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User:Stevo1000/Ballet on Ice

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Ballet on ice
Manchester City 4–1 Tottenham Hotspur
Event1967–68 First Division
Manchester City Tottenham Hotspur
4 1
DateWednesday, 9 December 1968
VenueMaine Road, Manchester
RefereeD W Smith
WeatherSnow

Manchester City 4–1 Tottenham Hotspur, commonly referred to as the Ballet on ice. It is remembered in English football for being played in snowy conditions with the Maine Road pitch resembling more a ice rink than a football pitch and Manchester City fans fondly remember it being one of City's greatest performances.

As the teams came out onto the frozen pitch, BBC Match of the Day commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme dubbed the Manchester City team as "the most exciting team in England"[1]. As it proved, City produced one of their best footballing performances in their history, so much so the Tottenham players were convinced the City players were using more effective studs with one Spurs players quoted as saying, "It was extraordinary. City moved like Olympic speed skaters while we were falling around like clowns on a skid patch." Third-place City won many plaudits and went onto to win the league that season. The match was named as Match of the Day's "Match of the Season".[2]

Pre-match

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Manchester City went into the game in third place in the league whilst Tottenham were currently fifth placed in the league. The pitch was inspected twice before referee, D W Smith allowed the match to be played, despite the pitch seemingly frozen.

Match report

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Manchester City4 – 1Tottenham Hotspur
Bell 18'
Summerbee 49'
Coleman 64'
Young 75'		 Greaves 6'
Referee: D W Smith
Home
Tottenham Hotspur
MANCHESTER CITY:
GK1England Ken Mulhearn
RB2England Tony Book
CB5England George Heslop
CB6England Alan Oakes
LB3England Glyn Pardoe
CM4England Mike Doyle
CM8England Colin Bell
RW7England Franny Lee
LW11England Tony Coleman
CF9England Mike Summerbee
CF10England Neil Young
Substitutes:
DF12England David Connor
Manager:
England Joe Mercer
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR:
GK1Northern Ireland Pat Jennings
RB2Republic of Ireland Joe Kinnear
CB5England Alan Mullery
CB5England Roger Hoy
LB3England Cyril Knowles
RM6England Dave Mackay
CM10England Terry Venables
LM11Wales Cliff Jones
RF7England Frank Saul
CF8England Jimmy Greaves
LF9Scotland Alan Gilzean
Substitutes:
DF12England Kevin Bond
Manager:
England Bill Nicholson

References

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  1. ↑ "Manchester City 4-1 Tottenham". mirrorfootball.co.uk. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ↑ Goldstone, Phil (2005). Manchester City Champions 1967/68. Stroud: Tempus. p. 58. ISBN 0-5724-3611-2. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
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