1918/19 SEASON REVIEW
The Wartime Leagues continued in September 1918 and City once again played in The Football League (Lancashire Section) with fifteen other teams.
After a bad start, losing 3-0 to Stoke at The Victoria Ground and 2-0 at Hyde Road, again against Stoke, City started to show some form beating Bury 1-0 at Gigg Lane, then a sensational 7-0 win again against Bury, at Hyde Road and a 2-0 win at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
After five games City were fifth in the league with 6 points, leaders Everton were on 10 points with a 100% record.
Back at Hyde Road The Blues drew 0-0 against Manchester United then beat Blackpool 3-0 on The Fylde Coast and back in Manchester beat Blackpool again 4-0. A victory that saw them now in third in the league on eleven points, four points beghind unbeaten leaders Everton.
Stockport were the next visitors to Hyde Road and were beaten 1-0, however at Edgeley Park a week later Stockport managed to take a point in a 1-1 draw.
Records conflict as to the exact attendance, however between 25,000 and 27,000 fans crammed into Hyde Road and paid over £700 in gate receipts to see City lose 2-0 to Liverpool.
City slipped to seventh in the table with a 2-0 defeat at Anfield against Liverpool.
Burnley were the next visitors to Hyde Road, however they only turned up with nine players, they ‘borrowed’ Lomas and Newton from City and put up a good fight, but The Blues were the victors in a narrow 2-1 win.
In the run up to Christmas City lost three games on the trot, Burnley won 2-1 at Turf Moor, Southport Vulcan defeated the Blues 1-0 at Hyde Road and at Haigh Road Southport Vulcan completed a double with a 2-0 win.
There was only a friendly played on Christmas Day, Manchester United were beaten 2-1 at Hyde Road, however on 28th December City beat Preston 2-0 in the league also at Hyde Road.
On New Years Day The Blues played Manchester United in a friendly at Old Trafford, United winning 2-0. The League started late in 1919 as City’s game at Preston was postponed due to a snowbound pitch, The Blues finally played on 11th January drawing 1-1 against Rochdale at Hyde Road, then a week later at Spotland, Rochdale were narrowly beaten 5-4 in a thrilling game.
City then beat leaders, Everton 1-0 to move into sixth in the table after 20 games, however they trailed Everton by 15 points.
In the return game at Goodison Park leaders Everton beat City 3-0.
The Blues then beat Oldham 3-0 at Hyde Road and at Boundary Park Oldham were beaten again, 3-0. City were now sixth in the league on 27 points, a massive 17 points behind runaway leaders Everton.
Everton would end up runaway Champions and all City could do was try and seal a runners up spot. They beat Blackburn 5-1 in Manchester but at Ewood Park Blackburn won 2-1. They then thrashed Port Vale 6-1 at Hyde Road and again piled on the goals at The Recreation Ground to win 5-1 against Port Vale.
however second spot would elude them as they lost at home to Bolton 2-1 and at Burnden Park Bolton won again 3-1.
With one game left in the league, confusingly City then played their first game in a four team group called The Subsidiary Competition which incorporated The Lancashire Senior Cup, they beat Stoke 1-0 at home. They then concluded the main season with a 2-1 defeat at Preston, City finished in fifth place on 33 points.
Back in the Subsidiary Competition City drew 1-1 at Stoke and then at Maine Road a massive 35,000 crowd squashed into Hyde Road with thousands locked out, a major tragedy was narrowly averted as only a few fans received minor injurys when a barrier gave way and fans tumbled forward. In the game itself City beat Manchester United 3-1.
City went on to win group C beating Port Vale 1-0 away then beat Manchester United 4-2 at Old Trafford and then they were victorious 4-1 at home to Port Vale.
The Blues then played two friendlies beating Sheffield United 1-0 at Hyde Road and then lost 3-2 at Sheffield United, both games held in aid of The National War Fund
Winning Group C qualified City to play Oldham in the Lancashire Senior Cup Semi Final where they met Oldham, they drew 1-1 at Hyde Road but lost 1-0 at Oldham.