Joe Corrigan is hoping history repeats itself on Wednesday when City take on United in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg.

The former Blues goalkeeper, along with Alan Oakes and Mike Doyle, was one of only three players to have played in every game of the triumphant League Cup runs of 1970 and 1976.

And with 52 appearances in the competition, ‘Big Joe’ has played more League Cup games than anybody else in the club’s history.

“We can definitely beat United over two legs,” said Corrigan, who clocked up 592 starts during his 17-year career at Maine Road.

I’m sure both matches will be close but I fancy us to go all the way to the final this year.

...Joe Corrigan

Corrigan recently re-joined City as part of the matchday hospitality team and he recalls the two epic semi-finals against United in 1969 vividly – and the games leading up to them.

“It’s a long time ago now and it’s not easy to remember specific incidents, but in the first round against Southport, I came out to collect a cross and ended up flattening Mike Doyle into the mud as I landed – he wasn’t best impressed!

“The games against Everton, Liverpool and QPR are a bit of a blur unfortunately, though I know Everton had been top of the table when we played them and went on to win the league and Liverpool were managed by Bill Shankly so they were two great wins.”

It was during the 1969/70 campaign that Corrigan began his famous crouching in the opposite direction whenever City won a penalty – something he did throughout his career. He explains: “Yeah, I did that in the semi-final as Franny ran up.

“It was 1-1 with just a few minutes left and earlier in the season he’d actually missed one. After that, I decided to just listen to our fans and look away and it became a superstition because he scored and I don’t think he missed another.”

The second leg also saw what proved to be the winning aggregate goal come as a result of United keeper Alex Stepney’s decision to try and save an indirect Lee free-kick. Had he let the ball sail past him into the net, it would have been disallowed – but he saved the shot and Mike Summerbee slammed home the rebound to send City to Wembley.

“It was hard to see what was going on from the other end of the pitch but the referee clearly had his arm held up as Franny took the free-kick,” he said. “Maybe instinctively, Alex saved it and Summerbee scored the goal that made it 2-2 on the night.

“I have to admit, I’d have done the same because it would take some guts to let the ball go in and trust the referee to disallow it. The rules were more defined back then and less complicated but I would still have tried to stop the ball.”

So has Joe ever spoken to Alex Stepney about the incident since 1969? “No,” laughs Joe. “I daren’t!”

Tickets for the home leg are still available.