Mike Summerbee

Michael George Summerbee OBE (born 15 December 1942) is an English former footballer, who played in the successful Manchester City side of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Mike Summerbee
OBE
Personal information
Date of birth (1942-12-15) 15 December 1942
Place of birth Preston, England
Position(s) Winger, forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1959–1965 Swindon Town 218 (40)
1965–1975 Manchester City 357 (47)
1975–1976 Burnley 51 (0)
1976–1976 Blackpool 3 (0)
1977–1979 Stockport County 87 (6)
1980 Mossley 0 (0)
Total 716 (93)
International career
1968–1973 England 8 (1)
Managerial career
1978–1979 Stockport County (player-manager)
Medal record
Representing  England
UEFA European Championship
Third place1968 Italy
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Summerbee was born in Preston, Lancashire, and raised in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. He attended Naunton Park Secondary Modern School where he was influenced by sports teacher, Arnold Wills, with whom he was publicly reunited 50 years later when Summerbee was Guest of Honour at the 150th anniversary celebrations of Cheltenham YMCA, to which both had belonged in their youth. Summerbee made his league debut playing for Swindon Town in 1959 at the age of 16. He made more than 200 appearances for the Wiltshire club, scoring 38 goals. In 1965 Manchester City manager Joe Mercer signed Summerbee for a fee of £35,000. In his first Manchester City season, Summerbee started every match, the only Manchester City player to do so that season.

Playing on the right wing, Summerbee was one of the most influential players in the Manchester City side which won four trophies in three seasons from 1968 to 1970. Something of a practical joker, Summerbee (or "Buzzer" as teammates nicknamed him) was also known for a fiery temperament, a trait described by teammate Francis Lee as "retaliating first". Summerbee left Manchester City in June 1975, moving to Burnley, for a £25,000 fee, after making more than 400 appearances for City.

Summerbee signed for Blackpool on Christmas Eve 1976. The transfer had been the Blackpool chairman's idea, not that of manager Allan Brown. Summerbee later admitted that he should not have joined the club.[1] He made just three League appearances for the Seasiders.[1]

Summerbee ended his footballing career at Stockport County, where he was player-manager in the 1978–79 season. In 1980, he returned to the game for a single match, playing for non-League Mossley in their single goal FA Cup defeat of Crewe Alexandra.

International career

Over a five-year period, which encompassed the 1970 World Cup Summerbee played for England eight times. He made his international debut against Scotland in front of 134,000 spectators at Hampden Park on 24 February 1968, and helped to secure a 1–1 draw to clinch qualification to UEFA Euro 1968.[2]

Later life

Off the pitch, Summerbee has been involved with a number of business ventures with varying degrees of success, including a period where he co-owned a menswear business with George Best.[3] Summerbee is now the Club Ambassador for Manchester City.

Summerbee also starred in the cult film Escape to Victory alongside Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine and Pelé.[4][5]

Summerbee's son, Nicky, was also a professional footballer,[5] who followed in his father's footsteps by playing for both Swindon Town and Manchester City before joining Sunderland. His father, George, and uncle, Gordon, were both lower-division players[5] whose careers were affected by the outbreak of war.

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[6]
Club Season League FA Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Swindon Town 1959–60 Third Division 1510000151
1960–61 Third Division 4583030518
1961–62 Third Division 4342030484
1962–63 Third Division 3764020436
1963–64 Second Division 3773041448
1964–65 Second Division 411310104313
Total 2183913013124440
Manchester City 1965–66 Second Division 42882025210
1966–67 First Division 3244221387
1967–68 First Division 411444424920
1968–69 First Division 3966062518
1969–70 First Division 33320153506
1970–71 First Division 2642090374
1971–72 First Division 4032030453
1972–73 First Division 3824140463
1973–74 First Division 39122121534
1974–75 First Division 2720041313
Total 357473411611045268
Burnley 1975–76 First Division 3901050450
1976–77 Second Division 1200040160
Total 5101090610
Blackpool 1976–77 Second Division 30000030
Stockport County 1977–78 Fourth Division 4243120475
1978–79 Fourth Division 3313030391
1979–80 Fourth Division 1210030151
Total 87661801017
Career total 7169254129111861115

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[7]
National teamYearAppsGoals
England 196830
196900
197000
197111
197230
197310
Total81

Managerial statistics

Source:[6]

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
PWDLWin %
Stockport County 1 March 1978 17 October 1979 83 24 19 40 028.9
Total 83 24 19 40 028.9

Honours

Awards

Manchester City

Summerbee was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to association football and charity.[8]

References
Specific
  1. Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC On This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Pitch Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-905411-50-4.
  2. Summerbee & Holden 2008, p. 11
  3. "Model Calum Best following in fashion footsteps of his Manchester United legend dad". Manchester Evening News. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  4. "Escape To Victory, again!". Manchester Evening News. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  5. "Small Talk: Mike Summerbee". The Guardian. 5 September 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  6. Mike Summerbee at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  7. "Mike Summerbee". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  8. "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 2022. p. B15.
General
  • James, Gary – Manchester – The Greatest City ISBN 1-899538-22-4
  • Summerbee, Mike; Holden, Jim (2008), The Autobiography, Century, ISBN 978-1-8460-5493-8
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