1910 – City’s nearly season

Lets look through the window of time to another era…

Every member of the Tigernation worth his colours knows that City’s previous closest to the top division was back in depths of early Tigers history, in 1909-10. A draw at Oldham in that final day would see the Tigers play in the top flight of English football after just 5 seasons of existence, and it was all in their hands. Looking at the results of that second half of the season, the similarities are startling in comparison with now, up to that final day.

City had entered 1910 in a good position in top third of the table, and handily placed. City manager Ambrose Langley, realising he had too many gifted strikers in the squad – 6 into 5 didn’t go – he decided one had to give way. Alf Toward was the one to move on to new pastures, and Oldham picked him up for the princely sum of £350, quite a good deal for City. We shall meet Alf Toward again…

After losing to leaders Man City in the middle of January, City hit an inspiring run of form, winning 11 games from 12, and belting in 32 goals in that time. No doubt about it, they were the form team of the moment, and sat comfortably behind Man City on the morning of the 30th April, the final day of the season.

29 April

Man City P37, W23, D8, L6, F79, A37, Pts:54, GlAv:2.13
CITY     P37, W23, D7, L7, F80, A43, Pts:53, GlAv:1.86
Derby    P37, W22, D8, L7, F72, A47, Pts:52, GlAv:1.53
Oldham   P37, W22, D7, L8, F76, A39, Pts:51, GlAv:1.94

City needed ‘only a point’ as Man City were pretty much home and hosed and heading for the 1st division. It wasn’t going to be an easy point to get as Oldham were still in the mix for promotion themselves and were going for revenge after City had handed them a 4-0 thrashing at Anlaby Road, back in December. The other team chasing that 2nd place, Derby, were away at West Brom. It was a case of 3 into 1, as 5th placed Leicester had been left behind long ago, but who would it be?

Well, we all know what happened that fateful day. In front of nearly 30,000 spectators at Boundary Park, City’s vaunted forward line, which had given the team goals a-plenty that season (second only to Man City), they struck a blank as Oldham outplayed them and outscored them. What hurt as well was Alf Toward getting the opening goal, his 13th since joining the Latics, setting the scene for a game in which the City defence seemed to suffer a crisis of confidence.

At the end of the day, the final table stood thus:

30th April

Man City  P38, W23, D8, L7, F81, A40, Pts:54, GlAv:2.03
Oldham    P38, W23, D7, L8, F79, A39, Pts:53, GlAv:2.03
CITY      P38, W23, D7, L8, F80, A46, Pts:53, GlAv:1.74
Derby     P38, W22, D9, L7, F72, A47, Pts:53, GlAv:1.53
Leicester P38, W22, D4, L14,F79, A58, Pts:44, GlAv:1.36

As it turned out, Man City had lost 3-2, and Derby had drawn. One point. That was all. It turned out to be the start of nearly a century of hurt for the Tigers. The following season they were 5th, and up to WW1, City were only once lower than 7th. That time saw probably the strongest Tiger squads in the club`s whole history, and they were a force to be reckoned with.

Fast forward to 2008. City are on a pretty good run of form and matters are in their hands alone. Let’s hope City don’t do a final day collapse and miss out on goal difference, we’ve waited too long to suffer that heartbreak again.