Match of the Day - Week 8

This week's Match of the Day previews this weekend's Manchester City v Everton clash at the Etihad by looking back at three previous fixtures and the History of Goal Nets at Manchester City's old home, Maine Road.

In April 1971 City beat Everton between big A-frames with blue nets dropped just behind the goal line and pulled taut, similar to West Ham at the old Boleyn Ground with similar ball retention properties.




Fast forward to March 1982. City are still hanging taut blue nets but this time they are suspended by the Continental D's installed just after Euro 76.



By the mid-1990's City have replaced the taut blue nets with saggy white software that responds beautifully to the four goals (the pick of which may be Paul Walsh's for 3-0).

Brazil - Esporte Clube Vitoria

E.C. Vitoria hail from Salvador in Bahia.

While their Bahian league games are hosted at WC 2014 venue Arena Fonte Nova with it's box-nets, the bread and butter of Serie A is played out between these wonderful A-frames at their home Estadio Manoel Barradas.




Aren't these similar to the mid-70's stanchions at Manchester City?

FA Cup Special - Manchester City v Leeds Utd

This weekend's fifth round of the Cup has Man City and Leeds squaring up to one another at Etihad.

In respect of the aesthetic value-add goal nets can bring to the game, Etihad's black, almost invisible nets are among the worst around.



This wasn't always the case at City. They used to LOVE their goal nets.

Nearly 40 years ago the sides met at Maine Road in the old First Division. Similar to the way City responded to Euro 76 by installing Continental D's, so after the West Germany World Cup they found a way to follow the free-hanging fashion while keeping their A-frames, and went for the hybrid design.

Manchester City

Manchester City won the League Cup in 1975/76 and finished the season at Maine Road with the old stanchions and light blue nets.



Then, for the UEFA Cup in 76/77 - after Panenka's penalty and Euro '76 - they kept the light blue nets but ditched the stanchions for groovy Continental D's.