26 January 1914 - 13 February 1915: Wood Tiger
3rd in the Second Division, trailing Woolwich Arsenal with a game in hand, City were aiming for promotion. But the year of the tiger started with a draw against Birmingham, and only 3 wins followed before the end of the season, which finished with City in 7th place.
City came no closer to promotion the following season and were 9th by the end of the Chinese year, having lost 4-1 at Derby. This was followed by a 6-1 win against Lincoln and a further four games unbeaten, but only got to 7th place by the end of the season.
13 February 1926 - 1 February 1927: Fire Tiger
City lost to Chelsea on Chinese new year's day but followed it with a 6-game unbeaten run, and finished the season 13th.
City were going well in 26/27, 4th in the Second Division and taking First Division side Everton to a replay in the FA Cup. Following the year of the tiger, City knocked Everton out of the cup but lost in the next round at Wolves and finished the season 7th.
31 January 1938 - 18 February 1939: Earth Tiger
City were on the promotion trail in the Division Three (North). The year of the Tiger began with a draw against New Brighton and defeat at Gateshead. City stayed in contention but a failure to win either of the last two games of the season meant they fell a point short of promotion.
38/39 only brought about a 7th place finish.
17 February 1950 - 5 February 1951: Metal Tiger
City were in the promotion places but started the Chinese new year with defeat at Grimsby and this was the beginning of the slide. City won just once more before the end of the 49/50 season and finished 7th in the Second Division.
City started the following season well but were 13th by the end of the year of the Tiger. Improvement but inconsistency followed and City finished the season 7th.
5 February 1962 - 24 January 1963: Water Tiger
The year started with a 2-1 defeat at Halifax, and the 61/62 league campaign ended in 10th place in the Third Division.
City ended 1962 11th in the table with a win and a defeat against Southend. Winter weather wiped out all of City's fixtures in January, and City were still 11th at the end of the year of the Tiger.
23 January 1974 - 10 February 1975: Wood Tiger
It was an unremarkable start to the Chinese new year for City, 9th in the Second Division. Starting with a 1-1 draw at Swindon, City won 6, drew 4 and lost 5 to finish the season in 9th place.
74/75 was another steady campaign. The highlight was a 2-0 win against Manchester United in front of 23,287 fans at Boothferry Park, followed by victory against Bristol City the following week to take the Tigers up to 5th in the table.
By the time the year of the tiger was out, City were 10th after beating Notts County, and would finish the season 8th.
9 February 1986 - 28 January 1987: Fire Tiger
City began with defeat at Huddersfield more than two weeks into the Chinese new year. That was followed by back-to-back wins but hopes of a third promotion in four years then slipped away. City finished their first season back in the Second Division a highly creditable 6th.
City were wobbling in 86/87, and once consistency finally came it was a run of 8 games without a win. The last of those, a 1-1 draw at West Brom, was the final game inside the year of the tiger and City were left looking over their shoulders at the relegation places, but safely kept away from them.
28 January 1998 - 15 February 1999: Earth Tiger
Mark Hateley was 29 games into his first season in charge of City, 90th in the Football League, as the Chinese calendar turned to the year of the Earth Tiger.
Three straight defeats were followed by a 2-1 win against Scunthorpe at Boothferry Park (goals from Rob Dewhurst and Brian McGinty).
City then managed to pick up just two points from 8 games, culminating in an embarrassing defeat away to bottom-of-the-league Doncaster Rovers, before an upturn to take 10 points from the final 5 games of the 97/98 season and finishing 3rd from bottom.
The Earth elemental sign is associated with long-term planning. City fans had made clear their opposition to owner David Lloyd's plans with the famous tennis ball protest in a Worthington Cup game at Bolton. Soon after, Lloyd said he'd "had his fill" and wouldn't go on paying the bills. City lost against Cardiff in a match dubbed the "last ever" at Boothferry Park, though thankfully proved not to be as Lloyd sold the club weeks later to Tom Belton's consortium.
After an enjoyable 1st v 92nd "Thriller at the Villa" FA Cup match, new manager Warren Joyce got his first wins in the league against Rotherham and Hartlepool, and after another two games undefeated a win at Brentford pulled City from the foot of the table. The Chinese year of the tiger ended for City with a televised defeat at Rochdale but on the way to safety.
14 February 2010 - 2 February 2011: Metal Tiger
So what can City expect if the year of the tiger goes to form? Having never won the first game of the year of the tiger, the omens aren't good next week at West Ham.
Years of the tiger have never brought much luck at all, with the year following tending to bring about better fortune. So here's looking forward to a strong finish to next season and the start of a successful one in 2011/12!
* 8 February 1902 - 28 January 1903: Water Tiger
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* 14 February 2010 - 2 February 2011: Metal Tiger
28 January 1998 - 15 February 1999: Earth Tiger
Mark Hateley was 29 games into his first season in charge of City, 90th
in the Football League, as the Chinese calendar turned to the year of the
Earth Tiger.
Three straight defeats were followed by a 2-1 win against Scunthorpe at
Boothferry Park (goals from Rob Dewhurst and Brian McGinty).
City then managed to pick up just two points from 8 games, culminating in
an embarrassing defeat away to bottom-of-the-league Doncaster Rovers,
before an upturn to take 10 points from the final 5 games of the 97/98
season and finishing 3rd from bottom.
The Earth elemental sign is associated with long-term planning. City fans
had made clear their opposition to owner David Lloyd's plans with the
famous tennis ball protest in a Worthington Cup game at Bolton. Soon
after, Lloyd said he'd "had his fill" and wouldn't go on paying the
bills. City lost against Cardiff in a match dubbed the "last ever" at
Boothferry Park, though thankfully proved not to be as Lloyd sold the
club weeks later to Tom Belton's consortium.
After an enjoyable 1st v 92nd "Thriller at the Villa" FA Cup match, new
manager Warren Joyce got his first wins in the league against Rotherham
and Hartlepool, and after another two games undefeated a win at Brentford
pulled City from the foot of the table. The Chinese year of the Tiger
ended for City with a televised defeat at Rochdale but on the way to
safety.
9 February 1986 - 28 January 1987: Fire Tiger
City began with defeat at Huddersfield more than two weeks into the
Chinese new year. That was followed by back-to-back wins but hopes of a
third promotion in four years then slipped away. City finished their
first season back in the Second Division a highly creditable 6th.
City were wobbling in 86/87, and once consistency came it was a run of 8
games without a win. The last of those, a 1-1 draw at West Brom, was the
final game inside the year of the Tiger and City were left looking over
their shoulders at the relegation places, but safely kept away from them.
23 January 1974 - 10 February 1975: Wood Tiger
It was an unremarkable start to the Chinese new year for City, 9th in the
Second Division. Starting with a 1-1 draw at Swindon, City won 6, drew 4
and lost 5 to finish the season in 9th place.
74/75 was another steady campaign. The highlight was a 2-0 win against
Manchester United in front of 23,287 fans at Boothferry Park, followed by
victory against Bristol City the following week to take the Tigers up to
5th in the table.
By the time the year of the Tiger was out, City were 10th after beating
Notts County, and would finish the season 8th.
5 February 1962 - 24 January 1963: Water Tiger
This year started with a 2-1 defeat at Halifax, and the 61/62 league
campaign ended in 10th place in the Third Division.
City ended 1962 11th in the table with a win and a defeat against
Southend. Winter weather wiped out all of City's fixtures in January, and
City were still 11th at the end of the year of the Tiger.
17 February 1950 - 5 February 1951: Metal Tiger
City were in the promotion places but started teh Chinese new year with
defeat at Grimsby and this was the beginning of the slide. City won just
once more before the end of the 49/50 season and finished 7th in the
Second Division.
City started the following season well but were 13th by the end of the
year of the Tiger. Improvement but inconsistency followed and City
finished the season 7th.
31 January 1938 - 18 February 1939: Earth Tiger
City were on the promotion trail in the Division Three (North). The year
of the Tiger began with a draw against New Brighton and defeat at
Gateshead. City stayed in contention but a failure to win either of the
last two games of the season meant they fell a point short of promotion.
38/39 only brought about a 7th place finish.
13 February 1926 - 1 February 1927: Fire Tiger
City lost to Chelsea on Chinese new year's day but followed it with a 6-
game unbeaten run, and finished the season 13th.
City were going well in 26/27, 4th in the Second Division and taking
First Division side Everton to a replay in the FA Cup. Following the year
of the Tiger, City knocked Everton out of the cup but lost in the next
round at Wolves and finished the season 7th.
26 January 1914 - 13 February 1915: Wood Tiger
3rd in the Second Division, trailing Woolwich Arsenal with a game in
hand, City were aiming for promotion. But the year of the Tiger started
with a draw against Birmingham, and only 3 wins followed before the end
of the season, which finished with City in 7th place.
City came no closer to promotion the following season and were 9th by the
end of the Chinese year, having lost 4-1 at Derby. This was followed by a
6-1 win against Lincoln and a further four games unbeaten, but only got
to 7th place by the end of the season.