CITY 0 ATLETICO MADRID 2
Columbino Tournament
played in Huelva, Spain
14th August 1976
attendance 20,000
Scorers ???
Ref Rene Viglinl
City Corrigan, Docnerty, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Booth, Conway, Kidd, Royle, Hartford, Tueart
FROM TONY BOOK’S PROGRAMME NOTES 25TH AUGUST 1976
There were many difficulties with the Spanish trip, not least of all the unexpected problems with the travel, there were delays on each flight to our destination in Huelva. And similarly it was a wearying journey back, via Madrid.
Add to this the questionable refereeing which reached an incredible climax against Atletico Madrid when Dennis Tueart had an 84th minute ‘equaliser’ oddly disallowed, much to the disgust of the locals in the stadium, too, and you can see that it was no joy-ride.
l‘m glad we took part in the Columbino Tournament because it is essential that we go into our UEFA campaign next month with some experience of matches against foreign opposition and overseas referees. One lesson learned forcibly against Atletico is that injustice has to be accepted and must not be questioned at the expense of alertness.
Several players were upset at the disallowed goal decision and it resulted in a total break of the team’s concentration. Within two minutes, with our lines spread in disarray as some players argued at the opposite end of the field, Atletico broke away and the exposed Joe Corrigan conceded a penalty which permitted the Spaniards to make it 2-0.
So the final score looked more decisive than it actually was and it was no consolation, although it was very flattering to have the Spanish fans cheering City from the field and expressing their sympathy to the point of waiting for the players outside the ground afterwards to cheer them onto the coach returning us to our hotel.