Thanks for the comments. I'm still plugging away after over 25 years since my first City book was published to uncover more. I won't rest until City's history is given the attention and prominence it deserves. I accept that many Blues may not be interested in anything pre their own first game, but to me it's important to know where our club comes from and why we have the feelings/approach we have at times. I'd urge every fan to read my latest published research that has been published in an academic journal about City winning the FA Cup in 1904. This tells of the mix of fans at that time as well as the way that success promoted football in Manchester and, actually, made Manchester a football city. It's free for the moment here:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10. ... 014.961378On WW1, it's also worth remembering that some of our players were wounded and survived but their careers were over. The most obvious was Peter Gartland who wrote to the MCFC match prog at the end of the war to tell fans what had happened to him: "Just a few lines hoping to find you and the Directors and all the boys in the best of health. I am pulling myself together now. I was very unlucky to lose my leg, as my wound was just the size of a threepenny piece, and I sat down and bandaged myself up and I was in hospital within two hours of being hit.
I was not in hospital for more than ten minutes before they had my leg off, as it happened to be a gas shell and the gas was working right up my leg. But I am doing fine now, and am sorry to say I have finished with the game my heart and soul were in.
Remember me to the boys. I would like to see them at the top this season. So now I must close, wishing you all the best of luck. I remain yours sincerely, Peter Gartland."
I know many, many people suffered as a result of WW1 but maybe Gartland's story shows how a life would be turned upside down by it. No prospect of work & the end of his football opportunities.
