Happy 75th birthday, Tommy Booth

Today we’re wishing City legend Tommy Booth a very happy 75 birthday.

Booth - committed, brave, loyal and with plenty of ability - dedicated himself to his beloved City and today we’re looking back at his classy career.

He signed amateur forms in 1965, turned professional in 1967 and made his debut in October 1968, taking over the No.5 shirt from George Heslop.

Young Booth performed admirably on his debut against Arsenal and Joe Mercer opted to continue with him in the side.

As he flourished in the centre of defence, Mercer’s admiration grew to the point he called him ‘the best centre-half since Stan Cullis’ – some comparison!

Tommy really made his mark when, in the last minute of the FA Cup semi-final with Everton, he scored to send City to Wembley where their opponents were Leicester City. He played in the successful final, too, meaning he had not missed a cup game along the way and had been part of a defence that only conceded one goal.

He appeared in both 1970-winning cup finals - League and ECW – as his reputation soared.

But Booth showed his versatile side midway through the 1970s when he slotted seamlessly into midfield.
Colin Bell was injured in a League Cup tie in 1976 and manager Tony Book turned to Tommy to fill in Bell’s midfield slot.

He certainly responded with some classy displays, none more so than the 1976 League Cup final where he assisted Dennis Tueart for his overhead kick winner at Wembley. 
Booth later returned to centre-half when Dave Watson – the man who essentially replaced him at the back - was injured.

But his chances were limited the following season until he again stepped in for the final 11 games following Mike Doyle’s early end to the season as City finished runners-up to Liverpool in the old Division One.

Remarkably, Doyle could not displace Booth when he did regain fitness and Tommy made 39 appearances, his most active campaign in four years.

He played 20 times during the season Malcolm Allison returned to City in 1978/79, 24 in 1979/80 and in his final year he played another 30 games and it was his goal at Peterborough in the FA Cup fifth round that helped City on their way to the 1981 FA Cup final.

The following season he left for Preston after almost two decades with City.

Thanks for your unstinting service to City, Tommy – and the happiest of birthdays to you today.