Manchester Derby Rivalry

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The first meeting between the two teams occurred on 12 November 1881, when St. Mark's (West Gorton) – who would later become Manchester City – hosted Newton Heath LYR – who would later become Manchester United. The game finished 3–0 in favour of Newton Heath and was described by the Ashton Reporter as "a pleasant game." Both clubs grew in stature as the 1880s progressed. The pair became the dominant teams in the Manchester area; the winner of the Manchester Cup was either Newton Heath or Ardwick every year between 1888 and 1893. Both teams joined the Football Alliance. Admission to the Football League finally came in 1892. The first Football League meeting between the teams came in the 1894–95 season, Newton Heath beating Manchester City 5–2 at Hyde Road. The first meeting between the clubs to take place at the highest level of English football occurred in December 1906, a 3–0 City win for which the gate receipts exceeded £1,000. At this time City were suffering the after-effects of a financial scandal in which the club were found guilty of making off-balance sheet payments to players. As a result, seventeen players were suspended, though the ban was not permanent—some were later reinstated or moved to other clubs. When the suspensions ended in January 1907, four players (Jimmy Bannister, Herbert Burgess, Billy Meredith and Sandy Turnbull) joined United, where they helped United gain their first league title in 1908. The following season Turnbull became the first player to be sent off in a derby. Before the Second World War, many football supporters in Manchester watched City one week and United the next. After the war, a stronger rivalry developed and following both teams became uncommon. The first floodlit Manchester derby was played on 26 February 1889 at the Belle Vue Athletic Ground. Wells electric lights were placed around the ground and a crowd of 10,000 watched Newton Heath defeat Ardwick 3–2. The first competitive floodlit derby was the 1956 FA Charity Shield match, played at Maine Road because Old Trafford had yet to install lights. Manchester derbies in the 1970s saw two controversial incidents. In the December 1970 derby, a tackle by United's George Best broke the leg of City's Glyn Pardoe; the severity of the injury almost resulted in the City defender losing his leg. The following season, an entertaining 3–3 draw saw Francis Lee accuse Best of

In Their Own Story

The 1980s began with a 2–2 draw at Old Trafford between the two sides on 27 September 1980. By 1982–83, United finished third in the league and won the FA Cup, while City were relegated. The Old Trafford derby on 23 October 1982 ended in a 2–2 draw, but United won the return game at Maine Road 2–1 on 5 March 1983. City regained their First Division status for the 1985–86 season, and hosted United at Maine Road on 14 September 1985. United won this game 3–0, to extend their winning start to the league season to eight games. They would go on to win all of their opening 10 games and lead the First Division table into the new year, but eventually finished fourth. Although City finished 15th in the league this season, they did come to Old Trafford on 22 March 1986 and hold the hosts to a 2–2 draw, costing them two vital points as their title hopes continued to fade. 1986–87 brought relegation for City, while United finished 11th in a season which saw them replace Ron Atkinson with Alex Ferguson as manager on 6 November 1986. One of Atkinson's last games in charge of United was the visit to Maine Road in the league on 25 October, which ended in a 1–1 draw. Alex Ferguson first faced City as United manager on 10 January 1987 in the third round of the FA Cup, which United won 1–0. The league clash at Old Trafford came on 7 March 1987, which United won 2–0 to push City closer to eventual relegation. The 1980s ended on a high note for City as they won promotion back to the First Division in 1989 and were paired with United for the derby match at Maine Road on 23 September 1989, just weeks into the 1989–90 season. City defeated United 5–1, but this would be their last win over United for 13 years. In the 1990s, United dominated the fixture, going unbeaten in derbies for the full decade. In 1990–91, the Maine Road clash in October delivered a pulsating 3–3 draw, but the return match at Old Trafford in early May saw United win 1–0 and the only goal of the game came from 17-year-old winger Ryan Giggs, scoring the first senior goal of his career. The 1991–92 derbies were a goalless draw at Maine Road in mid-November and a 1–1 draw at Old Trafford in early April. The first Manchester derby following the creation of the Premier League for the 1992–93 season was a 2–1 win for United at Old Trafford on 6 December 1992. Making his United debut on that day was new signing Eric Cantona, who would go on to score eight goals in Manchester derbies over the next four seasons – the first in the return match at Maine Road that March which ended in a 1–1 draw. 1993–94 saw one of the finest Manchester derbies ever, when United overturned a 2–0 deficit at Maine Road to win 3–2, with Eric Cantona scoring twice. Cantona scored a double on St George's Day as United won 2–0 at Old Trafford.

Did You Know?

• The first floodlit Manchester derby was played on 26 February 1889 at the Belle Vue Athletic Ground, with Wells electric lights and a crowd of 10,000.
• In the December 1970 derby, a tackle by United's George Best broke the leg of City's Glyn Pardoe, almost resulting in the City defender losing his leg.
• Denis Law's back-heeled goal for City against United on the penultimate day of the 1973–74 season was his last appearance in league football.
• The first competitive floodlit derby was the 1956 FA Charity Shield match, played at Maine Road because Old Trafford had yet to install lights.
• City defeated United 5–1 at Maine Road on 23 September 1989, but this would be their last win over United for 13 years.