30th April 1994 - The Kippax's Last Stand

[J.G.Blue.]

I have mentioned it on here before but I am sure my Nan & Grandad (both born 1899) had told me when they first went to the newly oppened Maine Road you could walk from one end to the other at half time when the teams changed ends? I seem to remember they told me you had to pay a small charge to get from one part to the other? but there was a way round it,
Sadly I cant remember the exact details as its 30 odd years since they told me.

 

[PPT]

i used to love the buzz walking through the tunnel nearest to the away fans,seeing the pitch , especially on night games,daft things but mean a lot.

My dad and grandad nearly always parked their car near the eye hospital and we walked to the ground, was always exciting getting glimpses of the floodlights inbetween the houses walking up.

Seen some rght fights in and around the kippax,riots outside it, i will never forget tbe bananas and inflatables on the kippax in the 1980's and that bloody " trombone " at the back.of the kippax during the 5-1 promotion game v charlton,what a day on the kippax that was.

The 5-1 and the Charlton games will forever live in my memory. Like everyone else I was convinced
we would fuck it up against Charlton and then the party started when the 3rd goal went in!
As for the 5-1 we all turned up secretly praying not to be end of a severe and embarrassing drubbing...
I don't really hold Maine Road with the same degree as reverence as some on here, as it was dump. However,
the night games, with those floodlights were special.

 

[KS55]

I have mentioned it on here before but I am sure my Nan & Grandad (both born 1899) had told me when they first went to the newly oppened Maine Road you could walk from one end to the other at half time when the teams changed ends? I seem to remember they told me you had to pay a small charge to get from one part to the other? but there was a way round it,
Sadly I cant remember the exact details as its 30 odd years since they told me.

From the scoreboard end into the Kippax was 6d. There was a gate in the railing with an old codger letting you through. Alternatively, jump the wall and leg it.

 

[KS55]

The 5-1 and the Charlton games will forever live in my memory. Like everyone else I was convinced
we would fuck it up against Charlton and then the party started when the 3rd goal went in!
As for the 5-1 we all turned up secretly praying not to be end of a severe and embarrassing drubbing...
I don't really hold Maine Road with the same degree as reverence as some on here, as it was dump. However,
the night games, with those floodlights were special.

The tallest floodlights in the country. Our only claim to fame for many years.

 

[J.G.Blue.]

From the scoreboard end into the Kippax was 6d. There was a gate in the railing with an old codger letting you through. Alternatively, jump the wall and leg it.

Was that after after the Kippax had a roof put on or while it was still the open as the Popular side? I think Nan & Grandad were talking about when the ground was first opened & there were no roofs (appart from the Main Stand)

 

[KS55]

Was that after after the Kippax had a roof put on or while it was still the open as the Popular side? I think Nan & Grandad were talking about when the ground was first opened & there were no roofs (appart from the Main Stand)

After the roof.
There were many div 1 grounds where you could change ends at half time and, of course, in lower leagues it was de rigeur. Came to an end in the sixties iirc.

 

[Gingers Dad]

Kippax was great in the 70's when City were good. It was shit in the 80's bar a couple of games. Don't miss Maine Road in the slightest. Wouldn't trade what we've got now for anything.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

The tallest floodlights in the country. Our only claim to fame for many years.

And the biggest pitch

 

[Stephen230]

After the roof.
There were many div 1 grounds where you could change ends at half time and, of course, in lower leagues it was de rigeur. Came to an end in the sixties iirc.

Still happens at some of the old rugby grounds. And was common at most until maybe 20 years ago.

Often accompanied by a little half time punch up at places like The Boulevard, as home and away fans crossed.

 

[johnnytapia]

it definately happened

100%

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

If Maine Road was rebuilt as it was in 1994 and we went back there, most people would want to go back to the Etihad after one game especially now we’ve got the safe standing and even more so when the extended North Stand is built.
Rose tinted spectacles.

Bollocks that. Most supporters i know preferred Maine Road to the Etihad.

I loved being stood on the Kippax The singing and banter, the smell of stale beer, fag smoke and Westlers burgers. Oh, and the reek of stale piss in the bogs. Swales was far too tight a **** for any Domestos.

The surges after a goal was scored was like a mini tsunami, and if you didn't position yourself properly you'd get swept about 10 to 15 yards down the terracing. The Kippax didn't look that big on TV but it was when in there. It held about 26000 which was half our capacity when the old Platt Lane stand was in use.

I don't dislike The Etihad, its quite an attractive modern-ish looking stadium with unrestricted views but I'd go back to the Kippax for every game if i could.

 

[MCFC Wirral]

I think most clubs lose something as they move ground. Most of my Welsh family are Swansea and you see their eyes light up when they talk about Vetch Field. I only know the Liberty Stadium which I quite like.

I had one season ticket in The Kippax but sat in DD Upper. I was 20, wore my hair longer, loved Oasis, would walk to the match and often had food in Rusholme afterwards. Those days are never, ever coming back.

 

[Scuttler blue]

Bollocks that. Most supporters i know preferred Maine Road to the Etihad.

I loved being stood on the Kippax The singing and banter, the smell of stale beer, fag smoke and Westlers burgers. Oh, and the reek of stale piss in the bogs. Swales was far too tight a **** for any Domestos.

The surges after a goal was scored was like a mini tsunami, and if you didn't position yourself properly you'd get swept about 10 to 15 yards down the terracing. The Kippax didn't look that big on TV but it was when in there. It held about 26000 which was half our capacity when the old Platt Lane stand was in use.

I don't dislike The Etihad, its quite an attractive modern-ish looking stadium with unrestricted views but I'd go back to the Kippax for every game if i could.

The kippax could hold 35.000 in it's heydey and they reckon there was 40.000 when city had 84.000 in the ground against stoke

 

[west didsblue]

Bollocks that. Most supporters i know preferred Maine Road to the Etihad.

I loved being stood on the Kippax The singing and banter, the smell of stale beer, fag smoke and Westlers burgers. Oh, and the reek of stale piss in the bogs. Swales was far too tight a **** for any Domestos.

The surges after a goal was scored was like a mini tsunami, and if you didn't position yourself properly you'd get swept about 10 to 15 yards down the terracing. The Kippax didn't look that big on TV but it was when in there. It held about 26000 which was half our capacity when the old Platt Lane stand was in use.

I don't dislike The Etihad, its quite an attractive modern-ish looking stadium with unrestricted views but I'd go back to the Kippax for every game if i could.

Might have preferred it then but you were 30 years younger. Now you’re an FOC how long do you reckon you’d last on the old Kippax before wanting to go back to the Etihad?

 

[hateutd]

The 5-1 and the Charlton games will forever live in my memory. Like everyone else I was convinced
we would fuck it up against Charlton and then the party started when the 3rd goal went in!
As for the 5-1 we all turned up secretly praying not to be end of a severe and embarrassing drubbing...
I don't really hold Maine Road with the same degree as reverence as some on here, as it was dump. However,
the night games, with those floodlights were special.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Might have preferred it then but you were 30 years younger. Now you’re an FOC how long do you reckon you’d last on the old Kippax before wanting to go back to the Etihad?

At 59 I'm only a semi FOC thanks. I stand up at the Etihad if i can as i hate sitting down at games. And why do you think I'd want to go back to The Etihad? I'll never prefer the Etihad over Maine Road.

 

[johnnytapia]

Chelsea fans brought a coffin with Kippax RIP on it which they walked down in front of us after the game.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

The kippax could hold 35.000 in it's heydey and they reckon there was 40.000 when city had 84.000 in the ground against stoke

I have read that. It was reduced to 26000 in the mid 70s and I've been to plenty of games back then when it was jam packed. Probably more than the capacity on several occasions as it wasn't hard to bung the guy on the turnstile a few bob to get in.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Bollocks that. Most supporters i know preferred Maine Road to the Etihad.

I loved being stood on the Kippax The singing and banter, the smell of stale beer, fag smoke and Westlers burgers. Oh, and the reek of stale piss in the bogs. Swales was far too tight a **** for any Domestos.

The surges after a goal was scored was like a mini tsunami, and if you didn't position yourself properly you'd get swept about 10 to 15 yards down the terracing. The Kippax didn't look that big on TV but it was when in there. It held about 26000 which was half our capacity when the old Platt Lane stand was in use.

I don't dislike The Etihad, its quite an attractive modern-ish looking stadium with unrestricted views but I'd go back to the Kippax for every game if i could.

The new Kippax was shit though. Platt Lane also looked cheap. None of it matched, big gaps in the corners. Made the ground look a mess.

Moving was a no brainer.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

The new Kippax was shit though. Platt Lane also looked cheap. None of it matched, big gaps in the corners. Made the ground look a mess.

Moving was a no brainer.

I agree. I went in the old Kippax regularly and Platt lane now and again. I went in the new Platt lane only once Iirc and the new Kippax a handful of games. I'd be sat there in the north stand looking at those two stands and thinking what an absolute cheap bastard Peter Swales was! Both those stands were done on a budget befitting a club lower than our status so yeah, moving became a no brainer, especially as the capacity of COMS was several thousand higher. I still miss the place though.