Plans Were Drawn Up To Merge Manchester United And Manchester City Into One 'Super Club'

Plans were drawn up to merge Manchester United and Manchester City back in the 1960s, it has been revealed.

At the time, the two clubs were said to be on pretty good terms. During the Second World War, City allowed United to play their home games at Maine Road due to the damage that had been done at Old Trafford.

And in 1964, Frank Johnson, City's vice-chairman at the time, was keen on having the two Manchester giants join forces.

City were lurching in the second division, whereas United had just finished second in the top flight when the idea of a super club was floated about.

Discussions took place but nothing was ever agreed concrete as people at both clubs weren't in favour.

Image: PA

"The idea was killed by both clubs before it ever became public," Manchester football historian Gary James explained in an interview with the Manchester Evening News.

“I spoke to Eric Alexander whose dad Albert was chairman at the time, and he said Frank Johnson, who came up with the idea, often came up with crazy ideas.

“Another of his plans was to make the entire league regionalised into north and south.

"But City were at a real low in their history at the time. In terms of league position, it wasn’t as bad as 1998-99, but in terms of general morale, atmosphere and support it was by far the lowest point in the club’s history.

“In the late Nineties, we still had over 30,000 going to games, and that meant the club still had a high profile. In 1964-65 we were in the second division, support had dropped to a low of less than 15,000, and general interest in the club had also dropped.

"There was a feeling that this could happen to any club. In fact, all it needed at City was a plan and a vision, and to bring in the right manager.”

“I always believed in the Nineties that City would come back, because of the strength of the support, but in those days in the Sixties a lot of people didn’t feel that way."

City appointed Joe Mercer not long after and not only did he guide the club back to the top flight, he masterminded a league title win in 1968 before an FA Cup triumph the following year.

Image: PA

United, meanwhile, won the European Cup in 1968, beating Benfica 4-1 at Wembley Stadium and becoming the first English side to lift the trophy.

Topics: Manchester United, Manchester City, Premier League

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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