| MANCHESTER UNITED 0 CITY 5 League Division 1 12th February 1955 attendance 47,914 scorers Ref G Black |
City Trautmann, Little, Meadows, Barnes, Ewing, Paul, Fagan, Hart, Hayes, Revie, ClarkeUnited Wood, Foulkes, Byrne, Gibson, Chilton, Whitefoot, Berry, Blanchflower, Webster, Edwards, Pegg
ON reflection, this perhaps is not exactly a diplomatic moment in which to revive memories of a hiding for United, but I crave the indulgence of every visitor from Old Trafford! After all, it was City’s first away win against United in the League for nearly 25 years, their biggest at Old Trafford for nearly 40, and so far as I can remember 1954-55 season also was memorable for the fact that City beat United twice in the League and knocked them out of the F.A. Challenge Cup fourth round at Maine Road.
In the mid 1950s, United were carrying all before them in youth circles-I seem to recall that Leslie Olive, then assistant secretary at Old Trafford, distinguished himself in goal for United Reserves at Newcastle round about that time-and their first team had a leavening of promising young players built round the experience of Allenby Chilton. City were at the top of their form, and a keen, close game was anticipated this particular day.
United, of course, had been well informed about the Revie plan. They decided therefore to attack as often as possible and take good care that City were denied possession. This policy succeeded for exactly fifteen minutes. Then Fagan created an opening for Hart, and City were one up. Edwards forced Trautmann to make one good save, but with Ewing in tremendous form in spite of the frozen pitch, United adapted themselves less readily to the conditions than did City and both Blanchflower and Webster shot wide from good positions.
United rallied briefly in the second half, and after a corner kick by Berry, a shot by Edwards was cleared off the goal line by Little. Thereafter, only Edwards caused City any serious trouble, and in the 56th minute Fagan raced between Chilton and Byrne and scored a fine goal. Six minutes later, Hayes scored a third after good work by Clarke, and in the 69th minute, Hayes made it 4-0. Fagan completed the rout a minute from the end, but even so United escaped lightly.
By Eric Todd of The Guardian Published in the City v Man Utd Programme 18th Nov 1972
In the mid 1950s, United were carrying all before them in youth circles-I seem to recall that Leslie Olive, then assistant secretary at Old Trafford, distinguished himself in goal for United Reserves at Newcastle round about that time-and their first team had a leavening of promising young players built round the experience of Allenby Chilton. City were at the top of their form, and a keen, close game was anticipated this particular day.
United, of course, had been well informed about the Revie plan. They decided therefore to attack as often as possible and take good care that City were denied possession. This policy succeeded for exactly fifteen minutes. Then Fagan created an opening for Hart, and City were one up. Edwards forced Trautmann to make one good save, but with Ewing in tremendous form in spite of the frozen pitch, United adapted themselves less readily to the conditions than did City and both Blanchflower and Webster shot wide from good positions.
United rallied briefly in the second half, and after a corner kick by Berry, a shot by Edwards was cleared off the goal line by Little. Thereafter, only Edwards caused City any serious trouble, and in the 56th minute Fagan raced between Chilton and Byrne and scored a fine goal. Six minutes later, Hayes scored a third after good work by Clarke, and in the 69th minute, Hayes made it 4-0. Fagan completed the rout a minute from the end, but even so United escaped lightly.
By Eric Todd of The Guardian Published in the City v Man Utd Programme 18th Nov 1972
KEN BARNES – MY DREAM GAME
DERBY clashes inevitably crop up when anyone from Maine Road is reflecting on dream games…Today Ken Barnes…looks back on a game where the, goals flowed for his memory match. Says Barnes: “Our 5-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 1954-55 season was without doubt one of the most remarkable games in which I have played. It was, too, a game in which we scored what can only be described as a picture goal.
“It was our first goal and came from a throw in by Roy Paul. The ball flowed between five or six City players before it finished in the back of the net. If I can recal I right, I think even Matt Busby remarked on what a great goal it was in a newspaper article the following week.
…”Usually derby matches are much closer fought affairs than this one. But frankly this was a game in which everything went right for us and I recall one particular pleasing little cameo that occurred during the match.
“United had pushed Duncan Edwards up to inside left for this game and he was directly opposing me. As we quickly got on top I said to him ‘I think you might be better off moving back to left half.’ Big Duncan took it well. Like myself he was a Midlander and just grinned back at me before getting on with the job of trying to stop the rot for the Reds.
“Victory was made all the more sweeter for us because in those days United had a truly formidable side. Of course it was the days before Munich and Busby was slowly building up his famous `Babes’ side.
Adapted from Peter Gardner’s article published in the City Programme 10th April 1976
DERBY clashes inevitably crop up when anyone from Maine Road is reflecting on dream games…Today Ken Barnes…looks back on a game where the, goals flowed for his memory match. Says Barnes: “Our 5-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 1954-55 season was without doubt one of the most remarkable games in which I have played. It was, too, a game in which we scored what can only be described as a picture goal.
“It was our first goal and came from a throw in by Roy Paul. The ball flowed between five or six City players before it finished in the back of the net. If I can recal I right, I think even Matt Busby remarked on what a great goal it was in a newspaper article the following week.
…”Usually derby matches are much closer fought affairs than this one. But frankly this was a game in which everything went right for us and I recall one particular pleasing little cameo that occurred during the match.
“United had pushed Duncan Edwards up to inside left for this game and he was directly opposing me. As we quickly got on top I said to him ‘I think you might be better off moving back to left half.’ Big Duncan took it well. Like myself he was a Midlander and just grinned back at me before getting on with the job of trying to stop the rot for the Reds.
“Victory was made all the more sweeter for us because in those days United had a truly formidable side. Of course it was the days before Munich and Busby was slowly building up his famous `Babes’ side.
Adapted from Peter Gardner’s article published in the City Programme 10th April 1976