Mike Summerbee

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

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 40 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. He made just three League appearances for the Seasiders.

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. 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.

Summerbee's son, Nicky, was also a professional footballer,

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1959–60 Third Division

1960–61 Third Division

1961–62 Third Division

1962–63 Third Division

1963–64 Second Division

1964–65 Second Division

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1965–66 Second Division

1966–67 First Division

1967–68 First Division

1968–69 First Division

1969–70 First Division

1970–71 First Division

1971–72 First Division

1972–73 First Division

1973–74 First Division

1974–75 First Division

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1975–76 First Division

1976–77 Second Division

51!!0!!1!!0!!9!!0!!61!!0 Blackpool 1976–77 Second Division

1977–78 Fourth Division

1978–79 Fourth Division

1979–80 Fourth Division

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International

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Summerbee goal.

Managerial statistics Source: Football League Cup: 1969–70 FA Charity Shield: 1968, 1972 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1969–70

England UEFA European Championship third-place: 1968

Individual Swindon Town Player of the Season: 1964–65 Swindon Town Top Scorer: 1964–65 Manchester City Player of the Year: 1971–72, 1972–73 Manchester City Hall of Fame: 2004 (inducted) English Football Hall of Fame: 2013 (inducted) Order of the British Empire

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