History of Manchester City F.C. in Timeline

Manchester City Football Club, founded in 1880, is a prominent English football club competing in the Premier League. Based in Manchester, they have called the City of Manchester Stadium home since 2003. Throughout their history, the club has achieved significant success, including nine league titles, seven FA Cups, eight League Cups, and a UEFA Champions League title, among others. Their iconic sky blue home shirts were adopted in 1894.

April 1904: First Major Honour - FA Cup

Manchester City secured their first major trophy by defeating Bolton Wanderers 1-0 at Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup. This victory also marked the first time a club from Manchester had achieved such a feat.

1904: First Major Honour - FA Cup

Manchester City won their first major honour, the FA Cup, in 1904, defeating Bolton Wanderers 1-0 at Crystal Palace.

1906: Financial Irregularities and Player Suspensions

Manchester City faced allegations of financial irregularities, leading to the suspension of 17 players, including their captain Billy Meredith, who later joined rivals Manchester United.

1920: Fire Destroys Hyde Road Main Stand

A fire destroyed the Main Stand at Hyde Road Football Stadium.

1920: Hyde Road Fire

A fire destroyed the main stand at Hyde Road, Manchester City's home ground at the time.

1923: Move to Maine Road

Following the fire at Hyde Road, Manchester City relocated to their newly constructed stadium, Maine Road, situated in Moss Side.

1933: FA Cup Final Loss

Manchester City lost to Everton in the FA Cup final.

March 1934: Record Crowd at Maine Road

Maine Road hosted the largest-ever crowd at an English club ground when 84,569 attended an FA Cup tie against Stoke City.

1934: FA Cup Victory and Record Home Attendance

Manchester City won the FA Cup, defeating Portsmouth in the final. During their cup run, they also established a new record for the highest home attendance in English football history as 84,569 spectators attended their sixth-round match against Stoke City at Maine Road. This record remained unbroken until 2016.

1936: First Top Division League Title

Manchester City won their first top division league title in the 1936-37 season.

1937: First Division Title and Relegation

Manchester City won the First Division title for the first time. However, despite scoring more goals than any other team, they were relegated the following season.

1938: Manchester City's Relegation as Reigning Champions

Manchester City became the only reigning English champions to be relegated.

1949: Formation of Manchester City F.C. Supporters Club

Manchester City's officially recognised supporters club, the Manchester City F.C. Supporters Club, was formed.

1955: FA Cup Final Loss

Manchester City, employing a tactical system known as the Revie Plan, reached the FA Cup final but lost to Newcastle United.

1956: FA Cup Victory with Injured Goalkeeper

Manchester City won the FA Cup, defeating Birmingham City 3-1 in the final. Notably, goalkeeper Bert Trautmann continued playing despite unknowingly suffering a broken neck during the match.

1957: Manchester City's High Scoring Season

Manchester City became the only team to score and concede over 100 goals in the same season.

1958: Golden Eagle Added to City's Badge

A golden eagle is added to the city of Manchester's badge, representing the growing aviation industry.

1963: Relegation to Second Division

Manchester City faced a setback as they were relegated to the Second Division, marking the start of a challenging period for the club.

January 1965: Record Low Home Attendance

Manchester City experienced a record low home attendance of 8,015 during a match against Swindon Town, highlighting the bleak period following their relegation to the Second Division.

1966: Player Recognition Award Established

The Manchester City Official Supporters Club establishes an annual award voted on by members to recognize the player on the team they feel is the most worthy for their performances during the season.

1967: Second Division Title and League Championship

Under the leadership of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison, Manchester City achieved a remarkable turnaround, winning the Second Division title and securing their second league championship by defeating their rivals Manchester United in a thrilling 4–3 victory at Newcastle United.

1969: FA Cup Victory

Manchester City continued their successful run by winning the FA Cup, further solidifying their position as a dominant force in English football.

1969: FA Cup Final Win in Red and Black

Manchester City won the FA Cup final wearing red and black stripes, inspired by assistant manager Malcolm Allison's belief that adopting AC Milan's colors would bring success.

1969: First League Cup and European Trophy

Manchester City won their first League Cup and European trophy (Cup Winners' Cup) at the end of the 1969-70 season, also marking their first double.

1970: First Badge Introduced

Manchester City F.C. introduces their first official badge, based on designs used in club documentation since the mid-1960s.

1970: League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup Wins in Red and Black

Manchester City continued their success in red and black stripes, winning both the League Cup final and the Cup Winners' Cup final in those colors.

1970: Cup Winners' Cup Victory

Manchester City won their only European trophy, the Cup Winners' Cup.

1970: European Cup Winners' Cup and League Cup Triumph

Manchester City's remarkable season culminated in a historic double, winning both the European Cup Winners' Cup by defeating Górnik Zabrze 2–1 and the League Cup, becoming only the second English team to achieve this feat.

1972: Badge Variation Introduced

Manchester City F.C. replaces the lower half of their shield badge with the red rose of Lancashire.

1973: Victory Over Manchester United

Manchester City achieved a memorable 1–0 victory over their arch-rivals Manchester United thanks to a backheel goal by former United player Denis Law. This victory confirmed Manchester United's relegation, marking a significant moment in the rivalry between the two clubs.

1974: League Cup Final Appearance

Manchester City continued to challenge for honors, reaching the final of the 1974 League Cup.

1975: Last Semi-Final Victory over Manchester United

This year marks the last time Manchester City defeated Manchester United in a cup competition semi-final before their 2011 FA Cup victory.

1976: Liverpool and Manchester City Title Race

Liverpool and Manchester City were involved in a title race during the 1976-77 season.

1976: League Cup Final Victory

Manchester City secured their final trophy of their most successful period in the 20th century with a 2–1 victory over Newcastle United in the League Cup final.

1976: Previous Major Trophy Win

Manchester City's FA Cup triumph in 2011 marked their first major trophy since winning the League Cup in 1976.

1976: Heraldic Badge Granted

The College of Arms grants a heraldic badge to the English Football League for use by Manchester City F.C., featuring the familiar ship above a red rose on a circular device.

1979: Malcolm Allison's Second Stint as Manager

Malcolm Allison returned to Manchester City for a second stint as manager, but his tenure was marked by expensive and unsuccessful signings, leading to a period of decline for the club.

1981: FA Cup Final Loss

Manchester City lost the 1981 FA Cup Final, marking the beginning of a period of decline for the club.

1983: First Relegation from Top Flight

Manchester City faced their first relegation from the top flight, marking a difficult period for the club.

1987: Second Relegation from Top Flight

Manchester City experienced another setback with their second relegation from the top flight within a decade.

December 1988: Rise of Inflatable Objects at Manchester City Matches

Manchester City fans started bringing inflatable objects to matches, peaking at a match against Stoke City on December 26th, 1988, which was declared a fancy dress party by fanzines.

1989: Return to Top Flight

Manchester City managed to return to the top flight, demonstrating their resilience and determination to compete at the highest level.

1991: Fifth Place Finish under Peter Reid

Under the guidance of manager Peter Reid, Manchester City achieved a respectable fifth-place finish in the league.

1992: Premier League Co-Founders

Manchester City played a significant role in the creation of the Premier League, becoming one of its co-founders.

1995: Search for New Ground Begins

Due to capacity restrictions at Maine Road, Manchester City began the search for a new ground.

1995: Manchester City Lists on PLUS Market

Manchester City was listed on the specialist independent equity market PLUS (formerly OFEX).

1996: Relegation from Premier League

Despite their status as co-founders, Manchester City struggled in the Premier League and faced relegation after three seasons.

1997: New Club Badge Adopted

Manchester City F.C. adopts a new club badge based on the arms of the city of Manchester, consisting of a shield in front of a golden eagle, featuring a ship representing the Manchester Ship Canal and three diagonal stripes symbolizing the city's three rivers.

1997: Criticism of 1997 Badge Design

The 1997 badge design of Manchester City F.C. faces criticism from fans, eventually leading to a fan consultation and a new badge design in 2015.

1998: Relegation to Third Tier

Manchester City was relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history.

2000: Player Recognition Award Documentation

This marks the start of the period for which recipients of the Manchester City Official Supporters Club Player Recognition award are documented in the provided table.

2001: Data Collection for Manchester Football Fan Study

Data was collected on the geographic distribution of Manchester City and Manchester United season ticket holders.

2001: Promotion to Top Tier

Manchester City earned promotion back to the top tier of English football.

2001: Manchester City's Most Recent Second Division Title

Manchester City won their most recent second division title in the 2001-02 season.

2001: Relegation and Managerial Change

Manchester City's return to the top division proved short-lived as they were relegated once again. Joe Royle was replaced by Kevin Keegan as manager.

2002: Report on Manchester Football Fans

A report by Manchester Metropolitan University found that a higher proportion of City season ticket holders came from Manchester postcode areas compared to Manchester United, although United had a larger overall number of season ticket holders.

2002: Premier League Fixture

Manchester City became a permanent fixture in the Premier League.

2002: Manchester City Moves to City of Manchester Stadium

Manchester City moved from Maine Road to the City of Manchester Stadium at the end of the 2002-03 season.

2002: First Division Championship and Record-Breaking Season

Under Kevin Keegan's leadership, Manchester City achieved an immediate return to the top division by winning the First Division championship. This season was marked by record-breaking performances in terms of points earned and goals scored.

2003: Squad Number 23 Retired

Manchester City F.C. retires the squad number 23 in memory of Marc-Vivien Foé, who died while playing for Cameroon in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup.

2003: Derby Victory and European Qualification

Manchester City ended their final season at Maine Road on a high note, securing a 3–1 derby victory over rivals Manchester United, their first in 13 years. Additionally, the club qualified for European competition for the first time in 25 years through the UEFA fair play ranking.

2003: Move to City of Manchester Stadium

Manchester City moved from Maine Road to the City of Manchester Stadium.

2004: Manchester City's Upset Victory and FA Cup Defeat

Manchester City was the only team to defeat Chelsea in their record-breaking 2004-05 Premier League season, but was knocked out of the FA Cup by Oldham Athletic, a team two divisions lower, in the same season.

2005: Manchester City Fanbase Research

Research conducted by Manchester City estimates a fanbase of 886,000 in the United Kingdom and over 2 million worldwide.

May 2007: Garry Cook Appointed Executive Chairman

Nike executive Garry Cook was appointed as the executive chairman of Manchester City.

July 2007: Thaksin De-lists Manchester City

After acquiring 75% of Manchester City's shares, Thaksin Shinawatra de-listed the club from the PLUS market and re-registered it as a private company.

2007: Manchester City's Privatization

Manchester City F.C.'s holding company, Manchester City Limited, was privatized with UK Sports Investments Limited (UKSIL), controlled by former Thailand prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, acquiring the majority of shares.

2007: Sven-Göran Eriksson Appointed as First Foreign Manager

Manchester City made a significant move by appointing Sven-Göran Eriksson as their first foreign manager, marking a new era for the club.

June 2008: Sven-Göran Eriksson Sacked

Despite a promising start, performances declined under Sven-Göran Eriksson, leading to his dismissal as Manchester City's manager.

July 2008: John Wardle Resigns

Former chairman John Wardle resigned from the board of Manchester City after a year of Thaksin Shinawatra's takeover.

August 2008: Abu Dhabi United Group Takeover and Robinho Signing

Manchester City's financial situation changed dramatically with the takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group. This was followed by a significant investment in players, including breaking the British transfer record to sign Brazilian international Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5 million.

August 2008: Takeover by Sheikh Mansour

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, through the Abu Dhabi United Group, took over Manchester City. This investment marked a turning point for the club, ushering in an era of unprecedented success.

September 2008: Abu Dhabi United Group Takes Over Manchester City

The Abu Dhabi-based Abu Dhabi United Group Investment and Development Limited completed a £200 million takeover of Manchester City.

December 2009: Roberto Mancini Appointed as Manager

Despite the influx of investment, Manchester City's performance did not see immediate improvement. As a result, Mark Hughes was replaced as manager by Roberto Mancini.

2009: City's Spending Spree

The wealth of the new owners allowed Manchester City to spend more than any other Premier League club in the summer of 2009, acquiring experienced international players.

2010: Adoption of The Poznań Dance

Manchester City supporters adopted The Poznań, an exuberant dance from fans of Polish club Lech Poznań.

2010: Champions League Qualification

On the last day of the 2010-2011 season, Manchester City secured third place in the league, qualifying them directly for the Champions League group stage.

2010: Merger of Manchester City Supporters Clubs

The Official Supporters Club (OSC) and the Centenary Supporters Association (CSA) merged to form the Manchester City F.C. Supporters Club.

March 2011: SFM Hall of Fame Inductees List Updated

The list of inductees into the Scottish Football Museum Hall of Fame is updated.

2011: FA Cup Final Shirt Design

Manchester City F.C. uses their usual badge with a special legend for the FA Cup final, including the Manchester coat of arms as a small monochrome logo on the back of players' shirts, instead of wearing shirts bearing the City of Manchester coat of arms.

2011: Premier League Title Win

Manchester City had a strong start to the season but a poor second half saw them trail Manchester United by eight points with six games remaining. A resurgence in form, coupled with a decline from Manchester United, saw them level on points with two games left. In a dramatic final day, City secured a 3-2 win against Queens Park Rangers with two goals in injury time, winning the Premier League title on goal difference.

2011: FA Cup Triumph

Manchester City reached the FA Cup final, defeating their rivals Manchester United in the semi-finals for the first time since 1975. They went on to win the final against Stoke City, securing their fifth FA Cup title and their first major trophy since 1976.

2011: City of Manchester Stadium Renamed Etihad Stadium

The City of Manchester Stadium was renamed the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship reasons.

2012: Premier League Title

Manchester City won the Premier League title, their first since the 1960s.

2013: City Football Group Created

City Football Group (CFG) was created to manage the global footballing interests of the Abu Dhabi United Group. This umbrella corporation owns stakes in a network of global clubs for resource sharing, academy networking, and marketing.

2013: Manchester City's Title Victory

Manchester City won the 2013-14 Premier League title, beating Liverpool by just two points on the final day of the season.

2014: Second Premier League Title

Manchester City won another Premier League title.

2014: League Cup Win and Premier League Title

Under the management of Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City won the League Cup and the Premier League title in the same season.

October 2015: Fan Consultation on Badge Design

Manchester City F.C. announces a fan consultation on whether to discontinue the current badge and institute a new design.

November 2015: Badge Replacement Announced

Manchester City F.C. announces that the current badge will be replaced with a new version designed in the style of older, circular variants, based on the results of the fan consultation.

December 2015: New Badge Unveiled

Manchester City F.C. officially unveils their new badge at their home match against Sunderland.

2015: South Stand Expansion Completed

A 7,000-seat third tier on the South Stand of the Etihad Stadium was completed, increasing the stadium's capacity to 55,097.

2015: Manchester City's League Cup Victory

Manchester City defeated Liverpool on penalties in the final of the 2015-16 League Cup after a 1-1 draw.

2015: League Cup Win and Champions League Semi-Final

Manchester City won their second consecutive League Cup title and reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history.

February 2016: Pep Guardiola Appointed Manager

Pep Guardiola was appointed as Manchester City's new manager, replacing Manuel Pellegrini.

2016: Current Badge Implemented

Manchester City F.C. implements their current badge.

2016: Champions League Semi-Final Appearance

Manchester City reached the Champions League semi-finals but lost.

2016: Record Home Attendance Broken

Manchester City's long-standing record for the highest home attendance in English football history, set in 1934, was finally surpassed.

2017: Liverpool's Champions League Victory over Manchester City

Liverpool won against Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate in the 2017-18 Champions League quarter-finals, eventually winning the competition a year later.

2017: FFP Breaches up to 2017-18 Season

The Premier League investigated Manchester City for alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations up to this season, eventually charging the club in 2023.

2017: Beginning of Dominant Era

This year marks the beginning of a period of unprecedented success for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, winning five out of six possible Premier League titles between 2017-18 and 2022-23.

2018: Domestic Treble

Manchester City became the first team to claim all major English trophies available in a single season, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and Community Shield.

2018: Manchester City's Record-Breaking Title Victory

Manchester City won the Premier League title with 98 points, the third highest total ever, against Liverpool's 97 points, the fourth highest total ever.

2018: First League Cup in Four-Year Streak

Manchester City won the first of four consecutive League Cup titles under Pep Guardiola.

2018: Guardiola's Praise for Klopp's Liverpool

Pep Guardiola called his relationship with Jürgen Klopp a "beautiful rivalry" and described Klopp's Liverpool team as "the strongest opponents I have faced in my career as a manager."

2018: Premier League Title with 100 Points

Under the management of Pep Guardiola, Manchester City won the Premier League title with a record-breaking 100 points, becoming the only team in the competition's history to achieve this feat.

September 2019: Klopp Hails Guardiola as His Greatest Rival

Jürgen Klopp hailed Pep Guardiola as his 'greatest rival ever', after both were nominated for the FIFA Men's Coach of the Year award, which Klopp ultimately won.

November 2019: Valuation of City Football Group

City Football Group Limited, the holding company that owns Manchester City, was valued at £3.73 ($4.8) billion.

2019: Domestic Treble

Manchester City completed an unprecedented domestic treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup in the same season. They also won the Community Shield, holding all four of England's primary football trophies at the same time.

2020: Liverpool's Record-Breaking Title Victory

Liverpool won the Premier League title with 99 points, the second highest total ever, finishing 18 points ahead of Manchester City.

2020: First Champions League Final Appearance

Manchester City reached their first-ever Champions League final in this year, marking a breakthrough on the continental stage.

2020: First Premier League Title in Three-Peat

Manchester City won the first of three consecutive Premier League titles.

2020: Overturned European Ban

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned Manchester City's two-year ban from European competitions, which was imposed by UEFA for alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations.

2020: Premier League Hall of Fame Inaugurated

The Premier League Hall of Fame is inaugurated, aiming to recognize and honor players with great success and significant contributions to the league since its founding in 1992.

July 2021: NFM Hall of Fame Inductees List Updated

The list of inductees into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame is updated.

2021: Champions League Final Appearance

Manchester City reached their first-ever Champions League final but lost.

2021: First Champions League Final

Manchester City reached their first-ever Champions League final, losing 1-0 to Chelsea in Porto. They also won the last of their four consecutive League Cup titles.

2021: First Champions League Final Appearance and Second Premier League Title in Three-Peat

Manchester City reached their first-ever Champions League final, ultimately losing to Chelsea. They also won their second consecutive Premier League title.

2021: Manchester City's Title Victories

Manchester City won the Premier League title in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, edging out Liverpool in a tight title race in 2021-22.

2021: Oleksandr Zinchenko Captains Team

Oleksandr Zinchenko captains Manchester City F.C. in their FA Cup fifth round tie at Peterborough United in support of his country during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

2022: UEFA Champions League Victory

After a long wait, Manchester City achieved European glory once again by winning the UEFA Champions League, marking a significant milestone in the club's history.

2022: Forbes Valuation

Forbes estimated Manchester City to be the sixth most valuable football club in the world, with a worth of $4.250 billion.

2022: Continental Treble

Manchester City achieved a historic continental treble, winning their third consecutive Premier League title, the FA Cup against Manchester United, and their first Champions League title against Inter Milan in Istanbul.

2022: Third Consecutive Premier League Title

Manchester City completed a three-peat by winning their third consecutive Premier League title.

2022: Proposal of Connected Scarf

Manchester City proposed the release of the Connected Scarf, which would contain a sensor tracking physiological and emotional data of the wearer, for supporters in 2023.

2022: Champions League Final Appearance

Manchester City reached their first-ever Champions League final but lost.

2022: Russian Invasion of Ukraine

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine occurs, prompting a show of support from Manchester City F.C. by having Oleksandr Zinchenko captain the team in a match.

2022: End of Dominant Era

This year marks the end of a period of unprecedented success for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, winning five out of six possible Premier League titles between 2017-18 and 2022-23.

2023: Leicester City Breaks Second Division Title Record

Leicester City won their eighth second division title, surpassing Manchester City's record of seven titles.

2023: Maiden European Cup and Continental Treble

Manchester City won their first European Cup and completed a continental treble, becoming only the second English club to achieve this.

2023: Champions League Victory

Manchester City won their maiden European Cup title in 2023.

2023: Premier League Investigation

The Premier League launched its own investigation into allegations of Financial Fair Play breaches by Manchester City, charging the club with 115 breaches up to the 2017-18 season.