# 1955–56 Manchester City F.C. season

The 1955–56 season was Manchester City's 54th season of competitive football and 39th season in the top division of English football. In addition to the First Division, the club competed in the FA Cup.

## First Division
### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
| 2 | Blackpool | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 86 | 62 | 1.387 | 49 |
| 3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 89 | 65 | 1.369 | 49 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 82 | 69 | 1.188 | 46 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 60 | 61 | 0.984 | 46 |
| 6 | Birmingham City | 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 75 | 57 | 1.316 | 45 |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
| 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 82 | 69 | 1.188 | 46 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 40 | 27 | 27 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 42 | 42 | 19 |
Source:

### Reports

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Venue | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 22 August 1959 | Nottingham Forest | H | Maine Road | 2 – 1 | Fagan, Johnstone | 38,974 |
| 26 August 1959 | Fulham | A | Craven Cottage | 2 – 5 | Barlow, Colbridge | 27,000 |
| 29 August 1959 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | Hillsborough Stadium | 0 – 1 | | 33,479 |
| 2 September 1959 | Fulham | H | Maine Road | 3 – 1 | McAdams, Colbridge | 37,485 |
| 6 September 1955 | Arsenal | A | Highbury | 0 - 0 | | 30,864 |
| 10 September 1955 | Cardiff City | H | Maine Road | 3 – 1 | Hayes (2), Johnstone | 33,240 |
| 17 September 1955 | Huddersfield Town | A | Leeds Road | 3 – 3 | Fagan, Johnstone, Clarke | 20,443 |
| 24 September 1955 | Blackpool | H | Maine Road | 2 – 0 | Revie, Johnstone | 63,925 |
| 1 October 1955 | Chelsea | A | Stamford Bridge | 1 – 2 | Marsden | 44,538 |
| 8 October 1955 | Sheffield United | A | Bramhall Lane | 1 – 1 | Dyson | 24,000 |
| 15 October 1955 | Preston North End | H | Maine Road | 0 - 2 | | 33,187 |
| 22 October 1955 | Birmingham City | A | St Andrews | 3 – 4 | Hayes, Dyson, Faulkner | 28,500 |
| 29 October 1955 | West Bromwich Albion | H | Maine Road | 2 – 0 | | 35,081 |
| 5 November 1955 | Charlton Athletic | A | The Valley | 2 – 5 | Hayes, Cunliffe | 24,655 |
| 12 November 1955 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | Maine Road | 1 – 2 | Hayes | 24,094 |
| 19 November 1955 | Everton | A | Goodison Park | 1 – 1 | Faulkners | 34,632 |
| 26 November 1955 | Newcastle United | H | Maine Road | 1 – 2 | Faulkners | 24,564 |
| 3 December 1955 | Burnley | A | Turf Moor | 2 – 2 | Hayes, Dyson | 26,227 |
| 10 December 1955 | Luton Town | H | Maine Road | 3 – 2 | Clarke, Hayes, Spurdle | 14,499 |
| 17 December 1955 | Aston Villa | A | Villa Park | 3 – 0 | Dyson (2), Spurdle | 20,000 |
| 24 December 1955 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | Maine Road | 2 – 2 | Spurdle, Hayes | 32,935 |
| 26 December 1955 | Bolton Wanderers | A | Burnden Park | 3 – 1 | Spurdle, Dyson, (og) | 43,706 |
| 27 December 1955 | Bolton Wanderers | H | Maine Road | 2 – 0 | Paul, Clarke | 38,405 |
| 31 December 1955 | Manchester United | A | Old Trafford | 1 – 2 | Dyson | 60,956 |
| 2 January 1956 | Portsmouth | H | Maine Road | 4 – 1 | Johnstone (3), Hayes | 43,133 |
| 14 January 1956 | Cardiff City | A | Ninian Park | 1 – 4 | Johnstone | 27,000 |
| 21 January 1956 | Huddersfield Town | H | Maine Road | 1 – 0 | Spurdle | 21,076 |
| 4 February 1956 | Blackpool | A | Bloomfield Road | 1 – 0 | Faulkner | 17,014 |
| 11 February 1956 | Chelsea | H | Maine Road | 2 - 2 | Hayes (2) | 26,642 |
| 25 February 1956 | Preston North End | A | Deepdale | 3 – 0 | Johnstone (2), Hayes | 22,664 |
| 7 March 1956 | Everton | H | Maine Road | 3 – 0 | Spurdle, Johnstone, Clarke | 15,227 |
| 10 March 1956 | West Bromwich Albion | A | The Hawthorns | 4 – 0 | Johnstone (2), Hayes, Dyson | 32,000 |
| 21 March 1956 | Charlton Athletic | H | Maine Road | 0 – 2 | | 13,998 |
| 24 March 1956 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | White Hart Lane | 1 – 2 | Hayes | 31,662 |
| 30 March 1956 | Sunderland | A | Roker Park | 3 – 0 | Hayes, Revie, (og) | 40,394 |
| 31 March 1956 | Birmingham City | H | Maine Road | 1 – 1 | Hayes | 44,777 |
| 2 April 1956 | Sunderland | H | Maine Road | 4 – 2 | Hayes (2), Dyson (2) | 40,915 |
| 7 April 1956 | Newcastle United | A | St James’ Park | 1 – 3 | Dyson | 25,999 |
| 11 April 1956 | Sheffield United | H | Maine Road | 3 – 1 | Spurdle, Hayes, Faulkner | 16,991 |
| 14 April 1956 | Burnley | H | Maine Road | 1 – 3 | Spurdle | 29,087 |
| 21 April 1956 | Luton Town | A | Kenilworth Road | 2 – 3 | Barnes, Clarke | 18,189 |
| 28 April 1956 | Portsmouth | A | Fratton Park | 4 – 2 | Hart, Spurdle | 24,684 |

## FA Cup
### Reports

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Venue | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 11 January 1956 | Third round | Blackpool | H | Maine Road | 2 - 1 | Johnstone, Dyson | 46,217 |
| 28 January 1956 | Fourth round | Southend United | A | Maine Road | 1 – 0 | Hayes | 29,500 |
| 18 February 1956 | Fifth round | Liverpool | H | Maine Road | 0 – 0 | | 70,640 |
| 22 February 1956 | Fifth round replay | Liverpool | A | Anfield | 2 - 1 | Hayes, Dyson | 57,520 |

### Semi-final

City played what was their eighth FA Cup Semi-final tie against Tottenham at Villa Park. When the two sides met in the league, Spurs were victorious with a 2-1 win in both games. However, Bobby Johnstone’s header before half time was enough to send City to their sixth final. But it didn’t come without a moment of controversy, when Spurs were denied a penalty after attacker George Robb was grabbed at the leg by Bert Trautmann towards the end of the game.

### Final

The final took place on Saturday, 5 May 1956 at Wembley and ended 3–1, with goals scored by Joe Hayes, Bobby Johnstone and Jack Dyson for Manchester City and Noel Kinsey for Birmingham City. The attendance was 100,000. The match is remembered for an incident where Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann sustained a neck injury diving at the feet of Birmingham attacker Peter Murphy; he completed the game in considerable pain, and later examination discovered he had broken a bone in his neck.

## Awards

FWA Footballer of the Year
Player
Bert Trautmann :