CITY 5 CHARLTON ATHLETIC 1
Canon League Division 2
11th May 1985
attendance 47,285
scorers
City Phillips(6 & 59), May(15), Melrose(56), Simpson(57)
Charlton Lee(87)
Ref F Roberts
City Williams, Lomax, Power, May, Clements, Phillips, Simpson, McNab, Melrose, Tolmie, Kinsey – sub Barrett(unused)
Charlton Harmsworth, Friar, A Kimble, Gritt, Dowman, Aizlewood, Harris, Curbishley, Lee, G Kimble, Flanagan – sub Stuart(83)
TWO GOALS FOR DAVID PHILLIPS
The biggest crowd of the season in Division 2 came to celebrate a City win which would secure a place back in the top echelon of English football, and Billy McNeil’s side did not disappoint the Maine Road faithful as they swept aside a shell shocked Charlton side.
The early nerves were laid to rest as early as the 6th minute as David Phillips converted from a cross from the rising young star, Paul Simpson.
Charlton nearly got back in the game, but Geoff Lomax cleared the Addicks effort off the line and then on the quarter hour the game was all but over as Andy May headed in a corner from Simpson.
It was 2-0 at the break and The Blues came out for the second half clearly looking to add to their total and they did in fine style, Jim Melrose headed City’s third, again after good work from Paul Simpson, and the young winger got on the scoresheet himself as he took the ball round a hesitant Harmsworth to slot the ball home to make it 5-0.
Minutes later and it was five as David Phillips smashed home a low drive. Lee got a consolation goal for Charlton before a jubilant Maine Road crowd invaded the pitch on the final whistle to congratulate their heroes.
FROM THE PRESS BOX
Jubilant Manchester City were prepared for the worst had they failed to make the return to the big time again.
City chairman Peter Swales revealed that he was resigned to losing manager Billy McNeill if the club had missed out.
Swales, who successfully fended off a determined mid-season bid from Hibs for McNeill said “We might well have expected to lose him if things hadn’t gone our way. I could have understood a man of Billy’s ability not wanting to spend anymore time in the Second division. But now there’s absolutely no possibility of him going,” added Swales, unshaken by current rumours of mounting interest from Saudi Arabia and Spain.
The Maine Road board’s chief concern now is in raising the extra capital for McNeill to bring his playing staff up to First Division standards. And there could also be another extensive City contract on offer to McNeill.
City lost over half a million pounds in gate receipts, sponsorship deals and tour revenue through the drop. Now with the crowd potential proven again by the 47,000 attendance on Saturday, they stand to gain almost £1M in all round revenue through their return.
…McNeill revealed that players he couldn’t afford a few months ago are still available. So the buying could well start soon.
18 year old man of the match Paul Simpson was the hero who went straight for the heart of unsuspecting Charlton, cleverly setting up Dave Phillips for a simple but vital 7 minute break-through.
Simpsons own moment of glory came during a second half goal explosion.
Andy May, Jim Melrose and Phillips again also savaged the confidence of Charlton’s poorly protected 17 year old keeper Lee Harmsworth before Robert Lee pulled one back for the Londoners after 83 mins
BOB RUSSELL WRITING IN THE DAILY MIRROR 13TH MAY 1985
‘MAGIC MOMENTS’ AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 13TH FEBRUARY 1988, PAUL SIMPSON TALKS TO COLIN EVANS
PAUL SIMPSON’S magic moment left him needing a police escort to get off the pitch as hundreds of fans tried to rip the shirt off his
back.
The riotous celebration came at Maine Road after City’s 5-1 win over Charlton which clinched promotion. It was an emotion packed game in which Paul played a leading role, scoring one and being involved in three others.
“I can recall the whole afternoon so clearly,” says the Blues‘ winger.
“The game had been built up in the Press during the week as a do or die thing and everyone at the club was all fired up for it. But one thing we hadn’t really expected was the size of the crowd and the noise they made.
“I thought there would be 30,000 plus there but I was astonished when we ran out onto the pitch and realised that it was a full house. And the racket they made was incredible. You could hardly hear yourself think.
“With all that backing there was no way we could lose. We had a great start with an early goal from David Phillips and we never
looked back, despite the fact that we had a couple out with injuries.
“Andy May made it 2-0 with a superb header from my corner. I saw him arriving late in the area and banged it over towards the penalty spot and he met it perfectly. Jim Melrose got the third from a Paul Power cross and I made it four after chasing a long
ball and getting there just before the ‘keeper.
“l can remember it almost in slow motion. If there had been any doubt at all about the result that goal clinched it. I thought ‘That’s it,
we’ve done it.‘ But, as I was running away, all the energy suddenly drained from me. I was exhausted and from then on it was a case of making it to the final whistle.
“But when the ref. blew the crowd rushed onto the pitch and I found myself swallowed up by fans. They were trying to get our shirts
as souvenirs. Andy May lost his but I was determined to hang onto mine as a souvenir.
“Obviously it was a mass celebration for the fans but apparently the police realised that I was in danger of getting lost and three of them on horses came over to make a path for me. I managed to get through to the dressing room, still wearing my shirt, and I tucked it under my clothes when I went for a bath.
“It was going to take pride of place among my soccer trophies but when I came out of the bath to get changed, guess “what, it had
disappeared! I never saw it again.
“Still, nothing could take the shine off that day…
CITY ARE BACK!
