CITY 1 BIRMINGHAM CITY 1
Match abandoned in 40th minute
League Division 1
15th February 1958
Attendance 23,461
Scorers
City McAdams
Birmingham Orritt
Ref E.S. Oxley
City Trautmann, Leivers, Sear, Warhurst, Ewing, Barnes, Barlow, Hayes, Johnstone, Sambrook, McAdams
Birmingham Merrick, Hall, Farmer, Larkin, Smith, Watts, Hooper, Orritt, Brown, Murphy, Govan
From an article in The City Programme City 16th March 2003
Today’s match is unusual as, unlike every other game featured this season, this meeting between City and Birmingham is no longer included in official records. The match was abandoned and therefore its result does not count, however to dismiss it as irrelevant does both clubs and all attendees a great disservice.
The match is a significant, and often forgotten, piece of footbali history.
The game was the first played in Manchester following the Munich Air Disaster and the feeiing of sadness and emotion surrounding the club at the time was immense.
The disaster had a major impact on City. Frank Swift, the club’s former great England Captain, and many journalists well known at the ground were killed. The death of any former player is sad, particularly if the circumstances are tragic, but Swift was still such a huge hero his death was deeply upsetting. Swift. it should be remembered, was the recently elected President of the Supporters’ Club and was on the plane because his job as a newspaper reporter demanded it.
During the fifties football journalism was seen as the next step for footballers with intelligence who did not move into coaching or management. Joe Mercer, Denis Compton (who was also supposed to be reporting on United‘s match but was prevented from attending due to other circumstances), and Swift moved into journalism when their football careers ended in a similar rnanner to present day footballers moving into television. It was a natural progression, and a players name was used to help sell the papers. inevitably, the newspaper would send its rnost well known reporters to cover the biggest games and so Swift travelled to Europe.
Interestingly. an article on the Busby Babes from around this period focused on how supporters across Europe would rush to get the autograph of the ‘great Frank Swift’ before the Babes whenever their entourage arrived at a ground.
As well as Swift, the other journalists killed in the disaster were leading Manchester personalities. They were Alf Clarke (Manchester Evening Chronicle), Henry Hose (Dally Express). George Follows (Dally Herald), Torn Jackson (Manchester Evening News), Archie Ledbrooke (Daily Mirror), Don Davies (Manchester Guardian) and Eric Thompson (Dally Mail). Don Davies, who often went under the pseudonym of ‘an Old international’. was a major supporter of Manchester football and had reported on the Blues tor many years, but every journalist was well known to Mancunians, many were known nationwide, and their funerals attracted an incredible number of mourners. On Monday 17th February over 250 attended a memorial service at the Cathedral for the journalists. Lessons were read by Doris Swift. by prominent newspaper men. and by Joe Mercer.
This meeting with Birmingham came right in the middle of the grieving period and a lower crowd than normal attended. The atmosphere was understandably muted and as supporters entered,
Representatives from both City and United;s supporters‘ clubs worked together to collect for the victims.
In the Directors’ Box, as guests of the City Chairman Alan Douglas were United’s Chairman Harold Harclman and Assistant Secretary Les Olive. The two men had been told by Douglas that the Blues would do all they could to help United find replacement players. and the press speculated on which players the Reds would sign. According to the Manchester Evening News United were interested in virtually every City man although the names of Paddy Fagan and Ray Sambrook seemed of must interest to the Reds. The game itself was played in conditions which matched the gloomy atmosphere. Birmingham. playing in their new all red kit {according to one newspaper it was the first time they had worn it], took the lead in the 15th minute with a goal from Bryan Orritt, and then Bill McAdams equalised. Eric Thornton reported on the key moves for the Evening News: “l couldn’t read the thoughts of Hardrnan and Olive as they watched Manchester City and Birmingham City slog it out in the Maine Road rnud bath, but l’ll wager they were thinking that Ray Sambrook could solve their left—wing problem. Of course he’s not for sale, but with 21 others he showed what a mixture of skill and guts can do even in the worst of playing conditions.
“lt was a tricky ball for Bert Trautmann to hold, but he did the job well with those tremendously sate hands. and there must be a note of commendation for Bill McAfdams and the way in which he scored the equalising goal. One thing is certain: when these teams meet in the rearranged encounter later in the season; it’s going to be a rare battle of speed and tactics.”
After the equaliser the conditions worsened. Heavy rain had created a stream running the length of the pitch and referee E.S. Oxley of Pontefract had no choice but to abandon the game in the 40th minute. Most were relieved. It was neither the conditions nor the atmosphere for an important League match. The replayed game was in March… By this time City’s players and staff had attended a number of funerals and memorial services for their friends, former colleagues, and the local media. In the years since many have forgotten about the game but perhaps not the deep sense of loss felt at Maine Ftoad for those who died in the disaster.