the situation. Welsh sides that play in English leagues are eligible, although since the creation of the League of Wales there are only five clubs remaining: Cardiff City (the only non-English team to win
13585-460: The handles of the cup. Traditionally, at Wembley finals, the presentation is made at the Royal Box, with players, led by the captain , mounting a staircase to a gangway in front of the box and returning by a second staircase on the other side of the box. At Cardiff the presentation was made on a podium on the pitch. The tradition of presenting the trophy immediately after the game did not start until
13728-410: The home ground of one of the two teams. The semi-finals and final are played at a neutral venue – the rebuilt Wembley Stadium . In the matches for the 12 competition rounds, the team who plays at home is decided when the fixtures are drawn – simply the first team drawn out for each fixture. Occasionally games may have to be moved to other grounds due to other events taking place, security reasons or
13871-405: The increased handling. Of the four surviving trophies, only the 1895 replica has entered private ownership. The name of the winning team is engraved on the silver band around the base as soon as the final has finished, in order to be ready in time for the presentation ceremony. This means the engraver has just five minutes to perform a task which would take 20 under normal conditions, although time
14014-407: The late 1960s and early 1970s, winning the league title, FA Cup , League Cup , and European Cup Winners Cup under the management of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison . After losing the 1981 FA Cup final , Manchester City went through a period of decline, culminating in relegation to the third tier of English football for the only time in their history in 1998 . They since regained promotion to
14157-460: The league, began earlier, at the play-off or third qualifying round stage. From the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League season, however, UEFA does not allow the runners-up to qualify for the Europa League through the competition. If the winner of the FA Cup has already qualified for a European Competition through their Premier League position, the FA Cup berth is then given to the highest placed team in
14300-514: The losing FA Cup finalists were given the European berth of the League Cup winners and the League Cup winners would be given the league berth instead (in the Cup Winners' Cup era, teams qualifying for the UEFA Cup via other competitions would be promoted to the Cup Winners' Cup instead). FA Cup winners enter the Europa League at the group stage. Losing finalists, if they had not qualified for Europe via
14443-447: The lower percentage being due to United's higher overall number of season ticket holders (27,667 compared to City's 16,481). The report noted that since the compiling of data in 2001, the number of both City and United season ticket holders had risen; expansion of United's ground and City's move to the City of Manchester Stadium have caused season ticket sales to increase further. Over the last few years, Manchester City has also developed
14586-490: The main stand in 1920, and in 1923 the club moved to their new purpose-built stadium at Maine Road in Moss Side . In the 1930s, Manchester City reached two consecutive FA Cup finals, losing to Everton in 1933 , before claiming the Cup by beating Portsmouth in 1934 . During the 1934 run, the club broke the record for the highest home attendance of any club in English football history, as 84,569 fans packed Maine Road for
14729-575: The members of the Manchester City Official Supporters Club have voted by ballot to choose the player on the team they feel is the most worthy of recognition for his performances during that season. The following table lists the recipients of this award since 2000. Sources: The following former Manchester City players and managers have been inducted into the Manchester City F.C. Hall of Fame , and are listed according to
14872-533: The minimum number of games needed to win, depending on which round a team enters the competition, ranges from six to fourteen. The first six rounds are the Qualifying Competition, and are contested by clubs in the National League System , levels 5 to 10 of the English football system, more commonly called non-League . 32 of these teams progress to the first round of the Competition Proper, meeting
15015-549: The move to Empire Stadium); and the University of Oxford's Lillie Bridge in Fulham for the second ever final, in 1873 . The other venues used sparingly in this period were all outside of London, as follows: The FA permitted artificial turf (3G) pitches in all rounds of the competition from the 2014–15 edition and beyond. Under the 2015–16 rules, the pitch must be of FIFA One Star quality, or Two Star for ties if they involve one of
15158-459: The nearby Hampshire village of Lovedean , and there it resided in a quaint thatched roof country pub called The Bird in Hand for the seven years of the war. After the conclusion of World War II, the FA Cup trophy was presented back to the Football Association by the club in time for the 1946 FA Cup Final . The first trophy, the 'little tin idol', was made by Martin, Hall & Co at a cost of £20. It
15301-409: The outbreak of World War I . After the war, the event was held at Stamford Bridge , before Wembley Stadium opened in 1923. The first final at Wembley , in which Bolton Wanderers beat West Ham United 2–0, had an official attendance of 126,047, although the actual figure is believed to be as much as 300,000. A police horse named Billy was used to regain control after the large crowd overflowed onto
15444-417: The prestige away from a Wembley final. In defending the move, the FA has also cited the extra capacity Wembley offers, although the 2013 fixture between Millwall and Wigan Athletic led to the unprecedented step of placing 6,000 tickets on sale to neutral fans after the game failed to sell out. A fan poll by The Guardian in 2013 found 86% opposition to Wembley semi-finals. The final has been played at
15587-409: The previous round, meaning that in the case of replays, clubs will often know their future opponents in advance. The draw for each of the proper rounds is broadcast live on television, usually taking place at the conclusion of live coverage of one of the games of the previous round. Public interest is particularly high during the draw for the third round, which is where the top-ranked teams are added to
15730-637: The previous season, except newly promoted teams automatically ranked towards the bottom and newly relegated teams ranked to the top; teams are then split between entering at either the Extra-Preliminary or preliminary round so as to ensure the right balance of fixtures throughout the competition. From there, clubs from higher levels are added in later rounds, as per the table below. The months in which rounds are played are traditional, with exact dates subject to each calendar. The number of new entries, winners from previous rounds, and division of Level 8 teams in
15873-464: The rebuilt Wembley Stadium since it opened, in 2007. The rebuilding process meant that between 2001 and 2006 they were hosted at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in Wales. Prior to rebuilding, the final was hosted by the original Wembley Stadium since it opened in 1923 (being originally named the Empire Stadium). One exception to this 78-year series of Empire Stadium finals (including five replays)
16016-601: The second English club to do so. The club is ranked first in the UEFA coefficient standings as of 2023. Manchester City topped the Deloitte Football Money League at the end of the 2021–22 season, making it the football club with the highest revenue in the world, approximated at € 731 million. In 2022, Forbes estimated the club was the sixth-most valuable in the world, worth $ 4.250 billion. Manchester City are owned by City Football Group Limited ,
16159-443: The semi-finals went to extra time on the day if the score after 90 minutes was a draw. If the score was still level after extra time, the match would go to a replay. Replays for the semi-finals were scrapped for 1999–2000 ; the last semi-final to go into a replay was in 1998–99, when Manchester United beat rivals Arsenal 2–1 after extra time, following a 0–0 draw in the original match. The first FA Cup Final to go to extra time and
16302-602: The size of the draw to match the more stable number of teams in Level 1–9. This means that the competition may now see a standardised number of entries from one year to the next. This number is currently 732 but could rise to 748 for 2023–24 with plans for a new SWPL 9th tier division to share the South West with the existing Western League . It is very rare for top clubs to miss the competition, although it can happen in exceptional circumstances. Manchester United did not defend their title in 1999–2000 , as they were already in
16445-420: The space of four games, while City began a run of successive wins which saw both teams level on points with two games to go. Despite the Blues only needing a home win against Queens Park Rangers , a team in the relegation zone, they fell 1–2 behind by the end of normal time. However, two goals in injury time – the second by Sergio Agüero in the fourth added minute – settled the title in City's favour, making them
16588-435: The substitutes bench for the first team. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Since 2003, Manchester City have not issued the squad number 23. It was retired in memory of Marc-Vivien Foé , who
16731-502: The summer of 1965, the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison was appointed. In the first season under Mercer, Manchester City won the Second Division title and made important signings in Mike Summerbee and Colin Bell . Two seasons later, in 1967–68 , City claimed the league championship for the second time, beating their close neighbours Manchester United to the title on
16874-409: The team on the pitch when the club captain is not playing or not available. Some players have been made captain on a one-off basis to celebrate or commemorate an event, e.g. Oleksandr Zinchenko captained the team in their 2021–22 FA Cup fifth round tie at Peterborough United in support of his country during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . Each season since the end of the 1966–67 season ,
17017-605: The team. Manchester United are the current holders, having defeated local rivals Manchester City 2–1 in the 2024 final . In 1863, the newly founded Football Association (the FA) published the Laws of the Game of Association Football, unifying the various different rules in use before then. On 20 July 1871, in the offices of The Sportsman newspaper , the FA Secretary C. W. Alcock proposed to
17160-447: The theft, a replica of the trophy was made, which was used until a redesign of the trophy in 1911. The 1895 replica was then presented to the FA's long-serving president Lord Kinnaird . Kinnaird died in 1923, and his family kept it in their possession, out of view, until putting it up for auction in 2005. It was sold at Christie's auction house on 19 May 2005 for £ 420,000 (£478,400 including auction fees and taxes). The sale price set
17303-529: The theft, confessing to a newspaper, with the story being published in the Sunday Pictorial newspaper on 23 February 1958. He claimed to have carried out the robbery with two other men, although when discrepancies with a contemporaneous report in the Birmingham Post newspaper (the crime pre-dated written police reports) in his account of the means of entry and other items stolen, detectives decided there
17446-522: The third place, thereby securing qualification directly into the Champions League group stage. Strong performances continued to follow in the 2011–12 season , including a 5–1 victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane and a record-equalling 6–1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford , but a poor run of form in the second half of the season left City in second place, eight points behind United with only six games left to play. At this point, United suffered their own loss of form, dropping eight points in
17589-411: The title, recording 99 points (the second-highest Premier League total ever after Manchester City's 100 in 2017–18 ) to finish 18 points above runners-up City. The Blues then regained the title in 2020–21 and outgunned Liverpool in another closely-fought title race in 2021–22 , to finish with 93 points to Liverpool's 92. The success of the two teams in the 2010s and 2020s has led to the development of
17732-403: The top tier in 2001–02 and have remained a fixture in the Premier League since 2002–03 . Manchester City received considerable financial investment both in playing staff and facilities following its takeover by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan through the Abu Dhabi United Group in August 2008. This started a new era of unprecedented success, with the club winning the FA Cup in 2011 and
17875-595: The tournament, in 1927 ), Swansea City , Newport County , Wrexham , and Merthyr Town . In the early years other teams from Wales, Ireland and Scotland also took part in the competition, with Glasgow side Queen's Park losing the final to Blackburn Rovers in 1884 and 1885 before being barred from entering by the Scottish Football Association . Entries from clubs affiliated to "offshore" associations are also eligible subject to consideration on an annual basis, with special provisions that may apply. In
18018-468: The travel costs for smaller non-league sides. The first and second proper rounds were also previously split into Northern and Southern sections, but this practice was ended after the 1997–98 competition . The final is normally held the Saturday after the Premier League season finishes in May. The only seasons in recent times when this pattern was not followed were: 1999–2000 , when most rounds were played
18161-520: The trophy to the National Football Museum in Preston on 20 April 2006, where it went on immediate public display. It later moved with the museum to its new location in Manchester. In November 2012, it was ceremonially presented to Royal Engineers , after they beat Wanderers 7–1 in a charity replay of the first FA Cup final . In September 2020, Gold sold the replica trophy for £760,000 through
18304-459: The two preliminary rounds are based on an entry list of 732 modelled on the English league system as of 2022–23. From 2023 to 2024, the entry list could rise to 746 in line with sixteen additional clubs at Level 9 meaning that the extra preliminary round will have 444 teams with only 50 Level 8 clubs entering at the preliminary round. previous round Level 9 clubs Level 8 clubs (96 lowest ranked) The qualifying rounds are regionalised to reduce
18447-445: The way. This would prove to be the start of a period of unprecedented success for Manchester City under Guardiola. Between the 2017–18 and 2023–24 Premier League seasons, City won six out of possible seven league titles, only finishing second behind Liverpool in the 2019–20 season . Guardiola also guided the Blues to silverware in domestic cup competitions, highlighted by four consecutive League Cup triumphs in 2018– 2021 . During
18590-577: The year of their induction: The following former Manchester City players and managers have been inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame (a.k.a. the National Football Museum Hall of Fame ), and are listed according to the year of their induction within the various categories: Last updated: 21 July 2021. Source: list of NFM Hall of Fame inductees The following former Manchester City players have been inducted into
18733-510: Was also captain of Wanderers in their first victory). Portsmouth have the distinction of being the football club which has held the FA Cup trophy for the longest uninterrupted period - seven years. Portsmouth had defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–1 in the 1939 FA Cup Final and were awarded the trophy as 1938–39 FA Cup winners. But with the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, the regular Football League and FA Cup competitions for
18876-501: Was also used seven times for semi-final, between 1991 and 2000 (the last held there), but not always for fixtures featuring London teams . In 2005, both were held at the Millennium Stadium. In 2003 the FA decided to permanently use the new Wembley for semi-finals to recoup debts in financing the new stadium. This was controversial, with the move seen as both unfair to fans of teams located far from London, as well as taking some of
19019-415: Was based on designs which had been used on official club documentation since the mid-1960s. It consisted of a circular badge which used the same shield as the present badge (including a ship, based on the City of Manchester coat of arms ), inside a circle bearing the name of the club. In 1972, this was replaced by a variation which replaced the lower half of the shield with the red rose of Lancashire. In 1976,
19162-457: Was beginning to be established by the 1888–89 season , when qualifying rounds were introduced. Following the 1914–15 edition, the competition was suspended in mid air due to the First World War , and did not resume until 1919–20 . The 1923 FA Cup Final , commonly known as the "White Horse Final", was the first final to be played in the newly opened Wembley Stadium (known at the time as
19305-494: Was confirmed to become Manchester City's new manager on 1 February 2016, with the announcement having been made several months before Manuel Pellegrini left his position. Guardiola's first season in Manchester would end trophyless, with the Blues placing third in the league standings, but the following season proved far more successful, as City won the Premier League title with the highest points total in history and broke numerous other club and English league records along
19448-538: Was held at Kennington Oval on 16 March 1872 and was contested between Wanderers and Royal Engineers , with Wanderers winning 1–0. After the 1873 final was held at Lillie Bridge , the event was held at the Oval until 1892. The 1893 and 1894 finals were respectively held at Fallowfield Stadium in Manchester and Goodison Park in Liverpool, before the event returned to London in 1895, being held at Crystal Palace until
19591-472: Was invited to the Antiques Roadshow to "ambush" Alastair Dickenson with the competition winning design by Fattorini & Sons. The show was filmed at Baddesley Clinton and subsequently aired on 23 October 2016. Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club (or simply Man City F.C. ) is a professional football club based in Manchester , England, that competes in the Premier League ,
19734-567: Was no realistic possibility of a conviction and the case was closed. Burge claimed the cup had been melted down to make counterfeit half-crown coins, which matched known intelligence of the time, in which stolen silver was being used to forge coins which were then laundered through betting shops at a local racecourse, although Burge had no history of forgery in a record of 42 previous convictions for which he had spent 42 years in prison. He had been further imprisoned in 1957 for seven years for theft from cars. Released in 1961, he died in 1964. After
19877-577: Was not a huge improvement in performance compared to the previous season despite the influx of money however, with the team finishing tenth , although they did well to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup . During the summer of 2009, the club took transfer spending to an unprecedented level, with an outlay of over £100 million on players Gareth Barry , Roque Santa Cruz , Kolo Touré , Emmanuel Adebayor , Carlos Tevez , and Joleon Lescott . In December 2009, Mark Hughes – who had been hired shortly before
20020-442: Was on loan to the club from Lyon at the time of his death on the field of play while playing for Cameroon in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup . Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. This is a list of City's official club captains , who are currently appointed via a vote of players and staff. Other players ( vice-captains ) have led
20163-580: Was only a temporary respite, and following Reid's departure Manchester City's fortunes continued to fade. City were co-founders of the Premier League upon its creation in 1992 , but after finishing ninth in its first season, Peter Swales , club chairman since 1973, was replaced by club legend Francis Lee in February 1994 in a movement supported by fans. Despite this, they endured three years of struggle under Brian Horton and Alan Ball Jr. before being relegated in dramatic fashion in 1996 . After two seasons in
20306-419: Was stolen from a Birmingham shoe shop window belonging to William Shillcock while held by Aston Villa on 11 September 1895 and was never seen again. Despite a £10 reward for information, the crime was never solved. As it happened while it was in their care, the FA fined Villa £25 to pay for a replacement. Just over 60 years later, 80 year old career criminal Henry (Harry) James Burge claimed to have committed
20449-685: Was the 1970 replay between Leeds United and Chelsea , held at Old Trafford in Manchester. In the 51 years prior to the Empire Stadium opening, the final (including 8 replays) was held in a variety of locations, predominantly in London, and mainly at the Kennington Oval and then Crystal Palace . It was played 22 times at The Oval (the inaugural competition in 1872, and then all but two times until 1892 ). After The Oval, Crystal Palace hosted 21 finals from 1895 to 1914 , broken up by four replays elsewhere. The other London venues were Stamford Bridge from 1920 to 1922 (the last three finals before
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