Man City greats pay tribute to title-winner Tony Book after his death aged 90
Mike Summerbee has paid tribute to “one of the best defenders” in Manchester City’s history – and George Best’s “most difficult opponent” – following the death of former captain and manager Tony Book.
The Premier League club announced on Tuesday that Book, skipper for four major trophy successes in the late 1960s and early 70s as well as a League Cup-winning boss, had died at the age of 90.
A right-back, Book made 315 appearances for the club and scored five goals after signing from Plymouth at the relatively late age of 32 in 1966.
Affectionately known as ‘Skip’, he led the team to the First Division title in 1968, the FA Cup the following year and both the League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1970.
He began a five-year spell as the team’s manager in 1974, of which the highlights were another League Cup triumph in 1976 and a league runners-up finish in 1977.
Summerbee, a team-mate during that golden era, told the club’s website: “I think he was one of the best defenders the club has ever signed – and that’s not being disrespectful to our other great defenders – he was just an exceptional player and a terrific reader of the game.
“He was also a very modest person, and he found it difficult to accept the praise heaped on his shoulders, sometimes because he didn’t think he deserved it.
“I was close friends with George Best, and he always said Tony was his most difficult opponent, which is quite a compliment given George’s talent.
“He was a superb man. Very humble, kind and he will be sadly missed.”
Book began his football career with part-time Bath City, his hometown club, before belatedly moving into the fully-professional ranks, as a 30-year-old, with Second Division Plymouth in 1964.
He later revealed Pilgrims manager Malcolm Allison had advised him to knock two years off his age to get the move past the board. It was a trick the pair repeated when Allison moved to City and took Book with him.
After his stint as manager, Book worked with the club’s youngsters and oversaw their FA Youth Cup win in 1986. He went on to serve the club as honorary president and was life president of their official supporters club.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said: “For nearly 60 years Tony helped to shape Manchester City.
“Not just in what he contributed as a player, captain and manager, but in the way he conducted himself. His hopes and ambitions for his club were matched only by his incredible humility regarding his own significant achievements.
“He will forever be remembered by our supporters as a man who helped to lay the foundations upon which unprecedented success could be built. A player and leader whose outstanding abilities not only helped return us to the peak of English football, but also delivered our first ever European honour.
“Tony’s devotion to his club meant he was still fulfilling club duties earlier this season. I will miss seeing him at our games enormously and witnessing first hand the regard in which he is held by every generation of the City family.”
City announced their players would wear black armbands for Tuesday evening’s Premier League game at Brentford.
Former City winger Peter Barnes said: “It’s such sad news. Tony gave me my debut for City at 18 years of age and he was my boss in the 1976 League Cup final when I scored the first goal.
“He’s done it all – won it as a player, as a manager and as a coach. His impact was incredible.”
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Former City goalkeeper Joe Corrigan said: “He was a fantastic man. Player, captain, manager, coach, his legacy is everything that is good about Manchester City.
“He epitomised everything that was good about the club and he is a towering figure in our history.
“I consider myself lucky to have played with him and under him as a manager.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie