5 players with most appearances in Manchester City’s history

For much of their history, Manchester City have been overshadowed by cross-city rivals Manchester United.

The Red Devils' success under Sir Alex Ferguson's reign pushed the Cityzens further out of the limelight. The Sky Blues had to wait until the turn of the century to establish themselves as a powerhouse in English football.

Since Pep Guardiola's appointment, there's been no looking back for the Etihad outfit. They are now one of the strongest teams in the Premier League.

In the last couple of years, Manchester City have entered almost every season as potential winners. There are many reasons for the club's success, and squad depth is one of them. Pep Guardiola has been fortunate enough to boast two or three players in every position.

Let us now take a look at the players who have made the most appearances for the club in its history.

---

#5 Colin Bell — 498 appearances

Colin Bell played a crucial role in helping the Cityzens secure a berth in the First Division

Colin Bell started his career at Bury FC and was immediately appointed club captain. The Englishman's performances for the side caught the attention of many clubs ahead of the 1966 season.

In an attempt to sign him, Manchester City's then-assistant coach Malcolm Allison misled other pursuers by telling them the player was "hopeless." The gamble worked, and the other teams withdrew from the chase.

Bell joined Manchester City in 1966 for £45,000. He made his debut for the club against Derby County on 19th March that year in Division 2. He scored the Cityzens' first goal in the 2-1 win.

Bell made 498 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 153 goals. He left the side after 14 seasons. His final game was against Aston Villa on 15th May 1979, in Division 1.

---

#4 Bert Trautmann — 545 appearances

Bert Trautmann died on 19th July 2013 at his home in Spain

Bert Trautmann is considered one of the best goalkeepers in the history of English football. The German began his career playing amateur football for St. Helen’s Town. His performances garnered interest from many professional clubs, but Manchester City were the first to offer him a contract in Division 1.

Trautmann signed for the Cityzens on 7th October 1949 as an amateur and made his debut on 19th November against Bolton Wanderers at Burnden Park in Division 1. He ended up making 545 appearances for the club across all competitions.

Trautmann played his final game for the Manchester club on 28th March 1964, against Preston North End in Division 2.

#3 Mike Doyle — 563 appearances

Mike Doyle has accumulated six major trophies with Manchester City in his 14 years at the club

Mike Doyle enrolled himself as a youngster in Manchester City's youth setup. He played for Stockport Boys as a junior and joined the Cityzens in May 1962.

Doyle earned an invitation to the senior side in 1965 and experimented with multiple roles before settling for the center-back position.

One of the most memorable games of Doyle's career came in the Cityzens' 1970 League Cup Final win over West Bromwich Albion, during which he scored. He ended up making 563 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 41 goals.

Doyle left for Stoke City in 1978 and retired from football in 1984.

---

#2 Joe Corrigan — 602 appearances

Joe Corrigan played 16 seasons with the Sky Blues

Joe Corrigan joined Manchester City as a junior from Sale FC in 1966. He made his professional debut for the club in 1967 and became their first-choice goalkeeper within the next two seasons, replacing the aging Harry Dowd.

Corrigan played 16 seasons with the Sky Blues and made 602 appearances for them across all competitions.

He retired from football in 1985 and tried his hand at coaching. He was Liverpool's goalkeeping coach from 1994 to 2004.

Corrigan retired at the end of the 2004 season.

---

#1 Alan Oakes — 674 appearances

Alan Oakes has made the most appearances for Manchester City in its history. The Englishman was part of the Cityzens team between 1959 and 1976. He joined the club as an amateur in April 1958 and signed professional forms in September 1959.

Oakes won multiple honors at Maine Road. These include a First Division title (1967–68), a Second Division (1965–66) championship medal, an FA Cup (1969), and a League Cup (1970 and 1976).

He made 680 appearances across all competitions in his 17-year stint with the Cityzens, scoring 34 goals.

Oakes left the club for Chester City in July 1976.