CITY 3 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1
League Division 1
22nd October 1980
Attendance 28,788
Scorers
City Reeves(3), Daley(42), MacKenzie(68)
Spurs Hoddle(84)
Ref Vic Callow
City Corrigan, Henry, Reid, Booth, Power, Caton, Tueart, Daley, MacKenzie, Buckley, Reeves – sub Ranson(30)
Tottenham Daines, Smith, Hughton, Taylor, Lacy, Perryman, Ardilles, Archibald, Villa, Hoddle, Crooks – sub Armstrong(67)
STEVE MACKENZIE SMASHES HOME A VOLLEY TO SCORE CITY’S THIRD GOAL
FROM “MEMORY MATCH” BY JOHN MADDOCKS, PUBLISHED IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 15TH APRIL 1987
A momentous occasion, this evening back in 1980. It was the night that City won their first League match of the season, and heralded the start of a climb up the table from bottom slot to an eventual 12th place at season’s end.
lt had been a most traumatic period in the Club’s history. Following a string of draws and defeats, punctuated only by wins in the League Cup, Tony Book and Malcolm Allison had parted company with City and John Bond had been appointed manager. As if all that wasn’t enough to contend with, this whole period was captured on videotape by Granada TV, already visiting the ground daily to film a major documentary on the running of a football club.
The previous Saturday had been Bond’s first sight of his new team in action; a depressing 0-1 home defeat by Birmingham City, the only goal coming in the 88th minute. ”Probably our worst display of the season,” was the opinion of Birmingham manager Jim Smith, a remark which must have clearly underlined for Bond the enormity of the task facing him.
… Ray Ranson went out to be sub., Nicky Reid switched to full-back, Tony Henry took over Reid’s shirt, Dennis Tueart was recalled, and Dave Bennett went out to make room for 20-year-old Gary Buckley, making his League debut.
Buckley was the brother of the highly-rated Mick Buckley, formerly of Everton, and in 1980 playing for Sunderland. Gary had played for the Reserves the night before at Sheffield United and had had an outstanding game, the Blues winning 2-0.
Despite City’s poor results, over 28,000 people turned up to see if John Bond had made any difference, and they were delighted with the application, spirit and skill the Blues showed. It took them only four minutes to take the lead. Spurs conceded a free-kick which was taken by Steve Daley, and he found Kevin Reeves, who put the ball away with a glancing header.
Spurs fought back with Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles showing splendid skill, but were unable to find gaps in the City rearguard. City’s midfield played equally well with the two Steves, MacKenzie and Daley, prominent, and Buckley, MacKenzie and Dennis Tueart all went close to increasing the Blues’ lead. City lost Tommy Booth with a hamstring injury, but young Tommy Caton rose to the occasion in providing superb cover for Joe Corrigan.
City’s second goal arrived four minutes before halt-time, just when Spurs were beginning to look really dangerous, and this time it was a moment of satisfaction for debutant Buckley. He found Kevin Reeves at the far post with an excellent cross; Kevin switched the ball to Daley, who whipped it home from close in.
The Blues put the game out of Spurs’ reach in the 68th minute. The Londoners had replaced Garth Crooks with Gerry Armstrong, but it made little or no difference when Reeves calmly Slipped a crafty ball into the penalty area; whereas defender John Lacy hesitated, Steve MacKenzie didn’t. He beat Lacy to the ball and scored with a strong drive. Reeves almost got a fourth when he headed against the bar, and Glenn Hoddle then pulled a goal back for Tottenham when he scored direct from a 35-yard free-kick…