Manchester City 'Old Boys' V West End Coaches XI

Manchester City Old Boys V West End AFC Coaches XI

Ben Reardon & Finley Walker

It was an afternoon of nostalgia on Sunday as a team of Manchester City ‘Old Boys’ donned their Sky Blue shirts to face a West End AFC Coaches XI at Abbey Hey FC.

Turning out for City were the likes of former tough-tackling Scottish defender Colin Hendry and goalkeeper Eric Nixon, amongst many others, as a well-worked first-half goal earned victory for the Citizens side.

All funds raised for the well-attended match at the Abbey Stadium in Gorton raised funds for West End AFC Juniors.

Supporters were given an opportunity to see City players of yesteryear, who graced the Maine Road pitch throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Before kick-off there were plenty of family friendly activities on offer, with youngsters able to test their football skills in fun challenges.

And Hendry, who skippered the City team to the win, was delighted to lace up his boots with some of his former team-mates, all in the name of local Greater Manchester grassroots football.

Hendry, 52, who made 63 league appearances over two-years at Maine Road (1989-1991), winning the club’s Player of the Year in the 1989/90 season as City competed in the First Division, had his say on coming together with some old faces.

“It was a great day, and it felt good to get the boots back on,” Hendry admitted.

“We’ve had fun catching up with each other, it’s for a good cause as well.”

It has been a case of so far, so good for City this season, with Pep Guardiola’s men making an unbeaten start to their title-defence after breaking records by becoming the first team to attain 100 points in a single Premier League campaign in 2017/18.

Hendry believes his former club can retain their top-flight crown after becoming centurions last term. 

He continued: “You can’t really complain (about their start). At Wolves, they looked as if they needed a bit of breaking down, but they are still the champions and undefeated.

“I think it is always difficult, it is always harder when you win the league one season, to retain it the season after. In the last 20-25-years, Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson were the only team who could do that.

“I was at the last game against Newcastle, teams do need a bit of breaking down, but it is a marathon not a sprint.”

West End AFC Website