I'd been to the City vs Bolton Wanderers match at Maine Road (City won 2-1),and was at home contemplating where i was going to go to on Saturday night.
I got a phone call from my mate Des,who was going into town to meet a girl who he had been dating for 2 or 3 weeks.
Apparently she had an older sister who was single,and did I fancy going on a blind date to meet her that evening.
I was a bit reluctant at first , as I had been at work until 1pm that morning, had consumed a couple of pints before the game,and was just a bit tired and not really in the mood to go on a date.
But Des persisted on getting me to pick him up and meet the 2 sisters in Nicholas Nicklebys , near to Stevenson Square.
We all met up in the pub, I was enthralled to meet a lovely looking young nurse ( she worked at Christies) and after completing our evening at Pips Disco I agreed to meet her again the next night ,on our own this time.
And we got engaged in May 1980,bought our first house in Middleton Junction in December 1980, married in April 1981, and had 3 daughters in 1982,1983 and 1991.
So we have booked a night in town tonight ( same as 45 years ago) with a night in a Premier Inn ,and a meal in the restaurant attached.
I am going to see City play again today (same as 45 years ago) and then walking into town and meeting her in Wetherspoons ,which is about as near as possible to where Nicklebys used to be.
(The photo of us was taken 3 months later at Barbara's 21st birthday party which was held at The Albion on Burnage Lane).