Memories of your first time watching City

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Classic Match: City 5-2 Tottenham 1994

It was one of the finest matches ever witnessed at Maine Road, City’s stadium from 1923 to 2003.

www.mancity.com

A roofless new Kippax stand. Having to wear bin bags for a poncho. Vague memories of being lifted up in the air for the final goal but at three years old, far too young to appreciate any of it. Went into the Parkside before the game and some German men gave me £10. So if you're German and were in the Parkside on that day in October 1994 and gave a tenner to a kid - thanks, that was me.

Lots of memories similar to this day from around 1994 to 1998, it was 1999 where I really began to sit up and take notice of results and be invested in them.

 

[City_Shirts]

30th November 1985....I got my first chance to see City play live as we were due at Luton Town, which was only about half hour from our home in Milton Keynes, Manchester to me in those days was just a place I dreamt of going and Maine Road seemed a world away.

After badgering my Mum to ask my Dad for many months before to take me and with no chance of a fixture change in those days he finally agreed to take me. My Mum knitted me out from head to toe in Blue & White City stuff and I couldn’t be prouder on my way to watch the Blues, The walk to ground felt amazing and we entered the first turnstile we saw. After removing my coat and proudly showing of my Mum's handy work we started to get constant dirty looks and few choice comments aimed in our direction I could feel something wasn’t right as the crowd around us seemed to be moving further away and we appeared to be on show, my Dad had no interest in football at all so was none the wiser. As the chants of ‘City….City’ went up from the opposite end of the ground it dawned on me that we were in the wrong end of the ground and needed to move quick.

This was 1985 remember and it was certainly an experience for a then 10 year old !!

The stewards promptly threw us out and my Dad was seething as we headed for back to the van to go home, I was distraught but he finally saw sense and we headed back to ground where he had to pay again, at the right turnstile this time and I was hooked, The atmosphere in that tiny away end was electric and I couldn’t help but watch the many characters I was surrounded by, everyone seemed to know each other and I wanted some of it.

I'd discovered a new set of hero's that would change the course of my life forever. While lads at school wanted to be the Mark Hughes's and Ian Rush's of this world it was Gordon Davies, Mark Lillis, Andy May all day long for me !!

For the record City lost 2-1………Typical City !!

Team that day was Eric Nixon, Nicky Reid, Paul Power, Nigel Johnson, Mick McCarthy, David Phillips, Mark Lillis, Andy May, Gordon Davies, Neil McNab, Clive Wilson. Sub: Graham Baker.

 

[chickaroon]

Some great stories here.

 

[JULES]

City v West Ham Jan 76 as a 7 year old, 3 nil win.
Got the old B+I from Dublin where lots of people were getting sick, arriving in Liverpool just as it started to get bright.
Arriving at the ground with all the terraced houses, the smell of chips and burgers. My dad getting me my first City scarf and one of those plastic picture badges of Willie Donachie.
Entering the stadium the pitch looked so green and big. West ham had one black player called Clyde Best which was rare at the time. It was one magical day for a 7 year old who still believed in santa claus, if was if someone had sprinkled gold dust over my trip.
We won the league Cup a month later, little did I know how the next 35 years would pan out

clyde best was a decent player. remember him well

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Mine was a 0-0 draw with Birmingham in 1983. I have a recollection that a dog ran on the pitch at one stage and that was the highlight!
My 3rd ever game was a couple of months later against Luton. Slightly more vivid memories of that one...

That game against Birmingham stands out as a fucking awful one even now.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

My first was Coventry (sorry MES) in their green/black shirts in the spring of 70/71.

Went with my now long departed Dad who'd not been to watch us for many years after going as a kid himself. We were both season ticket holders for most years from then until he passed, now it's me & my adult son rocking the family tradition.

The game itself is a bit of a blur but we had either a twice taken pen by Franny or one he missed and a second awarded to get a draw from behind.

What did surprise a young 7 year old blue b4 the moon was that there wasn't any live commentary through the speakers, whenever I'd seen professional football on the tv there was always commentary!!!!!!

 

[StrutterBlue]

Maine road, late 90s, no idea who we played, or what division we were even in.
That and I remember my dad taking me and my older brother to the hawthorns in the late 90s as well, he says we won 2-0

 

[Ballosteve]

79-80 my first ever game versus crystal Palace drew 0-0 but I will never forget and it only seems like yesterday the smell of hot dogs and onions and walking up the Kippax steps to the open end and looking at the pitch and the stands...11yrs old it was the best feeling ever and could never sleep on a Friday before a home game as couldn't wait to go again...a crappy C+H coach(Blackpool branch of supporters club)picking up in St Anne's was all part of day....hairs stood up on back of my neck everytime I went through turnstiles and I ran up the steps...I will take that memory to my grave and looking back it makes me smile.....

 

[Always Ali]

First view of the green baize from the Main Stand with my Dad, the over riding smell of beer and tobacco...and a 2-1 victory v Sheffield United October 1971, aged 5*

*I remember fuck all else from that age

 

[Bluesince1979]

My oldest son is 21 and isnt into football. The first 6 games he went to was when stuart pearce was manager and we didnt score a goal. Not one.
He very quickly lost interest. Cant blame him.

Contrast my youngest 2 who think we win 5-0 every week