‘A Life Less Ordinary’ might have been a better title and while the Club Ambassador recovers from surgery, what better time than now to remind everyone how Buzzer has been at the heart and soul of the Blues for the best part of 45 years?
As you can see from the image above, Mike has always been one for the latest gadgets and yes, people really did have record players in their cars back in the sixties! Kids, think iPods but ten times bigger and l00 times less convenient!
Always at the forefront of fashion, Mike and England colleagues Allan Clarke, Alan Ball, Bobby Moore and Martin Peters pass through London Heathrow on their way to a World Cup qualifier in Poland. Jackets over shoulders was de rigueur...
Then there was the time Buzzer skippered City at Wembley in the 1974 League Cup Final against Wolves under the ill-fated reign of Ron Saunders. Wolves boss Bill McGarry leads out his team who go on to win 2-1.
From the same game, Buzzer argues the toss - literally - with Wolves skipper Mike Bailey. The vivid colours, the pitch - the shorts - it could only be 1970s football. If that 10p had landed the other way up, who knows what might have happened...?
Fashion - Buzzer lives and breathes it. This was the shop on Deansgate in Manchester that he part-owned with Northern Ireland (and United) legend George Best. The pair were pretty much inseperable during the late sixties. ‘Edwardia’ has long since gone and is a coffee shop these days...
As if to illustrate the Best/Buzzer friendship, the pair posed for pics prior to a festive derby when, as the cliche goes, all friendship was forgotten for 90 minutes. This was possibly a forerunner of the Santa Stroll, too.
Of course, it was on the pitch where Mike really came to life and, pictured in front of a demolished stand - soon to be rebuilt as the North Stand - Buzzer chats with Franny Lee after a Maine Road training session, all under the watchful eye of coach Malcolm Allison.
All in all, a taster of Buzzer’s playing days with City. Get well soon, Mike!
