Tony Book dead at 90: Man City lead tributes legendary captain and manager who led the club to a ‘golden era of success’
Manchester City have announced the death of their former club captain Tony Book at the age of 90.
In a tribute, the Premier League club hailed Book as one of their all-time greats, having captained the club to a golden era of success.
‘It is with huge sadness and the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of former Manchester City captain and manager Tony Book, aged 90,’ a Man City statement read.
‘A true Club legend in every sense of the word, Tony made 315 appearances for City in total between 1966 and 1974, scoring five goals.’
The right back had joined Man City from Plymouth Argyle in 1966 at the age of 31 and was appointed as the club’s captain the following season.
Book, who became known as ‘Skip’, led Man City to the First Division title in 1968.
Man City have paid tribute following the death of former captain and manager Tony Book
Book, top right, signed for Man City as a 31-year-old and led a golden era of success
He also lifted the 1969 FA Cup, before leading the club to the League Cup and European Cup Winner’s Cup in 1970.
Book was named the joint winner of the Footballer of the Year award in 1969, a prize he shared with Dave Mackay – the only time the award has been given to two players.
He became Man City manager following his retirement in 1974, a position he held until 1979.
During his managerial reign, Book led Man City to the 1976 League Cup and a second place finish in Division One in 1977, missing out on the title to Liverpool by one point.
Book would later served as a youth coach at the club, leading Man City to a first FA Youth Cup success in 1986.
He was named an Honorary President of Man City and became the Life President of the Official Supporters Club.
Man City stated that Book remained ‘a hugely popular member of the matchday legends at our Etihad home games.’
Club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak led tributes to Book following his death.
‘For nearly sixty years Tony helped to shape Manchester City,’ he said. ‘Not just in what he contributed as a player, Captain and Manager, but in the way he conducted himself.
Book served as an Honorary President of Man City and Life President of the Supporter’s Club
‘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 had been Man City’s most decorated captain for decades, prior to the club’s recent dominance of the English game.
His success was made more remarkable by joining the club aged 31, less than two years after turning out for non-League Bath City, his hometown, and went from laying bricks to lifting the FA Cup.
He had spent part of his childhood in India, ‘playing barefoot in the street with a ball of rags and shooting snakes with a catapult’, while his father served in the British Army.
‘My life changed for ever the day Malcolm Allison, wearing that fedora, came climbing up some scaffolding to introduce himself as Bath’s new manager,’ Book told Mail Sport in 2019.
‘I was in my late twenties and laying bricks. If I’d told the other brickies I would captain City to four trophies, they would have thought I was mad. Even I thought I was past my sell-by date… until Malcolm came. Where would I be now without that? A retired bricklayer living in Bath, I would imagine.’
Book followed the Allison to Canada for a summer with Toronto City and then to Plymouth Argyle, turning professional at 29.
‘When I signed for Plymouth, Malcolm told me to doctor my birth certificate to make me two years younger. He then went to City as assistant to Joe Mercer and took me there – although we had to tell them the truth, so I aged two years in about two seconds!’
