Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur friendly 1984/85

CITY 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2

Friendly

16th August 1984

Attendance 8,288

Scorers Galvin(52), Roberts (pen)

City Williams, Phillips, May, Bond, Power, McCarthy, McNab, Baker, Smith, Cunningham, Tolmie – subs Kinsey(78), Parlane(68), Ranson(unused), Wilson(unused)

FROM THE PRESS BOX

PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 17TH AUGUST 1984
Slick Spurs gave Manchester City the sort of jolt that could shoot them back to the First Division.
The Blues remain a long way short of top flight standards, although manager Billy McNeill said today: “we could still give a few of the big boys a run for their money.”
But McNeill was also honest enough to admit: “We are by no means in the same League as the real top dogs.”
Tottenham, backed by an injection of new talent in the shape of Clive Allen (£700,000) and John Chiedozie(£400,000), gave City a harsh lesson in the finer techniques of the game in the second half of last night’s highly entertaining Maine Road match watched by a crowd of 8,288.
Yet it would have been interesting to have seen the outcome had the Blues been awarded the penalty they deserved when Jim Tolmie was unceremoniously upended in the first half.
Despite the 2-0 defeat, City achieved much from an exercise in which they learned more in 90 minutes than in the previous five fixtures of the pre-season build-up.
“If we perform for only half the time as we did last night, then we should be in good shape next season,” claimed McNeill.
He added: “We can take a lot of satisfaction from a game in which we proved we can play and compete. There are not many teams in the country, never mind the Second Division, who can perform the way they won the UEFA Cup. They revealed a great standard of football, showing just how the game should be played. That’s the stuff that will bring back the crowds.”
City had to thank Alex Williams for pulling off a string of super saves, three in eight second half minutes, when Spurs were at their peak.
City played their best football in the first half with Gordon Smith, Neil McNab and Graham Baker doing well in midfield.
Baker went closest to scoring with a crisp left-footed effort that hit the crossbar…