Mike Summerbee
Encyclopedia
Mike Summerbee is an English former footballer
, who played in the successful Manchester City
side of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
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 single 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 1968–70. 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.
Over a five year period, which encompassed the 1970 World Cup Summerbee played for England
eight times, making his debut against Scotland
on 24 February 1968.
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
.
Off the pitch, Summerbee has been involved with a number a 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
.
He also featured in a BBC westcountry documentary 'Six days to Saturday' about Swindon Town in 1963 and a 'Nationwide' series 'Saturday Heroes' about Manchester City.
Summerbee's son, Nicky
, is also a professional footballer, who followed in his father's footsteps by playing for both Swindon Town and Manchester City. His father, George
, and uncle, Gordon, were both lower-division players whose careers were affected by the outbreak of war. Colin Shindler described the contrasting fortunes of the three generations in Fathers, Sons and Football.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, who played in the successful Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
side of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Summerbee made his league debut playing for Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
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
Joe Mercer
Joseph 'Joe' Mercer, OBE was an English football player and manager.-Playing career:Mercer was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, the son of a former Nottingham Forest and Tranmere Rovers footballer, also named Joe. Joe Mercer senior died, following health problems resulting from a gas attack...
signed Summerbee for a fee of £35,000. In his first Manchester City season Summerbee started every single 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 1968–70. 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
Francis Lee
Francis Henry Lee is a former professional footballer, who played in the 1960s and 1970s, including 27 appearances for the England national team. Lee played for Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City, and Derby County...
as "retaliating first". Summerbee left Manchester City in June 1975, moving to Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, for a £25,000 fee, after making more than 400 appearances for City.
Summerbee signed for Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
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.
Over a five year period, which encompassed the 1970 World Cup Summerbee played for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
eight times, making his debut against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 24 February 1968.
Summerbee ended his footballing career at Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
, 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
Mossley A.F.C.
Mossley Association Football Club are an English football club from the town of Mossley, Greater Manchester, currently playing in the Northern Premier League Division One North. They were founded in 1903 and are nicknamed the Lilywhites, owing to their colours...
in their single goal FA Cup defeat of Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
.
Off the pitch, Summerbee has been involved with a number a business ventures with varying degrees of success, including a period where he co-owned a menswear business with George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
. Summerbee is now the Club Ambassador for Manchester City.
Summerbee also starred in the cult film Escape to Victory
Escape to Victory
Escape to Victory, known simply as Victory in North America, is a 1981 film about Allied prisoners of war who are interned in a German prison camp during World War II...
alongside Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
, Michael Caine
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
and Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
.
He also featured in a BBC westcountry documentary 'Six days to Saturday' about Swindon Town in 1963 and a 'Nationwide' series 'Saturday Heroes' about Manchester City.
Summerbee's son, Nicky
Nicky Summerbee
Nicky Summerbee is an English former professional footballer.Born in Manchester, he had trials at Manchester United, Leicester City, and Norwich City, before joining Swindon Town; where his father, former England international Mike Summerbee, had connections...
, is also a professional footballer, who followed in his father's footsteps by playing for both Swindon Town and Manchester City. His father, George
George Summerbee
George Summerbee was an English professional footballer who played in The Football League for four clubs. He was father of Mike Summerbee and grandfather of Nicky Summerbee, who both played for Manchester City....
, and uncle, Gordon, were both lower-division players whose careers were affected by the outbreak of war. Colin Shindler described the contrasting fortunes of the three generations in Fathers, Sons and Football.
As a player
Manchester City F.C.Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
- Football League Second Division champions: 1965–1966
- Football League First Division champions: 1967–19681967–68 Football League First Division-Overview:Manchester City won the First Division title for the second time in the club's history that season. They won the title on May 11, with a 4-3 win at Newcastle United whilst the defending champions and their nearest rivals Manchester United lost 2-1 at home to Sunderland...
- FA Cup winners: 19691969 FA Cup FinalThe 1969 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1968–69 staging of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, better known as the FA Cup. The match was contested between Leicester City and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday 26 April 1969...
- Football League Cup winners: 19701970 Football League Cup FinalThe 1970 Football League Cup Final took place on 7 March 1970 at Wembley Stadium with an attendance of 97,963. It was the tenth Football League Cup final and the fourth to be played at Wembley...
- European Cup Winners' Cup winners: 1970
- FA Charity Shield winners: 19681968-69 in English footballThe 1968–69 season was the 89th season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Leeds United won the League for the first time in their history, finishing six points ahead of Liverpool...
, 19721972-73 in English footballThe 1972–73 season was the 93rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League announced that a three-up, three-down system would operate between the top two divisions from the following season, rather than the traditional two-up, two-down system...