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Collyhurst-born Brian Kidd was a former Manchester Schoolboy who signed
for Manchester United as an apprentice in 1964. By the time of the 1967
Charity Shield clash with Tottenham, Kidd had not only progressed to the
ranks of a professional but was also taking his first steps on a senior
career at Old Trafford that would see him score 70 times in nearly 260
appearances. Perhaps his most famous goal for United came in the 1968
European Cup Final triumph over Benfica at Wembley. In August 1974,
£110, 000 took Kidd south to London and Arsenal and the start of two
seasons that produced another 34 goals. On July 7th 1976, he returned to
Manchester (for a fee of £100, 000), this time to wear the sky blue of
City and to begin what would prove to be the most prolific goalscoring
time of his professional career.
After making his debut in the opening
game of that season, Kidd missed just three of the 42 League games,
finding the back of the net 21 times. This total included four against
Leicester and doubles against Leeds (twice) and Birmingham. He was a key
part of Tony Book's powerful forward line of the mid to late 70s and
along with Dennis Tueart, Peter Barnes and Joe Royle, helped the Blues
to come within a single point of Champions Liverpool at the end of his
first season. In 1977/78 he played a total of 50 games for the Blues,
his goalscoring return of 20 once again making him the club's top
scorer. For the second successive year he finished five goals clear of
second-placed Dennis Tueart. With a 3-1 win at Maine Road and a 2-2 draw
at Old Trafford, Kidd scored three times that term against his former
employers.
He scored in each of the first three games of the following
season as the Blues looked to improve on their fourth place spot of the
year before. By the time March 1979 came around, Kidd was still leading
the attack with style and power and had scored 14 times including five
in a UEFA Cup run that saw the Blues finally go out to Borussia
Monchengladbach in the Fourth Round. However it was now the time of
Malcolm Allison's infamous clear-out and along with many other senior
professionals, Kidd found himself surplus to requirements. On the 29th
March - after 59 goals in 129/1 appearances for City - he was
transferred to Everton for a fee of £150,000.
After Everton he joined
Bolton as well as spending time with NASL sides Atlanta Chiefs, Fort
Lauderdale Strikers and Minnesota Strikers. When his playing days were
finally over, he became manager at Barrow in 1984 before joining Alex
Ferguson back at Old Trafford to embark on the most successful period of
success in Manchester United's history. In December 1998 he began an
eleven-month reign as manager at Blackburn which proved an unsuccessful
move and he returned to a coaching role with Leeds United and the
England national side. (Ian Penney - author of The Legends of Manchester City)
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