FA Cup Special: Manchester City

FA Cup Kompany landscape

Ahead of the first ever all-Manchester FA Cup Final, we look at moments from Manchester City’s history in the competition via objects you can see on our galleries.


Bert Trautmann

The story of Bert Trautmann reads very much like a film script.

A young Luftwaffe pilot shot down and captured in England who uses football as a release in prison, then continues to do so on his release from prison. He stars for St Helens, wins a big move to Manchester City, and comes through adversity to win the FA Cup for his English teammates.

Photo courtesy of Mirrorpix.

It should come as no surprise that Trautmann’s life was dramatised in The Keeper, a film released five years ago.

In reality, the affable German quickly won over the home supporters at Maine Road (though endured hostility from opposing fans). Though the events of 1956 have gone down in football folklore, it was Trautmann’s second visit to Wembley in as many years: he took away a runner-up medal from the previous year’s final against Newcastle.

The following May, he was back between the Wembley posts for another final, this time against Birmingham City. With fifteen minutes to go, Trautmann dived at the feet of forward Peter Murphy. The contact briefly knocked the ‘keeper out cold: unbeknownst to the German, it had also dislodged five vertebrae in his neck, snapping one of them in half.

Unsteady but undeterred, Trautmann stayed on the pitch, as substitutes were not permitted. He made further saves to keep his side’s 3-1 lead intact, cementing his status as a City folk hero (and future museum Hall of Famer).

Bert Trautmann neck brace

This neck brace is a replica of that worn by Trautmann when he eventually went to St George’s Hospital the day after the final.

Colin Bell

Ask the older generation of City fans who the best player to grace Maine Road was, and Colin Bell’s name will be the most frequent mentioned.

Photo courtesy of Mirrorpix.

Nicknamed Nijinsky (after the racehorse) and the King of the Kippax, Bell was one of the most gifted players of his era, blessed with technical skill and stamina in equal measure.

In 1968, Bell, along with new signing Francis Lee, spearheaded City’s unlikely charge to the championship – and he would play his part in their run to the following year’s FA Cup final. For all Bell’s talent and his goals – only Aguero, Brook and Tommy Johnson scored more in City blue – it was Neil Young who scored the decisive goal to seal victory over Leicester City.

That win saw City qualify for the European Cup Winners’ Cup, which they duly won in 1970, along with the League Cup.

By the time he stepped away from Maine Road in 1979, Colin had collected four cup winners’ medals, two titles and one lovely homemade crown, presented to him by a fan towards the end of his career.

Colin Bell FA Cup medal

The museum is honoured to have some of Colin Bell’s collection on display, including the aforementioned crown and a host of medals – including his tiny piece of FA Cup silverware.

Vincent Kompany

Arguably one of the greatest centre-halves of the Premier League era, Vincent Kompany will be remembered as one of the driving forces behind Manchester City’s rise to domestic greatness.

vincent kompany man city chelsea
Photo courtesy of Chelsea Debs

The defender proved to be worth every single penny of the £6m paid to prise him away from Hamburg in 2008. Manager Mark Hughes had previously seen Kompany whilst at Blackburn Rovers, with the Belgian bossing the midfield for Anderlecht in a pre-season friendly. Two years later, Hughes was looking to build a team of leaders, and Kompany matched the job description.

He was one of the early signings made under City’s new owners, and while the move was somewhat overshadowed by the shock arrival of Robinho, Kompany would quickly prove himself as one of the ones to watch. Within three years of signing, the 25-year-old was deputising as captain in an FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester United.

Regular skipper Carlos Tevez returned for the final against Stoke City. The game represented City’s first opportunity to win major silverware in thirty years. Kompany and the City backline was largely untroubled by the Potters, and a goal from Yaya Toure was enough to spark celebrations amongst Wembley’s Citizens.

For his efforts, Kompany was rewarded with a place in the PFA’s Team of the Year, as well as the captain’s armband. He would go on to lead City to their first ever Premier League title, repeating the feat in 2014, 2018 and 2019. He would also lift the FA Cup a second time in his final year at the Etihad: a fitting way to depart after 11 years of exemplary service.

Vinceny Kompany Hall of Fame award
Photo courtesy of Burnley Football Club.

Last month, Vincent was recognised for his outstanding contribution to City history with a place in our Hall of Fame. You can read more about his induction here.

The oldest surviving FA Cup trophy

Did you know that Greater Manchester clubs represent three of the twelve teams to have lifted this particular trophy?

The oldest surviving FA Cup trophy, 1896 - 1910

After the original was stolen from a Birmingham shop window in 1895, this recast version was used from 1896 to 1910. Manchester City were the first Manchester club to lift the trophy – but not the first from (modern) Greater Manchester. Bury won it in 1900, and again in 1903: both clubs were situated within the historic county of Lancashire until 1974.

City’s opponents in the 1904 final also hailed from nearby. Fellow Lancastrians Bolton Wanderers were based at Burnden Park, just twenty miles or so from Hyde Road. Though Blackburn (Olympic and Rovers), Preston North End and Everton had all travelled to Wembley for previous FA Cup finals, 1904 marked the first time that two northern clubs had faced one another in the showpiece finale.

Both teams were looking to claim their maiden FA Cup victory, but it was the Citizens who triumphed on the day, courtesy of a goal from talismanic forward Billy Meredith. Bolton would have to wait another 19 years before having another crack at it, winning at the second time of asking in 1923. By the end of the decade, they’d lifted it three times (gaining sweet revenge on City in 1926).

Manchester City would also taste defeat to Everton in the 1933 final, but returned to Wembley the following year, claiming the trophy with a 2-1 win over Portsmouth. The club repeated the feat in 1956 and 1969, and have won it a further two times in the Premier League era.

The oldest surviving FA Cup trophy was purchased by Manchester City owner His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and loaned back to the museum in January 2022.