Football League First Division (1967-68)
City end 31-year wait for top-flight glory
The 1967–68 season was the 69th completed season of the English Football League. For the first time since 1937 Manchester City won the league title, finishing two points clear of their local rivals Manchester United.
- Manager
- Joe Mercer (with Malcolm Allison as Assistant)
- Top Scorer
- Francis Lee (31 goals in all competitions)
- Key Playmaker
- Colin Bell ('The King')
- Final Matchday Position
- 1st
- Points System Era
- 2 points for a win
Lore & Background
Fulham finished bottom of the league and were relegated along with Sheffield United. Coventry City, in their first ever top flight season, escaped relegation by one point and would go on to stay in the top division until their eventual relegation at the end of the 2000–01 season.
In Their Own Story
The rain lashed down on Maine Road that fateful Saturday, turning the pitch into a churning cauldron of mud and pure emotion. The scoreboard screamed 5-0, but it was drowned out by a roar so deafening it seemed to shake the very foundations of the terraces. Colin Bell, his hair plastered to his forehead with rain and sweat, threw his arms wide as the final whistle blew, a gesture that transcended sport. Beside him, Mike Summerbee didn't just sprint; he flew toward the corner flag, not for a goal celebration, but to let the sheer weight of history finally lift off his shoulders. In the stands, an old man wept openly, a 31-year wait since 1937 finally ending in a single afternoon. The trophy was still sitting in a London office, waiting to be collected, but on that rain-slicked pitch under the grey Manchester sky, they were already kings. The city didn't just celebrate a win; it celebrated its own rebirth.
Reader's Guide
Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually replaced by goal difference, beginning with the 1976–77 season.
Did You Know?
- Manchester City won the league title for the first time since 1937.
- City finished two points clear of local rivals Manchester United.
- Coventry City survived relegation by one point in their first top flight season.
- Peterborough United were docked 19 points in the Fourth Division for offering irregular bonuses to their players.
More in Honours & Records
Elsewhere in the Manchester City universe
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