The alternative memorable matches of the 90s thread

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Prestwich_Blue said:
24th August 1993 - City 0-2 Blackburn

My son's first ever game and couldn't have picked a worse one. The Swales era was coming to an end and so was Peter Reid's managerial tenure.

We were completely clueless against a Blackburn side that would soon win the PL. Reid's long ball game had been sussed out and Blackburn just swatted us aside. That was Reid's last game as he was sacked a couple of days later.

The result and performance didn't help the general mood and the mob gathered for a 'Swales out' demo on Maine Road after the game. My son (who was 6 at the time) thought this was all part of the normal post-match ritual.

Also in the middle of the game he stood up and said in a loud voice "This is boring. Why can't we go and watch Manchester United?" to general amusement.
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I am pretty sure that was the following home match after we had been completely outclassed by a Leeds side on the opening day. The game finished 1-1 with two late goals but the gulf between the two sides was massive.

Rewind to the previous season and Everton beat us 5-2 at Maine Rd on the last day. A bit like the Pearce era there did not feel like there was a glimmer of hope
 
Great thread! Interesting decade the 90's - at the start there was no PL or Champs league yet by the end the big 4 media darlings were very much entrenched and we had gone from being close to Europe and a couple of signigs away from a real decent side (Reidy et al) to staring into the abyss.

For me the most important and poignant game was the second half of that Stoke game at Miane Rd just afetr Christmas in Div 3. Without that second half my theory (and I may be in aminority of 1) is we may have competely imploded as a club. We were playhing shit at the time (I remember those 0-0 at home to Gillingham, and Bristol Rovers just before thinking "at elast we didn't lose"). the saw us get a lucky win at Wrexham on Boxing day when Nicky Weaver saved us and then we were shit first half v Stoke. Maybe the mists of time lend a romanticism that wasn't really there but I tink that half time v Stoke was make or break. All the rumblings and moaning that had been there for ages because we were frankly struggling even in that division and we could havce really turned on the team. Instead it turned out to be one of the greatest shows of support i have ever seen in 40 odd years at City (I'm sure a few weer being just sarcastic because we were crap at the time) but somehow and from somewhere the Kippax and rest of the ground created an unbelievable atmospehere stoked(!1) bu an early equalise and I recall a couple of players (Dickov?) just going wildly after tackles and not stopping at all which stirred the fans.

It's not a game that will evenr go into the memorable matches books or anything like that and it wasn't on TV but I won't ever forget that second half.

The QPR away trips were great. I remember especially the FA cup one when we won 2-1 and I was sitting in their main stand. Just like all the blues behind the goal, myself and a few others went absolutely mental when we scored the 2 goals whilst soem fot hr QPR fans politley applauded the goals. Thought to myself - glad it's not Chelsea or Millwall(!!)
 
Stiff Little Wingers said:
Great thread! Interesting decade the 90's - at the start there was no PL or Champs league yet by the end the big 4 media darlings were very much entrenched and we had gone from being close to Europe and a couple of signigs away from a real decent side (Reidy et al) to staring into the abyss.

For me the most important and poignant game was the second half of that Stoke game at Miane Rd just afetr Christmas in Div 3. Without that second half my theory (and I may be in aminority of 1) is we may have competely imploded as a club. We were playhing shit at the time (I remember those 0-0 at home to Gillingham, and Bristol Rovers just before thinking "at elast we didn't lose"). the saw us get a lucky win at Wrexham on Boxing day when Nicky Weaver saved us and then we were shit first half v Stoke. Maybe the mists of time lend a romanticism that wasn't really there but I tink that half time v Stoke was make or break. All the rumblings and moaning that had been there for ages because we were frankly struggling even in that division and we could havce really turned on the team. Instead it turned out to be one of the greatest shows of support i have ever seen in 40 odd years at City (I'm sure a few weer being just sarcastic because we were crap at the time) but somehow and from somewhere the Kippax and rest of the ground created an unbelievable atmospehere stoked(!1) bu an early equalise and I recall a couple of players (Dickov?) just going wildly after tackles and not stopping at all which stirred the fans.

It's not a game that will evenr go into the memorable matches books or anything like that and it wasn't on TV but I won't ever forget that second half.

The QPR away trips were great. I remember especially the FA cup one when we won 2-1 and I was sitting in their main stand. Just like all the blues behind the goal, myself and a few others went absolutely mental when we scored the 2 goals whilst soem fot hr QPR fans politley applauded the goals. Thought to myself - glad it's not Chelsea or Millwall(!!)
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Great post mate.

Completely agree about the Stoke game and I have echoed your thoughts in the opening post. Stoke was the turning point before the next big turning point Gillingham.

Without that second half and togetherness I do not think there was any chance we would have reached the play offs let alone the final.

You are correct the league completely changed over that period. Sadly we had the opportunity to entrench ourselves within that but we wasted the opportunity spending 2.5 million on Terry Phelan when the likes of Ian wright was moving for similar fees. The sale of Colin Hendry and Michael Hughes both weakened the team. You could add Hinchcliffe to the list also but that was not under Reids watch
 
City v Macclesfield Town 98/99.

I was a season ticket holder in the main stand.

City won, but I remember wondering if there were better ways to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Even having a fantastic view of Sergio's winner v QPR and of Yaya's against United at Wembley has not quite eradicated the horror of watching City in Division 3.
 
Time will pass me by said:
2-1 away at Leeds 1983. Derek Parlane (ex Leeds and booed throughout) scored the winner after being one down. Always hated Leeds as I was moved (from Partington)to Yorkshire as an 8 year old and it felt like I was the only City fan in the county. Always got grief off them so this was very sweet. Sadly I still get pleasure from seeing them loose.
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Time certainly has passed you by pal.....7 years too early for this thread :-)
 
Memorable though not through glory was that FA cup 5th round away to Notts County 1992?
Clive Allen back in the team, Quinny on form, thousands of blues there and I thought we had enough to get close to Wembley. We battered them, hit the woodwork at least 4 times, their goalie had a blinder and from their only shot they scored in the 90th. Even then I think we hit the bar and had one cleared off the line- was absolutely gutted and we ended up drowning sorrows in various pubs in Nottingham
 
Stiff Little Wingers said:
Memorable though not through glory was that FA cup 5th round away to Notts County 1992?
Clive Allen back in the team, Quinny on form, thousands of blues there and I thought we had enough to get close to Wembley. We battered them, hit the woodwork at least 4 times, their goalie had a blinder and from their only shot they scored in the 90th. Even then I think we hit the bar and had one cleared off the line- was absolutely gutted and we ended up drowning sorrows in various pubs in Nottingham
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I've got a mate who's a Notts fan who still drones on about that game twenty-odd years later.

It was fucking freezing on that open terrace too.
 
Stiff Little Wingers said:
Memorable though not through glory was that FA cup 5th round away to Notts County 1992?
Clive Allen back in the team, Quinny on form, thousands of blues there and I thought we had enough to get close to Wembley. We battered them, hit the woodwork at least 4 times, their goalie had a blinder and from their only shot they scored in the 90th. Even then I think we hit the bar and had one cleared off the line- was absolutely gutted and we ended up drowning sorrows in various pubs in Nottingham
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The goalie was a bit rotund much to the amusement of the city fans and we all expected to hit an absolute hatful against him but in typical city fashion we managed to make a complete mess of it.

Another Notts County game. A 3-1 win with Clive Allen hitting two after coming on as sub. Much to the delight of the city fans who had constantly backed him against the boss. I think the game was played on a sunday so as not clash with he nottingham goose fair. WTF?
 
EalingBlue2 said:
Reading away the last game at Elm Park, met up with a guy before the game who was a friend of a friend, he was a barrister and had to go to the game straight from court and went with his gown in hand and in full black and white attire. We then lost 3-0 in one of the worst games we ever played and a group of lads standing near me spent most of the second half with their back to the game watching the sky. Add to that chatting to Billy Boswell and some eastenders actress who were big blues on the train back to Paddington and it was a surreal day.

About 6 months later Wycombe away was a mad day, freezing, strange almost b and q type ground, city dropping like a stone, barely a shot on goal and a 1-0 loss with a comedy name scoring.

There were doZens more the same though not as memorable
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Jamie McSporran.....and he was a blue as well.

Could only be City.
 
Paul Lake's Left Knee said:
Boxing Day 1998 - City 2 Stoke 1, a real turning point coming back from behind and restoring the belief we could get out of the shit we were in. A game that will always stick with me.
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I was in the Kippax that afternoon .
Got to say Maine Road was in full voice for that second half .
This game was saying we weren't going to go away .
 
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Spurs 5-2 in 94 was a great game 2 teams left the defence tactics in the dressing room and just went toe to toe in attacking play
BBC had the cameras there and were expecting the new media darlings of the Spurs 'Famous 5' to turn up and steam roll us
Beagrie Walsh Quinn Summerbee Flitcroft and Lomas had different ideas

Liverpool 2-1 1991 was a brilliant night the atmosphere was incredible even my red dad who took me got caught up in all the atmosphere and goings on
We were in j block and could see whether or not Whites goal went in and my dad took great pleasure in telling a scouser behind us who was berating the ref 'listen ya scouse twat I'm a united fan and even I can see it was in the ref gave it now shut up'
The onslaught by Liverpool was immense and we manage to hold out for a great win

Another one was Leicester in the FA cup we won 4-0 Kare Ingerbrigsten got 3 and Kernaghan scored from the halfway line
For some reason me my brother and couple of mates ended up sitting in the away end and had a good craic with their fans
 
Stiff Little Wingers said:
Memorable though not through glory was that FA cup 5th round away to Notts County 1992?
Clive Allen back in the team, Quinny on form, thousands of blues there and I thought we had enough to get close to Wembley. We battered them, hit the woodwork at least 4 times, their goalie had a blinder and from their only shot they scored in the 90th. Even then I think we hit the bar and had one cleared off the line- was absolutely gutted and we ended up drowning sorrows in various pubs in Nottingham
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How the fuck we lost this game I just don't know.... to this day Trevor Fucking Cherry gives me nightmares.....
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
How the fuck we lost this game I just don't know.... to this day Trevor Fucking Cherry gives me nightmares.....
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Every other match we smashed an average of 3 goals past cherry. One season I think we played against him 3 times and scored 6 in each when he was at Plymouth. That was deffo his only superstar performance against us.
 
The game that always sticks out for me is the 0-0 draw vs Bristol Rovers in Dec 1998. To this day it's the worst game of football I've ever seen and it left us in about 13th position heading into the Christmas period. I left that game thinking we'd never be back in the premier league and we'd never win a trophy in my lifetime.
 
How about the away games when we spent a couple of hours queuing up for tickets for the away game to be played in a few weeks before driving off to the game being played that day?
Or Wigan in the league in div 3? Pissing down and no cover on the open mud bank at Springfield Park? And wasn't there another soaking at Swindon when the bastard stewards wouldn't let people take brollies on the open end?
And singing "Ee-aye-adio we've had a shot" very late in the 0-0 draw at Wycombe in the cup.
Lincoln in the League Cup - one up in the first minute. Oops, oops, oops, oops as we lost 4-1. We lost the home leg 1-0 and I think that is still our heaviest ever defeat over two legs in any competition.
 
urmston said:
City v Macclesfield Town 98/99.

I was a season ticket holder in the main stand.

City won, but I remember wondering if there were better ways to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Even having a fantastic view of Sergio's winner v QPR and of Yaya's against United at Wembley has not quite eradicated the horror of watching City in Division 3.
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I absolutely loved that season in the 3rd tier - the piss ups at away games were legendary. Macc was a cracking day out - we'd been queuing at Maine Road for tickets since the early hours of the morning for the Northampton away game a couple of weeks later then once we were sorted got the train to Macc about 10 in the morning. Several hours on the lash then a late Goater winner and a pitch invasion from hundreds of blues after he scored. What's not to like?
 
M18CTID said:
I absolutely loved that season in the 3rd tier - the piss ups at away games were legendary. Macc was a cracking day out - we'd been queuing at Maine Road for tickets since the early hours of the morning for the Northampton away game a couple of weeks later then once we were sorted got the train to Macc about 10 in the morning. Several hours on the lash then a late Goater winner and a pitch invasion from hundreds of blues after he scored. What's not to like?
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the standard of football was fuckin soul destroying,apart from that....yep...some top piss ups....
 
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