Former Manchester City captain and manager Tony Book dies aged 90
Right-back Book captained City as they won four major trophies.
Former Manchester City captain and manager Tony Book has died at the age of 90, the club have announced.
Right-back Book 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 described Book as “a true club legend in every sense of the word” and said that “for many he was and will forever be Mr Manchester City”.
They sent “heartfelt condolences to Tony’s family and friends at this very sad time”, adding that as a mark of respect, flags around the Etihad Stadium and City Football Academy were flying at half-mast.
