Former Manchester City captain and manager Tony Book dies aged 90
The iconic defender played more than 300 games for City, between 1966 and 1974
Last updated 14th Jan 2025
Manchester City have led tributes to iconic captain Tony Book following his death at the age of 90.
The former defender played more than 330 games for the club, between 1966 and 1974, the majority as skipper.
He also managed the side between 1974 and 1979, and held various coaching roles at the club, helping oversee youth sides.
City won four major trophies with Book as captain, including the FA Cup, League Cup and Charity Shield.
A tribute posted on City's website said: "A legendary Club figure and part of the very fabric of Manchester City, it’s doubtful there will ever be another story quite like Tony Book’s.
"There are few who have served City with greater success, longevity or dignity with Tony’s indelible impact on the Club stretching over five remarkable decades.
"Indeed, for many he was and will forever be Mr Manchester City."
The right-back captained City as they won four major trophies, including the First Division title and European Cup Winners' Cup, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and he later led them to further League Cup success as manager in 1976.
He also coached a City side that won the FA Youth Cup in 1986, and was subsequently named an honorary president at the club, as well as life president of their official supporters club.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in a statement from the eight-time Premier League champions: "For nearly sixty years Tony helped to shape Manchester City.
"Not just in what he contributed as a player, captain and manager, but in the way he conducted himself. His hopes and ambitions for his club were matched only by his incredible humility regarding his own significant achievements.
"He will forever be remembered by our supporters as a man who helped to lay the foundations upon which unprecedented success could be built. A player and leader whose outstanding abilities not only helped return us to the peak of English football, but also delivered our first ever European honour.
"Tony's devotion to his club meant he was still fulfilling club duties earlier this season I will miss seeing him at our games enormously, and witnessing first hand the regard in which he is held by every generation of the City family."
Book was a late developer and did not play top-flight football until the age of 32.
He spent most of his early career with non-League Bath City before moving into the professional game with Second Division Plymouth.
A move to City followed in 1966, he was appointed captain the following year and Book - affectionately known as 'Skip' - went on to lift the First Division title in 1968, the FA Cup in 1969 and the League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup in 1970.
Having made 315 appearances for the club, scoring five goals, he then in 1974 began what would be a five-year tenure as manager, during which the team secured the League Cup again with victory over Newcastle at Wembley and finished as Division One runners-up in 1977.
City said, as a mark of respect, flags around the Etihad Stadium and City Football Academy were flying at half-mast.