CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 2021
Who played for Manchester City 51 years ago in the European Cup Winners' Cup Final?
Ahead of the 2021 Champions League final for Guardiola's men against Chelsea, we look back at the side that featured in a European final half a century ago.
For younger readers, or those opposition fans that take joy from pointing the finger, Manchester City is all about the mega-money that has poured in over recent years from Abu Dhabi. But the club that was founded all the way back in 1880 under the name of St. Mark's, it then became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and finally Manchester City in 1894, and it has a rich history to be told.
Arguably the most famous moment across the club’s more than hundred years was the UEFA Cup Winners Cup final at the end of the 1969/70 season. In that the Sky Blues took on Polish side Górnik Zabrze - a much less renowned club these days - at the Prater Stadium in Vienna, Austria. City won the match 2-1 with the goals coming from Neil Young and a penalty from Francis Lee. Pep Guardiola’s current set of global superstars are favourites to end the fact that, to date, this is the club’s only European trophy.
Champions League news:
Manchester City 1970 Cup Winners Cup team
In goal on that late April day in Vienna was England’s Joe Corrigan. Actually, as was more customary in times gone by, every City player that featured in front of the near 8,000 spectators was English.
The defence comprised of Glyn Pardoe on the left, Tommy Booth and George Heslop in the centre, and Tony Book at right back. Book also captained the side, while Heslop had been brought into the team to replace star winger Mike Summerbee who was injured, and forced a slight team readjustment.
A three-man midfield of Mike Doyle, Alan Oakes and Tony Towers was asked by manager Joe Mercer to get control of the game while allowing the more attacking players to cause damage to the opposition, which they surely did. Colin Bell on the right, Neil Young on the left and Francis Lee through the middle helped the team to a two-goal advantage at half-time, and despite conceding midway through the second half they saw the game out and lifted the famous trophy.
Man City starting XI - 1970 Cup Winners Cup Final
Joe Corrigan; Tony Book (c), Tommy Booth, George Heslop, Glyn Pardoe; Mike Doyle (subbed 23'), Alan Oakes, Tony Towers; Colin Bell, Francis Lee, Neil Young
(Used sub. Ian Bowyer 23')
Man City starting XI - 2021 Champions League Final (predicted)
Ederson; Walker, Stones, Rúben Dias, Zinchenko; Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Gündogan; Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden