Dylan Bettencourt
Abadlali abaningana ababedlalela i-Manchester City bakulungele ukuthola izindondo zabo zabaphumelela kwiligi yesicoco abasinqoba eminyakeni engama-53 edlule.
UStan Horne, uPaul Hince, uBobby Kennedy kanye noHarry Dowd ongasekho abayitholanga indondo yabanqoba ngokuba yingxenye yeqembu lokuqala le-Manchester City ukuwina eminyakeni engaphezu kwengama-50 edlule.
Kodwa-ke, izinguquko zomthetho zakamuva zisho ukuthi ekugcineni bafanelekile ukuthola izindondo zabo zangesizini yowe-1967/68.
Isibalo sokubonakala kwesidingo sokuthola indondo yokunqoba sehle kakhulu selokhu iqembu labo lanqoba yonke le minyaka edlule.
Imithetho emisha isho ukuthi laba badlali abane badlale imidlalo eyanele ngesizini yama-67/68 ukuthola izindondo zokuwina kanye nabo bonke abanye abazithola.
Ngalowo nyaka, uStan Horne waba ngumdlali wokuqala omnyama ukunqoba i-English Football League (i-EFL), kodwa wayengenalutho angalukhombisa ngokufeza kwakhe umlando.
Yize ebedlala indima ethile, lo mdlali walimala okwamvimbele ekutheni abesesimeni esifunekayo sokudlala kuleyo sizini.
Ngasekuqaleni kwalo nyaka, i-Manchester City ifake isicelo ku-EFL sokuba abadlali bayo bangaphambili bathole indondo yokukhumbula impumelelo yabo.
“Sijabule kakhulu. Ngesikhathi kufika incwadi yokuthi ngizothola le ndondo, ngajabula kakhulu,” kusho uHorne ngemuva kokuba isicelo samukelwe.
UHorne oneminyaka engama-76 manje, wengeze ngokuthi unenhlanhla enkulu ngokuba yingxenye yeqembu elawina isicoco futhi uyajabula ukuthola indondo azoyigcina impilo yakhe yonke.
“Kwakuyisikhathi esimnandi, ukudlala nabanye babadlali abaphambili bangaleso sikhathi. Imindeni yethu sobane iyaziqhenya, akuchazeki. Akukho engingakuphupha okungcono,” esho.
Imenenja ye-City yamanje uPep Guardiola uthe ukubona umlando weqembu kubaluleke kakhulu futhi ugcizelela isidingo sokuthi iqembu lihloniphe laba badlali abane.
“Ngihlezi ngithi umlando wale kilabhu ubaluleke kakhulu. Ngaphandle kwabo bonke abadlali baphambilini besikhathi esidlule abenza le kilabhu yebhola yaba yilokhu eyikho namuhla, ngabe asikho lapha njengamanje,” esho.
UHorne noKennedy bathole izindondo zabo ngesikhathi i-City inqoba ngo-2-0 ekhaya ibhekene ne-Burnley ngoMgqibelo ntambama.
Umthombo wesithombe: @SkySports