City count on Thaksin to bring back glory days

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) Manchester City are hoping the takeover bid by ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will end more than 30 years without a major trophy for the Premier League club.

Shinawatra's 81.6 million pounds (162.5 million dollars) offer, which has the backing of City's board, is set to make them the latest English top-flight club under foreign ownership -- joining the likes of neighbours Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Investment is clearly needed by a club whose last major success came in 1976 and whose last appearance in a major final was their famous 1981 FA Cup replay defeat by Tottenham Hotspur under the floodlights at Wembley Stadium.

The club, with striker Francis Lee, playmaker Colin Bell, forward Mike Summerbee and captain Tony Book, were a successful side from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s.

City pipped Manchester United to the championship in 1968 and a year later, swapping their traditional sky blue shirts for a distinctive black and red striped kit, beat relegated Leicester City 1-0 to win the FA Cup final for the fourth time in their history.

Two more trophies followed in 1970 when they won the European Cup Winners Cup and League Cup. They were back in the League Cup final in 1974 but lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers and the glory days finally ended in 1976 when they lifted the League Cup again with a win over fellow sleeping giants Newcastle United.

City have since endured a series of relegations and promotions, including the embarrassment of dropping into the league's third tier in 1998.

There have also been frequent managerial changes, and not even a move from their antiquated Maine Road ground to the new City of Manchester Stadium in 2003 has brought them any new trophies.

Stuart Pearce managed to keep them in the Premier League last season, but was sacked soon after the campaign ended and the squad have been rudderless ever since.

Former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who was touted as a possible successor to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United four years ago, is now the bookmakers' favourite to take over as boss on the other side of the city.

The Swede, who steered England to the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, along with Euro 2004, will not be universally welcomed by City fans however.

Eriksson's England stewardship fell short of the high expectations set for his teams, while his private life became an intriguing topic for British newspapers.

However, the fans are initially likely to give him the benefit of the doubt -- especially if there are millions available to strengthen the squad.

The will also be hoping he can draw on the experience which brought him trophy success with clubs such as Lazio and Benfica and end City's long wait for fresh honours.

REUTERS BJR RAI1855