VITESSE ARNHEM 1 CITY 2
Friendly
3rd August 1977
Attendance 9,500
Scorers
City Conway(23), Tueart(52)
Vitesse Arnhem Bursac(88)
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Watson, Booth, Conway, Channon, Royle, Kidd, Hartford, Power – used subs Keegan(58), Barnes(45), Owen(45), Tueart(45)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
DOYLE KO SHOCKER
JOHN BEAN WRITING IN THE DAILY MIRROR 4TH AUGUST 1977
Skipper Mike Doyle was the shock absentee as Manchester City successfully crossed their personal bridge at Arnhem in this first pre-season assault on Europe.
Just before kick-off Doyle had a recurrence of pain in the right knee. He said: “It’s probably trouble with the fibres and is not connected with my old injury. In a couple of days we’ll know how serious it is.”
Even without their craggy competitor City easily came through the physical test set by the Dutch Second Division champions.
Vitesse chased and harried with enough aggression to convince an expectant 8,000 crowd they have a future in the company of Holland’s big boys. But by the end City had opened a chasm in class that left no doubt about their own high stature.
Manager Tony Book literally used two formats, on in each half, to give the Dutch some idea of the terrific potential of his 18 strong squad.
In the first, with Brian Kidd in midfield and Joe Royle spearheading a 4-4-2 lineup alongside Mike Channon, it was left to Jim Conway to hammer home the point when he hooked in a fine 23rd minute goal.
But it was the second-half format, involving wingers Dennis Tueart and Peter Barnes flanking the big strikers that had most relevance.
With Kidd suspended from the first game against Leicester, Gary Owen emerged in midfield in a line-up that will almost certainly kick off the season.
Though Channon often punctured the Dutch defence with his speed, City’s £300,000 acquisition is still waiting for his first goal after two friendlies.
It fell to the busy, buzzing Tueart to stylishly scooping City’s second after a dazzling flash of skill from Barnes.
The appreciative local fans finally got their reward two minutes from the end when Yugoslav striker Bursac ran through to beat Joe Corrigan’s brave attempt to intercept.