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Issue #56
Football Finances
March saw a raft of clubs filing their annual financial accounts. Very few made a profit, many made big losses.
In March 2025, City’s accounts for the 12 months to June 30, 2024 (the first Uggla season that ended with the arrival of
Hinsh and a narrow escape from relegation) saw City announce a modest loss of £235,431 (calculated as the difference between the current “profit and loss reserve“ and the figure for a year earlier). That is nearly £5,000 lost in every single week of the year.
In the 2 previous years, City reported a gross profit of £1,121,159 (2022/3) and £535,622 (2021/2).
Those are the hard facts, but given the size of City and many other clubs, they can file accounts with contain very limited detail. So much of the following is pure speculation.
394 Sports, the Ugglas holding company reported a loss of £2,154,555, again accounts don't allow any further breakdown, but it can possibly be assumed to cover some of City’s expenditure.
The most recent (2023/4) City accounts did not even include income or expenditure statements. A year earlier (2022/3), turnover had been stated as £3,846,725.
How was that number derived? For income, think gate income, commercial / sponsorship income and broadcast / prize money as the 3 main sources. If, and it is a big if, City had sold 2,500 season tickets at £300 each, that is £622,500 after VAT is deducted. 3,000 sales on each match day would generate around £1.3m. In total, less than £2m. I said, if, and these numbers assume all tickets are full price paying adults, take away concessions and all sorts of other deductions and City might struggle to net £1.5m in gate receipts. Other income will include commercial / sponsorship income. When I look in City’s commercial brochure, add in broadcast / prize money, I struggle to see how City might breach £2m in income.
For 2023/4, I don’t see any material differences in expenditure or income from a season earlier (the Henderson year). The wage bill might have increased a bit, gate money will be a bit higher and prize money / broadcast income will be up, say £100,000, given City reaching Round 2 of the FA Cup and the Wigan game being on BBC TV.
On the debit side, by far the biggest expense will be wages. Add in 6 figure numbers for each of rent, stewarding, away match travel and the pennies soon become millions.
If as rumoured one player was on £4,000 a week, that’s well over £200,000 as an annual cost. I repeat, I’m afraid it is all speculation given the level of detail shown in the accounts.
Any shortfall is made up by generous owners (or selling assets). Maybe the 394 Sports losses bridge the gap between income and expenditure.
The most recent accounts show a loss which is far less than many similar clubs. Certainly sources, much more informed than myself, have suggested City have incurred record losses, such numbers are not visible in the published accounts.
In Southend’s 2023/4 accounts, they reported a £2.65m loss, down by £100,000 on the previous 12 months, whilst the club's annual turnover fell from £2.93m in 2023 to £2.52m. Many might consider Southend to be a club of a similar size (and situation) to City so it is interesting to see their financial numbers. Mouth watering losses but not unknown amongst non league clubs where other losses included Oldham Athletic (£3.2m), Forest Green Rovers (£3.2m), Yeovil Town (£2.8m) and Hampton & Richmond (£1.2m).
However, it is not uncommon for clubs to report even bigger losses as they progress up the Football League.
Such losses included Fleetwood (£9.2m), Stockport County (£7m), Salford (£5.3m), Port Vale (£3.8m), Doncaster (£3m), Harrogate (£2.5m) and Wrexham (£2.5m).
Such losses make it a daunting prospect to become self-sufficient by selling players. Division 2 players don’t get transferred for a seven figure fees on a regular basis.
Indeed, it would take 2 or 3 such sales every season for clubs like Doncaster and Harrogate to break even. Imagine losing your best 2 players every summer.
Promotion to the Football League would see a club benefit by about £1.5m in central funding and open up wider commercial opportunities.
So despite FFP / PSR, many clubs continue to make losses but that doesn’t seem to stop the ongoing flow of new investment enjoyed across the divisions.
Charlie Wright Larger than life, Charlie Wright spent nearly 2 and a half years as City manager before being sacked in March 1980. On the face of it, he cannot be judged a success.
Born in Glasgow, his football upbringing took a similar path to many, the competitive worlds of Scottish schoolboy and later “junior” (think amateur) football.
His footballing career nearly ended before it started. A keen road racing cyclist (some said that was his favourite sport), he considered moving to Belgium, then as now, a hotbed of cycling to pursue a career in that sport. As with others, a chance call from a club, Greenock Morton, lead to him turning out for them as an amateur. On the basis of one game (and glowing reports), he turned professional with Glasgow Rangers. At Rangers, he failed to make a first team appearance. He moved south to join Workington and later played for Grimsby, Charlton and Bolton, before he retired 15 years later in 1973 with 535 league appearances behind him.
During his playing career, he did his mandatory National Service. Based in Hong Kong, he was selected for their national team to play Peru, he saved a penalty and was named "Player of the Year" in Hong Kong, an accolade also won by City's reserve keeper, some would say City's best ever reserve keeper, Mick Granger, a few years earlier.
It was towards the end of his career that I first became aware of him. He was playing at Bootham Crescent for either Charlton or Bolton when he engaged in proper 2 way friendly banter and quick and funny quips with the City fans behind the goal.
At Charlton, prior to Wright, their fans and many others, would name Sam Bartram as the best uncapped keeper in England, much later, Charlton supporters held Dean Kiely in similar high goal keeping esteem.
His playing career ended at Bolton where he made 109 appearances, he was first-choice goalkeeper and was a key part of the team that won the Third Division title under Jimmy Armfield in 1973, below them, City were finishing just outside the relegation zone for a second successive season.
Wright was forced to hang up his gloves through injury but subsequently joined the Trotters' coaching staff and become youth-team coach. Goalkeepers are probably more vulnerable to serious injury than any other players on the park. Charlie was no different. He suffered from a bad back, cracked ribs, numerous broken noses, concussion and a fractured jaw. On more than one occasion, he was knocked unconscious and hospitalised.
However, it was the battering that his spine took that meant he had no choice but to hang up his gloves, "my back was knackered, the doctor told me that, if I had been a horse, they would have shot. I was 37 at the time. It was a big disappointment. I was as enthusiastic as ever and with my experience, I could read the game two moves ahead, I would have liked to have played on till I was at least 40", he said.
In goal, he was strong, courageous, had quick reflexes and could catch or deflect the ball from whatever angle, height or speed it came at his goal.
Out of goal, he was a likeable man, chirpy and extrovert, he was well known for his colourful language and big moustache. His chatty nature often came to the fore on the pitch, happily chatting with both home or away fans behind the goal. Indeed, that once resulted in a Charlton manager issuing him with “no talking” order for fear of his chat distracting him from the game.
Charlie's agility, reliability and enthusiasm meant he was well remembered by fans of all the clubs he played for.
"Great goalie for Bolton and a real character. Loved by the fans, Charlie was another superb player recruited by Jim Armfield.”
“Charlie had an excellent season in 71-72 and was a fine stopper. unassuming player but part of Jimmy Armfield's legacy at bwfc."
He was appointed City manager in November 1977 when City were in the doldrums after 2 successive relegations under Wilf McGuinness. In his first season as manager, City successfully applied for re-election before improving to a respectable 10th placed finish. The following season, City struggled and Charlie Wright was sacked in March 1980, City finished that season in 17th place.
At City, his time is possibly best remembered for the 1978/9 FA Cup run where victories at Blyth (the previous season’s giant killers when they reached the last 16) and at home to Scarborough and Luton. Surprising (or not), City attracted a bigger crowd for the Scarborough game than they did for Luton. Round 4 saw a tie at Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest, reigning English champions and just 4 months from away from their first European Cup triumph. City tamely exited the cup with a 3-1 defeat on an ice rink, Barry Wellings scored for City. It was a brief return to the big time for City after the heady days of Division 2 (Championship) just a few years earlier.
For City, his signings included Peter Lorimer, Neil Warnock and Derek Hood whilst he gave debuts to youngsters John Byrne and Gary Ford. With money very tight, his sales included Gordon Staniforth for a then club record of £120,000 and Chris Topping for £20,000.
Not many City managers have blooded 2 youngsters as talented as Byrne and Ford, indeed, few have blooded 2 together.
Sadly, Wright’s time with City cannot be judged to be a success on the pitch, but given the financial constraints he was working under, he stabilised the club and some might say, laid the foundations for 1984.
His jovial nature united City and pulled us out of the doldrums,
For Graeme Crawford, when speaking to York City South, he fondly recalled Charlie Wright. Despite Crawford’s City exploits over the previous 5 years as he helped City into the Championship, Crawford remembered how much he learnt about the art of keeping after Wright was appointed City manager, he said it was the first time anyone had really coached him in keeping techniques, including the art of positioning and angles.
After City, Wright returned to Bolton where later, in 1985, he had a spell as their manager and later a spell as a club manager in Norway. Later, he moved back to south London where he ran a successful transport cafe (“Charlie's Place“) for 15 years before retiring to the south coast. "It was hard work but rewarding. From one day to the next, you never knew who might walk in through the door. Our customers ranged from tramps and drug addicts to business people and film stars", he said.
I’m afraid that his managerial record only added to the old adage that goalkeepers don’t make good managers.
Sadly, Charlie Wright died in late December 2024. A few days later, he was remembered at Bolton with a minute's applause and black armbands and by City during our annual minute's appreciation for those of the City family who we had lost during 2024.
Tainted Love The big question on Merseyside is will Trent Alexander-Arnold’s legacy to be tainted if he leaves for Real Madrid with a secondary question being why have 3 demi gods been allowed to run down their contracts.
Firstly, it depends how you measure legacy. To the player, trophies, caps and honours are firm measures of legacy, they possibly won’t say it, but wealth and fortune are also measures and as Johnny Thunders once said, you can’t put your arms around a memory.
Many players have only temporary ties to the club they are leaving and so realistically, you can understand when they move on, legacy and fan reaction isn’t an issue. In the case of the Liverpool 3, I’m sure it’s a bigger wrench for Trent than the others given he’s spent all his life on Merseyside.
Looking back, I don’t think I’ve ever thought that a City player has tainted his legacy when leaving the club. Disappointment yes, in my time, Pat Lally and Keith Walwyn’s departures were possibly when I felt the most disappointment, they both moved to other clubs in our division. John MacPhail, Paul Barnes, Richard Cresswell and Jon Greening and others moved on, all had outgrown City as they moved up the divisions.
Maybe it is just me, a supporter of a club that seeks greater status, but knows its place in the pyramid, where many players have already tainted the club‘s legacy well before they leave City, rather than a supporter of a big club who wants it all and more.
Others ask why the 3 Liverpool demigods were all allowed to run down their contracts at the same time. Basically, none of the 3 wanted to sign a new contract 2 years ago, no one can force them to sign if they don’t want to sign.
Its common practice for clubs to put out feelers to players nearing the end of their contract (historically about a year out, nowadays in many cases, often 2 full years or more before the end of a 4 or 5 year contract, barely halfway through their current contract). At that stage, if discussions go well, and I’m sure with increased wages and juicy signing on fee, a new improved contract could be signed and the existing one ripped up. If not, discussions can go cold or stall completely.
A player is actually “losing out” by not agreeing an early new contract, “losing out” despite already being on a mouth watering contract.
Imagine the outcry, if 2 years ago Liverpool had announced TAA wouldn’t sign a new contract and was for sale. Equally, such an announcement could sour player / club relations and damage both the club and player’s bargaining position with each other or other clubs.
Back at the LNER, with Callum Howe (and others) 2 years into their original contracts, I hope City are starting to consider his future, At 31, he falls into the Van Dijk / Salah envelope, his best footballing days might be considered to be behind him. Clubs need to weigh up a lucrative new contract against the great unknown of when an ageing players’ form will suddenly tail off.
An additional dynamic for City when talking new contracts is that City don’t yet known which division they‘ll be in next season.
I for one would never begrudge a player from holding out until late in the day to agree a new contract, frustrating for the fans but the players are just looking after number one, something we all do.
8 Second Rule I’m not expecting great things from the new 8 second rule in which keepers are supposed to release the ball. The old 6 second rule fell into disuse, supposedly, referees felt the award of an indirect free kick for transgression was too large a penalty so didn’t enforce it.
Now, keepers have 8 seconds and the referee is supposed to give a signal and a countdown. Does that mean that keepers can’t be trusted (or are unable) to count up to 8 for themselves?
If properly applied, I like to think the rule will mean keepers releasing the ball before the opposition have got themselves properly organised. It will suit the teams and keepers who are tactically astute, hopefully meaningful game time will be increased, favouring teams who like to play football, rewarding teams who want to play on the front foot and to move the ball more quickly.
No more keepers lying outstretched on the ground, like a beached whale, surveying the whole pitch in front of them for a good 15 seconds and often taking over 20 seconds to put the ball back into play.
Will the referees properly implement the rule? Maybe for a couple of weeks before they fall back into their old ways as players complain about the extra effort involved as the game speeds up.
Now if only we could come up with a solution for keepers who go down with cramp after 20 minutes.
Everyone For Hinshball? In a previous article I wrote about how little impact some of our loanees had made whilst on loan at City during the 2023/4 season. Were they good enough, were they ready or were they just slow learners.
Undoubtedly, some were not good enough, but increasingly, I’m thinking can players make a quick impact when they arrive mid season?
We signed Marvin Armstrong. In the doldrums at Barnet, admittedly they were higher up the table than City, but he arrived and immediately “got” what Hinsh wanted him do. Alex Hunt had a mare on his City debut in Neal Ardley’s last game. At the time, I’d have been happy if he never played for City again. He was totally ineffective before being pulled off at half time. Dropped to the bench, he didn’t see game action again until Hinsh’s fourth game.
Before he left, Neal Ardley had indicated we wouldn’t see “his team” until the 2024/5 season, no doubt a combination of making changes to the side but also pre-season would allow him a solid block of time to impart his ideas on the team.
He never got the summer he craved. Hinsh replaced him.
The majority of Hinsh’s signings were done early in the summer and the team hit the ground running this season. The new players fitted into the side seamlessly.
Paddy McLaughlin was quoted as saying in Hinsh’s early days, how he drilled into the players what he wanted, it may have taken him 4 games, but results started to change. Paddy went onto say that in pre-season 2024, Hinsh had time to really make his philosophy stick.
Hinsh appears to be obsessive, meticulously working with his players, so they always knew where to be on the pitch, both in and out of possession.
During the 2024/5 season, it was often noted how players popped up, out of position, trying to create overloads, a key element in Hinsh’s tactical set up, but other players spotted this and were prepared to cover for teammates who’d gone forward.
In Hinsh’s early days, some players fell by the wayside, deemed surplus to requirements, I wonder how much was down to footballing or mental ability, were they not good enough or unable to take on board Hinsh’s tactical requirements.
During the 2024/5 season, we saw several new arrivals. How many were successful?
I’d say Malachi Fagan-Walcott and Lewis Richardson can be judged as successes. Whilst MFW quickly settled into the side, Richardson improved the longer he was here, in a similar way, Cam John who arrived as a pre-season triallist, new to Hinshball improved across the season.
Of the others (including David Ajiboye, Mo Fadera, Jordon Garrick (triallist), Jeff King, Junior Luamba, Luca Thomas and even Josh Stones), none can be said to have been successes. I’ve included Josh Stones, a big money signing, largely consigned to the bench, he can’t really be named a success, although given a full summer, I’m sure we’ll see a different Stones next season.
So for the mid season arrivals, it was generally no, Hinshball wasn’t for them.
Maybe to play Hinshball, you need to be an early summer signing and get indoctrinated during pre-season training.
Ricky Sbragia A journeyman Scottish born defender, Ricky Sbragia was an apprentice with top flight Birmingham City. Despite a handful of appearances, he couldn’t establish himself in their side and moved onto Walsall in 1978 for £15,000. In his first full season, they were Division 4 runners up and he earned a £35,000 summer move to Blackpool. He was unable to establish himself in their Division 3 side and was released in 1982.
Denis Smith made him one of his first City signings. Released, he wrote to several clubs asking for a contract. Few replied, Rochdale were prepared to offer him a 2 year deal. He drove from his Blackpool home to Rochdale, turned straight around and went home without getting to the Spotland ground. City’s initial offer was only short term, but he eventually agreed a one year deal, albeit on less money than Rochdale were prepared to offer.
Sbragia was an ever present in his first season and then missing just one game in City’s 1983/4 Division 4 championship winning season.
He was a rock at the heart of City’s defence, the quiet, cultured and unflustered man alongside the more flamboyant man, first Denis Smith and then John MacPhail.
In the 1984/5 season, again he was a regular on the team sheet, until he succumbed to a back injury received in the Liverpool FA Cup replay. It was an injury that was to trouble him for the rest of his playing career.
Recovering, his injury, he was to play on for another 2 seasons before announcing his retirement in the summer of 1987.
One high spot of his career was his goal against Liverpool in the 1985 FA Cup tie, but he’d probably say he was at his best when defending.
In total, he made 179 appearances for City, scoring 10 goals, the club where he enjoyed the most playing success of his career.
As a player, perhaps Sbragia didn’t get credit he deserved. He had a good footballing brain and could read the game. Used to being an “old school“ centre back at his previous clubs, Smith got Sbragia to stay on his feet and pass the ball (the opposite to what his previous managers wanted him to do), but Sbragia’s preferred style of play.
Until his back injury, he was just as important to City’s side as John MacPhail and that is high praise.
On retirement, he joined City’s youth coaching staff. Largely known as “Youth Team Manager”, he also briefly held the title of “Reserve Team Manager” and gained his coaching badges. He guided City’s youth team to the quarter finals of the 1992/3 FA Youth Cup.
In his time at City, his young charges included Richard Cresswell, Jon Greening, Graeme Murty, Nick Culkin and Darren Williams who all left City for decent fees. Around £3m in total.
In early October 1994, he accepted an offer to take up a youth team coaching role at Sunderland. Douglas Craig told Sbragia that he turned down initial interest from Sunderland stating Ricky was happy with City, however Ricky asked to speak to Sunderland.
For most of his coaching career at City, it is believed that he was on a week by week contract. However some other reports suggested he'd recently signed a 3 year contract with City, in all probability, it was offered by Douglas Craig when the Sunderland interest came along. Whatever, Sbragia indicated that Craig was largely unaware of the youth set up. Sbragia was much closer to director Colin Webb whose remit included the youth set-up.
He spent 8 years at Sunderland working with the youth team and later the reserve team.
In 2002, for once in his life, he put out feelers and applied for the vacancy as Manchester United’s reserve team coach. Sir Alex Ferguson recalled how he’d been impressed with the passing style of Sbragia’s City youth side at Old Trafford in 1993 FA Youth Cup tie. Moving onto Manchester United, he had 3 years as Reserve Team Manager before a spell as Bolton’s first team coach. Staying in the top flight, he re-joined Sunderland’s coaching staff in November 2007 and was, rather reluctantly, appointed caretaker manager a year later following the departure of Roy Keane. A couple of 4 goal wins and the job was his on a permanent basis, guiding Sunderland to Premier League survival on the final day of the season before resigning as manager, although he remained at Sunderland as Chief Scout, in April 2011.
5 years coaching Scottish age sides followed, initially as Under 17 coach, progressing with the side up to Under 21 level.
His next and final role saw him return to Manchester United in July 2017 as Under 23 manager under Mourinho and then Solskjaer before being sacked in May 2019.
When coaching City’s youth side, he had a real affinity with his young charges who looked up to and respected him. On the pitch the 1993 FA Youth Cup quarter final and being runners up in the 1994 Northern Intermediate League were the high spots, both in his time with City and the history of youth football at York City.
For one, Graeme Murty noted how Sbragia always showed tough love, but always with an important lesson for a young player to take on board.
In the 1990s, when selling new frontiers, Ricky was one of the few City personnel who regularly bought a copy, thrusting a one pound coin into my hand and telling me to keep the change for the next issue. Next issue, invariably it was another one pound coin and the same instruction.
Footnote: In 2014, he was a very late candidate when Russ Wilcox's appointment as City's manager was about to be confirmed.
Notts County Insider Revealed, the inside story of how Notts County appointed their new manager.
On May 17 (2025), County lost their play off semi final to AFC Wimbledon which prompted the start of their end of season review initiated by their ownership consortium, led the Danish brothers Christoffer and Alex Reedtz, the brains behind statistical football analysis company Football Radar.
5 days later, head coach Stuart Maynard was sacked after 16 months in charge after he failed to guide them to promotion from League 2 following a poor end to the season. The owners in their ChatGPT written platitudes said, “after being unable to achieve our aim of winning promotion this season, we share the disappointment felt by everyone connected with the club, while football is a game of fine margins, and Stuart undoubtedly faced numerous challenges over the course of the campaign, neither results nor performances reached the levels we believe the team was capable of - particularly during the defining period towards the end. We have parted company with our head coach who leaves with our very best wishes and gratitude for his considerable commitment and dedication to the role”. They went on, “alongside our recently-appointed Head of Football, Roberto Gagliardi, our work is well underway to identify the correct coaching team and new signings to join us on these important next steps of our journey.”
They drew up a list of criteria for their next manager, the criteria being cheap, plays attacking football, promotion of youth players and a record of success.
During the heatwave, deliberations were held outside at County’s training ground. Their database throw up a plethora of Scandinavian sounding managers and a short list was drawn up. One intrepid journalist, spying from a tree saw a list of names on post it notes on the white board. His report saw the bookies form a market and all the usual suspects (and many more besides) were quoted at ridiculously short odds.
Essentially, it was a re-hash of the market the bookies had just binned following the appointment of David Hughes as Newport’s manager, a name that had caught the bookies by total surprise. The County list was spiced up with various Scandinavian managers, Dean Brennan, Des Buckingham, Adam Hinshelwood and managers of a local standing including Sam Allardyce and Neil Warnock.
Day by day, the market fluctuated wildly as people put their change from Poundland’s big rival, the 99p shop on the outcome.
Hinsh was quickly ruled out by the selection panel, they noted he had a similar background to the outgoing manager Maynard, in achieving nothing and had no FL experience whilst last season, he gave youth players just 3 minutes of game time. County’s player scouting team backed up the brothers noting that their number one target Maz Kouhyar was not rated by Hinsh.
That said, on May 25, Adam Hinshelwood and his young son were spotted in the Trowell service station on the M1 just outside Nottingham having a celebratory cuppa and coke after Jack's 2 goals in Brighton’s 4-1 win at Spurs. The national journalist, billeted to Nottingham for the duration of County’s manager hunt spotted them and Hinsh was quickly promoted to 2/1 favourite for the job.
As County dithered, Hinsh’s odds lengthened as the odds for a flurry of Danish managers and coaches were shortened. However, on June 2, again the journo spotted Hinsh and all his family at Trowell, this time he spoke to Hinsh but doesn’t believe him when he’s said they’re breaking their journey home after a weekend break in Brighton with son Jack. Having drifted in the market during the week, Hinsh is installed at odds on 4/6 favourite.
With Hinsh back at favourite, the brothers Reedtz take a second look at Hinsh. Again, they don’t see a fit, speaking to their colleagues at Chesterfield they firmly believe that Matt Uggla wouldn’t let Hinsh leave cheaply. In addition, they believe the recent departure of Tony McMahon means that Hinsh has far too much autonomy to what they envisage for County's next manager.
As candidate after candidate rejects County, the brothers widened their statistical study, this time taking in additional expert analysis from Oddschecker, BetVictor and SkyBet.
What do the bookies know? They had Des Buckingham 8/13 clear favourite for Cardiff, 2/1 for Notts County and 9/4 for Plymouth. Sounds like a man in demand. His agent has been busy down the bookies. They know nothing. In the last three weeks they had Hinsh, Steffen Højer, Tobias Solberg, Des Buckingham, Leam Richardson, Joao Alves and Jack Wilshere all as odds-on favourites. Possibly more, and some of them more than once. I never once saw Martin Paterson mentioned, but given they often named 50+ managers, I might be mistaken.
Finally, one brother turns to the other and says, “there are lies, damned lies, and statistics, pass me a pin”. Job done.
Oh! Brother The summer signing of Alex Newby added to the list of City’s footballing families, but not the first twin to play for City. It remains to be seen whether he comes face to face with his twin Eliot of Barrow.
For the record, It would not be the first time brothers have faced each other in City games. When Alan Little was our manager, he faced Stoke managed by elder brother Brian during the 1998/9 season) whilst last season was a first for City when they came up against the Lisbie twins (Kyreece and Kyrell) playing for Braintree in March.
David McNiven lead City's strike force during the 2000/1 season, his twin brother Scott was a pro and their Dad, David Snr, was a top flight striker (briefly) with Don Revie's Leeds side and spent most of his career at Bradford City.
However pride of place must go to the 4 Kay brothers from Great Ouseburn. Between them, Thornton Lambert Kay, Eric Newbald Kay, Frederick Robert Kay and William Arthur Kay made a grand total of 8 appearances (no goals) between 1923 and 1926.
Of the brothers who’ve played for City, possibly Marco and Riccardo Gabbiadini are the best remembered, certainly Marco. A young starlet, his class was obvious when he made his City debut under Denis Smith, he found his scoring boots after an £80,000 move to Sunderland. A £1.5 million transfer to Crystal Palace saw City net a healthy sell on fee. Younger brother, Riccardo made just one appearance as a substitute for City before Sunderland gambled on the family gene coming good again, this time it didn’t.
The 1980s might have been a golden era for home grown City brothers. Brian and Albert Chippendale and Nigel and Adrian Costello came through City’s youth ranks. Between them, they made just 17 City appearances (most as substitutes) and scored one goal, Brian’s goal in City’s League Cup defeat at QPR in 1984 before finding their level in non league football.
Well before my time, City fielded several sets of brothers. Pre 1929, George and Joe Harron were followed by England schoolboy internationals George and Tommy Maskill and Joe and Reg Baines. Reg had 3 spells with City stretching over 14 years to 1938 and City’s run to the quarter finals of the FA Cup. In total, he scored 93 goals in 140 games, between times, he was twice poached by bigger clubs.
The Tait brothers (Barry and Peter) had brief City playing careers in the late 1950s. Barry returned as part of the youth coaching set up during the heyday of the youth production line in the early 1990s.
Looking ahead to the new season, Callum Howe will hope to face his brother Dec when City play Scunthorpe having been denied the opportunity in the FA Trophy last season.
Finally, City’s Assistant Manager, Gary Elphick is the elder brother of Tommy who had a long career (playing and coaching) with Bournemouth.
I’m afraid with that list of brothers, City don’t reach the heights of other footballing families, the likes of the Allen clan, the Charlton brothers or Morgan twins. However, the 4 Kay brothers, give us a claim to fame, even if between them they totalled less than one twentieth the number of City appearances as Roy Kay (no relation).
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