When it comes to getting new players into the football club, Manchester City place a lot of emphasis on how durable an individual is going to be.
It isn’t just about players having talent, it’s very much a question of longevity.
There is probably a very reasonable chance that some of the players currently shining at the Etihad Stadium will go on to become top appearance-makers for the club by the end of their stints.
But there’s work to be done, as some City stars of the past boast very high totals indeed.
Below is a list of Manchester City Football Club’s 20 highest appearance-makers of all-time:
- Alan Oakes – 680
- Joe Corrigan – 603
- Mike Doyle – 570
- Bert Trautmann – 545
- Colin Bell – 501
- Eric Brook – 493
- Tommy Booth – 491
- Mike Summerbee – 452
- Paul Power – 445
- David Silva – 436
- Willie Donachie – 436
- Neil Young – 416
- Ernie Toseland – 411
- Sam Cowan – 407
- Billy Meredith – 393
- Sergio Aguero – 387 (and counting)
- Ian Brightwell – 382
- Glyn Pardoe – 380
- Frank Swift – 375
- Roy Clarke – 370
City’s record appearance-maker in the club’s history is former midfielder Alan Oakes, who enjoyed 17 fantastic years with the first-team from 1959-1976.
Oakes has a fair bit of breathing room at the top of the list, with ex-goalkeeper Joe Corrigan the next highest appearance-maker on 603.
Spanish maestro David Silva left the club as a City legend last year, and his 435 appearances mean he’s managed to sneak into the top 10.
Sergio Aguero may have scored the most goals in City’s history, but he’s only 16th for appearances.
The South American is undoubtedly one of the most lethal forwards English football has ever seen, but sadly his record with injuries was not perfect.
In terms of this list changing in the years to come, it’s probably fair to assume Kevin De Bruyne will break into the top 20 given he recently committed his long-term future to the club and will be around for some time yet – he’s currently sitting on 260 appearances.
Raheem Sterling (288) is also in with a shout of cracking the top 20.
And many City fans will have extremely high hopes for Phil Foden, an impossibly talented young player who has come through the ranks and already made 120 appearances by the age of 20.
At this moment in time, Foden seems well placed to one day potentially surpass Oakes at the summit.
