Easter weekend traditionally is an exciting time for football fans with the games coming thick and fast, but the days of three games in five days are seemingly long gone for the top clubs.
Perhaps one of the most dramatic bank holiday weekends fell in 1977, with City going neck-and-neck with Liverpool for the League title. With a home game against Leeds United, a trip to Liverpool and another home clash with Middlesbrough all in the space of four days, it was a crucial period of the campaign.
Two Brian Kidd goals saw Leeds off in a 2-1 win at Maine Road, but the 2-1 loss at Anfield the following day, watched by more than 55,000 fans, would prove decisive come the end of the season.
The Blues completed the Easter weekend with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough but ultimately finished a point behind champions Liverpool a month later.
One of the best results that fell during this week was the epic 1981 FA Cup semi-final between the City and Ipswich at a packed Villa Park.
John Bond’s side came into the game as the underdogs with Ipswich flying in the League, but as the game went into extra time, the Blues grew in confidence and with 100 minutes on the clock, Paul Power curled a fantastic free-kick home to send City to Wembley.
On April 8 1972, Rodney Marsh scored his first goals for City during a 3-1 win over West Ham at Maine Road, but this was also the week Liverpool arrived in 1982 to record a 5-0 win that was the Blues’ biggest home defeat for 27 years.
On a happier note, George Smith scored all four goals as City beat Manchester United 4-1 on April 6, 1946 and the Blues were confirmed as champions in 2002 when Kevin Keegan’s side beat Barnsley 5-1 thanks to a Darren Huckerby hat-trick and two Jon Macken goals.
Finally, spare a thought for Ian Thompstone. The former youth team player made his debut at Middlesbrough on April 9, 1988 and scored after coming on a substitute during a 2-1 defeat at Ayresome Park.
It would be Thompstone’s only appearance for City, thus joining an exclusive – and perhaps – unwanted club of one game and one goal wonders...
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