Champions League Final: Man City Complete Treble Almost 25 Years After York Defeat

Manchester City have etched their name in football history with a narrow 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League Final.

This momentous triumph comes more than 24 years after the club suffered a significant setback, enduring a Division Two defeat against York City, who now compete in non-league football, and have done since 2016.

The victory marks the Cityzens’ first European Cup since their 1970 Cup Winners' Cup triumph and their inaugural Champions League title. The achievement not only crowns City as champions but also secures their place in the annals of football, as they complete the famous and long-awaited treble.

The treble encompasses three prestigious competitions: the Premier League, the FA Cup, and, of course, the Champions League. City managed to conquer all three titles within the span of a month, becoming only the second English team to achieve this feat, following in the footsteps of their local rivals, Manchester United, who accomplished it in 1999.

Under the continued guidance of successful manager Pep Guardiola, his men claimed the ultimate prize on Saturday night in a thrilling encounter. A single second-half strike from Rodri propelled them to victory, while goalkeeper Ederson played a massive part with several stunning saves, solidifying their place among the football elite.



However, if we turn back the clock to Saturday 19th December 1998, a completely different narrative emerges — one of humiliation and disappointment. On that fateful day, Man City suffered a shock league loss to York City, which left around 2,000 dismayed supporters making the journey back to Manchester.

The match panned out with the Yorkshire hosts taking the lead inside two minutes through Gordon Connelly before Craig Russell levelled things up later in the first half.

But there was no stopping the red-shirted City side who clinched all three points with an Andy Dawson goal four minutes from time.

This defeat remains firmly etched in the memories of many long-standing City fans, and the club even recently released a short documentary reflecting on what could be considered one of the Sky Blues' most devastating losses of all time.

The divergent paths taken by the two teams involved in that match could not be more striking. York City suffered relegation at the end of the season and now ply their trade in the National League, the top tier of non-league football. In contrast, Man City achieved promotion through the playoffs and are currently revered as one of the world's finest football teams, if not the very best.

Former goalkeeper Nicky Weaver, speaking to the Manchester Evening Post in 2018, shared his perspective - he told how, "It felt like it couldn't get any worse, so it was a chance to draw a line under it and start afresh. I knew we weren't doing great, but I was still on a high that I was playing in the first team."

Meanwhile, match-winner Andy Dawson recounted the goal that sealed his side’s victory with the York Press. He remembered, "Rodney [Rowe] laid the ball off, and it fell to me favourably. As I was being closed down, I recall thinking, 'Don't smash it—just hit the target.' It was my first touch in professional football, and I deliberately side-footed it into the far corner with my left foot. Nicky Weaver got a fingertip to it, but I didn't see it hit the back of the net as I had already turned to celebrate."

Dawson still receives regular reminders of that winter afternoon at Bootham Crescent: “Even living in Australia now, the match crops up from time to time, especially given where Man City are now.”

The contrasting paths traversed by these two clubs since that unforgettable encounter only serve to highlight the remarkable journey that Man City have undertaken, culminating in their momentous victory in the Champions League.