MANCHESTER CITY were the last side to score ten goals in a league game — in 1987, against Sunday’s FA Cup visitors Huddersfield.
Ex-City striker Paul Stewart, who won three England caps, looks back and speaks of his pride at being part of a team to hit double figures, netting one of three hat-tricks on the day…
Bob Thomas Sports Photography – GettyTony Adcock, Paul Stewart and David White after their hat-tricks for Manchester City in the 10-1 win over Huddersfield[/caption]
IT’S very rare in any team sport that everyone in your side fires in the same game.
In 20 years as a professional footballer, I was lucky enough to have enjoyed that high in this match.
Huddersfield — and their recently appointed manager Malcolm Macdonald — were just unlucky to meet our Manchester City side on a day when we were ruthless from the first minute.
It shows just how well the team played that, in a match in which THREE of us scored hat-tricks, none of us ended up as a man of the match — that was Paul Simpson!
This was also 37 years ago, when you only ever played with one match ball during the 90 minutes.
The idea of match balls scattered on the sidelines like today was unheard of.
I remember if a ball went over the stands they would wait to get the ball back to resume the game!
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So this double-figure score and three hat-tricks meant the club had to almost reluctantly part with three balls to myself, David White and Tony Adcock at the end.
I’m still very proud that I played — and hit a treble — in the last English league match to see one team rack up TEN goals.
When a team starts rattling in the goals, I’m often watching or listening and hoping they don’t hit the magical double figures.
It is still a wonderful talking point for all the players from this game that we were the last ones to do it.
Despite City being third in the Premier League, I believe they are still the favourites for the title, although it should be some second half of the season in a race that also includes another of my old clubs, Liverpool.
It’s easy to forget City have been without Kevin De Bruyne since the first game of the season in August.
And goal machine Erling Haaland has missed their last seven matches overall.
Having De Bruyne in the second half of the season will almost feel like they have signed a £100million player in the January window!
When a team starts rattling in the goals, I’m often watching or listening and hoping they don’t hit the magical double figures
Paul Stewart
The thought of those two returning with KDB providing killer passes for Haaland is a frightening thought for the rest of the top flight.
But it would be unfair of me not to single out Phil Foden who — in that pair’s absence — has gone up another notch in terms of his all-round game. I didn’t think he could possibly improve on the last few seasons but he has been absolutely immense and deserves the plaudits.
I will forever be happy to see my old club City rattling in the goals in big wins — but I’d prefer to see them stop at seven or eight to leave our golden stat intact!
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