SETTING NEW STANDARDS IN FOOTBALL AND FASHION

Consistently good performances in the Northern Premier League during the 1970s had earned City the honour of being one of the founder members of the Alliance Premier League in 1979. The Alliance Premier was the forerunner of the GM Vauxhall Conference, and the highest point that a non-League club could reach before breaking into the English League proper. City’s fortunes during the first two seasons were erratic, and in 1980-81, despite reaching the Welsh Cup Quarter Finals and the Semi Final of the FA Trophy, they were relegated down to the Northern Premier League. Although City bounced straight back to the Alliance in 1982 as NPL Champions, they certainly made life difficult for themselves with yet another season of erratic performances.

By the start of April – the last month of the campaign – they had only been beaten four times in the league to put themselves in a commanding position. Their best month had been September, where they remained unbeaten, and had tormented opposition defences. On Saturday, September 19 they hammered Glossop 6-0 at Farrar Road; two days later, they travelled to Morecambe and rammed nine games past their bewildered hosts without reply. April proved to be the most nerve-wracking month for City fans. Whether the team felt they had done enough to clinch the title with 7 games to go, and complacency had set in, will never be known. Three of the last seven league games were against their nearest rivals – Grantham, Witton Albion and Mossley. Two surprise away defeats on the trot against Southport and Marine were followed by a 1-1 home draw against nearest challengers Witton Albion. A 4-1 home victory against Tamworth eased a few nerves, but then disaster struck with a 6-1 hammering away at Mossley. It all came down to the last two games, and with a 3-1 home victory against Grantham to kill off their aspirations, and a 0-1 victory away at Workington, City did enough to clinch the title and return straight back to the Alliance Premier League. Final placings – City top, Witton second, Mossley third and Grantham fourth.

It had also been a good season for City in the Welsh Cup, where they reached the semi-finals and were desperately unlucky not to go all the way. Their opponents were Swansea City – the two teams meeting for the first time in twenty years. City were narrowly beaten 1-2 at Farrar Road in the first leg, and although they came away from the Vetch Field with a 0-0 draw, it wasn’t enough to see them through to the Final. Top scorer for the season was Graham Bennett on 40 in all competitions. His talents attracted the attention of Sunderland, who after taking him on for trials were reported to have offered City £32,000 for his services. Unfortunately for him and Bangor, the deal fell through.

One of the great on-going debates amongst fashion pundits on the City terraces is the merits of the "classic" kit worn by City during the early 80s. Some style gurus clearly rate the design as one of the greatest ever to grace the world’s footballing fields, let alone Farrar Road, whilst others reckon it was really very naff. Only the chronicles of history will tell.