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 captain Tony Book at the age of 90.
In tribute, the Premier League club hailed Book as one of their all-time greats after he led the club to a golden era of success.
“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of former Manchester City captain and manager Tony Book at the age of 90,” a Man City statement said.
‘Tony is a true Club legend in every sense of the word. Between 1966 and 1974 he played a total of 315 games for City, scoring five goals.’
The right-back joined Man City from Plymouth Argyle in 1966 at the age of 31 and was appointed club 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
Boek, above right, signed for Man City as a 31-year-old and led a golden era of success
He also won the 1969 FA Cup, before leading the club to the League Cup and European Cup Winner’s Cup in 1970.
Book was named joint winner of the Footballer of the Year award in 1969, an award he shared with Dave Mackay – the only time the award has been presented to two players.
After retiring in 1974, he became manager of Man City, 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 serve as youth coach at the club, leading Man City to a first FA Youth Cup success in 1986.
He was appointed honorary chairman of Man City and became life chairman 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 after his death.
“For almost 60 years, Tony helped shape Manchester City,” he said. ‘Not only in what he contributed as a player, captain and manager, but also in the way he conducted himself.
Book was 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 towards his own significant achievements.
“He will forever be remembered by our supporters as a man who helped lay the foundations on which unprecedented success could be built.
‘A player and leader whose outstanding abilities have not only helped us return to the top flight of English football, but also won us our first ever European honour.
‘Tony’s dedication to his Club saw him still fulfilling Club duties earlier this season. I will greatly miss seeing him at our matches, and witnessing first-hand the appreciation he has for each 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 became even more remarkable when he joined the club at the age of 31, less than two years after playing for non-League Bath City, his hometown, and went from laying bricks to winning the FA Cup.
He had spent part of his childhood in India, where he “played barefoot in the streets with a ball of rags and shot snakes with a slingshot,” while his father served in the British army.
“My life changed forever the day Malcolm Allison, in that fedora, climbed onto 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 had told the other brickmakers that I would lead City to four trophies, they would have thought I was crazy. Even I thought I was past my expiration date… until Malcolm came along. 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, where he turned professional at the age of 29.
‘When I signed for Plymouth, Malcolm told me to update my birth certificate to make me two years younger. Then he went to City as Joe Mercer’s assistant and brought me there – although we had to tell them the truth, so I aged two years in about two seconds!’