History

Read all about the history of the club, from their humble beginnings of St Marks Church to the World’s richest club.

1880 – St Mark’s Church football team evolve from the cricket team

1887 – St Mark’s move to their new ground on Hyde Road and are renamed Ardwick AFC in order to reflect the area.

1892 – Ardwick are founder members of the newly formed Second Division

1894 – In order to represent the entire City of Manchester, Ardwick is renamed Manchester City FC.

1899 – City become the first club to win automatic promotion to the first division.

1904 – First silverware for the blues as they beat Bolton at Crystal Palace to lift the FA Cup

1923 – Following WWI, City moved to their new purpose built ground at Maine Road after Hyde Road was destroyed by fire.

1926 – City are the first Manchester side to play in at Wembley. They also beat United 6-1 but are still relegated.

1928 – City are named the best supported Football League club in their promotion year.

1934 – City win FA Cup final against Portsmouth. They also record their highest ever attendance; 84,569 at Maine Road versus Stoke City

1937 – First league championship for the blues

During the war years, City played in the Northern Division. Old Trafford was bombed and the blues allowed them to use Maine Road but not the home changing room on derby day.

1947 – City win the second division championship

1949 – The MCFC supporters club is formed

1956 – After losing the FA Cup final in 1955, City returned to Wembley to beat Birmingham City 3-1. A certain Bert Trautmann unknowingly broke his neck during the game.

1958 – City’s legendary keeper Frank Swift is killed in the Munich air disaster.

1965 – Joe Mercer arrives at City and brings Malcolm Allison to the club.

1966 – City are promoted to the first division and the golden era begins.

1968 – In a nail-biting game at St James’s Park, City beat Newcastle 4-3 to win the first division title

1969 – Neil Young scores the winner as City beat Leicester City at Wembley in the FA Cup Final.

1970 – City win the League Cup and European Cup Winners Cup.

1976 – Dennis Tueart’s overhead kick wins the league Cup again for City

1979 – City sign their first million pound player in Steve McKenzie for £1.4m

1981 – John Bond leads City to Wembley and the 100th FA Cup final. The first game is drawn but Spurs win the replay thanks to a lucky goal from Ricky Villa.

1983 – City relegated to second division

1985 – City win promotion to first division, hammering Charlton Athletic 5-1 at Maine Road

1987 – City find themselves back in the second division. The blues thrash Huddersfield Town 10-1 at Maine Road.

1989 – Mel Machin guides the blues back to the first division and watches his team thrash an expensive Manchester United side 5-1. Machin is later sacked and replaced by Howard Kendall

1991 – Kendall leaves to rejoin Everton. Peter Reid takes charge and guides the club to a fifth place finish

1992 – Reid again guides City to fifth. Premier League formed and City are founder Members

1996 – After years of struggle, the blues are relegated from the Premiership

1998 – City suffer their worst ever season as the club are relegated to English football’s third tier for the first, only and last time.

1999 – Under Joe Royle, City win promotion via the play-offs and Paul Dickov’s late, great goal.

2000 – City achieve back-to-back promotions as they return to the Premiership with a 4-1 win at Ewood Park.

2001 – After one season in the Premiership, City go straight back down. Joe Royle is sacked and Kevin Keegan is installed as manager.

2002 – The blues storm to the first division championship, scoring 108 goals and amassing 99 points in the process

2003 – After 80 years, City say goodbye to Maine Road and move to their new stadium at Eastlands. Marc Vivien Foe becomes the last City player to score at Maine Road in a 3-0 win over Sunderland.

2004 – Keegan resigns as City manager and is replaced by Stuart Pearce, who comes within a penalty kick of taking City into Europe.

2005 – City starlet Shaun Wright-Phillips is sold to Chelsea for £21m

2007 – Stuart Pearce is sacked, Thaksin Shinawatra buys the club and Sven Goran Eriksson arrives at City. He guides the team to nine home wins in a row.

2008 – Sven is sacked and replaced by Mark Hughes, who brings prodigal son SWP back to Manchester. Abu Dhabi United Group buy the club from Shinawatra and immediately buy Robinho from Real Madrid for a British transfer record £32.5m

2009 – Club reach the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup. Hughes spends almost £100m on new players, including England star Gareth Barry, Argentina striker Carlos Tevez and Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor. Mark Hughes sacked as boss and replaced by Roberto Mancini.