The 50 greatest Manchester City players

redout

50. David White
1985-1993, 342 total appearances, 96 goals
Some may chortle at his inclusion but there was a spell in the early 1990s when White was unstoppable. No, really. He was prolific for a few seasons in my formative years with a eye for goal and pace to burn. There was an admittedly rubbish terrace chant that went “David White is f****** fast, oh David White is f****** fast…” Having seen him in a recent Masters tournament you could probably drop the “s” from the last word of that song; he’s carrying a little extra these days.

49. Rodney Marsh
1972-1975, 152 appearances, 47 goals
Marsh signed for City in 1972 for a then club record £200,000. Upon signing Marsh, City were four points clear at the top of the table but by the end of the season had slipped to fourth. Marsh himself has since claimed that it was he who cost the club the league title that year, with his style simply not suiting that of the team. He nevertheless became one of City's star players, scoring 19 goals in 1972-73 and often dazzling the crowd with his skills. Marsh led the club to a League Cup final in 1974, though he was on the losing side as City were beaten by Wolves.

48. Robinho
2008- present
A tricky one this as he is probably one of the best 20 players in the world at present and our record signing (by a country mile). But he has played less than a season in the sacred blue shirt and his form has been indifferent; sublime at home, often anonymous away. Then again, I couldn’t have, say, David White in the top 50 and leave Robinho out, could I?

47. Kazimierz Deyna
1978-1981, 43 appearances, 13 goals
Deyna was captain of the Polish national side and joined City in 1978, one of the first wave of overseas players to play in the English league. His time at the club was marred by injury and he left in 1981 having managed only 38 appearances. However, he was an exceptionally gifted playmaker and became a cult figure with City fans. His life was tragically cut short in a car accident in 1989.

46. Ken Barnes
1950-1961, 283 appearances, 19 goals
Barnes was a half back who played for City in the 1950s and flourished under the Revie Plan. He played in back-to-back FA Cup finals in 1955 and 1956 before joining Wrexham in 1961. He came back to the club in a variety of roles and oversaw the FA Youth Cup winning side of 1986. His son Peter also played for the Blues.

45. Tommy Hutchison
1981-1982, 60 appearances, 5 goals
The hugely talented Scot joined City from Coventry in 1981 and went on to become the only player to score at either end in an FA Cup Final as City drew 1-1 with Spurs that season. City fans are still forced to endure endless re-runs of Ricky Villa’s mazy dribble in the replay but Hutchison’s bullet diving header never really got the credit it deserved as one of the great FA Cup final goals.

44. Gary Owen
1975-1979, 124 appearances, 23 goals
The talented midfielder broke into the City side in 1975, aged just 17, and soon became a popular figure with supporters. Depressingly, he was sold to West Bromwich Albion just four years later, during Malcolm Allison’s disastrous second spell in charge of the club.

43. Trevor Francis
1981-1982, 29 appearances, 14 goals
England’s first £1million player, but his time at City was shortlived and shambolic. City were unable to afford the transfer fee or Francis’s wages, but manager John Bond threatened to resign if City did not buy him. Chairman Peter Swales duly obliged but his season was hampered by injuries and he was sold to Sampdoria after just 26 appearances. His debut against Stoke, when he scored twice, is still remembered fondly by City fans.

42. Bobby Johnstone
1955-1959, 139 appearances, 51 goals
Johnstone is perhaps best remembered as being one the Hibernian “Famous Five” but he enjoyed a successful spell at City between 1955-59. He became the first player to score in successive Cup Finals before returning to Hibs and, later, Oldham Athletic.

41. Eyal Berkovic
2001-2004, 67 appearances, 9 goals
Perhaps not revered in the same way as his contemporary Ali Bernabia, Berkovic was often the catalyst in the most aesthetically pleasing City side I’ve seen. Pivotal in the 2002-03 promotion campaign under Keegan, Berkovic carried that form into the Premiership and the way he dominated the midfield in the two Manchester derbies in our first season back in the top flight (against adversaries such as Paul Scholes, in his pomp no less) is a testament to his ability.

40. Willie Donachie
1968-1980, 436 appearances, 2 goals
Donachie spent 12 years at City and was an able replacement for Glyn Pardoe, whose career was cut short by injury. Donachie was a full Scotland international, gaining 35 caps and appearing in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. He returned to City in 1998 as Joe Royle’s assistant manager before leaving for a similar role at Sheffield Wednesday.

39. Niall Quinn
1990-1996, 244 appearances, 77 goals
div#related-article-links p a, div#related-article-links p a:visited {color:#06c;}I remember feeling underwhelmed when we signed Quinn but he established himself as a cult figure in City’s recent history. Despite having relatively limited ability he was devastatingly effective in Peter Reid’s dour long-ball system and his drinking prowess, along with being a genuinely nice guy, will live long in Manchester folklore. His disco pants have been immortalised in our repertoire of songs, even though Sunderland fans shamelessly try to take the credit for it.

38. Max Woosnam
1919-1923, 93 appearances, 4 goals
Woosnam was a quite remarkable all-round sportsman. Not content with captaining City (and indeed England), he was also a Cambridge Blue five times, Wimbledon doubles champion, Davis Cup captain, Olympic tennis gold medallist and a Lords' centurion. Not a bad career, all things considered.

37. Denis Law
1960-1961, 1973-1974, 82 appearances, 38 goals
Obviously more famous for his time at Manchester United, Law’s inclusion on this list is open to some debate as he spent only two seasons at City, either side of his career at Old Trafford. He merits a place purely for that magical moment when he backheeled United into division two in 1974 with his last kick in professional football.

36. Tony Book
1966-1974, 315 appearances, 5 goals
Book came into the professional game relatively late, having played much of his career in non-league football, and joined City aged 31. He went on to become the most decorated captain in City’s history, winning four trophies between 1968-71, and also had a successful spell as City manager in the late 1970s.

35. Uwe Rosler
1994-1998, 177 appearances, 64 goals
div#related-article-links p a, div#related-article-links p a:visited {color:#06c;}“Der Bomber”, as he was affectionately known, arrived at City to little fanfare but soon endeared himself to the fans by scoring a number of crucial goals in the 1993-94 season. Inspired a t-shirt that read 'Uwe’s grandad bombed Old Trafford” (the stadium was damaged extensively by German bombing in 1941, forcing United to play at Maine Road after the war), which only endeared him further to City fans.

34. Shaun Goater
1998-2003, 212 appearances, 103 goals
Never the most technically gifted player (quite the opposite in fact), Goater merits inclusion as a cult icon as much as anything. Not that this should detract from an impressive goalscoring record, you understand. 103 goals for a club in the modern era is an impressive feat, although that many of these were scored in the lower leagues and came off his backside, shin or chin means that he doesn’t rank higher. Nonetheless, a genuinely nice guy and an ambassador for the club.

33. Ali Bernabia
2001-2003, 78 appearances, 11 goals
Despite making relatively few appearances for the Blues, Bernabia captured the hearts of the City faithful in the short time he was with the club. Outrageously gifted, I’ll forever lament the fact we didn’t pick him up when he was younger. A wonderful footballer.

32. Richard Dunne
2000-present
Again perhaps a surprising choice given his recent calamitous form (I think he’s on a one-man crusade to top the number of own goals and red cards a player can achieve in a season) but it’d be folly to overlook the fact that he has won an unprecedented four back-to-back player of the season awards. At his imperious best he is a rock and revels in the face of adversity. At his worst he can be comically bad. In many ways he personifies City.

31. Don Revie
1951-1956, 178 appearances, 41 goals
Despite his associations with dirty Leeds, Revie was a hugely influential player during his time at City and was awarded the football writers' Player of the Year award in 1955. City's tactic of playing a deep-lying centre forward (Revie’s position) became known as the “Revie Plan” and transformed the way the game was played in this country.

30. Shaun Wright-Phillips
1999-2005, 2008-present
What’s not to love about the little fella? OK, that’s inherently patronising, but the way he jumped ship to Chelsea left a sour taste. At least he’s back now, and at a net profit of £13million, so I’m not complaining. I like to think he was deliberately rubbish for Chelsea just to save us a few bob when we signed him back. The prodigal son has returned.

29. Nicolas Anelka
2002-2005, 101 appearances, 45 goals
In many respects I was loathe to include Anelka in this list as he is perhaps the most petulant, arrogant, moody player I’ve seen in a City shirt (save for Joey Barton). Unlike Barton, however, he was blessed with a natural ability that elevates him above more balanced peers. You don’t play for Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid unless you have something about you. I’ll conveniently ignore the fact that he also played for Bolton…

28. Fred Tilson
1928-1938, 276 appearances, 132 goals
Scored a brace in the 1934 FA Cup Final to seal a 2-1 victory over Portsmouth. City had been trailing by a goal, and young keeper Frank Swift was feeling culpable for the goal conceded. “Tha don’t need to worry, I’ll plonk in two in the next half,” Tilson reassured him at half-time and was true to his word, with goals in the 75th and 78th minutes.

27. Paul Power
1975-1986, 445 appearances, 36 goals
Power was a versatile player who could play in both defence and midfield, and spent 11 years at his boyhood team. He possessed a steely, slightly mental stare, with one journalist describing him as looking like he’d offered to break in a pair of contact lenses for a mate and forgotten to take them out. Now involved extensively with City’s academy.

26. Roy Clarke
1947-1958, 349 appearances, 73 goals
Clarke arrived at City in 1946 and ended up spending the next fifty years with the club (first as a player, then assistant coach, followed by pools promoter, social club manager and later still as one of the founders of the ex-players association). The Welsh outside-left helped City to successive FA Cup Finals in the 1950s.

25. Sam Cowan
1924-1935, 407 appearances, 24 goals
The only City player to have appeared in three Cup Finals, Cowan captained the club in the 1930s and went on to become the team manager. Cowan was an excellent motivator and no-nonsense defender, famed for his heading ability.

24. Paul Lake
1986-1996, 134 appearances, 11 goals
A sublimely gifted footballer whose career was cut short by injury. Lake was a Manchester lad and City through and through. Some City fans have called him our Duncan Edwards, in that he was a prodigiously talented youngster who never fulfilled his natural talent. An inappropriate analogy perhaps, but one can’t help wonder what he could have achieved but for his unfortunate injuries. Equally comfortable in defence or midfield, he had the world at his feet.

23. Dave Ewing
1952-1962, 303 appearances, 1 goal
Holds the club record for number of own goals, although Richard Dunne is fast approaching him, and played in both the 1955 and 1956 FA Cup Finals. Ewing was a ferocious defender, and was not only big in stature but also had a generosity of spirit about him. Came back to the club in a coaching role in 1970, and passed away in 1999.

22. Glyn Pardoe
1950-61, 380 appearances, 22 goals
Pardoe became City’s youngest ever player when he made his debut in 1962 and made the left back position his own in the most successful era in City’s history, playing alongside his cousin Alan Oakes. His career was cut short by a broken leg after an horrific tackle by George Best.

21. Asa Hartford
1974-1979, 1981-1984, 321 appearances, 36 goals
Hartford's high-profile transfer to Leeds in 1971 fell through when it was discovered at the medical that he had a hole in his heart. Their loss was our gain, however, when he joined City in 1974. A strong, talented midfielder, Hartford helped City to win the League Cup in 1976 before being sold, controversially, by Malcolm Allison in 1979. He returned to City in 1981 for a second, less successful spell at the club.

20. Horace Barnes
1914-24, 308 appearances, 198 goals
Barnes had a phenomenal goalscoring record and was also the first City scorer at Maine Road. He possessed a fearsome shot and, according to legend, he once hit a free-kick with so much force that it broke the goalkeeper's wrists. Similar to Nedum Onuoha’s midweek thunderbolt against FC Copenhagen then…

19. Johnny Crossan
1965-67, 110 appearances, 28 goals
Crossan was an important member of the 1965-66 team that won the second division and was Joe Mercer’s first captain. He had a huge influence in the dressing-room and helped to lay the foundations for City’s most successful period, although sadly injury limited his time at City to just two full seasons.

18. Roy Paul
1950-1957, 294 appearances, 9 goals
The Welshman was a determined and fearless wing-half, who led City to successive FA Cup Finals in 1955 and 1956. After the disappointment of losing to Newcastle in 1955, the defiant Paul vowed that City would be back the following year and was true to his word.

17. Dennis Tueart
1974-1978, 1979-1983, 275 appearances, 109 goals
Famous for his spectacular overhead kick in the 1976 League Cup final, Tueart was a classy winger who scored an impressive 86 goals for the club in two spells in the 1970s. He enjoyed a spell with New York Cosmos, where he played alongside Franz Beckenbaur, before rejoining City in 1979. Went on to become a director of City and was instrumental in attracting Kevin Keegan to the club as manager.

16. Tommy Booth
1968-81, 491 appearances, 36 goals
Booth was a centre half who was excellent in the air and equally comfortable with the ball at his feet. He was a versatile player who could play in midfield when called upon and spent 13 years at City, winning five trophies.

15. Joe Corrigan
1967-1983, 603 appearances
Big Joe spent an impressive 16 years with City and, after a shaky start, firmly established himself as a fan’s favourite. Prior to each home game, supporter Helen Turner would present him with a lucky sprig of heather, which became a pre-match ritual. He played nine times for England and would have won many more caps but for the form of Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence. Along with Swift and Trautman he is one of City’s greatest ever keepers.

14. Dave Watson
1975-1979, 188 appearances, 6 goals
Watson was a tough, uncompromising centre half seemingly hewn of granite. He was hugely popular with supporters who admired his rugged qualities and fighting spirit and he was capped 65 times by England. Another victim of Malcolm Allison’s reckless purge saw him sold, bizarrely, to Werder Bremen.

13. Mike Doyle
1963-1978, 570 games, 41 goals
As his autobiography dictates, if ever there was a footballer whose blood ran blue it was Mike Doyle. With more than 550 appearances for Manchester City spanning an incredible sixteen years, Doyle is a legendary figure amongst the City fans who idolised the tough defender throughout his career and beyond. He was voted our hardest ever player in the club's official magazine and loathed Manchester United with a passion.

12. Georgi Kinkladze
1995-1998, 121 appearances, 22 goals
Probably the most naturally gifted player I’ve ever seen at City. His dazzling displays in the moribund relegation season were one of the few highlights of Alan Ball’s tenure. Actually no, they were the only highlights. That he stuck with us as we slipped down the divisions only endeared him to me more. It’s a damning indictment of our recent history that he’s the highest placed "modern" player on the list.

11. Mike Summerbee
1965-75, 452 appearances, 68 goals
Signed by Joe Mercer, Summerbee made more than 400 appearances for City. In his first season he started every single match, the only Manchester City player to do so. Playing on the right wing, he was one of the most influential players in the side that won four trophies in three seasons (1968-70). Something of a practical joker, Summerbee (or "Buzzer" as team-mates nicknamed him) was also known for a fiery temperament, a trait described by team-mate Franny Lee as "retaliating first".

10. Neil Young
1961-72, 416 appearances, 108 goals
Not the ageing Canadian rocker but the Fallowfield-born forward with a devastating left foot. While not as revered as his contemporaries Bell, Lee and Summerbee, Young was arguably City’s most important forward during the Mercer-Allison period of success. Sadly his relationship with the club was soured after a promised testimonial failed to materialise, much to the consternation of City fans.

9. Tommy Johnson
1919-1930, 359 appearances, 170 goals
Johnson is the second-leading goalscorer in City’s history and holds the club record for most goals in a single season (38 in 1928-29). He was an incredibly popular figure with supporters and his transfer to Everton in 1930 sparked protests and even a boycott on the terraces.

8. Eric Brook
1928-1939, 500 appearances, 180 goals
City’s all-time leading goalscorer (Horace Barnes' 73 wartime scores are still being assesed by the dubious goals panel) and an integral part of the 1934 FA Cup and 1937 League Championship winning sides. His record has never been surpassed.

7. Francis Lee
1967-74, 330 appearances, 148 goals
Although his legacy has been somewhat tainted by his disastrous tenure as chairman in the mid-1990s, Lee was an integral part of City’s most successful team. His strength and tenacity were admired by fans and he had an uncanny knack of “winning” penalties and converting them (earning him the nickname Lee One Pen). He had balls too, famously going toe-to-toe with Norman Hunter while playing for Derby County. We won’t mention his appointment of Alan Ball as City manager.

6. Alan Oakes
1959-76, 680 appearances, 34 goals
Oakes was the consummate professional, both on and off the field. A conscientious trainer and a model of consistency, he spent 17 years at the club and holds the record number of appearances for the Blues. He is also the most decorated player in city’s history, winning the League Championship, the European Cup Winners' Cup, the FA Cup, two League Cups and the second division championship.

5. Billy Meredith
1894-1906, 1921-24, 501 appearances, 148 goals
Often dubbed “football’s first superstar”, Meredith enjoyed a remarkable career. He had two spells at City and played his final game for the club aged 49. Sadly his legacy is somewhat tainted by a conviction for bribery (which led to him being banned for 18 months) and, more heinously, a spell at Old Trafford, but his achievements cannot be underestimated. A proud union man, he fought continuously against the exploitation of footballers in the early part of the century.

4. Frank Swift
1933-1949, 511 appearances
Tragically Swift’s life was cut short by the Munich air disaster while working as a journalist for the News of the World. Swift was a giant of a man and famously fainted in front of the king after City won the 1934 FA Cup Final. He was something of a innovator as a keeper, pioneering the long throw, and with 376 appearances is one of City’s greatest ever players. But for Trautman he’d be widely regarded as our best ever goalkeeper.

3. Peter Doherty
1936-1945, 223 appearances, 142 goals
Some older City fans protest that Doherty was an even finer player than Colin Bell, but as I never got to see either play it’s difficult to decide (apologies to the Doherty contingent, but I never said this was going to be factually accurate, right?). Regardless, Doherty was a City legend and, although his career at the club was cut short by the Second World War (he later won the FA Cup with Derby in1946 and managed Northern Ireland to the quarter-finals the World Cup in 1958), he was a fantastically gifted forward and fully deserves his place in the top three. Although I still think Babyshambles are rubbish.

2. Bert Trautman
1946-1964, 545 appearances
Trautman served with the Luftwaffe during the Second World War and was captured by British forces towards the end of the conflict and transferred to a prisoner-of-war camp in Lancashire. City’s decision to sign an ex-German paratrooper in 1949 sparked mass protests but over time Trautman’s performances won over the City fans. He firmly established himself in City folklore in the 1956 FA Cup Final when he broke his neck 15 minutes from full-time. Incredibly, he continued playing and was able to collect his winner's medal.

1. Colin Bell
1966-1979, 501 appearances, 153 goals
Known quite simply as The King among City fans, Bell is by common consensus the greatest player to pull on the sacred sky blue shirt. He joined the club from Bury in 1966 after being watched by Malcolm Allison, then assistant manager, on a number of occasions. As local legend has it, City were initially unable to afford the asking price so Allison would sit among the other scouts and bemoan Bell's ability all game. "He can't head it, can't pass it, he's hopeless," he'd lament in the stands at Gigg Lane until City secured his services in 1966. Bell possessed incredible stamina and speed , was a good tackler and a natural goalscorer. He was the complete midfielder. A disgraceful challenge from United’s Martin Buchan in 1975 resulted in a terrible knee injury from which Bell never really recovered, depriving City of their greatest ever player in his peak years. His emotional comeback on Boxing Day 1977 is an occasion still talked about by fans

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_city/article5795355.ece


Makes for a most interesting and funny read at times with a few surprises along the way. Kinkladze at 12 was a shock for me. Was he really that good ?

Jazzy

redout wrote: »

Was he really that good ?

in short - no

bigstar

Jazzy wrote: »

in short - no

says you.

he wouldnt be 12th, but kinky was great. i think its true there isnt a modern player who be higher than him. kinda sucks to say that. not surprising to see the mercer team makes up most of the high places.

redout

How the hell is Robinho on the list and Stephen Ireland is not ? Like really !

Xavi6

Jazzy wrote: »

in short - no

Lol lies. Kinkladze is the best City player for the last 15 years no contest. The guy was a magician and was so exciting to watch.

Saw this discussed on a City forum last week and apparently there are a few really old school names missing from it.

Quinn should be higher than Anelka btw.

Mr.Nice Guy

Is it true Quinn had to go in goal for City at one point and ended up saving a penalty? I'm pretty sure I've heard that somewhere.

Xavi6

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Is it true Quinn had to go in goal for City at one point and ended up saving a penalty? I'm pretty sure I've heard that somewhere.

Tis indeed true. 1991 it was and Tony Coton got sent off. Quinny went in goal and saved Dean Saunders' spot kick. Pretty sure that game relegated Derby.

Think there's a vid of it on youtube.

Mr.Nice Guy

Brilliant. I suppose he's so tall he'd be intimidating for anybody. :cool: