This is the original badge, often called ‘the St Marks badge’. A white cross pattee first worn on black team jerseys during season 1884/85, when the team was playing at the Pink Bank Lane ground. The term cross pattee is French and translates as ‘footed cross’. This style of cross was vogue in Victorian England, commonly worn as a piece of jewellery, within a pattern for decoration, or even on a valued display item. It is historically linked to St Marks Church West Gorton where it was displayed within a religious setting. This church was the birthplace of the football team. The cross pattee was one of several variants of the traditional Christian cross which are known to have been displayed at the church and on artefacts displayed within it. Many of these items still exist in West Gorton today.

The meaning of the St Marks cross pattee as a badge was a sign of good sportsmanship and friendship towards an opponent. It symbolised the knightly virtues of the wearer, namely qualities such as bravery, honour, loyalty and courtesy. This white cross pattee was deemed a badge that would not cause offence to a person of another religion or belief.

Similar, but not exactly the same crosses have been used in various other forms and colours by many different organisations, with varied meanings including corruptions for political or military enhancement. These should never be confused with our own. Likewise Freemasonry, which it has been suggested on numerous occasions was an influence on the original badge and colours the team played in up to 1894. We have found no evidence of any official links between club and Freemasonry and therefore discount these claims unconditionally. The colours black, white, a shade of scarlet, light blue, royal blue and navy blue are all known to have been worn by the team during the 1880 to 1894 era.

The full story detailing the history of the St Marks cross pattee is to be found on page 4 of this website. Today, like other pre 1894 related wording and images, this iconic original image is protected via registration and licensed trademarks. Research and protection of the St Marks name and cross pattee etc is undertaken with the knowledge and full support of Emmanuel Church West Gorton, which took over the parish of St Marks during the 1970s.

 

So Many Individuals To Mention And All Are Important In The 1864 – 1894 Story

 

The building of St Marks Parish Church in West Gorton commenced in 1864. Its original football team was established in 1880. Various teams in different sports were officially backed by the church. The football team had a unique existence to include several names and grounds, plus a merger with another local team. Under its various names the team was always run by a committee until being wound up in late 1894, when it had become known as Ardwick AFC. Many people, not just from West Gorton or elsewhere in England, but even away from these shores, made vital contributions. The church was central, if there was no church, then there would have been no cricket, no rugby and most certainly no football team.

Many persons became involved with the church or its sporting teams and learnt the rules of association football but some did not. Of those that played several got involved with matters off the pitch. Some made financial contributions, others gave their time and support in assisting, fundraising or promotions. Several were religious and lived for the church. Others were businessmen, politicians, or locally employed. Some were there at the very beginning and lived in West Gorton, others came later and offered valuable input. We list them all here, each one has a special place and should never be forgotten in the history of church and the football team between the years 1864 to 1894.

The Six Founding Fathers

William Sumner *

Walter Chew *

Frederick William Hopkinson *

Edward Kitchen *

William Henry Beastow

James Moores

The main founding father was William Sumner who was also the first captain of the team. All the above are detailed on page two of this website in the History section. Four of the six (all marked *) played in the first ever match.

The Twelve Original Players

Charles Beastow

William Sumner

Frederick William Hopkinson

Walter Chew

Henry Heggs

William Downing

Richard Hopkinson

John Beastow

James Collinge

John Pilkington

Edward Kitchen

Arthur McDonald

Twelve players appeared in the first match for the team and all are detailed on page two of this website in the History section.

Other Important Persons

Isaac Holden

A skilled architect born in Liverpool during 1803, Isaac migrated in 1826 to the eastern USA and he initially appears in Philadelphia city records as a carpenter. His brother James P Holden, is with him listed as a bricklayer.

Around 1838 they both returned to England qualified as an architect and builder respectively. Isaac then forms a architectural practice in Manchester with John Platt. In 1852 the partnership is dissolved and a year later Isaac forms another, this time with one of his sons (also called Isaac) who died in 1868. In 1856, this company won a silver medal in the ‘Notre Dame de la Treille et St Pierre’ competition in Lille, France. The practice was dissolved before young Isaac’s death and reformed, with the company finally closing in 1879. Isaac (snr) designed St Mark’s Church West Gorton during the early 1860s. Work commenced on 9th March 1864 and was completed on 3rd May 1865, at a cost of £3,517 17s 0d. It was constructed in the English style of brick with white and black external bands and stone dressings.

Whilst in America, Isaac is credited for designing the Chinese Museum, the Pennsylvania Hospital and Old St Mary’s Church, New Jersey. Sadly, not one of these buildings has survived. Some of his work is still around to be viewed in and around the Manchester area today however, including; St Peter’s Church, Blossom St, Ancoats (this is now a rehearsal and recording venue for the Halle Orchestra), the Church of St Paul, Crow Lane, Ramsbottom, Smithfield Market Hall, Salmon St, Manchester (part of the main building remains and the smaller ‘Mackie Mayor’ building remains intact, a must visit on Eagle Street).

The following buildings are sadly demolished; St Mark’s Parish Church, West Gorton, Palatine House, Great Ducie St, Manchester, Prestwich Asylum (formerly the largest asylum in Europe, housing 3,135 patients in 1903, it was later known as Prestwich Hospital), Messrs. Ashton Warehouse, King St, Manchester, Radcliffe Bridge Railway Station. These are but a few of the buildings he designed during his lifetime.

Isaac lived with his family at Clifton View, Butterstile Lane, Prestwich until his death in 1884. He also designed much of the residential area known as Prestwich Park, which is to the rear of where he lived. The house is no longer there and the site forms part of the rear garden of another property.

It is important not to confuse Isaac with his son of the same name who was also an architect. Additionally, another notable man of the same name also lived in the same era, Sir Isaac Holden (b 1807 Scotland, d 1897 England). He was an inventor, manufacturer and politician.

Reverend Arthur Connell & Family

The first rector of St Mark’s Parish Church was Irishman Arthur Connell (born c1821), who had previously been curate of High Harrogate in North Yorkshire for seven years. Prior to High Harrogate, Arthur had served at Shankill Parish Church, Lurgan, then at All Saints Parish Church, Tullylish. He successfully applied for the position in West Gorton and soon began preaching at St Mark’s then later at St James’ in Gorton, ‘believing the call to be from God’.

Arthur was married to Anna and they had a son, Arthur jnr and two daughters, Anna and Georgina. He and his family were responsible for establishing the new church and within a short time his services were being well attended with a devoted congregation. The reverend was also responsible for the adjacent day school and Sunday school. He reorganised and established both to a high standard and by 1879, 780 pupils including young persons and adults, had attended the schools. The day school initially had no certified teacher, but action by Reverend Connell enabled it to obtain several government grants. This in turn enabled a certified master to be appointed and extensions to the school building were completed after substantial donations were received.

As the day school prospered, grants which were dependent on progress increased, so by 1877 they amounted to £428. By 1880, four day schools existed. Two were for boys, one under a headmaster and the other under an assistant. A school for girls and one for infants both prospered, each with headmistresses and a staff of fifteen teachers. There was also a night school with 72 scholars. The superintendents were Arthur, his wife Anna and Mr W Cunliffe. The day schools had a total of forty-one teachers, 801 scholars of whom 374 were boys and 427 were girls.

Over several years the reverend and members of the church also established a ragged school, a mutual improvement society, a drum and fife band, a choral society and a penny saving bank. The church held musical and entertainment evenings, and was growing and prospering to reach over 8,000 people in the parish. This fast growth caused Arthur much anxiety as he could not visit every household. During 1878, he requested a curate but the diocese refused on the grounds of a lack of funds. Arthur began to suffer from stress and had to rely more on his wife and two daughters, the churchwardens and sidesmen for their additional support.

Georgina established and organised the St Mark’s Mother’s Meetings, whilst daughter Anna did the same with the working men. These meetings proved very popular. The Archdeacon of Manchester described Arthur Connell as ‘the father of the parish’, having brought about great change for the better within the district. He also mentioned other family members and church officials.

There is no doubt Arthur was inspirational and worked tirelessly for the benefit of the community. He was greatly respected and loved by the people of West Gorton, who made several presentations to him and his family to include a gold watch and a china tea service to his wife Anna.

By the early 1870s, approximately three years after a church cricket team was formed, the West Gorton Working Men’s Institute was established on Robert Street. This was a place where men, irrespective of creed or party, could meet for social improvement and recreation. Alcohol and gambling were not permitted. Attendance was low initially, but after intervention by the reverend, church officials and in particular Anna his daughter, membership grew and weekly attendances were between 60 and 70 persons. It is recorded that about 100 men made a presentation to Anna as a token of respect and esteem and in appreciation of her services as conductor of the meetings.

There have been many claims that Arthur Connell or his daughter Anna, formed St Mark’s cricket and football teams, or that they emanated from the men’s meetings but these claims are not true. The cricket team was formed well before meetings began, and the football team was established by players and officials from this who wanted a more refined way of keeping fit throughout the winter, as rugby was deemed too rough for some with the potential for injury much greater. Furthermore, it was unlikely that anyone in Connell family would have known anything about the rules of association football during 1880. No mention is made at any time of football or cricket when tributes were made to Arthur or any of his family.

What there is no doubt of is that both the cricket and football teams both took the name of the church, so obviously the reverend was aware and gave his blessing to both of these activities. It is also highly probable the reverend would have had input into the choice of team kits later worn by the 1880s footballers, many of whom attended services at St Mark’s. Two different styles are known to have been adorned before the club became Ardwick AFC in 1887. A shade of scarlet and black worn initially during 1883 and the black jerseys which displayed the white cross pattee badge from 1884/85 season. The church remained a major influence on the team until at least 1887, even after the team moved grounds and changed its title.

During July 1897, Arthur was forced to retire due to ill health. His wife Anna had died at their home at St Mark’s Rectory, 17 North Road, Longsight, on 27th March 1895. He moved to 17 Marshside Road, Southport, with daughter Anna who nursed him as he was suffering from chronic bronchitis. He died on 24th February 1899 aged 77. Anna subsequently went to live with her sister Georgina and her husband in Walsall and she passed away after suffering a heart attack on 21st October 1924. Georgina died on 9th September 1933 whilst living in Rugby. Brother Arthur jnr is believed to have emigrated to Canada sometime around 1880.

At the funeral of Reverend Connell, his coffin was transported from Southport to West Gorton. The final procession was attended by players and officials from the original St Mark’s football team and those after, including Lawrence Furniss. A tablet dedicated to Arthur was later erected within St Mark’s Church.

Today, a modern educational facility is named the ‘Connell College’ and situated not too far away from where St Mark’s Church once stood. It is a fitting tribute to a man and his family who achieved so much in developing the church and its schools for the benefit of the West Gorton community.

Carl Freidrich Beyer

Carl Freidrich Beyer was born on the 14th May 1813 in Plauen, Saxony. In 1871, Saxony became one of the states of the German Empire. Not born into wealth, he was the son of a weaver and undertook his studies at Dresden Academy. Following this, he took a job in a machine works at Chemnitz, and obtained a state grant to visit Manchester to report on weaving machine technology. Upon his return from England and the publication of his report, he was rewarded by the Saxon government and received several offers to manage local cotton mills. Carl was determined to return to Manchester however, and during 1834 aged just 21, he did with his teacher Professor Schubert, who introduced him to many influential people and well known merchants within the city. Carl then took a job as a draughtsman. He was extremely talented, hard working and quickly gained respect from those who met him.

In 1852, he became a British national and was admitted to the Institution of Civil Engineers. Nine years later, he was listed as living at 9 Hyde Road as an Engineer employing 800 men. He later moved to 1 Stanley Grove and was co-founder of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and later became Governor of the Manchester Grammar School, to whom he donated large sums of money to improve facilities for learning.

During 1854, he and Richard Peacock founded ‘Beyer, Peacock and Company’, a railway locomotive manufacturer which was a major employer in the region and traded for over 100 years. This Gorton based company had a third (sleeping) partner in Henry Robertson, and they became hugely successful, selling locomotives internationally and making all three very rich men indeed.

Carl was a bachelor with no children. He spent his money doing good by providing employment, building schools, churches and donating to worthwhile causes. It was he who was the principle benefactor behind the construction of St Mark’s Church West Gorton, and he met the full cost of building its adjacent day school for the children of the area. He also provided funds for the building of St James’ and All Saints Churches, the latter was a wish made in his will. He is still the largest ever benefactor to the University of Manchester, donating the equivalent of over £10m in todays (2023) money on facilities which still benefit students to this day. Carl encouraged his business partners and associates to do the same philanthropic work, and both Peacock and Robertson followed his lead and made substantial contributions to St Mark’s. A building at the university near Oxford Road is named after him.

In 1867, Carl purchased the 700 acre Llantysilio Hall estate in Llangollen, Wales. He died in 1876 and is buried at Llantysilio Church.

Richard Peacock

Born on 9th April 1820 in Swaledale, Yorkshire, Richard was educated at Leeds Grammar School, where he left aged 14 to become an apprentice at Fenton, Murray & Jackson, a local heavy engineering company. He served his time and at 18 began working for the Leeds & Selby Railway Company, where he stayed for only a year before leaving to become Locomotive Superintendent of the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway (later the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway Company).

Within this role, he was responsible for the design, planning and relocation of the new company works when moving from Newton near Hyde, to the Gorton Locomotive Works (known locally as Gorton Tank) in 1848. This huge and unique building had workshops, carriage and waggon shops, a paint shop and even a nearby reservoir was constructed close to the Ashton Canal. A year later in 1849, Richard became a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

In 1854, Richard entered into partnership with Carl Friedrich Beyer and along with sleeping partner Henry Robertson, they founded the Beyer, Peacock Locomotive Company at Gorton Foundry, directly opposite Gorton Tank. This firm provided secure employment for thousands of local people over the years which followed, and made each of the three partners their fortune.
During those ensuing years, Richard followed Carl Beyers philanthropic lead, and this included making a donation to the funding of St Mark’s Church West Gorton in 1864. The church was subsequently completed in 1865 and later in 1878, two years after Carl Beyers death, Richard contributed £100 for the extension of the adjacent church school and its internal furnishings, a school which had initially been paid for by Beyer.

It was Richard who commissioned the Brookfield Unitarian Church, Hyde Road, Gorton, which was completed in 1871. The eight bells located within the steeple were all named after members of the Peacock family.

In October 1884, the original St Mark’s (West Gorton) football team became known as Gorton AFC and was playing home matches at Pink Bank Lane. The club had joined the Manchester & District Football Association and was sporting a new black kit with a white cross pattee badge. The funding for this kit was provided anonymously and Richard certainly could have been that person, easily having the means to do so. We think it was probably him as providing it and doing good without any personal benefit or publicity was his style. Nobody directly involved with the club at that time would have had the means to make such a purchase.

Previously to this, in 1883 when the team was known as West Gorton FC and played at Queens Road which is now known as Gorton Park, the first ever known team colours of a shade of scarlet with black were worn. It is thought by us that Richard may have been the anonymous benefactor of that kit too, as the club was in no position to fund it themselves and no such purchase was ever shown in the accounts.

The famous 1884/85 photograph shows the team wearing black jerseys with the white badge. Richard is seen seated on the far right of the middle row. He was certainly a keen supporter, as the balance sheet for the year ending 30th April 1885 shows he made a cash donation of £5. This sum was more than all the other member’s donations for the year, and turned a loss into a £1 8s 8d profit. The accounts for the following year state that he made another cash donation totalling £2 10s 0d. Gorton AFC was then based at Reddish Lane and Richard’s contribution enabled the club to show a £3 4s 9d profit which was carried forward. These contributions ensured financial stability and progress both on and off the pitch.

In late 1885 Richard became Liberal MP for Gorton. During his period in parliament he was in favour of Home Rule, the reform of the House of Lords and the establishment of local government, amongst other important matters of the time.

The support from Richard to the church (not just his own at Brookfield), the community and St Mark’s football team in the period prior to becoming Ardwick AFC was vital. He provided employment, places of worship and schooling, along with his funding for the advancement of local sporting activities. He was a respected individual and to have him associated with any venture would have been hugely beneficial.

Richard died in Manchester on 3rd March 1889 aged 68, and is buried in the Peacock Mausoleum at Brookfield Church. A memorial tablet there describes his parliamentary career and testifies to him being ‘a kind and unostentatious friend to the poor and needy’.

Henry Robertson

Henry Robertson was born on 11th June 1816 in Banff, Scotland and was the youngest of eight children. He did not have any direct involvement with the sporting teams at St Mark’s that we are aware of, but he was an important figure whose investments and achievements did touch the lives of many locally and far beyond. He graduated at Aberdeen University and devoted himself to engineering, initially mining then the railways. He was working for a Glasgow based company when he was asked to travel to Brymbo, Denbighshire, to report on mineral investments for a Scottish bank. This visit resulted in his purchase of an iron works and colliery, and his subsequent decision to build a railway from the works to Connah’s Quay, so he could transport coal and iron quickly and cheaply.

Henry became Chief Civil Engineer responsible for many railway and construction projects across mid and north Wales, including the Cefn Viaduct, Chirk Railway Viaduct and the (second) Chain Bridge across the River Dee near Llangollen.

During 1854 Henry was approached by Charles Freidrich Beyer to invest and become a silent partner in the Beyer, Peacock & Company Ltd, to be located in Gorton. He did invest, and this proved extremely lucrative for Henry by securing further links and orders, particularly concerning the Great Western Railway.

On 30th April 1864, he was guest of honour when laying the foundation stone at St Mark’s Church West Gorton. By this time he was Liberal MP for Shrewsbury, a title he was to hold on more than one occasion. Henry followed Charles Beyer by making a substantial donation to St Mark’s. The youngest of his four children to wife Elizabeth, carried the middle name ‘Beyer’.

Henry and his family lived in a large country house he built called Pale Hall in Llandderfel, Gwynedd. He passed away there on 22nd March 1888, aged 71.

Samuel Brooks (Union Iron Works)

Samuel Brooks founded the Union Iron Works on Thomas Street, West Gorton in 1859 as a textile machinery manufacturer. Samuel, via his company, was a financial benefactor for the church and its sporting teams during the early years. The Iron Works was also a major influence in the earliest days of the team. The land the original church based football team played on was owned by Samuel Brooks and he allowed it to be used for various other pastimes such as cricket, rugby, wrestling and boxing. In 1881 the football team played its last game there and subsequently moved due to Brooks commissioning the land for an extension.

Many of the football team founders and players were employed at the iron works, and as mentioned, the company are known to have been financial benefactors to St Mark’s Church and its sporting teams, including the football side. These financial contributions continued after the team had moved grounds and even after changing its name on several occasions.

Samuel died in 1886 and his business was run by executors including his son for several years, changing its name to ‘Brooks and Doxey’ upon reformation during 1892. The company gained a worldwide reputation for high quality machinery and it had works in Newton Heath and later in Stockport

Decades later during the 1930s, the company known as Brooks and Doxey merged with others to become ‘Textile Machinery Makers Limited’. Occasionally the Brooks and Doxey name was used up until the 1970s when incorporated into ‘Platt UK Limited’.

As for the original works on Thomas Street, these buildings were demolished like much of the area during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Thomas Street was renamed Wenlock Way and remains so today.

The company played a vital role in the establishment of the original St Mark’s (West Gorton) football team and many of its employees went on to support the club during the years which followed.

James Prince Lee

Next time you walk down Cathedral Street towards the Shambles, spare a moment if you can and have a look at the blue plaques beside the garden wall of Manchester Cathedral to your right. One of these honours a religious man who was right there at the very beginnings of the story of St Mark’s Church in West Gorton.

James Prince Lee was born in London on 28th April 1804. He entered the priesthood in 1830, the same year he married Susannah to whom he had two daughters. In 1847 he was elected as the first bishop of Manchester, to which he was enthroned at the Cathedral a year later.

As part of his duties he consecrated St Mark’s Church West Gorton on 30th November 1865. Present at the ceremony was first Rector Arthur Connell and his wife and young family, Carl Friedrich Beyer, Richard Peacock and Henry Robertson as well as other local businessmen and townsfolk from the Gorton area.

During his time as bishop, James consecrated 110 new churches in and around Manchester. He passed away in Stockport on 24th December 1869.

Thomas Goodbehere

Sometimes incorrectly spelt ‘Goodyeare’, Thomas was born in Middleton, near Bakewell in Derbyshire, during 1841 to Elizabeth Bateman and Benjamin Goodbehere. He has been credited in some quarters as being a founding father of the football team. However, we can clarify that he was not, but Thomas did support the team and do much good work within the community of West Gorton. He is well worthy of mentioning within this story. In 1861 he is registered as living at 7 Robert Street, Chorlton upon Medlock. After becoming qualified as an industrial draughtsman, he worked at the Samuel Brooks Union Iron Works on Thomas Street. A regular parishioner at St Mark’s, he became a churchwarden during 1877.

In 1879 Thomas assisted Rev. Arthur Connell’s eldest daughter Anna and fellow iron works employee William Henry Beastow, in the setting up of weekly men’s meeting, which involved no gambling and no alcohol. After initial difficulties, attendances thrived and by 1882 over 100 local men were members with 60 to 70 regular weekly attendees.

Thomas was married to Lilly and over the years which followed several of his family became involved at the iron works. One, Frederick George Goodbehere, born in 1852, became a partner during the mid 1890s before the business was incorporated into a limited company in 1898. By this time it was known as ‘Brooks & Doxey’.

His loyalty to the church and work for the good of local people never ceased. Thomas was generous and it is believed he provided essential support for church based activities such as cricket, association football and rugby.

Unlike William Henry Beastow and James Moores who were both also well known locally and involved with the church, he is not believed to have been a member of the Ashbury Masonic Lodge, or involved in local politics. He preferred a quiet life, immersed in family, work, the church and doing good for the community.

Today, a beautiful brass lectern donated by Thomas Goodbehere in 1897 to St Mark’s, is still in use during services at Emmanuel Church. After doing so much good during his lifetime, Thomas Goodbehere passed away in 1903 aged 61.

Lawrence Wain Furniss

Detailed on page two in the History section.

Joshua Parlby

Detailed on page two in the History section.

Stephen Chesters Thompson (Chesters Brewery)

Detailed on page two in the History section.

Name Progression

Many different names, a merger followed by a split then a ‘new’ club since the original church football team was established in November 1880. A unique story…

November 1880  St Marks (West Gorton)

With authorised support from the church, a football team was founded by cricketers and members of its committee of whom many were church officials and parishioners. William Sumner was the main founder, first captain and the person who trained and taught rules and tactical play to other team members. The association football team used the same name as the West Gorton church which supported the organisation of sporting pastimes for the men folk of the area. Other sporting teams both before the 1880 founded original church football team and for many years after, were also known as St Marks (West Gorton).

November 1881  West Gorton (St Marks)

A name shuffle was made after the team moved to play home games at Kirkmanshulme Cricket Club. This is thought to have been actioned to avoid any confusion with the two St Marks Church cricket teams who also played home matches at this venue and continued to use the original name for both its first and junior teams.

January 1883  West Gorton FC

The church title was finally dropped even though ties still remained strong for many years. The team began playing in its first kit, which was a shade of scarlet and black. This choice of kit is believed to have been heavily influenced by the church. Home games took place at Queens Road with players using the adjacent All Saints Church for changing and post match refreshments. All Saints was a sister church of St Marks. A merger with 1882 formed local side Belle Vue Rangers followed in October 1883.

During September 1884, the formation of the Manchester & District Football Association was announced and West Gorton FC were one of sixteen founder members. The club immediately became known as West Gorton AFC.

October 1884  Gorton AFC

The merger had lasted for one year but disagreements had occurred off the pitch. A split took place which resulted in the formation of a team named Gorton AFC, which immediately joined the Manchester & District Football Association. This team consisting of former St Marks players and officials plus several newly signed footballers, began to play home matches at Pink Bank Lane in a kit which included all black jerseys with a large white cross pattee badge to the left breast. This cross signified its church roots and continued influence, a cross which had always been displayed within St Marks itself and had its own meaning.

The team moved home again during October 1885 to play at the Bulls Head Inn on Reddish Lane for two seasons. Meanwhile, West Gorton AFC continued with its former Belle Vue Rangers players and management. During 1886 it became West Gorton Athletic and played at Church Lane in a red and white kit.

August 1887  Ardwick AFC

A move to Hyde Road, Ardwick, and the team played in new colours of royal blue and white. It immediately took the name of the town becoming Ardwick AFC, even though this new ground was just half a mile from Clowes Street, West Gorton. The club was still run by a committee and was soon to be heavily influenced by local industries.

A fully enclosed ground was developed in the years which followed 1887 and the team won its first ever trophies at local level. These achievements led to the club playing league football initially in the Alliance, then later in the Football League. As a non league club Ardwick AFC had international players and commanded gates of five figures during its seven year existence.

April 1894  Manchester City FC

The Manchester City Football Club Company Limited was founded and incorporated in April 1894. This was made during the demise of Ardwick AFC, which suffered serious financial issues. The new club as it was announced, would represent the whole of the City of Manchester and played in Cambridge Blue shirts.

An agreement was reached for a lease on the Hyde Road ground. To help pay for this and a squad of players, the club would raise funds via a limited company share issue. Ardwick AFC was never capable of doing such a thing due to its accrued debts and the way the club had been run by a committee, which today would be deemed as amateurish.

MCFC and its board of directors went to great lengths to project itself as a new entity so it would be granted a place in the football league. If it was seen as just a name change from Ardwick, it would almost certainly have been denied this. Manchester City FC has always officially used 1894 as the founding year of the club.

On Wednesday 21st May 1913, a resolution was passed at an Extraordinary General Meeting to immediately rename the club with the shortened title of Manchester City Football Club Limited, and it has remained so ever since.

The photograph above shows HM King George V visiting Hyde Road on 27th March 1920. This was the first time a reigning monarch had attended a league ground to watch a football match. The Royal Standard was proudly raised on a flagpole above the stands, and the King was said to have ‘applauded vigorously’ as City beat Liverpool 2-1 before a capacity crowd of 40,000. Fourteen years after this historic visit, HM King George V presented victorious City captain Sam Cowan with the FA Cup at Wembley. The Popular Side Stand shown in the background has no cover due to its corrugated iron roof being removed for the war effort, and not yet being replaced due to a lack of materials and subsequent costs.

Home Grounds

Eight permanent homes since 1880. The longest stay was Maine Road for 80 years between 1923 and 2003, then Hyde Road for 36 years between 1887 and 1923. Three venues are also known to have acted as temporary home grounds for one match apiece only.

1880  Clowes Street Ground

Finding any trace of the clubs earliest venues is not easy for any modern day historian. Most locations are unmarked with no clues as to what has gone before, and many sites have been developed on one or more occasions since. Today, Clowes Street has a new route from its original path, and St Marks Church would have stood where housing on Beastow Road is now built.

The pitch was situated at nearby Thomas Street on land owned by the Samuel Brooks Union Iron Works. This is where cricket, rugby, football, wrestling, boxing and possibly other sports took place. Players used the nearby St Marks Church buildings for changing and it is believed refreshments were served to officials and players here after games had ended. The land the pitch was situated upon was once farmed by crofters like almost all of the area until industry began to move in during the middle of the nineteenth century. Chemical, dye and bleach factories were the first works situated adjacent to the original grounds neighbouring fields and land. A man called John Shawcross rented several of these crofts, part of which was purchased by Samuel Brooks in the late 1850s to build his factory upon. It was one of these that we believe was used by the football team in 1880 after becoming the fallow land which Samuel allowed various sports to be played upon. It was undeveloped but levelled to some degree.

It has been reported elsewhere that it was a farm that St Marks first played upon, but this land had not been worked for many years prior to 1880 and all farms around Thomas Street and Clowes Street had disappeared long before. This piece of undeveloped land was reputably referred to by some locals as ‘Farmers field’. This is thought to be because it was either the last part of any of the former farms in the area that was still undeveloped, or because of its links to an adjacent crofter from years before called John Farmer.

The iron works expanded its factory across the ground after the 1880/81 season, forcing a move to Kirkmanshulme Cricket Club. Thomas Street is now known as Wenlock Way. Today the site of the Union Iron Works and original home ground is covered by units and car parking for digital media services. This latest redevelopment saw the 2018 demolition of an adjacent thirteen storey 1960s built computing centre originally named ICT Tower, which had become a landmark with locals and passengers on the nearby train lines.

Sadly the location of the church, or any of the sites of the early home grounds are not marked with any form of permanent tribute. Also, quite why only William Henry Beastow is now remembered with a road named after him and not others who played a more influential and significant role in the life of the church or birth of its original football team, most notably William Sumner, Walter Chew, Edward Kitchen and Frederick Hopkinson, is a mystery. A simple blue heritage plaque was sited some years ago a short distance away on a Clowes Street public house to mark the significance of the church team playing nearby but even this was poorly worded and sited. Sadly during area redevelopment it disappeared.

1881  Kirkmanshulme Cricket Club

Long since gone with no trace today of the cricket club and pavilion which once stood here. This sporting venue would have been enclosed with hedging, wooden fencing and the boundaries of adjoining properties at Tank Row. A match against Newton Heath LYR was played here in front of a packed crowd on 4th March 1882, resulting in a 2-1 victory with goals from Charles Beastow and James Collinge.

This was a much improved place to play home games as it was a flat piece of maintained ground used for cricket until notice to quit was received, probably because of damage to the playing surface. Located close by was the Longsight entrance gateway to Belle Vue Zoological Gardens which was erected in 1851, and situated not far away at 17 North Road (now Northmoor Road) was the original St Marks Church Rectory. It seems this venue ceased to be used for cricket some time after the late 1880s early 1890s. The site of Kirkmanshulme Cricket Club is today mostly covered by the A6010 Pottery Lane carriageway, with sections of Redgate Lane still visible, although partially closed and diverted from its original route from Hyde Road heading towards Kirkmanshulme Lane.

1882  Queens Road

The only former ground which is still home to a football pitch. Acquired for public use in 1891, it is now known as Gorton Park and managed by Manchester City Council. This was an open field in 1882, and prior to the earlier industrialisation of the Gorton area, it would have been farmland surrounded by acres of the same. The most notable features of this venue however, were the buildings of All Saints Church and the Friary of St Francis (Gorton Monastery). Today, only the amazing Gorton Monastery remains. All Saints Church was used by players for changing facilities in a similar way to how St Marks Church was during the first season. All Saints was a sister church of St Marks and built with monies provided by the family of Carl Freidrich Beyer as requested within his will.

The period spent here was one which the club was going through very difficult times both on and off the pitch, but thankfully it managed to survive. One match of note which took place here was on 13th October 1883 against Furness Vale. A crowd of 1,000 watched West Gorton FC win 1-0 thanks to a goal scored by P. Donohue. Gorton Park is open daily and the original site of All Saints is now occupied by Emmanuel Parish Church.

1884  Pink Bank Lane

Like Clowes Street and Kirkmanshulme Cricket Club, the Pink Bank Lane ground is unrecognisable today as a former football venue. In 1884 this site would probably have been rough ground needing work, and the club acquired it for a yearly rental payment of £3 with an additional 15 shillings for use of a dressing room. An attendance of 1,200 watched Gorton AFC play Heywood St James here on 22nd November 1884. It was during 1884/85 when the team first wore the iconic black shirts with white cross pattee, in recognition of its church roots.  Gorton AFC played here for just one season and the yearly accounts show that the club received a payment of £2 by way of compensation for ‘loss of ground’, so it appears the team were required to vacate Pink Bank Lane and find yet another pitch to play home matches on. This venue has been developed on a number of occasions, including being the location of the Greenwood House flats which were built in the 1930s and subsequently demolished during the 1970s. Today, it is the site of St Peters Roman Catholic High School, which opened in 1999.

1885  Reddish Lane

Reddish Lane, Gorton was home for two seasons. Rented land from the landlord of the Bulls Head Inn, a public house that was also used for players changing facilities. The club had started to gain momentum, and a good number of supporters continued to attend games here. The pitch was probably an open field adjoining the Inn, which was also a coaching house for the Royal Mail. This Inn was demolished around the turn of the century for road widening, and a new pub named the Bulls Head Hotel, was built close by in 1906. This former hostelry still stands today, but is not in use as a public house. Gorton AFC had progressed whilst being based at the Reddish Lane ground on the eastern edge of Gorton District. Today, the site of the pitch would almost certainly be located somewhere close to where Reddish Lane becomes Gorton Road, at the junction with Thornley Lane North.

1887  Hyde Road

Team captain Kenneth McKenzie is reputed to have discovered this derelict land off Hyde Road and Bennett Street, which was owned by the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway Company. It was subsequently rented and developed into a football ground by the newly named Ardwick AFC. The adjacent Hyde Road Hotel became club headquarters and initially provided changing facilities for the players.

The earliest enclosures built at the ground were no more than small wooden structures. The first Grand Stand built in 1888 held approximately 1,000 supporters and a Boys Stand appeared adjacent at the Galloway End corner, behind a single track railway line which supplied a factory adjacent to the ground. The first major construction at Hyde Road was the purchase of a stand in 1898 from the Fulham Pageant, which replaced the original Grand Stand. This new stand erected in 1899, was a more impressive structure with a much larger capacity, and it was extended at each end in 1904 to run the full length of the pitch. Other minor improvements were also carried out to the ground around that time including a small enclosure erected on the Popular Side and terracing improvements at the uncovered Stone Yard End which took the official capacity to 40,000. The ‘Fulham Pageant’ Grand Stand was still constructed of timber however, and it was this ill-fated enclosure that was later to change the course of Manchester City’s history.

During July 1910, City announced that major improvements would be made to Hyde Road. Three new stands were planned to be constructed prior to commencement of the new season by Humphreys Ltd, and configured to provide ‘minimum obstruction with maximum strength’. Architect was Scottish born Archibald Leitch, later famed for his trademark styles which included two-tier stands, criss-crossed latticework, ornamental brick frontages and pedimented roof gables. Examples of his styling were displayed on many of his works at British football grounds which included Parkhead, Ibrox Park, Hampden Park, Bramall Lane, Stamford Bridge, Craven Cottage, Ewood Park, White Hart Lane, Goodison Park, Leeds Road, Valley Parade, Park Avenue, Old Trafford, The Den, Hillsborough, Highbury, Filbert Street, Tynecastle Park, Douglas Park, Fratton Park, Villa Park, Roker Park and Selhurst Park. Other stadiums also bear his stamp, even works completed after his death in 1939. Leitch is said to be the father of British football stadia design but just a few examples remain. The three new stands at Hyde Road would be named the Galloway End, Popular Side and Stone Yard, and the type of construction was known as multi-span, which gave the ground a sense of uniformity. The only example of his trademark styling at Hyde Road was the criss-crossed latticework on several beams and struts, it seems construction was based more on fit for purpose than ornateness.

Hemmed in with a single track railway line running close to the most northerly corner of the pitch, and frequently overcrowded, the club would outgrow this ground, but it was much loved by those who attended. City’s first two seasons as England’s best supported team took place here during the seasons 1910/11, when attendances averaged 24,725 and an average of 20,525 during 1914/15. This was the last complete league season before regionalised league and cup games were played due to WWI. During WWI Hyde Road was commandeered by the military for the purpose of stabling horses prior to action on the battlefield. The pitch was still used for matches and City even managed to win three championships during the war, namely the War League (Lancashire Section) 1915/16, War Subsidiary Tournament (Southern Section) 1915/16 and War Subsidiary Tournament in 1918/19.

Much of the corrugated iron roofing of the Leitch built stands was removed during WWI and used for the war effort, mainly required for ships, ammunition and even kit for soldiers. After the war, this was not completely replaced by City due to a lack of materials and subsequent costs, although the Popular Side was eventually reroofed. There are several photographs of the stands during the post WWI period with iron stanchions, beams, joists, struts, purlins and rafters in place but no cover provided. Early corrugated iron used in building was extremely strong and made up of 100% iron. Today, mainly steel is used although it is still popularly called ‘iron’.

Manchester United had built their ‘United Ground’- later named Old Trafford, which was opened in February 1910 with a capacity of 80,000. The site of this new ground was on the west side of the city. It was twice the size of Hyde Road but it had no adverse effect on City’s attendances, and the atmosphere at Hyde Road on a matchday was never an issue. In fact City had a reputation for noisy crowds from the very first season at the ground, with musical instruments such as bugles and drums sounding as attacks mounted, and on big occasions even fancy dress would be worn. The 80,000 Old Trafford capacity proved unattainable, and the stadium was never filled for a United game until capacity was reduced by around a quarter following modernisation approximately half a century later. Hyde Road with all its shortcomings averaged larger crowds, as well as cover for at least 35,000 supporters in Edwardian times. Old Trafford never provided similar for its supporters until the 1960s.

A mysterious fire destroyed the 1899 constructed wooden Grand Stand at Hyde Road during the night of 6th November 1920, just months after a visit by HM King George V. Various theories have emerged of who or what was responsible and we cover this fire in detail on page four. The fire did force the club to act however, and a move to a new stadium in south Manchester beckoned. Some temporary cover was put in place after the fire with wooden seating quickly installed within part of the Stone Yard Stand. During the summer of 1921, a stand which is believed to be the Galloway End, was sold along with several turnstiles to Halifax Town FC. It was dismantled, transported, rebuilt and reconfigured into a conventional pitched roof stand centrally alongside the Shay Ground pitch. It still exists today beside a 1927 extension built by Booths of Bolton (Booths built the Kippax Street Stand in 1957 at Maine Road). After City had vacated Hyde Road in 1923, the land was used for many years by the tramways, then it became part of a bus depot, and later becoming a container storage site.

Today, the site of the Hyde Road ground is covered by a housing development. The Hyde Road Hotel was demolished in 2001 some years after being renamed ‘The City Gates’ and managed by former player George Heslop. Sadly, it remains an undeveloped plot. Once again, no trace of the important role the Hyde Road ground played in the history of Ardwick AFC and MCFC.

1923  Maine Road

Maine Road was a 16.25 acre site purchased for £5,500 from the Lloyds Estate, formerly known as Dog Kennel Lane. Opened on 25th August 1923 by Manchester Lord Mayor William Cundiff, it was the finest club ground in England upon completion, with a planned initial capacity of 80,000 containing 10,000 covered seats, and 70,000 uncovered standing places. Total costs were around £200,000 with £120,000 alone spent on the imposing brick built Grand Stand. It contained three external tiled mosaics, four levels of windows to allow maximum light into the clubs offices which were housed within, and also the upper levels of the stand and stairways. Inside were players dressing rooms, a gymnasium, games room, match officials rooms, various stores and heating rooms, directors lounges, the boardroom, club offices, reception, kitchen and wash rooms. Within the stand for supporters on matchday were bars, tea rooms and wash rooms.

During WWII air observers used the high rooflines of the stands at night to watch for enemy aircraft, and several of the grounds cavernous concrete tunnels were used for storing foods such as butter and lard. Maine Road escaped direct hits from German bombers but bombs did hit Moss Side and Rusholme, and one exploded close to the stadium on adjacent Carlton Avenue.

Royalty to attend Maine Road were HM Prince Albert Duke of York (later HM King George VI), to watch City against Derby County on 20th October 1934 (see photo), and HM Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, to watch a charity match against Manchester United during May 1964. Maine Road set many attendance records, and is still the only English league ground to stage five matches each with an attendance of over 80,000. The ground was gradually redeveloped over many years until it finally closed its doors in 2003. Today, housing has covered the original site. A plaque marks the position of the former centre spot of the pitch on a public space known as Gibson’s Green, named after much loved long-serving Maine Road groundsman Stan Gibson.

2003  City of Manchester Stadium (Sponsored and renamed ‘Etihad Stadium’ from July 2011)

Built on the site of the former Bradford Iron Works which was situated adjacent to Bradford Colliery. The stadium was officially opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II on 25th July 2002, accompanied by HM Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, at a ceremony of the XVII Commonwealth Games. This was 82 years after her grandfather HM King George V had attended Hyde Road, 68 years after her father HM Prince Albert Duke of York (later HM King George VI) had attended Maine Road, and 46 years after Her Majesty presented victorious City captain Roy Paul with the FA Cup at Wembley in May 1956. HM Charles Prince of Wales (now HM King Charles III) also attended the stadium during the games along with other senior members of the Royal Family.

The venue is now part of a site named Etihad Campus which seems to expand its facilities every year. Initially, the stadium had a capacity of 38,000 for the games, then following conversion from athletics use to a football ground, capacity was raised to 48,000. After South Stand expansion the Etihad capacity increased to approximately 55,000, although advertising requirements soon reduced this figure to 53,500. The capacity is now over 60,000 with the expansion of the North Stand as part of a development nearing completion to include a hotel, shops, bars, restaurants, a club museum and covered matchday fan zone. Fabulous both inside and out, the Etihad has statues, plaques and mosaics (including artefacts from Hyde Road and Maine Road) adjoining the main entrances and the spacious external walkways. Inside, the stadium offers great views of the immaculate playing area from wherever you sit or stand. It even now houses a traditional style pub named The Ardwick, in addition to the highest standards of hospitality for supporters.

The photograph above shows Maine Road upon completion in 1923. City’s highest home attendance was set here and is officially recorded as 84,569 on 3rd March 1934, for the FA Cup 6th Round match v Stoke City. Many supporters were unable to gain entry as turnstiles were closed 20 minutes prior to kick-off. This attendance is a record for any English club ground.

Temporary Home Grounds

Three venues are known to have acted as temporary home grounds for one match apiece only. At least one other ground may have done so in the early years before league football, but no substantiated information has yet been discovered.

Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales

16th October 1943

Manchester City 4 Wrexham 1 (North Regional League, 1st Championship)

This war league match was played at the Racecourse Ground in Wales. It is not included in statistics as an official first team fixture, as all wartime matches are not classed as such. The match was not played at Maine Road because an International fixture between England and Scotland took place at the ground that day, with England victorious by eight goals to nil in front of a 60,000 crowd.

Doherty (2), Barclay and Leech scored for City.

Attendance: 4,000.

The Racecourse Ground is the world’s oldest international football stadium which still plays host to international matches. It first hosted a Wales match in 1877.

Oakwell, Barnsley, England 

31st July 2008

Manchester City 2 EB/Streymur 0  (UEFA Cup)

Played at Oakwell due to the pitch being re-laid at the City of Manchester Stadium after hosting pop concerts.

Petrov and Vassell scored for City.

Attendance: 7,344.

The central section of the West (Main) Stand at Oakwell was built in 1904 and its architect was Archibald Leitch, the man who designed three stands at Hyde Road in 1910. It was later extended and is still in situ at Oakwell today.

Puskas Arena, Budapest, Hungary 

16th March 2021

Manchester City 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 0  (UEFA Champions League)

Played at the 67,215 capacity Puskas Arena due to COVID-19 restrictions, therefore the official attendance was zero. This venue was chosen by UEFA for several matches during the pandemic including the first (away) leg of this Champions League tie.

DeBruyne and Gundogan scored for City.

This stadium built in 2019 was named in honour of Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas and is the second constructed on this site.

Visit page 4 where photographs and further information on previous venues can be found in ‘Locations of former home grounds’.

Why we Protected the Original Name

During the 1980s and 1990s much damage to the reputation of MCFC both on and off the pitch occurred for a number of reasons. Its unique pre history was still misunderstood and was still comprehensively unresearched. The past seemed to be of irrelevance to many within the hierarchy of the club at the time. Sadly, several historical items were disposed of without thought, such as team memorabilia, unique mementoes and items such as the beautiful bronze plaque at the main entrance celebrating the opening of Maine Road in August 1923.

During 2006, following the acquisition of several high profile English football clubs by business people of dubious intent, we wrote to then Chairman John Wardle with genuine concerns about the future of the club and the feeling of continued irrelevance regarding its founding, early and pre history. Within that letter, along with other important issues, we proposed that City should consider incorporating a constitution to be agreed and passed on to any future owners, that would help to protect the historic attributes of MCFC. Sadly, although acknowledgement was eventually received, as was feared, no action was taken. Today, after several significant clubs have been the victims of disastrous takeovers which has led to either demise, near bankruptcy or general mismanagement, the government is still in the process of delivering new regulations regarding the management of professional football in England.

Following the subsequent takeovers of City over the next few years, after much thought, discussion and research which led us to Emmanuel Church, West Gorton, we eventually decided to protect the name initially via registration, then later, licenced trade marks. These actions were some time after the sad closure of the ‘City Experience’, which was the clubs initial attempt at a museum. Although exhibit space was limited and the project was obviously running on a narrow budget, this was a loss. No plans were announced for several years to replace it.

Registration of ‘St Marks (West Gorton)’ has enabled us to continue our decades long research and promote a an accurate story of the church, the birth, the evolution of its sporting teams and in particular the original, 1880 football team, its founders and how everything progressed. All of this within its own website and Facebook page. We are researchers and historians recognised by Emmanuel Church which took over the parish of St Marks during the 1970s. We have always considered ourselves only guardians of the St Marks (West Gorton) name. This was the title of the church and of its several sporting teams including the original church association football team which eventually became known after many changes and a merger, as Manchester City FC in 1894.

Our story begins during the Victorian 1860s, dispelling many myths along the way. The first ever church sporting team was a cricket XI who initially played in 1867. It is known a later church based cricket team was still playing under the name well into the twentieth century. Several St Marks (West Gorton) football teams also followed the originals formed in 1880, although we are not aware of another which progressed beyond playing locally. A rugby team was formed in 1880 named St Marks Rovers (West Gorton) and many social gatherings of men’s, women’s and children’s activities also took place under place under the name of the church.

We will always continue to promote this story positively as we feel this name, the church, the sporting teams, founders, officials, benefactors, players and supporters are so worthy of acknowledgement. Our research is totally independent. Never before has so much focus been put on the story of the Parish Church of St Mark, West Gorton. Much of its history and artefacts, many of which we discovered still survive today, were unearthed via our research in collaboration with Emmanuel officials.

This research has been undertaken and written without bias or derisive comments. Protection of the name and associated wording and images was made in good faith and has the backing of officials at Emmanuel Church. We are not journalists looking for a headline or individuals seeking publicity. It is a fact that the first known football team of the Church of St Mark in West Gorton grew into something much bigger than anyone could have imagined, many years after leaving the name and locality behind it.

We also wish to thank everyone who decides to make a purchase from us. Please continue to look us up from time to time as you may find something new in our shop, an additional piece of substantiated research or the latest article of interest we have included within the history pages of the website or on Facebook. We offer a unique range of quality memorabilia with prices starting at just £4. Items include replica jerseys, jewellery, a selection of pins, clothing, artwork, and leather goods. Our aim is to keep quality high and prices as low as possible and so is affordable to all. Your purchases support our continued research and the charity donations we make. We trust you enjoy the read and the unique memorabilia in our online Souvenir Shop.

Final Day Drama

Brushes with fate seem to be in the Manchester City DNA. Is it typical City? Well, its nothing new and it started long before Sergio Aguero scored the 93:20 goal in 2012, although that day will take some beating! Incredibly, the club has had no fewer than 25 final day dramas throughout its history. Unbelievable and incomprehensible matches including wins, draws and losses involving championships, promotions, relegations and european qualification, many with various record breaking feats. Some ridiculous, some heartbreaking, many totally bewildering and so fantastical that supporters of other clubs still sing about them even though they have no relevance to their own team!

For further reading, check the matches played by City on the final day of these seasons, each has a story attached. We have mentioned the last game of 1880/81 played by St Marks (West Gorton) within our ‘History’ and ‘Records’ pages, so we recommend reading up on these later ‘City’ years: 1904/05, 1908/09, 1909/10, 1925/26, 1926/27, 1937/38, 1949/50, 1950/51, 1967/68, 1973/74, 1982/83, 1984/85, 1988/89, 1995/96, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2004/05, 2011/12, 2013/14, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2021/22 and 2023/24.

A few famous quotes from media commentators during City matches on the final day…

‘I’m sure they can hardly stand the tension…and there it is, Manchester City are the champions!’ George Bayley 1968

‘Denis has done it!’ Gerald Sinstadt 1974

‘For Manchester City, another chapter in their quite extraordinary history of brushes with fate!’ Barry Davies 1985

‘The great unpredictables…at long, long last…this time Manchester City got it absolutely right!’ Martin Tyler 1989

‘It’s Dickov again, can you believe it?’ Rob Hawthorne 1999

‘It’s party time…cartwheels of joy…what a day for Manchester City!’ Alistair Mann 2000

‘Manchester City are still alive here, Ballotelli, Agueroooooooooo. I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever again, so watch it, drink it in!’ Martin Tyler 2012

‘Stupendous!’ Niall Quinn 2012

‘I’ve never seen anything like this, it’s gone mad…they’ve got love bites and everything!’ Paul Merson 2012

‘That’s why City are a sensation!’ Peter Drury 2022

‘You don’t get drama like this anywhere else…why do it the easy way, when you can add these sorts of levels to the occasion?’ Guy Mowbray 2022

‘The unthinkable, the unimaginable, the impossible that always seems to happen on the final days of Premier League seasons, particularly at the Etihad Stadium, has happened again!’ Jeff Stelling 2022

Trust us, there is no other football club quite like Manchester City…

The photograph above is of the Kippax Street Stand, Maine Road. Home to City’s most vociferous supporters. Originally known as the Popular Side when constructed as an open terrace in 1923, then renamed when a roof was completed in 1957. On a matchday children would often climb the stanchions and sit on walls, barriers etc. for a better view of the action. Original plans show this area being built to accommodate over 20,000. When closed for redevelopment in 1994, it was the largest single terrace in English football despite its much reduced capacity. This stand is honoured today by ‘Kippax Crescent’ at the Etihad Campus. 

Charity Information & Links

St Marks (West Gorton)® is delighted to confirm our official collaboration with Emmanuel Parish Church, West Gorton. This church, which contains artefacts saved from St Marks when it was demolished during the 1970s, is our nominated charity partner. We would like to thank everyone at Emmanuel for their continued commitment to our research, their trust and devotion to preserving the memory and precious artefacts of St Marks. Without them we would never have been able to reveal the true meaning of the club’s first badge- the iconic cross pattee, or identify items relevant to the 1880s team, players and officials. We have also been able to confirm the close association between church and football team which existed for many years.

Emmanuel Parish Church is located on Blackwin Street, West Gorton, Manchester M12 5LD. It contains many original artefacts from St Marks including proof of the links between this church and the cross pattee. Emmanuel is a busy, working church which continues to represent St Marks following unification into one parish. It recently celebrated fifty years since opening on 22nd June 1975, a celebration we were thrilled to be invited to and be a part of. For further information on services access this website  https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/Gorton/Emmanuel

Our official Facebook page provides additional historical information and short, easy to read articles on all things related to the club from the very earliest days. Photographs, special features and much more which may prove to be of interest to followers of all ages. We also display memorabilia, including any special offers. Access via log in, you can like and follow us via this link  https://www.facebook.com/shopstmarkswestgorton

You can access our contact page if you wish to message us via this website, or email us directly at stmarkswestgorton@gmail.com

Manchester City FC provides behind the scenes stadium and academy tours. Charges are payable and advance booking is advised.

Telephone 0161 444 1894 Email tours@mancity.com or access the website here https://www.mancity.com

The National Football Museum is located in central Manchester and provides a fantastic experience for any football fan. Opening times and charges vary so we advise to check prior to any visit.

Telephone 0161 605 8200 Email info@nationalfootballmuseum.com or access the website here https://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com

 

Please note: External website links are provided for ease if you wish to access additional information. By clicking on an external link we in no way endorse the content of that website. It should be understood that externally linked sites are in no way produced or created by St Marks (West Gorton)®. Therefore, external links do not convey any authorship, ownership or as mentioned, endorsement. Our official page on Facebook is produced entirely by St Marks (West Gorton)®.

A European night is always special at the Etihad. The photograph above gives a glimpse of the pre-match smoke and light show which has become a regular feature of these fixtures. City was just the fourth English club to win a major European trophy when captain Tony Book lifted the UEFA Cup Winners Cup on a memorable, rain-soaked night in Vienna during April 1970.

 

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