Ku sii qor faqradan - City waxay ku guuldareysatay inay ku guuleysato dallacaad seddex xilli ciyaareed oo isku xigta, ilaa guddiga uu u magacaabay laacibkii hore ee England Roy McFarland macalin ahaan bishii May 1981. McFarland wuxuu ku guuleystey hormar xilli ciyaareedkiisii ugu horreeyay, laakiin waxaa la wareegay kooxdiisii hore ee Derby County lix bilood uun ka dib. City ayaa abaalmarin ka heshay Derby waxayna soo bandhigtay Trevor Cherry oo kale oo ka tirsan xulka qaranka England si uu u bedelo McFarland. Cherry, oo ay wehliyaan saaxiibkii hore ee Terry Yorath oo ahaa macalin caawiye, ayaa ku guuldareystay inuu guuleysto muddo laba bilood ah, laakiin ugu dambeyntii lammaanuhu waxay ku hagaan City inay ka badbaadaan hoos u dhaca. Intii lagu guda jiray xagaaga, si kastaba ha ahaatee, guddoomiyaha naadiga Bob Martin wuxuu u yeeray qaataha rasmiga ah. Naadiga waxaa badbaadiyay guddoomiyihii hore Stafford Heginbotham iyo xubin hore ee guddiga Jack Tordoff, laakiin si loo hubiyo in naadiga uu bilaabi karo xilli ciyaareedka cusub, hantida abaalmarinta, weeraryahanka Bobby Campbell ayaa loo iibiyay Derby. City way ku dhibtooneen laakiin sidoo kale Campbell, iyo markii uu soo laabtay, kooxdu waxay gashay rikoor toban guulood oo isku xigta. In kasta oo ay seegeen dallacsiinta, City waxay ku guuleysatay horyaalka xilli ciyaareedkii xigay ee 1984/85, si ay ugu laabtaan heerka labaad ee The Football League. Si kastaba ha ahaatee, guushii City waxaa hoos u dhacay musiibadii dabka
, oo ay ku dhinteen 56 qof markii Valley Parade uu dab qabsaday kulankii ugu dambeeyay ee xilli ciyaareedkan.