A Ballet On Ice was cold comfort for Blues fans
THE hardy fans who braved the snow and ice at Maine Road on December 9, 1967 to see City play Spurs had no idea what they were about to witness. The match was in doubt, snow had been cleared from the pitch and further falls were forecast.
Few thought scintillating football would be the order of the day.
How wrong they were. City delivered a masterclass that has gone down in club folklore as one of the best matches ever seen at Maine Road. They destroyed Spurs 4-1 in what has become known as the ‘Ballet on Ice.’
While Spurs stuttered, City danced round them with skill and verve.
The crowd of 35,972 was in a state of awe. Millions more saw the First Division clash on TV as the game was televised for BBC’s Match of the Day.
City started the match second to Spurs in the league. They were keen for a win to close the three point gap. But Tottenham took an early lead through Jimmy Greaves.
Colin Bell equalized before half time and then City laid siege to the Spurs goal in the second half.
Goals followed from Mike Summerbee, Tony Coleman and Neil Young. The margin of victory would have been greater had it not been for a series of fine saves from Spurs’ keeper Pat Jennings.
City skipper Tony Book reckoned City’s win was partly down to a dodge he’d learned while playing for non-league club Peasedown St John.
Whenever pitches were icy, players would take the top layer of leather off their studs, exposing the small nails that held them together.
This gave them extra grip. Referees didn’t inspect boots back then, so the tactic was never spotted. Our picture shows Summerbee and Francis Lee raiding the Spurs goal as the snow once again began to fall.
City celebrated another memorable December victory away at West Ham in 1969.
England and Hammers skipper Bobby Moore looks aghast in our photo as the visitors romped to a 4-0 win. Behind him is England colleague Martin Peters.
Ian Bowyer scored twice for City with the other goals coming from Mike Doyle and Lee.
Manchester United celebrated their own 4-1 triumph over Spurs in December 1963.
The occasion was the second Round, second leg, of the European Cup Winners’ Cup at Old Trafford.
There were two goals apiece for Bobby Charlton and David Herd, with Spur’s reply again coming from Greaves.
United lost the away leg 2-0, so the aggregate score was 4-3.
Two United legends were reunited when the Red Devils faced Stoke in their First Division clash at Old Trafford three days earlier.
In our photo, Denis Law gives former teammate Dennis Viollet a pat on the head after scoring four in United’s 5-2 victory.
On the left, leaving the pitch almost unnoticed, is another footballing giant – the old maestro himself, Stanley Matthews.
Law was again on the score sheet when United faced City in the second leg of the League Cup Semi Final on December 19, 1969.
The biggest crowd of the season - 63,418 – saw United draw 2-2 with their local rivals with the second goal coming from Paul Edwards.
United had lost the first leg 2-1, so City progressed 4-3 to the final where they beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 at Wembley.
December 6, 1992 saw the start of something big at Old Trafford when United again faced local rivals City at Old Trafford in the Premier League.
Making his competitive debut for United in the Sunday lunchtime match was none other than Eric Cantona, newly signed from Leeds United.
Cantona came on for Ryan Giggs in the 45th minute as United won 2-1.
The scorers on the day were Paul Ince and Mark Hughes for United with Niall Quinn replying for City.
Cantona got his first United goal 13 days later in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Finally in our round-up are two festive fun shots involving United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
In the first he’s sharing a joke with Bryan Robson and former Liverpool manager Bob Paisley on the team coach on Boxing Day 1986.
United were on their way to play Liverpool at Anfield. They won 1-0 with a goal from Norman Whiteside.
In the second photo, taken on New Year’s Eve 1993, Sir Alex is celebrating the birthday he shares with former United captain Steve Bruce. Both were born on December 31.
Many more memorable images of the past can be found in Clive Hardy’s brilliant new book Around Manchester in the 1970s.
It’s crammed with more than 300