Welcome to the October edition of the City Magazine!
The leaves are turning golden and the weather is getting colder - at least here in Manchester.
Enough with the weather - our October edition , we believe, is one of our best yet, with the legend that is Rodri as our cover star. Our revered No.16 speaks about a tough past 12 months, and the outpouring of love from the City fans - something he says he will remember forever.
We also have an interview with Rico Lewis, fresh from penning a new deal and racking up 100 City appearances, on what it's really like being a homegrown youngster
Our wonderful women's team is represented by the exciting talent that is Iman Beney, and we also have a bit of fun with our women's Halloween-themed XI - prepare for more corny jokes than a dad's convention...
Elsewhere we have the emerging Jaden and Reigan Heskey on making their debuts together at Huddersfield, while Harrison Miles is placed in our U18s spotlight this month.
It's Black History Month, too, and we revisit an interview with one of our early pioneers ,as Dave Bennett recalls life at Maine Road in the late 1970s.
All the above plus Marc Riley, Kevin Cummins' wonderful Malcolm Allison portraits, tributes to the late, great Ricky Hatton and John Stapleton and the day 007 joined a beach football event in Los Angeles.
Read on!
Our midfield lynchpin is back – and looking to make up for lost time…
As years go, 2024 was an emotional rollercoaster for Rodri. In May last year, he was the driving force behind City’s fourth Premier League title in a row, before helping guide Spain to yet another title at Euro 2024.
The man whose goal secured our first Champions League triumph in 2023, quite rightly regarded as the best in the world and widely regarded as the Ferrari engine that helped City purr.
But life and football has a habit of bringing you back down to earth just as you’re reaching for the stars.
A seemingly innocuous action as Arsenal took a corner and Rodri’s ACL tore – and, in his absence, it’s fair to say City were never the same again throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
Then, a few weeks after surgery, Rodri was announced as Manchester City’s first Ballon d’Or winner, as the Spaniard’s emotional axis tilted one way, then another.
He looks back of what was, in many ways, a pivotal few weeks in his life and a turbulent campaign for a team of serial winners.
“Yeah, I mean, it was a tough season in general for all of us – me, individually, of course – but it is part of the sport and sometimes it is like this. The question is, how do you react to the situation?” reflected Rodri.
“What the team is doing right now and myself, trying to come back [and be where I was] and the mentality of this group to try and go back [to where we were], we know it’s not going to be easy, but for sure, it’s what we are going to try.”
So, did he know he’d already won the top prize when he attended the Ballon d’Or ceremony a year ago?
“No - they didn’t tell me and I didn’t know until they opened the envelope – I didn’t know anything. If I’m honest, it wasn’t even a dream of mine as a kid, because I never expected to reach that level in this sense.
“What the team is doing right now and myself, trying to come back [and be where I was] and the mentality of this team to try and go back [to where we were], we know it’s not going to be easy, but for sure, it’s what we are going to try.”
“As I have said previously, when I was growing up I only ever saw two players lifting that trophy (Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo), so it was so far from my thinking, and I never expected to win these kind of things. People talk about how life can surprise you in so many ways, but for me, the most important thing is to come back and the collective wins, and try to win as many things as we can as a team.
“Individual trophies are always good, but we fight for the collective things as a team.”
It’s fair to say that Rodri’s honour was an immense source of pride for Manchester City and our supporters.
It was the first time a City player had taken the award, despite having such generational talents like Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Kevin De Bruyne – to name but four – with the prize bouncing back between Madrid and Barcelona for what seemed like an eternity.
So, the Club and fans wanted to make sure Rodri knew what this meant to them – and make a fuss we most certainly did.
Ahead of our November clash with Tottenham, a spectacular light show with all the bells and whistles took place over a pitch covering stating his achievement and his name lit up in fireworks.
Rodri admits it is a night he will remember forever.
“I was talking with Mateo Kovacic about this and I‘ve never seen a celebration like that from a player's own fans and own club recognising a player in this way, because I’ve seen many Ballon d’Or winners not being recognised in that way,” he said.
“So for me, I almost cried because of how much appreciation there was for me and that they’d managed to find a way to say thank you for my efforts. It was one of the best moments of my life and I’m not going to forget that night, ever.”
“I was talking with Mateo Kovacic about this and I ‘ve never seen a celebration like that – I’ve seen many Ballon d’Or winners not being recognised in that way,” he said.”
And on the giant tifo with ‘Stop crying your heart out’ unveiled by the South Stand?
“It was amazing,” he smiled. “How many people had been working to make all that happen in the stadium? How many people were involved in all those things? To me, it means you are important to them, and they recognise you – these details for us, are unbelievable.”
Then, it was onto the small matter of recovery.
He would spend some of his time back in Spain before undertaking a programme designed to strengthen and condition, and with the surgery he underwent considered successful, it was all about getting back out on the grass again, though that would still be several months away.
“Sometimes these things happen and sometimes you can go into a bad dynamic and maybe you don’t behave in the best attitude in some situations, but I think that all of us have something to learn from last season, and I’m pretty sure we have done it, because we need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Did he take time to further his studies while he was sidelined?
“I had already done my business degree and that took a while for me to finish, but now I’m not doing anything else,” he revealed.
“I always wanted to have something else outside of football and with the effort, you can do these things – it is not easy, but it taught me to be better, focus, and it is healthy for the brain sometimes and can help you in many, many other ways.”
The City fans sing ‘Can we talk about Rodri?’, but last season, it seems that’s all people did and given he wasn’t even on the pitch, it seemed he was talked about more than ever.
Rodri’s role in the City team has never been underestimated, but few could have predicted quite how much the team would suffer without our defensive midfield colossus pulling the strings.
“Sometimes, when you miss important players – not just me – in the past we have had other injuries to important players; you can feel it and it can affect the team,” he said.
“Sometimes these things happen and sometimes you can go into a bad dynamic and maybe you don’t behave in the best attitude in some situations, but I think that all of us have something to learn from last season, and I’m pretty sure we have done it, because we need to make sure it doesn’t happen again because in football, you can win and you can lose, but we dropped our level that much – it wasn’t an excuse for me being out and it wasn’t an excuse to perform that way, so we learn from that and we continue forward and for the future it is a good lesson.”
“The reception from the fans that night, for me, was incredible,”
But why were City so often such a different team without Rodri?
He says: “I think just because that role in this team - that specific role - is so important. It’s not just because you have to bring a good player to play in that position to understand the role and the other positions, I think it is a connection of everything.
“That’s why in the past with players like Fernandinho - you can see these top players who can manage it the role perfectly – and they make the difference for the team, and when they are not playing you can see, ‘oh, the team doesn’t work’. I think because we put a lot of importance in this role, in my opinion, it is so important [to how we play].”
And then, finally – and ahead of schedule – the long-awaited return.
On the night Kevin De Bruyne was saying a final Etihad farewell, there was an equally loud roar and standing ovation as Rodri prepared to come on as a substitute against Bournemouth.
Along with KDB’s comeback from injury, and, going much further back, Colin Bell’s almost 50 years before, it was a moment few who witnessed it will forget – least of all Rodri.
“The reception from the fans that night, for me, was incredible,” he said.
“They were desperate for me to come back in the same way I was desperate to come back, and this love they showed me – and not just for me, for my girlfriend and for my family – for all of us - makes me so proud because they could easily have not done that because the season was going wrong, but they were just happy for me to come back as an individual to come back and try to help the team.
“Everyone plays a part in being a successful club – the fans, us, all the players – and they know they have to be there in the bad moments and for me there has been no exceptions to this, because they’ve always been there and that for me means an awful lot to me.”
Interview: David Clayton
Rico Lewis has just penned a new contract with City – the club he loves, in the city he loves…
Rico Lewis is already in his twelfth year at Manchester City. Now 20, he joined at the age of eight, before progressing through the Academy ranks and is now in his fourth campaign as a member of the senior squad.
Having just agreed a new deal until 2030, he is considered very much to be part of City’s future and by the time that new deal reaches its current conclusion, Rico and the Club will have been together 17 years.
And he’d still only be 25!
But does being ‘one of our own’ bring with it any specific challenges? Are homegrown talents subject to higher expectations?
“Yeah, I think so,” says Lewis. “Nowadays, in football, everything is so in-depth. People will have been following my progress since I was 16 and sometimes, you can feel that sort of pressure where you feel the need to step up because you've been here so long, but at the same time, you feel loved within City and you're with people you've known for years, so there are two sides to it, but I don't really think there are any negatives.”
And Rico is well aware of what wearing that sky blue shirt means.
Supporters dream of representing the club, but very few ever get that opportunity, so Rico is more than aware of fulfilling his own and the City fans’ dreams having stood on the terraces with those who now watch him play week in, week out.
He says: “Does being a City fan help? Definitely - I've been in their position as a fan myself and all you want to do is see the team win - and that's how I feel every time I go out onto the pitch. I just want to win for this team, this shirt and those supporters.”
And what of Manchester? Born and raised in Bury, Greater Manchester, Rico is very much a home bird when it comes to geographical locations. Manchester means home and to him, that means everything.
Can he describe what being Mancunian means?
“Not really!“ he smiles. “I guess the only way I can describe it is when I go to London and just don't feel at home, whereas when you do come back to Manchester, everything just feels right, you're back home and are surrounded with people you know, familiar faces, friends and family. You know where you're going and you know your way around everywhere - it just feels like a really tight-knit community where everybody is pushing each other to do better.
“All my friends and family are here and everything I've ever known since I was a baby - I've also watched the progression of this city as I've grown up so this is, and always will be my home.”
Of course, City’s burgeoning Academy, the envy of clubs around the world, also means that players are growing up together and progressing into the first team.
The Blues had 10 graduates in the matchday squad against Huddersfield Town – six starting and four on the bench – and of those, Rico Lewis and another youngster on a steep upward trajectory – Nico O’Reilly – who has also just penned a new long term deal, were among them.
O’Reilly has been alongside Lewis for 12 years now, with their progression continuing from junior level to senior.
That given, are the two good friends outside football?
“Most of the times we're busy doing our own things, but I grew up with Nico and was in the same age group from Under-8s onwards, so I think it's one of those things where we've known each other for a long time, but since he's come into the first team, we've grown closer than we were before, and we'll often go off and play padel together. But yeah, overall, we have a great relationship,” says Rico.
And what of his dad’s Muay Thai boxing skills and his Phoenix gym in Whitefield? Does Rico still attend or did football put an end to his martial arts?
“Normally, in the off-season I go and do some training, just for fitness - not to fight anyone!” he laughs. “Obviously, I did it when I was younger and was in some competitive bouts, but it got to the stage when I had to choose one or the other – football or Muay Thai - which wasn't a difficult choice because City were offering me a contract at that time.
“But it was something I really enjoyed and my dad's owned a gym before I was even born, so it was something I was always going to do, and I think it's helped me right up to today both on and off the pitch.”
And finally, on that new five-year extension with the Blues – a moment he describes as a ‘dream come true’, Rico adds: “It’s an absolute honour and privilege to represent Manchester City every single day and to play in front of our fantastic fans who have always been so supportive of me.
“I will give everything to try and help us look to achieve more success both this season and beyond and with the world class squad we have, I am very excited about what the future holds for the Club.”
Interview: David Clayton/Neil Leigh
One of City Magazine’s most popular features, with our resident Predictor-in-Chief and former captain Andy Morrison taking on three City fan YouTubers, continues...
AS MONACO v CITY
Champions League
Wednesday 01 October, 20:00 kick-off
Stade Louis II
Mozzer verdict: At the time of writing, Monaco were leading Ligue 1 – PSG and all – which is pretty impressive. They were thrashed on Matchday 1 by Club Brugge, so we are in the dark a little about how they are performing just now. But I think we will have learned a heck of a lot from last year’s efforts, and we are looking focused and determined, particularly in defence which, as a former centre-half, pleases me no end. I see us making it two wins from two, here.
Mozzer prediction: AS Monaco 1-3 City
Vlogger verdict: This is a tough one. Monaco losing their Champions League opener 4-1 to Club Brugge would suggest that this should be a walk in the park for City. However, it'll be anything but. If you look at Monaco's domestic form, they currently sit top of Ligue 1 at the time of this interview, ahead of PSG and are the league's top scorers. Manchester City have been through some tough fixtures against Man United, Napoli and Arsenal. We came through them undefeated, so regardless of the opposition, I feel City can collect all three points against Monaco.
Vlogger prediction: AS Monaco 1-2 City
BRENTFORD v CITY
Premier League
Sunday 05 October, 16:30 kick-off
Gtech Community Stadium
Mozzer verdict: Brentford have shown flashes of promise under new boss Keith Andrews, and they impressed me in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea and when they beat United. Their long throws and set pieces will cause any teams problems, but will they be that dogged and determined side they were under Thomas Frank? The Dane is a tough act to follow, but our games against the Bees are never easy. That said, I’m going for a win by a couple of goals.
Mozzer prediction: Brentford 1-3 City
Vlogger verdict: It's always preferable that any Premier League fixture that follows a Champions League fixture is to be played on home soil. That's not the case this time and the Gtech Community Stadium has never been an easy place for City to visit. However, facing a Brentford side without Thomas Frank at the helm should prove an easier task than our recent visits of yesteryear. New manager, Keith Andrews, was a surprise appointment, but he's certainly got his players fighting for the cause and I'd argue they've been a little unlucky so far this season. I still believe that this City side have showcased a refreshing and more direct approach in recent weeks and if we can repeat the standards of determination achieved in the Manchester United and Arsenal games, then City should have too much for Brentford.
Vlogger prediction: Brentford 0-2 City
CITY v EVERTON
Premier League
Saturday 18 October, 15:00 kick-off
Etihad Stadium
Mozzer verdict: David Moyes is shaping a good, hardworking side who are focused and competitive. It’s a pity Jack Grealish can’t play as he’d have received a tremendous reception, but the form he’s in might make that a good thing. I can see us getting a clean sheet here, with a goal in each half settling the outcome.
Mozzer prediction: City 2-0 Everton
Vlogger verdict: I'm very grateful to be playing this game at home. City need to gather some home form momentum and turn the Etihad back into the fortress that opposition sides used to dread visiting. A victory against a resurgent Everton will be a good step towards doing that. Hopefully our international stars can return from the international break unscathed and raring to go. David Moyes and Everton seem perfect for each other and Moyes' return to Goodison Park is a big factor to Everton's noticeable improvements on last season's performances. One of their stand out performers, however, is City loanee - Jack Grealish, who thankfully, will be ineligible to play this game because he's started the season on fire. Everton were unfortunate not to come away from Anfield with a point and will prove a difficult team to break down, but I think this is the fixture where City really start gathering momentum.
Vlogger prediction: City 3-1 Everton
VILLARREAL v CITY
Champions League
Tuesday 21 October, 20:00 kick-off
Estadio de la Cerámica
Mozzer verdict: Like Monaco, not an easy one to predict. If we have managed to get maximum points from the first two games, I think we will go to Spain in great confidence and just edge this game, which I expect to be tricky. They will look to improve on their first League Phase game against Spurs which they lost 1-0 in North London, and while I think they will score, I expect us to go one better than them.
Mozzer prediction: Villarreal 1-2 City
Vlogger verdict: 'El Submarino Amarillo'. The Yellow Submarine. Villarreal will be a very awkward fixture for City. I worry about any away Champions League fixture, regardless of the opponent, because every side manages to find that extra spark to raise their game in this competition. They were a little lacklustre when visiting Spurs for their League Phase opener, but with the fixture being played at Estadio de la Cerámica, I expect a hostile environment from a streetwise opponent. This could prove City's toughest fixture of the month, facing a side currently sat third in La Liga but the recent City performances have filled me with so much confidence that I still think we can go there and collect all three points.
Vlogger prediction: Villarreal 0-1 City
ASTON VILLA v CITY
Premier League
Sunday 26 October, 14:00 kick-off
Villa Park
Mozzer verdict: Villa have dropped off alarmingly compared with last season, and with only one goal in their opening five Premier League games, it’s not hard to see where the problem lies. Unai Emery is bound to get them going at some stage and I expect them to be at least in mid-table by the time this game comes around. Despite this, I think their lack of punch up front will allow us to leave Birmingham with another October victory.
Mozzer prediction: Villa 1-3 City
Vlogger verdict: It's been a poor start to Villa's season. They're no doubt being hampered by a frustrating transfer window due to financial restrictions. The disappointment for Villa fans will be how their established players have performed so far. Three games into the season and Villa were the only side in the English pyramid who hadn't scored a goal, which they've since rectified. A slow start for Villa but they still have undeniable talent in their squad. Players that weren't a million miles away from knocking out last season's eventual Champions League winners, PSG. I just hope Villa's slow start to the season can drag on for a little longer and then they can return back to their best versions of themselves when they face our rivals. City have a mixed relationship with Villa Park and the form that'll be established between the first match in October, and this one will dictate the narrative of this fixture. I'm going for a clean sweep for Manchester City in October and winning all our games. I'm not sure whether that's pure optimism, but who cares?
Vlogger prediction: Villa 1-2 City
SWANSEA v CITY
Carabao Cup Round 4
Wednesday, October 29, 19:45 kick-off
Swansea.com Stadium
Mozzer’s verdict: On paper this looks like a good draw for us. Win this and we’re in the quarterfinals - and we would fancy our chances from there on. Swansea have improved this season, and they are a decent mid-table Championship side, especially at home. I think we will go to South Wales and win, but they will probably have their moments so I’m going for a comfy two-goal victory and no more.
Mozzer’s prediction: Swansea 1-3 City
Vlogger verdict: Anyone but Premier League opposition is a good draw in the League Cup, and we've got exactly that in Swansea. Ideally it would have been on home soil with Swansea having already proven that they have what it takes to knock out Premier League opposition when they beat Nottingham Forest in the previous round. Pep was given the opportunity to field a good blend of senior players and youth players against Huddersfield, but Swansea away is a step up in quality in comparison, so maybe Pep will have to lean a little more on the senior players for this one. If Pep does field a stronger side for the trip to Swansea then surely City should have more than enough to win the match.
Vlogger prediction: Swansea 1-4 City
Last month: Mozzer predicted all five results, without getting any scores correct, while Esteemed Kompany did the same - plus two correct scores (United and Arsenal) giving the vloggers a healthy cumulative score so far.
Scoreboard: Mozzer 6-10 Vloggers
Fans across the WSL might’ve been forgiven for not knowing much about Iman Beney before this summer.
They certainly know her now.
Beney joined City on the back of a year where she was named in the Swiss Super League’s Team of the Season and had scored the penalty to earn Young Boys a first title in 14 years.
But despite those domestic achievements, the then-18-year-old was ready to show what she could do on an international stage.
Being an ever-present for Switzerland at Euro 2025, with the host nation reaching the knockout stages for the very first time, certainly provided the sort of springboard Beney needed to take her game to the next level.
To slightly adapt a famous tongue-in-cheek football adage, though, could she do it on a cold Friday night at the Joie Stadium? The answer is an emphatic yes, if her home debut is anything to go by.
Playing on the right of an attacking three, Beney lit up the Joie in a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brighton. With positive, penetrating runs and a willingness to try eyebrow-raising skills, the Swiss teenager looked ready to take the WSL by storm.
But for all of her style and flair on the pitch, Iman is a humble, softly spoken character off it.
Her description of her time in Manchester sums up that sentiment perfectly.
“It’s been rather good,” she begins.
“I’ve settled in well with the group and the staff, I’ve made some good friends here. I’ve started to visit the city, although not too much because the weather hasn’t been great. But I feel good here.
“The infrastructure is completely different to Switzerland, it’s much better here and much more professional.
“Also here, my life is only football. In Switzerland, I was still studying alongside football, and now that I’ve finished school, I can do just football.”
That she’s adapted so well to life at City perhaps comes as no surprise given Beney comes from a family steeped in footballing tradition.
Her father, Nicolas, was a goalkeeper who enjoyed over 20 years in the top two divisions in Switzerland, twice winning the domestic cup before retiring at FC Sion in 2010.
Her auntie, Noemie, was a Swiss international defender too, while her brother Romeo is currently a forward for Portuguese top flight side Famalicao, who he joined from FC Basel this summer.
Football was a central part of her life from an early age, but Iman insists the decision to pursue a career in the beautiful game was hers alone.
She also adds that she and her brother are each other’s biggest supporters, but finding a way past their father when playing as children proved a difficult task!
“We played together a lot, and it was always me versus my brother, with my dad in net as he was a goalkeeper,” she recalls.
“There was a year when we were still in the youth teams - my brother was in an older age group as he’s older than me – and we finally played in the same match.
“It was cool to play with him one time, but seeing as we were playing against one another, we didn’t make it easy for each other and went for it 100%.
“And even now, as my brother still plays football, when we have time he comes to watch my matches, or I go watch his games, after, we discuss the matches which helps us too. He supports me and I support him.
“Even though my father was a footballer, he never said to me ‘you’ve got to be a footballer.’ It was me that wanted to be a footballer.
“And I think that since I was very young, I’ve given everything to be able to experience that now.
“There were a lot of sacrifices that had to be made. For example, leaving home at 12 years-old, living alone in England, learning a new language, things like that.
“And I think it’s these sacrifices that my dad always said if I wanted to achieve something, I have to give it everything.”
Beney looks destined for a bright future in the game but her achievements already at such a young age would be the envy of many.
Her exploits at Euro 2025 stand out in particular, having been an ever-present in a Switzerland side who captured the imagination of the home crowd en route to the quarter-finals.
This summer’s tournament had already broken attendance figures for the European Championships before the final, surpassing Euro 2022 which was hosted in England.
It’s an even more remarkable feat when considering the largest stadium capacity at Euro 2025 – FC Basel’s St Jakob Park – is less than half the size of both Wembley Stadium and Old Trafford.
Beney was key to that success and, after missing out on the chance to play at the 2023 World Cup with an anterior cruciate ligament rupture, was delighted to play her part.
“[My family] were quite shocked yet happy. They were also happy to be able to experience it in the stadiums and also took part in the fan walks that they had in Switzerland, for example.
“They were also so happy that I could play at the Euros after having missed out on the World Cup.
“What’s certain is when you’re 18 and you start every match and you play 90 minutes in every match at the EURO, that’s rather special and I think that doesn’t happen often.
Also, playing against players who play in the top leagues, playing against Spain too, well that can only make you improve.”
Interview: George Kelsey
Continuing our series of goals scored in particular minutes, we tick into double figures with the ten minutes on the clock which, as you will discover, is Kun Aguero's favourite time to strike...
May 11, 1985
City need victory in the final game of the 1985/86 season to claim the last Division Two promotion berth.
A crowd of more than 47,000 pack Maine Road to hopefully see the Blues win a place back in the top flight and Billy McNeill's side get the start they are looking for when Jim Melrose releases 18 year-old winger Paul Simpson down the left flank and he accelerates past two defenders before delivering a precision low cross that David Phillips side foots home with from five yards. It is Philips' 11th goal of the season and it sparks a mini-pitch invasion as a result.
January 3, 2012
Sergio Aguero starts the New Year as he finished the old one – in red hot form.
Collecting a short pass from David Silva, Aguero nudges the ball forward before rifling in a shot from 22 yards out that bounces just in front of Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina and then underneath the Spaniard’s despairing dive to put City ahead at the Etihad.
February 4, 2012
As Manchester is gripped by blizzard conditions, so City sweep Fulham away with a bright and breezy start.
The Blues are ahead after just 10 minutes as Sergio Aguero bags only his second penalty for the Club after sending Mark Schwarzer the wrong way from the spot as City go on to win 3-0 at the Etihad.
December 15, 2012
City go in front against Newcastle United at St James’ Park with only 10 minutes played with an incisive move that begins with Yaya Toure’s through-ball to
Samir Nasri and the Frenchman’s unselfish side pass to Sergio Aguero (again!) gives the Argentina striker an easy chance to convert from seven yards out.
December 7, 2013
An early goal puts City ahead at the Etihad. A good run and cross by Aleks Kolarov sees the Serbian left-back
fizz a low ball towards the penalty spot where Sergio Aguero (yet again on 10!) is waiting to lash home with a left-foot shot that gives the Southampton keeper no chance.
April 27, 2014
After seeing his prolific season interrupted by a hamstring injury, this was Sergio Aguero’s first goal for almost three months - and what a way to return to scoring.
He wriggles away from one challenge before lashing a shot from 25 yards out to put City 2-0 up on a day when fellow Argentines Pablo Zabaleta and Martin Demichelis will also score.
September 13, 2017
A great burst down the right flank by Kyle Walker sees the England defender spot Sergio Aguero’s run towards the six-yard box, and his low cross is turned in
expertly from close range by the Argentine to put City 2-0 up away to Feyenoord in the opening Champions League group stage clash.
Every year, City in the Community impacts the lives of thousands of people across Greater Manchester.
The Club’s charity aims to empower healthier lives through football. And one member of the team, Amy Valentine, works with some of the charity’s youngest participants, showing children the fun side of physical activity.
The CITC Early Years Lead Coach sat down with City Magazine earlier this month to talk about her role in the charity…
CITY MAG: Amy, it’s great to meet you. I hear you’ve been involved with CITC for a while, can you tell us about how you came to be involved with the charity and why you’ve been a part of it for so long?
AMY: So I did an apprenticeship and that’s how my CITC journey began. I was in college at the time and I was unsure about what I wanted to do after, going to university didn’t seem like the right fit, but I knew I wanted to do something sporty. My mum actually found the course, she’s my biggest supporter and she really pushed me to go for it, and I ended up being one of four people accepted onto the apprenticeship.
It was initially just for one year and mainly with the Primary Stars team, which saw us go into primary schools around Manchester. I shadowed the coaches and learnt a lot, and alongside it I got a Community Activate Approach qualification.
Then, when my apprenticeship was coming to an end a role opened up as an Early Years Coach which is working with younger kids compared to the apprenticeship and Primary Stars, but I instantly loved it, it is much better suited to me. And from there, I’ve just continued to progress, which has now seen me step into my current role of Early Years Lead Coach and I just feel so lucky I get to work for CITC and so many kids, I have the best time!
CITY MAG: Sounds like such a fun role! What is the structure for an Early Years session?
AMY: So Early Years sees us go into nurseries and primary schools with a reception class. We work with aged two to five-year-olds across all areas of Manchester, delivering physical activity sessions. The sessions usually last about an hour and the importance of Early Years is to build their fundamental movement skills. From such an early age it’s very important and they say that especially at nursery level it’s about school readiness and preparing them for that next step in life as they grow and join school. It can be difficult though, they get tired quite quickly, so we focus on keeping the sessions as fun as possible. We do themed sessions each week for example one week it might be superhero related then the next week it’s farm themed. Then they never feel like they’re doing physical activity, they’re too busy being a superhero for example and it’s just really sweet.
CITY MAG: And what about you would you say has developed since you joined CITC?
AMY: I think my confidence. Like I mentioned before my Mum found the initial apprenticeship and she really pushed me to go for it because I wasn’t sure I would be good at it or I would enjoy it. She reminded me that I have to push myself. Since then my confidence has continued to grow. Now I can go into any school or nursery and lead a session which when I first joined I never imagined doing. And that’s also been possible because of the people I work with. We are such a family, it’s an amazing work environment and everyone is great to work with, we just continuously push each other to develop as coaches so we can be the best we can for the kids.
CITY MAG: Do you have a favourite moment from working at CITC to date?
AMY: That’s tough because I have so many! But if I had to pick my top one, I’d go with my trip to Mexico. It was a real highlight because I got to see a completely different side of coaching and access to things like physical activity. I learnt so much but also got to share what I’ve learnt during my time at CITC. We got to meet the young leaders in Mexico and we delivered sessions to them on how to coach so that they could then go back to their communities and implement the sessions.
It was a fantastic experience. We’re very lucky that at CITC we can use our local experience to support global communities through shared learnings and practice, on behalf of the Club.
CITY: And finally, what advice would you have to anyone looking to get involved in the charity?
AMY: Just go for anything! Push yourself because you never know what might come from even the smallest opportunity. I never thought I’d get something like my job at CITC and yet here I am now in my dream job, so always believe in yourself!
To keep up to date with City in the Community, you can follow the charity across social media using @citcmancity.
For more information, please visit www.mancity.com/CITC or email [email protected].
Interview: Holly Percival
This season we’re working round the calendar to bring you a project I’ve taken on a specific month of the year...
This session with City legend and larger than life character, Malcolm Allison, was taken in October 1979.
I wasn’t used to shooting people who weren’t my contemporaries. Six weeks earlier, I’d just spend a day in TJ Davidson’s Rehearsal Rooms photographing an up-and-coming Manchester band, Joy Division. And three days earlier, I’d shot Joy Division and Buzzcocks on tour at Liverpool University.
That was my comfort zone.
Then I was commissioned to photograph Big Mal for the cover of the New Manchester Review.
I took a roll of background paper and two lights to fashion a studio out of an office at Maine Road. There was hardly any space, and I wasn’t really experienced enough to make this work as I’d hoped it would.
Mal stood against the backdrop and seemed more uncomfortable than me. I thought he’d be supremely confident, but he wasn’t used to the formal style of portrait, and he was offering nothing back. I couldn’t afford to waste film, I only had enough money to buy one roll of 35mm, so I had to get at least a cover shot. I asked him to sit in a chair and to smoke one of his trademark cigars, and to try to forget I was there. Immediately he relaxed and as he enjoyed his cigar, I gave him minimal direction and shot half a roll of film. I got him to occasionally look through the smoke at me, and I felt I’d got what I needed. He did too as he didn’t even give me time to finish the roll of film. I wasn’t sure about the shots at the time, but I’ve used them regularly and grown to like them more with the passing of time. I didn’t really have time to think about it, as a few days later I was off to London to photograph The Jam.
A few years later, In May 1985, I had a major(ish) exhibition at Oldham City Art Gallery. Tony Wilson interviewed me there for a large feature for Granada Reports. As he walked around the show, he stopped at the photo of Big Mal and said to me and to camera: This is the greatest portrait of Malcolm that exists and, Kevin, it is your finest piece of work.
I didn’t necessarily agree with Tony – he was always one for the grandiose statement, but I must admit it gave me a huge amount of confidence to take onto the next stage of my career. Not the first or last time I had cause to thank him.
Kevin Cummins
Ricky Hatton
1979-2025
When the news broke that Ricky Hatton had passed away just hours before the 197th Manchester derby, it’s fair to say the city was left in complete shock.
A lifelong Blue, Ricky and Manchester City came as a package, and he proudly wore the club badge during his numerous fights and world title bouts.
Like Oasis, it was impossible to think of The Hitman without thinking of the Blues.
He was a beloved boxer with a huge following, once having an estimated 30,000 fans follow him to a title fight in Las Vegas.
But it wasn’t just his exploits as a world champion that made him so popular, it was Ricky Hatton the man that people loved in equal measure.
Fame and fortune never stopped the lad from Stockport being the lad from Stockport.
Humble, always happy to talk to his legion of fans and completely grounded, he was a lovely guy that people gravitated towards.
In 2006, this writer was invited to his gym in Hyde to cover a visit from then City boss Stuart Pearce, with the pictures you see on this page the end result.
Ricky did some sparring in the ring, spoke to Pearce and was suitably starstruck by the fact the Manchester City manager had taken time out to come and visit him.
He was never less than courteous throughout and while he might have had huge fights on the horizon, talk was only about his beloved Blues.
"He was respected on both sides [of Manchester] , which is not easy in this part of the world,” said former City skipper and friend Vincent Kompany.
“Obviously, it was devastating news. I can't think there would be a single Mancunian that didn't spend the whole day talking about it, just because he had an impact on everyone's life.
"I hope a lot of people remember the great things he did for Manchester."
Vinnie posted on X as well, with a picture of him, Ricky and Liam Gallagher saying: “We’ll miss you Ricky. Our thoughts are with the family and friends. Rest in peace legend.”
During the Manchester derby on the weekend, midfielder Phil Foden scored City’s opening goal before Erling Haaland added two more.
The ovation, applause, cheers and singing of Ricky’s name echoed around the Etihad before kick-off against United, with the Reds’ fans joining in as Manchester united for one of its favourite sons.
After the game, fellow Stockport lad Foden was asked if the 3-0 win over the Reds was for Ricky.
He said: “100 per cent. I had extra motivation going into the game.
“It was for him and his family and for the people suffering right now. The lads gave everything. It wasn’t a pretty match, but it was all for him.”
Ricky Hatton will be sorely missed. He was one of our most famous and most loyal supporters and most of all, he was a thoroughly decent man.
He won’t be forgotten.
City V MIDDLESBROUGH
- 25 MARCH 1978
There is a certain amount of ‘sleuthing’ involved in bringing Get With The Programme into your world but I haven't taken to mimicking the great Sherlock Holmes to do so. Oh no…. the purchase of an optical aid was instigated by the incredibly tiny type used in some areas of the Manchester City FC matchday missives of old. Strike a light. MINISCULE DOESN’T COVER IT!
Cue a trip to Northenden just up the road to try and lay my hands on a magnifying glass in an attempt to decipher some of the more microscopic paragraphs I’m faced with.
Mission accomplished.
Once tooled up I was then faced with the task of picking one of the many 60s, 70s and 80s programmes now in my grubby mitts.
I chose this one…
And what fine figures of men they are. All three could have graced the pages of the Littlewoods Catalogue (anyone under the age of 50 - ask your parents) but no - they chose the noble profession of Professional Footballer.
STAND UP GARY OWEN, BIG JOE CORRIGAN AND PETER BARNES!
Oh… they are stood up.
The first highlight I chose shows just how far City have come over the ensuing decades. In an age where season tickets are much sought-after and the Etihad is ever-expanding, Club Secretary Bernard Halford is on hand to deliver some good news…
Anyone lucky enough to have spent many a winters afternoon shivering of the steps of the Kippax might well have been in dire need of some medicinal attention… in the shape of a lozenge containing Balsam of Tolu… apparently!
Why It took a cartoon of a horse in a scarf to convince us of their worth I suppose only Mr Zubes knows…
Moving on to entertainment. It was a place in time that saw Cabaret Clubs springing up all over the UK. Barley Variety Club and Wythenshawe’s Golden Garter for example. I went to the latter a coupla times. To see The Nolans and glitzy man and wife duo Dollar to be precise. And no I’m not even joking. My mum and dad used to frequent Brooklands Trades and Labour Club. Of a Saturday night there’d be a ‘turn’ on. A nasty turn on occasion. I was super impressed when on Thursday night whilst watching Top of the Pops, a band tipped up with strange furry animal boots with claws sticking out of them. "They played the Club a few weeks back” says my dad! WOW! My dad has seen proper Pop Stars at the Club. Sadly it wasn’t Bowie and the Spiders…or Alice Cooper. It wasn’t Slade either. It was Mud singing ‘Tiger Feet’. I seem to recall my dad saying “Their name is Mud around here.” but I might just have made that up.
In this ad we can a particularly juicy carrot being dangled. Yet another band who’d appeared on the telly! Paper Lace. They were bloomin’ awful and probably best-known for their hit ‘Billy Don’t Be A Hero”. They were dressed in American Civil War clobber. Inevitably.
BOOK EARLY!
Sticking with Manchester City FC, Social Club news… THE BIG PUSH WAS ON! Not only did they find space for the ad above - but they also inserted a flyer for the same venue. And they pulled no punches! All the big stars are in attendance!
LITTLE AND LARGE… BERNARD MANNING… FRANKIE VAUGHAN… and two other blokes who look like they could have featured on a Most Wanted poster.
Those were the days.
Next up is a heart-warming tale of someone crossing the Manchester Divide. Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you.. The Ballad of Big Tony Shep.
And so it came to pass. Miles Platting all of a sudden became a better, nicer place due to the actions of Anthony Shepherd.
Continuing further into the Letters page…
I don’t think becoming pen pals with rival teams supporters is still a thing is it??
The next letter is as much of a snapshot in time as you could wish for - or maybe not wish for. A written Apology no less.
Fair play to Sandra, I say.
Nearly time to go. But before I do, a Feel Good story featuring a young man by the name of Nick Lawless. A geezer with new found wealth and a generous disposition!!
Let’s face it - £600 was an AWFUL lot of money in 1978. Instead of splashing his cash around Nick, might’ve been better off buying shares in Manchester City F.C. … coz we all know what was to happen many years down the line. But as they say, it’s nice to be nice.
Last up then - as is fast-becoming a tradition - the back page of this featured programme.
And for those who can’t recall… it finished 2-2.
We were robbed…. obviously.
As the weather turns colder, the nights grow darker and the leaves start to turn brown, it can only mean that autumn is on its way and with that comes the spooky month of October.
So, for this edition of City Magazine, we’ve created a Halloween-themed Best XI, using past and present stars from our women’s team...
Subs
Grave Clinton (Grace Clinton), Aoba Boo-jino (Aoba Fujino), Iman Broom-ey (Iman Beney), Laura Bloodkilde Brown (Laura Blindkilde Brown)
As the old cliché tells us, scoring goals is the hardest part of football.
While the likes of Erling Haaland and Sergio Aguero may not make it seem that way, many more of us can probably relate.
That’s why it’s perhaps surprising to learn that now 500 men exactly have scored at least twice for City.
That leaves a long, long list of players stranded on a number more synonymous with darts than our own beautiful game – placing 501st in our chart of leading scorers throughout our history.
In this feature, we take a look at the stories of those who only got to taste the indescribable joy of finding the net once while wearing City colours.
Last month’s kick-off had us learning about Harry Dowd, a goalkeeper who took his moment in the spotlight at the other end of the pitch.
Today, it’s all about a man who had much more reason to venture deep into enemy territory from his right-back role.
Hatem Trabelsi arrived at City after five years at Ajax that had captured the attention of Europe’s biggest and best.
In 2004, the Tunisian international came very close to agreeing terms with Arsenal only to see that scuppered at the last minute.
No matter though, his pace and tireless running made him both a star in Amsterdam and of his national side – heading into the World Cup as their brightest hope.
He and his Tunisia team-mates failed to make it through a strong group that included Spain and a Ukraine side with Andriy Shevchenko at the peak of his powers.
That left Trabelsi more time in the summer to complete his move to Stuart Pearce’s City.
After signing the contract, he said: “I think it's time for me to meet my destiny,” about his move to Manchester.
Things appeared complicated early on, with fitness and work permit issues preventing him from hitting the ground running.
However, a run in the side followed through the a cfutumn and into the new year.
And with the cold weather came an iconic pair of light blue gloves despite wearing a short sleeve shirt.
It was in an Old Trafford Manchester derby of all games that the full-back grabbed his only strike for City.
Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha had put Alex Ferguson’s two goals up in the December clash but City grew into it as it went on.
In the 72nd minute, Trabelsi was fed by Stephen Ireland in the inside right channel. He steadied himself and let rip from edge of the box with his left foot for a spectacular curling strike that was out of reach of Edwin van der Sar and went in off the underside of the bar.
We went on to lose the game, as City fans were all to accustomed to at that point in our history, but Trabelsi’s strike was one for the ages.
Speaking to us in 2023, Trabelsi made it clear just what that moment meant to him.
He said: “It was one of the goals that I’ll always remember, the difference between the two clubs was to United at that time.
“Today, the favourites between the two clubs is to Manchester City, so my goal at that stadium was one of my important goals in my career.”
He remained first choice for a while afterwards but as the winter turned to spring, Trabelsi lost his place in Pearce’s side to Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha.
By the end of the campaign he was one of the casualties of the change of regime that saw Sven-Goran Eriksson take charge.
Even though Trabelsi may not have remained at City as long as he liked and the Blues were not at our best that season, there was still something memorable for everyone to take from the partnership.
And is that not what football’s all about?
Lee Bradbury
Becoming Manchester City’s record signing comes with its pressures. And that strain is even greater when the Club is in the middle of the toughest part in our history...
Lee Bradbury was just two years out of the army when Frank Clark identified him as the man to fire City back into the top-flight.
Just over a year later, he made his final appearance for City in a 2-1 defeat at Lincoln City as the Blues languished outside the play-off positions of the English third tier.
After scoring 17 goals and being named Portsmouth’s Player of the Season as Pompey narrowly missed out on the play-offs while City were in Division One’s bottom-half, the Blues paid a reported £3.5million to bring the rookie striker to Maine Road in August 1997.
Powerful and quick, the 22-year-old looked like an exciting addition, particularly after his goal in a preseason friendly victory over Burnley.
But an opening day debut at his former Club was a difficult beginning less than a fortnight after leaving the south coast club. City drew 2-2 with the Fratton Park crowd rattled by a Liam Gallagher swaggering onto the pitch before kick-off.
And the rock ‘n roll star hardly helped Bradbury’s confidence when he asked for his autograph after a League Cup defeat to Blackpool a few weeks later.
Five games into his City career and still without a goal, he put his penalty wide in a shootout as we were eliminated.
After watching Oasis perform in Sheffield shortly after, he went backstage to ask for a signature and he says that: “[Liam] drew a goal with a little matchstick man putting the ball wide and wrote: ‘In there (not)’.”
In his ninth appearance – a 2-1 defeat at home to Norwich - he finally scored and another a week later in a 6-0 win against Swindon suggested he may have turned the corner.
But injuries and a loss of form meant that his next goal wasn’t until the following February by which time he was mocked with the nickname ‘Badbuy’ and described as the ex-soldier who couldn’t shoot straight.
It was tough on the homesick player, with a baby on the way and struggling in the virulent atmosphere as City spiralled agonisingly towards our lowest point.
Even crucial goals against QPR and Stoke in the last two games couldn’t stave off relegation and three months into the following season, Bradbury was off to Crystal Palace and then back at Portsmouth within a year.
He returned to Maine Road in November 1999 but then it was a completely different City, buoyed by the feelgood factor that promotion had brought and a rejuvenation under Joe Royle.
City were top of the old first division and had been beaten only once at home when Pompey visited.
Bradbury too was different. Back home where he felt happiest, he scored on his second debut in a 5-1 win over Walsall and was then on target in a 3-1 win over Palace, weeks after leaving the Eagles.
Next up was City and with a point to prove back in Manchester, he took just six minutes to tap the visitors ahead.
City were level shortly after the break, through Jeff Whitley, but when Thomas Thorgensen re-established their lead, it looked like Portsmouth might steal all three points.
Ironically it was Bradbury’s replacement that turned the game City’s way. Signed a month after his departure, Gareth Taylor helped City to promotion, and he scored twice in three minutes to turn this game on its head before Jamie Pollock wrapped up the win in stoppage time.
The two sides met again in April when goals from Spencer Prior and Robert Taylor put City two ahead before the break.
Bradbury pulled a goal back from the penalty spot just before half-time before an 87th minute equaliser than threatened to derail City’s promotion charge.
He thoroughly enjoyed his goal and thankfully Royle’s men went onto beat Birmingham and Blackburn to clinch our place back in the top-flight.
Bradbury was also on target in November as Portsmouth beat City 2-1 although Kevin Keegan would lead the Blues to 99 points and promotion.
A successful playing career has since turned into a successful managerial career albeit that his brief stint at City may have been a question of wrong time, wrong place.
Words: Jonathan Smith
Midfield maestro Harrison Miles looks like he’s been representing City at Academy level for years. But in reality, he’s only just celebrated being at the Club for one year...
He joined City’s Under-18s at the start of the 2024/25 season from Southampton, making the big move to Manchester aged 16 at the time.
After a few weeks settling into his new home, at the City Football Academy, and becoming adjusted to his new team-mates, Miles made his debut in our 5-0 win over Blackburn Rovers.
Since then, the England youth international hasn’t looked back. He made 19 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and assisting one, to help City lift the Under-18 Premier League North title and reach the final of the FA Youth Cup.
“I knew it was going to be difficult getting into the team,” began Miles.
“Because when I joined the team was pretty solid, the squad was set. So I had to work really hard to get into that.
“Oliver [Reiss] gave me my [full] debut against Liverpool and we won 3-1. And then I was just in the rotation.
“I think for anyone who’s coming in new to a club, you just have to focus on yourself and what you can bring to a team when called upon, and that’s what I did.
“My first season definitely had a lot of ups, but unfortunately, some downs too. But I think that just spurs me on a lot more.
“This season we are going to try to do what we didn’t do last year. I think we’ve got the squad to do it. So let’s hope we’ve got a good season ahead of us.”
The now 17-year-old is deployed as a six, a key cog in City’s engine room.
This season, he’s featured in all five league wins and captained City in our 3-3 Under-18 Premier League Cup draw with Crystal Palace.
The most recent outing, at the time of writing, saw Miles put our young boys in blue ahead in the Manchester derby, helping City come from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at Carrington and move us top of the table.
And when talking to City Magazine, Miles spoke about the role he is looking to play in Reiss’ side as a senior figure, and also how he goes about ‘scanning’ a vital tool in his artillery that helps him control play.
“I think it’s just a habit [scanning] from when I was young,” said Miles.
“I had to utilise scanning because I wasn’t always the strongest or most mobile when I was younger, so I had to improve my game in other areas. I used to be a centre-back until I was about 15. I had to adapt my game from playing 180 degrees in front of me to 360 degrees.
“It helps me to know where my space is to be able to take a touch into it and then initiate an attack with a pass. It’s so easy to get lost in a game as a six so being able to free yourself up is key and scanning, checking for space, to see where your opponents are, where your teammates are is so important for me.
“I feel like one of my other strongest characteristics and attributes is my leadership,” Miles continued.
“I’m always talking, always trying to help the teams with my voice and giving ideas to other players. It might not be a massive speech but just little things like ‘play there’ or ‘come on keep going’ I think go a long way.
“We’re still learning our craft, we’re all so young, but I like to think I’m quite mature so being a more senior figure is something I enjoy doing. It’s also just about trusting your teammates. Trusting those around you makes you a better team.”
City have won five from five in the league. It takes our unbeaten run in the Under-18 Premier League North to over 12 months.
With the bar set high for performances, Miles still has plenty of aspirations he’s hoping to achieve in 2025/26.
“Whilst the winning and pushing for silverware is the best part of football, I think I’m most focused on getting as many minutes as I can,” Miles stated.
“I want to be involved in as many moments as I can. I’d like to be more involved in the UEFA Youth League this season and try to get into the Elite Development Squad, too.
“And then on top of that, I want to help the team emulate our consistency from last season.
“I’d quite like to get a few more goal contributions, which will hopefully help us lift more silverware this season too.”
Interview: Holly Percival
Mary Fowler signed a fresh contract at City in early October, keeping her at the Joie Stadium until 2027!
One of the most exciting attacking talents in world football, but the Australian was keen to mark her extension through some of her passions away from the pitch.
She recently became the first professional footballer to hit the runway at Paris Fashion Week and visited city centre vintage clothing store Bare Necessities for a photo shoot and interview.
Our number eight has also spoken about her love of being in nature, and club photographer Declan Lloyd joined on a recent walk in the Peak District.
Check out some of the best photos of Mary's contract extension!
City 0-0 Huddersfield Town
FA Cup 3rd round replay, 11 January 1988
City: Nixon, Clements, Gidman, Hinchcliffe, Redmond, Brightwell (Simpson 80), McNab, Scott, White, Adcock (Varadi 65), Stewart
Huddersfield Town: Cox, Bray (Tucker), Brown, France, Mitchell, Trevitt, Webster, Cork, May, Ward, Shearer (Cooper)
Words: David Clayton
One thing that often gets overlooked when we remember our 10-1 win over Huddersfield Town is that just 65 days later, The Terriers were back at Maine Road and probably fearing the worst.
They shouldn’t have worried – this is Manchester City and the obvious and likely rarely happen – at least back in the 1980s when anything and everything was possible.
The FA Cup often throws up fascinating matchups and side stories, and when Huddersfield pulled City out of the hat in January 1988, it was a fairly immediate chance at redemption.
The draw put the West Yorkshire side at home, and more than 8,000 City fans made the short journey over the M62 to Leeds Road on a cold Saturday afternoon.
Ian Brightwell gave City the lead after five minutes and the home fans – and players – must have thought, ‘here we go again’.
But two quick second-half goals from Duncan Shearer gave the hosts a 2-1 lead that they would hold on to until a free-kick some seven minutes into added time saw John Gidman level the scores and force a replay at Maine Road.
So, less than 10 weeks had passed since that 10-1 thrashing and it’s fair to say that by this stage, Huddersfield Town had had a fill of Manchester City FC.
But the visitors put up a sterling defensive effort, resolutely and, it has to be said, comfortably keeping the Blues at bay for 90 minutes and extra time.
The final score? A very Typical City 0-0, with the basking of that 10-1 win quickly forgotten.
So, as was the way back then, after the visitors’ skipper won a coin toss for the choice of venue, it was back again to Leeds Road for a second replay.
The winners’ reward? A fourth round tie away to Blackpool, so there was plenty to play for.
This time, with an even bigger crowd on a wet Wednesday evening in Huddersfield, City took as many as 10,000 fans over the Pennines and, the Blues finally settled the tie with an impressive 3-0 win.
But that 0-0 at Maine Road? Only City could follow up a 10-1 win with a 0-0 draw against the same opposition…
Up next to build his ultimate Academy 5-a-side team for City Magazine is Under-18s defender Leke Drake.
The rules for his squad are: he can only select one goalkeeper, one defender, two midfielders and one attacker from those that he has played with during his time in City’s Academy.
Who made the cut?
GOALKEEPER:
I’m going with Oliver Whatmuff. I think he’s good with his feet, which is key for 5-a-side. And he’s a good shot stopper as well.
DEFENDER:
I have to back myself so I’m picking Leke Drake. If there is only one in the back line I’d be looking to put in strong tackles, blocking anything and just being a presence at the back. I’d also say I’m pretty quick which helps in 5-a-side.
MIDFIELDER:
First midfielder I’m picking Divine Mukasa. He has flair, skill and the ability to score. We saw what he did in the league last season, so it speaks for itself.
MIDFIELDER:
Thinking tactically and putting a winger, I’m going with Ryan McAidoo. He’s got speed and can cut in from the right and score lots of goals.
FORWARD:
And then leading the line I’m going with Teddie Lamb. He can hold the ball, which he might not need to do as much of in 5-a-side, but it's good to have another presence in there that can work hard. He's a classical number nine, he's quick, he's strong, he can turn his defender, so I think he's just exciting to watch and has a sweet left foot.
Interview: Holly Percival
Dave Bennett
To celebrate Black History Month, we showcase and interview from 2022 and a catch-up with former winger Dave Bennett to discuss his all-too brief City career…
Words: David Clayton
If the name Dave Bennett isn’t familiar with younger City fans, perhaps it should be.
With 65 appearances and 15 goals over a two-year period, he doesn’t top any stats lists and while there are one or two notable moments in his time with the Club, on paper, it might seem his time with the Blues is not that remarkable.
But his path to becoming a City player is a story of triumph over adversity as he became the first high profile Black player to play in sky blue.
Stan Horne, Tony Whelan, and Roger Palmer had played for City before him, but it was David P. Bennett who rose to prominence in the late 1970s, becoming City’s first Black player to play at Wembley against Tottenham.
It was a journey full of obstacles and hurdles and prejudice, but the Manchester-born forward had a dream and Manchester City, based in the heart of the city’s biggest Afro-Caribbean community, helped him realise that dream.
“I was born in Longsight near the market on Dickenson Road. There was just me and Gary my younger brother that lived at home with mum and dad,” says Bennett.
“I played football anywhere – on the street, in the park or in our backyard and did well with my primary school side. Because of my sporting ability, I got a place at Burnage Grammar School which was a very good school back then.
“Gary, who is 18 months younger than me, went to Burnage as well and I got to know a lad called Peter Coyne really well. He was in the same year as me and we were part of a strong school team who beat most teams easily.
“I was selected to play for Manchester Boys and would always make the 14-man squad but was either sub or just missed out being selected, so while Pete was scoring goals left, right and centre, I was on the periphery of the team.
“I played Sunday League football, too for Ashwood Celtic on Sunday mornings and it was an open-age league. I played for a few teams over the weekend, but Ashwood were one of the best Sunday League sides in Manchester.
“I started to get noticed because I was doing so well and scoring plenty of goals, but I didn’t think I was going to get anywhere because the attention was always on Peter Coyne who was playing for England Schoolboys and scoring hat-tricks regularly – three of them at Wembley!
“He was snapped up pretty quickly by Manchester United.
“I thought I’d missed the boat if truth be told, but eventually I did get scouted and was invited for a trial at Oldham Athletic. I went along, and after I’d finished, another scout, Len Davies, asked me to come and have a trial at City, which I was more than happy to do.
“I was a bit nervous when I arrived at City and though I did well, my mum and dad, who weren’t into sport that much, insisted Gary and I continued with our education.
“There were hardly any Black footballers in the English top flight back then so we had to have superstars like Muhammad Ali and Pele as our role models because, being from a West Indian family, they had proved great things were achievable.
“I knew of Clyde Best at West Ham and there were two or three lads in the lower divisions, but because these guys were rarely seen on TV, they didn’t get much exposure and in truth, they weren’t pulling up trees. I could count on one hand the number of Black players doing well in this country in the mid-to-late 1970s.
“I used to go and watch City one week, United the next – I just wanted to watch great players doing what they did whether it was Franny Lee or George Best. I loved the Brazil teams of 1970, ‘74 and ‘78 and I wanted to play like a Brazilian footballer.
“I started training at City every Tuesday and Thursday because I had college work and wanted to keep on track for my grades, but gradually that became training every day and because my birthday was in July, I was a bit older than some of the lads in my year-group I was offered a one-year contract instead of an apprenticeship.
“We had a game against Blackpool in the FA Youth Cup and I remember hearing the first team boss, Tony Book, would be coming to watch me – it couldn’t have gone much better for me and I scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 win, so the next day they gave me a year-long professional contract.
“I was still an apprentice, but I didn’t have to clean boots or do the same jobs they did. That was for the 1976/77 season when we finished runners-up to Liverpool by a point and I just kept developing in the younger teams. My coach Dave Ewing was very hard on me – thank god – and told me to get in the gym every day to build myself up and they must have seen something in me because they gave me a new two-year contract at the end of that season. I’d played in the reserves and we had just won the Central League with players like Ged Keegan and Paul Power for the first time, and it was a really big thing at the time because it was a proper men’s league back then with seasoned pros and players coming back from injury. So it was all going well.
“It was funny, because there was another Dave Bennett in the reserves at the time, so I was Dave P Bennett and he was Dave A Bennett who was a white lad - we used to joke that we were brothers with different mothers!”
“I learned things the old fashioned way. When I was an apprentice, the first year pros could kick us in training, but we couldn’t kick them. You had to show you could take it, but also give it out, so when I was on my first pro contract, we could kick the triallists but they couldn’t kick us.
“Then, as a reserve, you couldn’t kick the first team players but they could kick you – it was just how it went. The coaches absorbed it all to judge your temperament – were you tough enough? Too nice? Too soft? Could you take it and look after yourself? It was old school style; things were looked at differently and everything mattered.”
Bennett had done enough to impress Tony Book and on 14 April 1979, Dave P. Bennett replaced Tommy Booth in a Maine Road clash with Everton.
With the emerging Roger Palmer also playing, it was the first time the Club had two Black players in action at the same time. But Bennett’s excitement at making his debut would be soured within a few minutes.
“I remember running on for Tommy Booth at Maine Road,” he said. “I’d been surprised to see my name on the team sheet that had been pinned up on the Friday as I hadn’t expected it to happen so soon, but I got a really warm reception from the City fans – though it wasn’t on long before I was brought down to earth with a bump.
“I’ll not name him here, but I was running around bright and full of energy and tried to knock it past an Everton player when I got dumped on my backside. As he put his hand down to help me up, he said, ‘If you do that again, I’ll break your legs" - followed by words I won't recall here. I’d felt six foot four when I came on, but he made me feel about five feet two and to this day, I don’t know whether he did me the biggest favour of my career or if I should have jumped up and taken matters into my own hands.
“What he did was made me realise that this is what I was now up against and that I’d have to face that kind of abuse on a weekly basis - and it wasn’t only on the pitch.
“My dad worked for the railways at Cheadle and he would pop over to the pub across the road every now and then. One day, not long before I made my debut, a guy said to him, ‘I hear your lad is doing really well at City. What does he do? Sweep the terraces?’
“My dad mentioned this and after I’d played against Everton, I said, ‘Come on dad, let’s go and see him and tell him that I’m playing for Manchester City and not sweeping up’ but he asked me not to and said I needed to calm down and forget it, like dads do. But it was hard.
“The thing that meant the most to me was that after I’d started playing regularly, the West Indian community in Moss Side and surrounds started taking an interest in me and started coming to Maine Road to watch me and Roger Palmer play. That was a wonderful feeling and the City fans being the way they are, they never had any problems and were welcomed just like anyone else.
“We didn’t realise it at the time, but we were starting to open doors for the people in the Moss Side community and more and more Black people started to feel comfortable to come to games. They knew of us; they knew of our families and friends and they were willing us to do well.
“The truth was, many Black people were still doing low paid jobs and were being treated as second class citizens, when all of a sudden one of the biggest clubs in England has two Manchester-born West Indian descent lads playing up front.
“We didn’t have to be good, we needed to be excellent to have gotten where we were and more Black youngsters started coming through the ranks at City – and my brother Gary was one of them! The City scout asked my dad if there were any other talented footballers in the family and he told him, ‘Well; David’s younger brother is probably better than him!’
“He gave him a trial and Gary was then signed up as an apprentice. Mum and dad were pleased as punch and they were bursting with pride when I played in the Manchester derby and got the man of the match award for a 1-0 win over United. Derby games were matches you had to win, by hook or by crook. The only thing that mattered was having the bragging rights on Monday.
“Roger was a really quiet guy – I don’t think I ever saw him lose his temper, he was easy-going and kept himself to himself. He was very elusive and you might be out and getting ready to go home and Roger would be gone! We weren’t even sure where he lived because he’d always get dropped off at the end of the street! But what a goal-scorer – he could score goals like you’d never seen and was so fast over 10 or 15 yards.
“He was a law unto himself, but we didn’t have a voice back then and people would say that Black guys didn’t like to play in the cold and only turned up when the sun was shining – we had to breakdown all these stereotypes and change the philosophy and thinking of managers who maybe believed all that. We just had to get on with it.
“I remember Mick Channon asking me if I wanted to join as group of players travelling out to South Africa for some exhibition games in 1980. I asked my dad, because they were paying me about £5,000 which would have bought me two really smart houses back then. He was well aware of apartheid in South Africa and said: ‘Son, don’t go.’ Thank god he did, because I only then started to learn what apartheid meant an no amount of money would be worth touring a country where Black and white friends couldn’t drink in the same bars. Rebels who did go out there in cricket or whatever, ended up being banned for a long time. It was 100% the correct decision.
“Roger and I were ambassadors for the West Indian community and it meant we had to set examples of what could be achieved and people looked up to us.”
But 1980s Britain was a long way from the multi-cultural union of the present day. Racism was rife, particularly at some clubs where we would be targeted and insulted throughout the game.
“Some of the away grounds we played at weren’t as welcoming as Maine Road, and some were positively hostile,” he said. “I would get merciless stick at certain venues, but I had to keep going. I didn’t have that many people to talk to about it other than Roger, my brother, and my parents. Roger and I tried to help each other through it because they were hard times.
“In contrast, playing at Maine Road was brilliant. Because I was one of their own, it helped me. I was a local lad, went to local schools and came through the ranks – not to say that some fans might not have liked me after a bad game, but that’s a natural reaction towards players, especially if you’ve lost the game. I can honestly say I never witnessed any racial abuse while I was a City player at Maine Road - that's quite a statement, isn't it? The fans could see I would give a 110% every time I played and I loved playing at home because it was where my heart was.
“The 1980/81 season was memorable for a number of reasons. Tony Book and Malcolm Alison were sacked in early October and John Bond came in and signed Tommy Hutchison, Bobby McDonald, Gerry Gow and Phil Boyer.
“It was bizarre because none of the new signings could play in the League Cup and that meant some of the lads who weren’t playing regularly would be picked for those games, while we’d have all the new players in the FA Cup run. I was playing up front with Kevin Reeves and doing really well and I scored in every round of the League Cup, up to the semi-finals when we were beaten 2-1 on aggregate over two legs by Liverpool – I hit the bar at Anfield in the second leg and that would have put us into the final had it gone in.
“The other half of the team helped us get all the way to FA Cup final.
“We got to the semis where we faced Bobby Robson’s Ipswich Town and they were the team were to beat at that time. They had a great side, were going for three trophies and were favourites to win, but I thought I might have blown my chance of selection due to an incident that happened a few days before. Team-mate Nicky Reid and I had decided to try a new nightclub out that had opened in Northenden and as we approached, United’s Jimmy Nichol and Sammy McIllroy were just coming out – we asked what it was like and they said it was OK, so we carried on to the door where I was stopped and told Black people weren’t allowed in.
“Some members of the press were present and picked up on the incident, but I said ‘no comment’ when they questioned me about it. That was the last I thought of it until I was on the coach bound for Villa Park to take on Ipswich when I opened the paper and saw a double-page spread on the story. I thought if John Bond saw it, he’d drop me, but he already seemed to know and instead told me at the ground that I was to get at their right-back Mick Mills.
“At half-time, it was 0-0 and I hadn’t played that well, but Bond told me to get my act together because I was going to win this game for the team. We did win, with Paul Power’s free-kick in extra time which meant we were at Wembley with a game against Spurs to come a few weeks away.”
Bennett scored regularly on the run up to the final, but there were no guarantees he’d be playing, so he was delighted to learn he’d been picked to start. It was huge for any player, because the FA Cup final was the biggest date on the calendar back then – plus it was also the Centenary FA Cup final.
“I didn’t really think or know about the fact I was City’s first Black player to play at Wembley – I’d never even been to the stadium before, only passed it from a distance. I just didn’t want to let anyone down because my parents and brother were there and a lot of friends and I felt a lot of support from family and the West Indian community.
“We met the royals before the game and then got on with it and it couldn’t have started much better with Tommy Hutchison opening the scoring early on from my cross – what a goal! We ran harder, tackled harder and went looking for a second, but they scored ten minutes from the end with that deflected free-kick. Hutch was in the wall me and Gerry Gow and Joe was lining up the wall. Hutch overheard Glenn Hoddle saying it was going to curl it around the wall and I told him not to break off – but he did and his touch took it past Joe to make it 1-1.
“The replay four days later – the first to be held at Wembley - was another fantastic game and full of great goals and moments, Steve Mackenzie’s volley was superb – but nobody talks about it! That brought us level and I got brought down in the box in the second-half and won a penalty that Kevin Reeves scored from to put us 2-1 up, but it wasn’t to be and they scored twice in the last 15 minutes to win 3-2.
“The following season, we signed Trevor Francis for a lot of money but nobody told me that I was surplus to requirements. Reeves, Francis, and Bennett – as I understood it, three of us would battle for two places and whoever was doing well would be in the team.
“I’d signed a new two-year contract after the FA Cup final, was still only 22 and was happy and settled. I felt I was being nurtured along nicely, but early into the 1981/82 season, John Bond and his coaching staff went over to Norway to see Molde defender Aage Hareide play and while they were away, the chairman, Peter Swales, asked to see me. He asked me if I’d do him a favour and go to Cardiff City – my brother Gary had gone there in the summer and I didn’t see a problem in helping the chairman out.
“Nobody else spoke to me, but the way it was explained by Swales was that I was going to Cardiff to help them out and then come back to City. It looked like a short-term loan move where I could go and learn my trade some more and maybe come back a better player, but while I was there, I discovered City had asked for a fee for me to move to Cardiff permanently. Everyone was a bit shocked that I’d left, but I hadn’t had any say in it. It was disappointing for me and the clubs had to go to a tribunal where an agreement was reached that City had first refusal on me. That was the end of my time at Maine Road, but the following season - 1982/83 – was weird because Cardiff ended up winning promotion from the Second Division and City were relegated from the top flight.
“Had I gone back to City in 1983, Alex Williams had come through and Clive Wilson was emerging, so as Black players, we were breaking new ground. West Brom had Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham and Brendan Batson; Garth Crooks was at Stoke and then Spurs while Wolves had George Berry and Viv Anderson was at Forest. It changed the perception of people about Black players and we were, in effect, smashing down barriers.
On a personal note, I went back to the FA Cup final in 1987 with Coventry City where we beat Spurs 3-2 in a game that had a player (Gary Mabbutt) score at both ends again, just like Hutch had in 1981! I scored the equaliser at 1-1, so I gained some vengeance for City fans just six years later.
“I still follow City’s results closely and regularly come back to Manchester – occasionally I go looking for Roger Palmer with no joy! He’s as elusive as he ever was. The Club will always be a big part of my life and they gave me my chance. People like Tony Book, Glyn Pardoe, and Dave Ewing helped me get to where I wanted to be.
“The proudest thing in my career was making it at my hometown club. I was so proud to play for Manchester City and it made my parents very proud, too. It was a hard slog and there is still a lot of work to do, but it’s all been worthwhile when you see the number of Black players there are in English football now.
Today, we see Micah Richards as a regular pundit, Joleon Lescott is on TV regularly and it’s great, but people don’t understand what they went through to get there. I know that for a fact.”
Wednesday, September 24, 2025, is a date that set to go down in the Manchester City annals.
For our Carabao Cup third round trip to Huddersfield Town proved a night for the ages for City’s Academy in general – not least brothers Jaden and Reigan Heskey.
On what proved an historic and proud night for the Club’s Academy, eight City graduates were involved as Pep Guardiola’s side secured an impressive 2-0 victory at the Accu Stadium.
Phil Foden, Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb, Nico O’Reilly and James Trafford were all in the starting line-up and joined by 18-year-old debutant Divine Mukasa.
And joining them were two other notable members of City’s Academy – Jaden and Reigan Heskey on what was to prove a magical evening for their family
Striker Jaden, our Elite Development Squad captain, was the first to be afforded his senior City bow, being summoned on after 76 minutes at the Accu Stadium.
Shortly after, younger brother Reigan, who is just 17, was also brought on from the bench with the pair able to play their part in helping City serenely progress through to the fourth round.
It was a landmark moment in City history – and one that the pair – the sons of former England and Liverpool star striker Emile Heskey - will never, ever forget.
And reflecting on the whole occasion, Jaden – who has this season taken up the reins as captain of our Under-21s – admitted being able to make his senior City bow together with his brother was beyond his wildest dreams.
“It was really crazy feeling. Yeah, just the whole moment was great getting onto the pitch,” the 19-year-old reflected.
“I got called over [to get ready] when we were 1-0 up and it was quite tight still. We were fighting for the second goal, so it was like a hostile environment with the fans and stuff.
“But just as I was about to come on, we scored the second. So that kind of settled the nerves a little bit.
“It was just great to get on the pitch. And the team and all the guys helped me out a lot and helped me settle. And I feel like I did alright.
“I’d first found out I was going to be involved in the squad the day before the game.
“That was on the day we were playing away at Bolton in the EFL Trophy.
“So, I came in thinking that I was going to be obviously playing that night against Bolton, but once I got in, I think I got told to train with the first team.
“And then that evening I got a message saying that I'd be in the squad.
“It was my first time obviously being in a professional game and involved in the squad
“I had obviously had the night before to prepare mentally and when it came, it was just a good experience to go through.
“Obviously just listening to Pep first hand was amazing. I always try to take as much as I can from that, whenever I get that opportunity. So yeah, it was great.”
Being able to make his first team debut in such circumstances was also going to be a moment that Jaden would never forget.
But the experience was then made even more memorable when younger brother Reigan joined him on the pitch for the final seven minutes.
The pair have shared their journey through the various age groups across City’s Academy.
But though the majority of their proud family were present at the game in West Yorkshire, work commitments meant Dad Emile was away on the other side of the world for his sons’ moment of history.
“For Reigan to then come on too, it was incredible,” Jaden added.
“Obviously, I didn't know I was coming on, but I didn't know Reigan was coming on as well.
“So, when I looked over and saw him coming on, I was thinking, yeah, this is great, and a lot of our family were there to see it.
“My dad's been away and was in Australia at the time, so he couldn't make it. But then obviously my mum, my Nan, my Grandad, cousins, Uncle, my little sisters, they were all there.
“So, it was a great moment. It was really good.
“Making my debut for this club given I've been here for pretty much all my life now. I think like 15 years nearly, it was a great moment.
“And yeah, I definitely cherish it.
“Having tasted it, I think it does make you even more determined to try and experience it again, it definitely does.
“I want to feel that feeling again. Just obviously have it more often. So yeah, it will definitely push me on more.
“The whole night and experience was crazy. I still don't think it's really settled in really just yet. But, yeah, it was great.”
Interview: Neil Leigh
Gloves Off: Maine Road, 1956
Continuing a new series, we find classic imagery of yesteryear with a brief note explaining the particular moment in time…
A meeting of two Manchester City greats as Bert Trautmann sit down for a chat with the equally great Frank Swift who kept goal for the Blues before the big German took over. It’s difficult to pinpoint the date exactly, but an educated guess would say that Frank, then working as a journalist for the News of the World, was getting a scoop ahead of the ’56 FA Cup final. Both these legendary keepers were FA Cup winners, with Swift part of the City side that beat Portsmouth 2-1 in 1934 and Trautmann – famously – playing the latter part of the 1956 cup final with a broken neck to ensure the Blues beat Birmingham City 3-1 at Wembley.
Two Manchester City legends captured with one simple photograph taken almost 70 years ago.
The Name is Bond…
If there was a pinch yourself moment working for Manchester City, it was in July 2011.
This (very privileged) journalist was on tour with the first team in California.
One of the goodwill ‘hearts and minds’ activations was on a glorious white sandy beach in Los Angeles where Robert Mancini and his players were attending a community project involving local youngsters.
Beach football in LA was more than enough to enjoy, but in attendance was none other than 007 himself, Timothy Dalton.
Dalton, a lifelong City fan, had been invited along to meet the team and living nearby, he was delighted to accept the offer.
I was tasked with getting an interview with Tim, which he was more than happy to do – he was a lovely guy, in fact.
He could also see what was on the horizon as he told me: "City are going to be special next season. I think they're going to be really special. We've got past potential now.
"The way they were playing towards the end of last season, I thought they were absolutely fantastic.
"They're really beginning to gel and I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do next season."
Of course, 10 months later we were crowned Premier League champions.
But, if I’m honest, while I like the James Bond movies, it was another film I wanted to speak with Tim off camera.
Namely Hot Fuzz, with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost – and a film that lines are used regularly between myself and some of my fellow journos at City HQ. More than occasionally in fact. Hag.
Dalton played the slimy supermarket owner Simon Skinner, part of a covert group of murderous village busy bodies who were determined to keep Sandford just the way they liked it – by any and every means necessary.
He laughed and recounted some memories from the film and before long, the beach football began with the City players and it was time to move on. What a day – and what a great bloke.
Words: David Clayton
John Stapleton
1946-2025
One of Manchester City’s biggest and most loyal supporters sadly passed away in September.
A genuinely nice man, with time for everyone, John Stapleton had been presenting on TV for several decades, and he never missed a chance to let the world know he was a staunchly proud Blue.
In 2008, we ran a short piece with John, recalling his first game and in his memory, here it is again, as it first appeared in the City Magazine…
One of the latest supporters to add their personal memory is GMTV anchorman John Stapleton ,who has been following the club for more than 50 years. The former Royal Television Society Presenter of the Year revealed his first brush with what would become a lifetime obsession was a 5-0 win over a North West side containing one of the game’s greatest players.
“My first memory of watching City was a game my father took me to when City played Blackpool who had Stanley Matthews in their team,” recalled John.
“That was back in 1953, believe it or not, and it was a heck of a journey because we lived in Saddleworth at the time and had to take two buses to get to Manchester and then get the trolley bus to Maine Road.
“In those days, youngsters who couldn’t see the match were placed on the tunnel wall – very dangerous and health and safety would have heart failure if they saw it now! That’s where I sat for most of the home matches as a kid. After a couple of games that was me – I was a City fan done and dusted! “
The thoughts of everyone at Manchester City are with John's family at this sad time.
CITC’s powerful new video on prison mentoring
The Club’s charity, City in the Community (CITC), has released a new video for its prison mentoring programme, City Ready.
Focusing on real prison inmates, the video captures the experiences of participants who share the impact of ‘City Ready’ in their own words.
City in the Community and HMP Hindley staff - who collaborated on the video - also explain the aims and objectives of the programme, which was launched in 2021.
You can watch the video of talking to the participant here.
Commenting on the release, Mentoring Manager, Jason El-Kaleh, said: “City Ready empowers healthier people by creating real change at a critical moment in a person’s life. Too often, adults leaving custody face stigma, limited opportunities, and the risk of falling back into old patterns.
“Through this programme, CITC combine multi-agency working with consistent mentoring and tailored support, ensuring each individual has someone to walk alongside them as they rebuild their confidence and skills.
“We are proud to have created this video alongside the HM Prison and Probation Service, with participant safeguarding front of mind.”
City Ready, which sits under the ‘Healthy People’ pillar, is delivered in HMP Hindley on a weekly basis with further targeted mentoring sessions taking place on release.
A non-judgemental approach is taken to help build strong, trusted relationships with young adults.
CITC’s City Ready sessions utilise a blended approach to support, delivering a combination of classroom-based group workshops and outdoor physical activity sessions to educate participants in areas such as mental wellbeing and employability.
Alongside this provision inside the prison, participants are also offered 12-weeks of bespoke mentoring with our specialist mentors, which aims to support their reintegration into communities across Greater Manchester.
The mentors support them with re-settling into the community, as well as helping to guide them towards employment opportunities, providing a platform to build on.
City in the Community would like to thank SOCIOS for it’s support of the City Ready programme.
City in the Community empowers healthier lives through football.
To find out more, visit www.mancity.com/citc or follow @citcmancity.
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