Oldfield: It's a day I will never forget | OneFootball

David Oldfield was just 20 when he joined City from Luton Town in March 1989.

An England U21 international forward, Oldfield was blessed with pace and an eye for goal and manager Mel Machin thought he’d be the perfect addition to his young, talented side.

The Blues paid £600,000 for Oldfield who contributed to the team that won promotion back to the top flight a few months later.

Machin had steered a City team to promotion who the 1987 FA Youth Cup-winning side as its core.

But four losses, one draw and a solitary victory from the first six games of the 1989/90 season heaped pressure on Machin and his young charges – especially as the next fixture was a derby against Manchester United.

CITY 5-1 UNITED: MATCH OF THE SEASON

The Reds, under new boss Alex Ferguson (pre-knighthood days), hadn’t started the campaign that well themselves and it felt if either manager lost, their position could be under serious threat.

On a warm late summer afternoon, the two teams walked out to a cauldron of noise.

Oldfield would start up front with Trevor Morley on what was a day he will never forget.

“I feel very fortunate to have been involved in that game and scored a couple of goals that day, because that game has been so fondly remembered over the years,” says Oldfield, now Under-18s coach at Exeter City.

“I wasn’t at City that long, but I have a lot of nice memories from that day.

“I know Sir Alex was under pressure but were a very young side at the time – in fact, one of the main reasons I joined City was because of the talent that was already at the club – Paul Lake, Ian Brightwell, Paul Moulden, Andy Hinchcliffe, Steve Redmond – all the lads I knew well from the England U21 team.

“City had to bring young talent through at the time because of the financial state the club were in, but they were doing a wonderful job investing in local talent.

“I can’t remember the preparation particularly well, but we had started the season poorly and United were struggling as well  but we thought we had a chance. I remember parking at Platt Lane ahead of the game  and there were fans around everywhere and it was really early.

“As for the game itself, I remember the game was suspended because of crowd trouble in the North Stand, but we hadn’t begun the game so well. I think we had to go off the pitch for a few minutes and that certainly helped us.”

Indeed, both teams were taken off the pitch while the police removed a 100 or so United fans who had infiltrated the North Stand and fighting had broken out.

While the Reds returned to the training ground, then youth coach Tony Book took the City players in the gym and had then passing and doing short drills.

It paid off.

Within five minutes of the restart, City were 2-0 up – and Oldfield had opened the scoring.

CITY 5-1 UNITED: HIGHLIGHTS

“I got the first goal on 11 minutes, Hinchy played a wonderful pass out to David White, and he pulled the ball back and I managed to  hit it first time to put us 1-0 up. It was a big goal to score first,” he said.

“Then Trevor Morley scored a couple of minutes later and he place went mad.

“It got better as well because Ian Bishop sent a diving header past Jim Leighton from my cross to make it 3-0 ten minutes before half-time – Maine Road was going wild.

“There were big performances all over the pitch that day ,but when Mark Hughes scored that spectacular goal just after the restart, we were worried about how the game might go.

“But I think just two minutes after Hughes scored, I got my second. Lakey did brilliantly and ran through and unselfishly cut it back for me to tap into an empty net which was typical of him. That was 4-1 and the icing on the cake that da was Hinchy’s header just past the hour, wasn’t it?”

High five! : City celebrate our fifth of the game...

A 5-1 win for City, who could and probably should have added more in the time that remained.

But the ecstatic home support couldn’t care less – the Reds had been soundly thrashed and Oldfield had more than played his part.

Things, however, changed quickly after that day.

Oldfield scored in his next two games, a 3-1 win over former club Luton and a 4-1 League Cu win over Brentford to make it five goals in seven matches, but the Blues’ form tailed off again and following a 6-0 thumping at Derby, Machin was sacked.

“I remember struggling against Derby and we’d started to pick up a few bad results and suddenly Mel was gone,” recalls Oldfield.

“Howard Kendall came in, and he was really good and I enjoyed working under him for the few weeks I did. His training was good and he brought in strong characters like Peter Reid, but eventually he wanted to bring in more experienced players he knew and trusted from his time at Everton and when he moved in for Wayne Clarke, Leicester wanted me in exchange and that was the end of my time at Maine Road.

“I was disappointed to leave City, but Howard had made it clear that I wouldn’t’ be getting the game time I wanted .It was such a shame because City is such a great club and I really loved Manchester.

“I was very lucky – I played for some great clubs and played a lot of games – but it’s really special to be remembered perhaps best for the two goals I scored in that 5-1 win over Manchester United.”

Oldfield was part of the Exeter coaching staff who watched on as their side lost 10-1 recently in the FA Cup.

It was a painful lesson for the Devon club, but a reminder for Oldfield of the affection – and great respect – he has for Manchester City.

“Going back to City with Exeter was a reminder of how big Manchester City are and what a wonderful club it is,” he says.

“The team that Pep picked and the attitude of his players made it a very difficult afternoon for Exeter.

“Exeter are actually a very good side; Gary Caldwell’s a very good manager and the boys are good players, but Pep showed his class and experience by respecting the competition, respecting the team they were playing against by playing the big names. It was a real lesson for us, especially in the second half, but one we can hopefully learn from and take positives.

“Manchester City’s Academy is one of the most outstanding in world football. Some of the boys who have moved on to find their feet elsewhere or have progressed to City’s first team are fantastic footballers.

“They show and incredible combination of ability, skill and work-rate – the minimum that Pep demands. I saw it first hand with Exeter at the Etihad with the lads who are homegrown because they were strong, quick, good ability, great attitude and ruthless in their finishing.

“We have an excellent academy at Exeter in recent years, and we really try to work on the hard on the human side as well as the football side. It’s a really well-run club in with the club’s best interests at the forefront of their mind and it’s great to be involved with a club that is purposeful and trying to get their young players coming through to the first team.

“George Birch, who scored against City, was a scholar last year and that was his first goal as a  first year pro for the club and what a place to have scored it. It was a bittersweet moment for him because we are disappointed to have conceded 10 goals, but it’s how we bounce back that really matters.

“We are all trying to emulate Manchester City’s Academy, for sure.”

With 30 games and nine goals in his time with the Blues, Oldfield certainly made his mark, and his affection for his former club remains undimmed.

So, what are his thoughts ahead of this weekend’s derby?

“I would always be confident of City winning at this moment in time. When City play as well as they can, they are difficult to stop, and City will be favourites I think,” he says.

“United are in a period of change and you can never second-guess how they will play on the day, so it will be tough, as the Manchester derby always is, but it goes without saying that I would love City to win on Saturday.”