Looking back through the history books for the events, signings and memorable matches that happened on this day in City’s history.

Saturday 16^th September 1978

Ron Futcher scores a hat-trick as City beat Chelsea 4-1 at Stamford Bridge to move seventh in the Division One table. Mike Channon gets the other goals as Tony Book’s buoyant side begin to look something like the side who had finished fourth the season before.

Wednesday 16^th September 1970

When City drew the Northern Irish part-timers Linfield in the first match since winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup six months earlier, few looked upon the tie as anything but a comfortable passage into Round 2.

The reality, however, was a rather uncomfortable passage through to the next round with only Colin Bell’s solitary goal the only difference between the teams at Maine Road. 

In the second leg, the Blues were visibly edgy being in a country experiencing horrific civil disturbances and there was even a point Linfield boss Billy Bingham was forced to walk in front of his own fans’ Kop to plead with them to stop throwing missiles onto the pitch. 

Linfield almost caused a huge upset by winning the second leg 2-1 and almost grabbed a late third but Francis Lee’s away goal ultimately proved decisive as City scraped through on the away goals rule. It remains the Blues’ only competitive game against a side from Northern Ireland.