Powering their way towards the league title, City were irrepressible against the North Londoners and made a mockery of the icy, slippery conditions with a display of grace, skill and attacking football at its very best.
But City knew something Spurs didn’t, and we’ll reveal it at the end of our latest DNA feature.
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The match was actually in some doubt until just before kick-off and could have been called-off, but thankfully, the officials decided the ground beneath the snow was firm, but not rock hard and so gave the go ahead.
The Match of the Day cameras rushed to Moss Side for one of the nation’s few games to be played that day (December 9) and more than 35,000 City fans were delighted to have their Saturday afternoon match when so many others had been called off.
They were also treated to a game that would go down in club folklore.
Tottenham were a side packed with quality, with four future managers in their side, they also had intelligence and wisdom in their ranks and it was they who drew first blood with the lethal Jimmy Greaves putting the visitors into a 7th-minute lead.
City’s performance against Spurs on a wintry, snow-covered Maine Road pitch back in 1967 epitomised all that was great about Joe Mercer’s all-conquering side.
Powering their way towards the league title, City were irrepressible against the North Londoners and made a mockery of the icy, slippery conditions with a display of grace, skill and attacking football at its very best.
The match was actually in some doubt until just before kick-off and could have been called-off, but thankfully, the officials decided the ground beneath the snow was firm, but not rock hard and so gave the go ahead.
The Match of the Day cameras rushed to Moss Side for one of the nation’s few games to be played that day (December 9) and more than 35,000 City fans were delighted to have their Saturday afternoon match when so many others had been called off.
They were also treated to a game that would go down in club folklore.
Tottenham were a side packed with quality, with four future managers in their side, they also had intelligence and wisdom in their ranks and it was they who drew first blood with the lethal Jimmy Greaves putting the visitors into a 7th-minute lead.
The prolific striker followed a Terry Venables’ free kick from the edge of the box and with his poacher’s instinct, found himself on the edge of the six-yard box with the ball at his feet where he then comfortably placed the ball past Ken Mulhearn for a surprise lead.
City, however, were in no mood to roll over.
With the snow falling heavily, the Blues launched an attack featuring Mike Doyle, Franny Lee and Tony Coleman. Coleman’s cross caused a goalmouth scramble and Mullery deflected the ball to Colin Bell smashed the ball home from 18 yards out for a deserved equaliser.
Shortly after, Mike Summerbee sent in a cross to the edge of the box and Neil Young’s stinging volley was well saved by a young Pat Jennings, the last real action of note in an entertaining first half.
Top scorer Young, having a superb game, must have thought he wasn’t destined to get on the score sheet when he sent another shot from 30 yards out, only to see it crash against the bar and bounced to safety.
Young then found Summerbee with a perfect cross and the right-winger rose between two defenders to head the ball past Jennings and put the City ahead for the first time in the match.
From that point on, Spurs never stood a chance. With City in majestic flow, the visitors had no answer to constant wave of attacks.
In the 64th minute, City increased their lead with a move that started with keeper Mulhearn and never once touched a Spurs player.
Tony Book found Lee who fed the ball to Summerbee just inside the Tottenham half. Lee scampered down the flank to receive Summerbee’s clever return ball and whipped a wicked cross-shot that hit the foot of the post.
The enigmatic Tony Coleman was following up and was presented with the easiest of chances to volley the ball into the back of the net and virtually seal the points.
Dispirited Spurs fell yet further adrift Bell’s shot was parried by Jennings and the ball fell to Young who finally scored the goal his all-round play richly deserved.
Both Young and Coleman hit the post with successive shots as the Blues attempted to pile the misery on for Tottenham but there was to be no more scoring.
Later, the game was dubbed ‘The Ballet on Ice’ and it would later be revealed by skipper Book that he had advised his team-mates to unscrew their studs to leave just the tips of a metal thread showing, effectively making the boots perfect to grip the ice and snow.
It was an old trick he’d been taught while at Bath City during his non-League days.
That proved to be the difference on the day and while the Londoners skidded, slipped and tumbled, City played the ball around as though there wasn’t a snowflake in sight...
