CITY 4 WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 0
Canon League Division 2
29th December 1984
attendance 22,022
Scorers Baker(8), Phillips(42), Smith(68), Wilson(88)
Ref Keith Hackett
City Williams, May, Power, McNaught, McCarthy, Phillips, Smith, Baker, Melrose, Wilson, Kinsey – sub Cunningham(unused)
Wolves Flowers, Humphreys, Heywood, Cartwright, Pender, Herbert, Crainie, Ainscow, Langley, Buckland, Butlero – sub Chapman(65)
FROM THE ARTICLE ‘THAT WAS THE WEEK’ PUBLISHED IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 28TH DECEMBER 1998
Manchester City provided a welcome late Christmas present for their supporters in 1984.
After spending the previous season in the old Second Division, the Blues were more determined than ever to make a serious bid for
promotion, and had recently brought in central defender Ken McNaught on loan from West Brom.
The City team was unchanged but Wolves had a couple of players new to the first team. A local discovery, David Heywood, came in at left back, while on the subs’ bench was Campbell Chapman, a former Peterborough apprentice.
City had only lost once in just over two months, a closely, fought affair at Craven Cottage where Fulham scraped home 3-2.
Wolves, on the other hand, had lost their last five League games and were languishing in 20th spot.
All Wolves‘ deficiencies were exposed and Tommy Docherty, their manager, had to face up to the fact that it was going to be a long, hard winter.
“It could have been seven or eight,” admitted the former Manchester United boss, “and on this showing City are heading for the First Division. As for ourselves, there is a lot of work to be done, and I just hope I can turn things round in time.”
Gordon Smith and Graham Baker were inspirational in the way they governed midfield, and David Phillips and Paul Power provided
invaluable width.
Another City player who did a lot to undermine Wolves was Jim Melrose. The Scot had been at Molineux two months earlier but
Docherty couldn’t raise the money to sign him permanently.
The Blues went in front after just eight minutes. Power sent a low cross in from the left and Baker flicked it past ‘keeper Tim Flowers in an almost casual fashion.
City then proceeded to toy with the opposition instead of piling in the goals that surely would have come with a more direct approach.
Smith shot wide, Andy May volleyed over the bar, Smith hit a post, and fans began to wonder if it was going to be one of those
frustrating afternoons.
They needn’t have worried. The second goal came three minutes before the interval, Phillips the scorer. Steve Kinsey crossed the ball, Melrose’s header towards goal was blocked, and there was Phillips to thunder in a left-foot shot from 15 yards.
The Welshman’s scoring prowess from midfield was to prove a major asset as the Blues
… Wolves had little to offer in reply. Their first effort on target didn’t arrive until the 61st minute, and that was easily dealt with by Alex Williams.
After 68 minutes, Smith knocked in his tenth of the season. Again the goal stemmed from a Kinsey cross and it was Melrose who swept the bail into Smith’s path.
With a few minutes remaining, Kinsey and Melrose again were the architects before Clive Wilson stroked home the fourth.