BILLY MEREDITH-A GENIUS

Ever heard of Billy Meredith, a Manchester City hero? On his second game for the club, he scored two goals in the 1894 "Derby" against Newton Heath, a team that soon became Manchester United. Meredith scored a further 10 goals in 17 matches from the right wing, that season. This was special because Meredith worked "down pit" as a pony driver during the week and by the time of the season, City had persuaded him to turn full time professional. It was the start of a career that would define "Mancunian" football for the best part of three decades.

Meredith's goals made City a force in English football. In 1904, City nearly won The Double, but could not overtake Sheffield Wednesday in the First Division, but they had some consolation, beating Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup Final, Meredith scoring the winning goal. He was a little eccentric, playing with a toothpick poking out from under his moustache-his first choice was chewing tobacco, although the laundry lady at the club, complained too much about the nasty saliva stains on his shirts!!

Meredith had become the game's first "superstar". In 1904-5 City challenged for the title again and on the last day of the season Cith needed to beat Aston Villa away to become champions. They lost 3-2 and then they found that Meredith had offered Villa's Alec Leake £10 to "throw" the match. Meredith was suspended in August for 18 months. While he waited for for his ban to be lifted. Meredith signed for Manchester United and became the first chairman of the game's Player's Union. The Veteran winger had a long career featuring moments of brilliance and controversy. The determined and outspoken Welshman was to have a lasting impact on the game in his advocacy for ‘player power’, contributing to the creation of what is now the Professional Footballers’ Association.

By New Year's Day 1907, Meredith was allowed to play again, beginning a 15 year career at United where he lifted two League titles and an FA Cup.

Meredith returned to City in 1921 and three years later, aged 49, he scored his 151st career goal, his final goal for City, against Brighton and Hove Albion in an FA Cup tie; his final game was that season's 0-2 defeat to Newcastle United in the Cup semi-final. Meredith died aged 83 in 1958, soon after the Munich Air Disaster. This over shadowed the news, although the Times newspaper obituary called Meredith a "genius" and added "no other man has ever played football chewing a quill toothpick"!!