14 years ago today - last game at Maine Road

[Ric]

Can't believe it was quite that long ago. It was an awful game, but an emotional day.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I still feel a bit mad about how that day was organised. Heads should have rolled.

Everyone stood around, nonplussed, unable to sing, for an hour listening to bands at the end of the game. You can't play indie music to a "general" crowd of all ages without it being hated by 90% of the crowd at best.

Whilst everyone was filing in the stadium they should have had the bands on. At the end of the game they should have had the parade of legends, so everyone could sing their names. A pitch invasion wouldn't have been the end of the world, either.

I hate to be negative but it was a really shit way to say goodbye. The only emotional memory I have was when the bands finally shut the fuck up, there was a spine-tingling chorus of Blue Moon. We could have had half an hour of that instead of blaring, irrelevant, shit-sounding indie music.

 

[FantasyIreland]

It was a terrible event,the day just felt so fragmented,like the occasion had been thrown together by someone who didnt have a clue or didnt give a shite.

On a personal note,and which was great for me,i got to stand in the centre circle and sit in the dug out.

 

[Cellarite]

I still feel a bit mad about how that day was organised. Heads should have rolled.

Everyone stood around, nonplussed, unable to sing, for an hour listening to bands at the end of the game. You can't play indie music to a "general" crowd of all ages without it being hated by 90% of the crowd at best.

Whilst everyone was filing in the stadium they should have had the bands on. At the end of the game they should have had the parade of legends, so everyone could sing their names. A pitch invasion wouldn't have been the end of the world, either.

I hate to be negative but it was a really shit way to say goodbye. The only emotional memory I have was when the bands finally shut the fuck up, there was a spine-tingling chorus of Blue Moon. We could have had half an hour of that instead of blaring, irrelevant, shit-sounding indie music.

Good post. The most fitting part of the day was losing 1-0. My old man says City always spoil things. I've got a couple of tales from this day but am in work so will re-visit later.

 

[Ric]

I still feel a bit mad about how that day was organised. Heads should have rolled.

Everyone stood around, nonplussed, unable to sing, for an hour listening to bands at the end of the game. You can't play indie music to a "general" crowd of all ages without it being hated by 90% of the crowd at best.

Whilst everyone was filing in the stadium they should have had the bands on. At the end of the game they should have had the parade of legends, so everyone could sing their names. A pitch invasion wouldn't have been the end of the world, either.

I hate to be negative but it was a really shit way to say goodbye. The only emotional memory I have was when the bands finally shut the fuck up, there was a spine-tingling chorus of Blue Moon. We could have had half an hour of that instead of blaring, irrelevant, shit-sounding indie music.

Yeah, the "concert" with Doves and Badly Drawn Boy was a bit ill-conceived, as much as I like both of them.

 

[crystal_mais]

Typical City - Balls up what should have been a historical, Joyful, Emotional celebration of the football club and the Maine Road.

I do occasionally still miss a curry and then a walk through moss side to the ground - and a beer or 2 in the Bee Hive

 

[windie]

Now I feel old, 14 years has vanished

 

[che_don_john]

My dad took my mum to the game instead of me or my brother. Still hurts, and I remind him as often as I can.

 

[chaddblue]

Rusholme, especially around Whitworth Park has been transformed in the last 14 years. Would now be a great place for drinking before / after the game

 

[Xiphos]

Rusholme, especially around Whitworth Park has been transformed in the last 14 years. Would now be a great place for drinking before / after the game

I still miss drinking in The Albert, The Clarence and another half dozen shitholes but they were our shitholes

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I still feel a bit mad about how that day was organised. Heads should have rolled.

Everyone stood around, nonplussed, unable to sing, for an hour listening to bands at the end of the game. You can't play indie music to a "general" crowd of all ages without it being hated by 90% of the crowd at best.

Whilst everyone was filing in the stadium they should have had the bands on. At the end of the game they should have had the parade of legends, so everyone could sing their names. A pitch invasion wouldn't have been the end of the world, either.

I hate to be negative but it was a really shit way to say goodbye. The only emotional memory I have was when the bands finally shut the fuck up, there was a spine-tingling chorus of Blue Moon. We could have had half an hour of that instead of blaring, irrelevant, shit-sounding indie music.

Saw this thread and was just about to say something broadly along the same lines. I even think just leaving people to be in the stadium and do their own thing would have been an option that day. The way "they" think everything has to be some kind of choreographed fun that is driven by self important people who have no idea what the average supporter wants (usually some cock who thinks blasting music out so loudly that you would never ever hear the supporters) slightly spoils so many big moments in football in recent times.

 

[paulchapo]

All events these days are ruined by ear splitting music when the fan's want to sing praise to the team and players. Also the Incredible amount of families and hangers on that come onto the field so you can hardly distinguish the players. If we are lucky enough to celebrate another title win at home let's have the trophy presentation, a lap of honour with just the manager and squad, then the families can come on and the music start.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

All events these days are ruined by ear splitting music when the fan's want to sing praise to the team and players. Also the Incredible amount of families and hangers on that come onto the field so you can hardly distinguish the players. If we are lucky enough to celebrate another title win at home let's have the trophy presentation, a lap of honour with just the manager and squad, then the families can come on and the music start.

That's a good point. I'm looking at a picture I took on my phone during the 11-12 celebrations and there must be an absolute minimum of 100 people on the pitch and that's not including the row of about 50 photographers.

 

[CrownPointBlue]

The Osborne House Inn at Home,Victory Street.

After the last Derby was one of the bst post match piss ups ever. Historic.

How we didn't get locked up afterwards is one of life's mysteries.

Can't recreate those places.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Shambles of a day considering the significance to the fans including the result.

 

[kippaxkid74]

It was a terrible event,the day just felt so fragmented,like the occasion had been thrown together by someone who didnt have a clue or didnt give a shite.

Steve Knott and Kevin Keegan based on that description.

I went on the last ground tour. Steve Knott raced everyone round, inc some old blokes who you could tell were even more upset than me (!) and were trying to savor things, every bit you went to Steve was "this is pretty rubbish here (the tunnel for expample) but in the new stadium it's fantastic blah blah blah. He was like that all season as i went on a few. Certain people in charge of city at that time really didn't give a shit about Maine Road and couldn't wait to get out of there, and had no care about giving the fans an emotional goodbye.

I still miss the place..

 

[bluemc]

Took my Dad to the last game at Maine Road. He'd seen many great players and occasions there and was choked up on the day. As a 20 year old I never thought I'd get to witness anything on a par with the tales he had to tell.

I'm pretty sure there was some kind of youth team game at Maine Road, midweek after the Southampton game. So what was ACTUALLY the last game at Maine Road?

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Took my Dad to the last game at Maine Road. He'd seen many great players and occasions there and was choked up on the day. As a 20 year old I never thought I'd get to witness anything on a par with the tales he had to tell.

I'm pretty sure there was some kind of youth team game at Maine Road, midweek after the Southampton game. So what was ACTUALLY the last game at Maine Road?

Yeah we played and lost to Leeds at under 18 level which is the last official game on the pitch.

I believe there was also a pay per play fans game sanctioned by the club after that as well.

 

[bluemc]

Yeah we played and lost to Leeds at under 18 level which is the last official game on the pitch.

I believe there was also a pay per play fans game sanctioned by the club after that as well.

Glad I'm not going mad and that actually happened!

After the whole "last ever game" occasion Vs Southampton, it felt very bizarre being there in the Main Stand a few days later on a low key occasion.

 

[Corky]

The first act on was two guys doing Blues Brothers karaoke, the kind of act you would have walked to the next pub if they were on, never saw past the first minute of that but it wasn't worth 32,000 staying to watch.