1956
William ‘Billy’ Spurdle nets the only goal of the game in a triumph over Huddersfield.
The wing-half, who joined City from Oldham for £12,000, made 160 league appearances for the Blues, scoring 32 goals.
After seeing his new club suffer relegation in his first season, he helped Les McDowall’s side to promotion from the Second Division in the 1950-51 campaign.
In 1953, he finished as the Blues’ joint top scorer (along with Johnny Williamson) with 12 goals.
Two years later, he featured in the 1955 FA Cup final (at right-back due to an injury to Jimmy Meadows) but missed the 1956 clash at Wembley due to an outbreak of boils.
Born in Guernsey, Spurdle moved to Oldham to escape Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Channel Islands, and served in the Royal Navy.
1976
City recover from a 1-0 first-leg deficit to thrash Middlesbrough 4-0 at Maine Road in the League Cup semi-final second leg.
Early goals from Ged Keegan and Alan Oakes quickly give the Blues an aggregate lead and further strikes from Peter Barnes and Joe Royle send the Blues to the final to face Newcastle United.
Barnes would score again at Wembley, with Dennis Tueart’s remarkable over-head kick proving to be the winner.
1978
Brian Kidd bags a brace at Carrow Road as City clinch a 3-1 win at Norwich.
The forward heads home twice from close range to give the Blues a two-goal cushion before Roger Gibbins halves the deficit.
Gary Owen adds the visitors’ third, collecting a poor clearance on the edge of the box and smashing into the far corner.
1989
Wayne Biggins scores twice in a 4-1 thrashing of Hull.
The striker breaks the deadlock, heading home Andy Hinchcliffe’s cross, before Paul Moulden doubles the advantage with another header - this time from Mark Seagraves’ delivery.
Biggins makes it 3-0, converting from close range after Brian Gayle’s effort was cleared off the line and David White adds a fourth, muscling his way into the area and clipping over the goalkeeper.
Keith Edwards nets a consolation penalty for the visitors, but there is to be no comeback as City continue their promotion push.
The Blues would go up in second place.
2009
Nigel de Jong arrives at the Etihad Stadium from Hamburg.
The midfield enforcer would go on to become a firm fans’ favourite during his three and a half years in a City shirt.
An integral member of the side that lifted the FA Cup in 2011 and ended the 44-year wait for the title in spectacular fashion in 2012, the Dutchman turned out 137 times for the Blues and scored two goals.
A World Cup finalist during his time at the club, De Jong moved on to AC Milan in August 2012 and made his last appearance for City in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.
2014
City book their place in the Capital One Cup final with a 3-0 semi-final second-leg win at West Ham.
With a stunning 6-0 triumph in the first-leg, the Blues’ progression to Wembley looked all but certain, though Manuel Pellegrini’s men are in no mood to take risks.
They are merciless and take the lead inside three minutes, quelling any fear of a Hammers comeback.
Alvaro Negredo breaks the deadlock, heading in Marcos Lopes’ cross, and the young Portuguese starlet is involved again 20 minutes later, threading through to Sergio Aguero who adds the second.
Negredo puts the icing on the cake just before the hour-mark, bursting forward and clipping over Jussi Jaaskelainen from a tight angle, handing City a 9-0 aggregate lead.
The Blues would go on to defeat Sunderland in the final.
