October 14th
1953: ‘Let there be light’ – and there was – as midweek evening games became an atmospheric new addition to the English league season.
Four towering floodlights erected at Maine Road could be seen for miles and put a new landmark on the South Manchester skyline.
The inaugural floodlit match was a friendly against Hearts on 14 October that same year. The Blues wore special ‘shiny shirts’ for the evening and won an entertaining game 6–3 in front of almost 24,000 curious fans.
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The innovative lighting brought Manchester United to Maine Road to play various friendlies and European Cup games until Old Trafford had their own installed in 1957.
1985: Gordon Davies, Mark Lillis, Graham Baker and Paul Power are all on target as City thrash Leeds United 6-1 in the Full Members’ Cup at Maine Road – though only 4.029 are there to see it.
The Blues, clearly taking the competition more seriously, go all the way to Wembley where they lose 5-4 to Chelsea in a thrilling final.
2010: Malcolm Allison passes away aged 83. Allison arrived at City in 1965 as assistant manager to Joe Mercer.
City subsequently went on to win the Second Division crown in 1966, the League title in 1968, FA Cup in 1969 and European Cup Winners’ Cup and League Cup in 1970.
Allison managed 11 clubs at home and abroad, including the Blues for a second time in 1979 before leading Sporting Lisbon to the Portuguese League and Cup in 1982.
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He took charge of Crystal Palace on two separate occasions, and also had spells as manager of Bath, Plymouth, Galatasaray, Toronto City, Middlesbrough and Bristol Rovers.
2017: City were in red-hot form as we thrashed Stoke 7-2 at the Etihad Stadium to go two points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
There were six different goalscorers for the hosts, with Gabriel Jesus the only player to score twice, and his 17th-minute opener was swiftly followed by Raheem Sterling‘s strike (19) before David Silva netted in the 27th minute to see City race into a 3-0 lead.
Stoke fought back with two goals either side of half-time but that brief blip stirred City back into action as they netted their next three goals in just six minutes, Jesus adding his second (56) before Fernandinho (60) and Leroy Sane (62) got their names on the scoresheet, with Bernardo Silva (79) completing the rout.
2018: Nikita Parris and Georgia Stanway both scored twice as Manchester City crushed West Ham at the Academy Stadium.
Caroline Weir volleyed the home side ahead before England forward Parris beat Becky Spencer with a back-header.
She then rounded Spencer to net her second, before Brianna Visalli almost pulled one back when she hit the post.
Stanway’s double came either side of a Steph Houghton header, and Tessa Wullaert rounded things off after Esmee de Graaf’s consolation strike.
