Jim's column 7.12.13

What a comeback at Stadium MK last Saturday. For the first time in a league game this season the Sky Blues came from behind to win a game. After trailing to a 45th minute penalty the team came out for the second half with a higher tempo & kicking towards the enormous Sky Blue Army, they gave the home side a battering they will remember for a long time. Debutant Chris Dagnall's equaliser was a touch fortuitous and it looked as though they would have to settle for a point until, with the clock ticking into the final minutes, substitute Chris Maguire made it the debut to top all debuts by scoring two phenomenal free kicks from 25 yards. Both goals were out of the the highest quality& sent the City following into ecstasy.

Few players have scored two or more goals on their debut for City, let alone a debutant coming off the bench for 25 minutes. Maguire, who has started just one match for Sheffield Wednesday this season, is the first player to score two goals on his debut since Robbie Keane scored a double against Derby County in  August 1999 following his £6 m move from Wolves. Maguire is only the sixth man In the club's history to have scored more than one goal in their first game in a City shirt and the first to score them in an away game. At the time Mick Quinn scored his double he was, like Maguire, on loan - he signed on permanent terms a few weeks later. The full list is:

1928 Tommy Bowen v Norwich (h) 2

1954. Jack Lee v Crystal Palace (h) 2

1963.  George Hudson v Halifax (h) 3

1992.  Mick Quinn v Man City. (h)  2

1999.  Robbie Keane v Derby County (h)  2

2013.  Chris Maguire v MK Dons (a) 2

Chris's feat also made him only the fourth City player to score twice after coming on as a substitute, and the first in a league game since 1967. The full list is:

1967. Bobby Gould v Nottm Forest (a)  3-3

2002. Jay Bothroyd v Rushden & D LC (h) 8-0

2004. Patrick Suffo v Torquay FAC (h) 4-1

2013. Chris Maguire v MK Dons (a) 3-1

Today City travel to the North East to face Hartlepool in the FA Cup. It is the first time the clubs have met in the competition since 1934-35 when City won 4-0 in Round 2 with goals from Clarrie Bourton (2)' Les Jones & Bob Birtley. A crowd of 13,054, a record for the Victoria Ground at the time, watched the one-sided tie.  The victory earned City a Third round tie at St Andrews but the Cup run ended there with a 5-1 defeat. 

Many readers will be aware that my son Alastair went missing in Nottingham this week. He has been found safe and well and I would like to thank everyone for their words of comfort & their help in getting the message of his disappearance through the social networks.