Manchester City v Tottenham 1968/69

CITY 4 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0

League Division 1

12th October 1968

attendance 38,119

scorers Coleman(5), Lee(9 & 60 pen), Connor(71)

Ref J Yates

City Dowd, Connor, Pardoe, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Young, Coleman – Sub Bowles(unused)

Spurs Jennings, Kinnear, Want, Mullery, England, Beal, Robertson, Greaves, Pearce, Venables, Gilzean – sub Knowles(53)

FRANNY LEE SCORES ONE OF A BRACE

DO YOU REMEMBER? an article by ERIC TODD from The City programme 16th September 1972

I always maintained, maybe unfairly, that l developed a duodenal ulcer through watching Manchester City for 20 years. To be fair, of course, some people watched them for much longer than that and lived to be 80 and more without discomfort. Anyway it was significant that that ulcer of mine’ finally exploded 24 hours after l’d seen City scrape home against Wolverhampton Wanderers after being three goals up at half time.
To be fair again, my first assignment after surviving an operation and convalescence was City against Tottenham Hotspur at Maine Road, and this game was the best pick-me-up of them all. One of the few people who disagreed with this sentiment was Bill Nicholson who was celebrating his tenth anniversary as Tottenham’s manager. Still, you can’t win ’em all, and this splendid Tottenham side could stand a beating once in a while.
Tottenham, frankly, were never in the hunt, and it was obvious that they needed a goal snatcher similar to Cliff Jones who by this time had joined Fulham. To add to their misfortunes, England damaged an ankle and had to go off in the second half by which time City had scored twice. Greaves was quite ineffective, and it was left to Mullery and Gilzean to maintain Tottenham’s reputation which, at least so far as sporting conduct was concerned, was enhanced even in defeat. The plain fact was that City on this form could and did beat anybody. If only they had been more consistent, although I suppose if they had been we shouldn’t recognise them.

City’s chief strength was in their wing play where Coleman played especially well, and behind, Booth confirmed all the good things which had been said about him. City might have had eight if they had not eased up compassionately after England’s departure which did not however detract from the overall merit of City’s great victory.
After nine minutes, City led by two goals, both beauties, from Coleman and Lee, and only brave goalkeeping by Jennings denied them further reward before the interval. In the 60th minute, a despairing tackle by Beal on Summerbee led to a penalty, and Lee scored with a tremendous shot. Twenty minutes from the end after combining smartly with Lee, Connor completed the rout with one of the best goals of the season. And l went straight home and poured all the medicine down the sink.