Royle on lowest of City lows
THE gallows humour was evident as Manchester City slipped into football’s third tier, with their fans chanting: “Are you watching Macclesfield?!”
It was May 1998 and Macclesfield’s Moss Rose, Oldham’s Boundary Park and Lincoln City’s Sincil Bank – as opposed to today’s excursions to Real Madrid’s Bernabeu, Barcelona’s Nou Camp and Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena – were on the horizon.
And on December 19, 1998 York City’s Bootham Crescent witnessed Manchester City’s nadir as Joe Royle’s side lost 2-1 and sunk to 12th place in League One – the lowest position in their history.
“I was never a cup or plate thrower, which was just as well because we couldn’t have afforded any replacements,” Royle recalled. “It was the same with some of the players. They weren’t good enough but we had to make do.
“We talked it through and thankfully that was the turning point. We somehow managed to qualify for the play-offs.”
Even then, at Wembley against Gillingham, all seemed lost as City trailed 2-0, only to score twice in added-time through Kevin Horlock and Paul Dickov, before winning promotion on penalties.
Royle said: “Two City fans stopped for petrol on their way back from Wembley, having left near the end with us 2-0 down and hadn’t put the car radio on.
“The cashier said to them that they must be happy. They looked at him incredulously, wondering what he was on about.
“When he informed them we had won on penalties, they raced to the car to switch the radio on to hear the confirmation.”
Royle maintains one of his signings back in the day paved the way for a present-day superstar joining City.
He added: “I did bring Alfie Haaland in – and I think his time at City played a part in bringing his son Erling to the club.”