30th April 1994 - The Kippax's Last Stand

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

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.

Especially when moving into a brand new stadium that would cost us just £20m to fit out

 

[Berts Neck]

What's embarrassing.
All grounds there days are nothing more than a concrete bowl

Actually there is one made frrom porcelain in Trafford..The Toilet ???

 

[BillCarlisle]

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.

I was similar. Spent my time on the Kippax terraces. New Kippax a few times, new Platt Lane only once. TBF though, I think Lee was responsible for the new Kippax, not Swales. Either way the whole stadium became an ugly patchwork quilt.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I was similar. Spent my time on the Kippax terraces. New Kippax a few times, new Platt Lane only once. TBF though, I think Lee was responsible for the new Kippax, not Swales. Either way the whole stadium became an ugly patchwork quilt.

I remember going to the Saturday night Oasis gig and was near the top of the new Kippax stand. It felt like it was swaying about a metre from side to side. I'm no structural engineer but it didn't feel safe. I reckon it would have collapsed under the weight of a bouncing Poznan.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

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.

I used to do it at the Etihad.

When we first moved in 2003 I was in ESL3 and a few of my mates were in SSL2. If the game was shit, I used to do a mad convoluted walk down and up spirals all the way round to SSL2 to sit with my mates.

When I moved down to ESL1, I’d often walk round and stand with a few of my mates that were in SSL1 for the first half where City were shooting at and then go back to my seat for a better view of the second half when we were shooting up the other way.

Can’t do that anymore though since the Tunnel Club blocked the way.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

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 quite like when stands don’t match inside the ground (like how the new NSL2 won’t mirror SSL2+3), as long as the outside of the stadium matches.

Maine Road had nothing that matched inside or out. We made a right mess of it.

 

[Stoned Rose]

I’d have loved to have stood on The Kippax but was yet to go to a match due to my age. What was it like?

It was the greatest place in the universe.

 

[Stoned Rose]

I grew up around the corner from the ground.

I remember being a kid of about 6/7 and being frightened on match days - the crowds walking past ours, the “drunk men”, the smell of cigarette smoke and the noise when we scored used to turn me inside out. It seemed like a very “adult” thing.

But at the same time, I absolutely loved that fear. The noise when we scored would frighten me but it would excite me even more.

The first time I ever went I was about 9/10. I remember being petrified of either team scoring as I didn’t want to experience the “noise” at close quarters.

We did score. I initially froze but then something inside said “fuck it, this is amazing, get stuck in” and I went absolutely fucking mental and bounced all over The Kippax like the biggest Blue on the planet. Once the buzz had died down, a fella picked me up and put me on his shoulders whilst The Kippax belted a few songs out. It felt fucking unbelievable.

I lost my City virginity and it was fucking heaven.

I then fell in love with the place and the Club. The only proper “love of my life” I’ve ever had if I’m brutally honest.

To have experienced an emotional connection like that, to a place, a tribe, is something I know I am incredibly lucky to have experienced.

What a place.

 

[Rory Bluelow]

Stood over the white tunnel next to to the away fans in the pen first match I remember was charity shield played at Maine road man city 6 west brom 1 recall many amazing times spent on the kippax Everton in the quarter finals was an amazing atmosphere Charlton beating the rags 5-1 and the unforgettable Colin bell game against Newcastle you had to watch out for pool balls bottles coins and bolts being thrown at you I remember a city fan getting stabbed by wolves fans on the kippax car back as they were fleeing the ground I also remember rags fans congregating on the kippax car back and showering bricks at the city fans coming down the stairs exiting the kippax one of my relations was in the spurs mob who came into the kippax giving it large he still carries the scar as they were battered all the way down the kippax and chucked onto the pitch

I was there for that Spurs game (mid 70s ?)..had got in early waiting for my mates, stood towards the back, down from the first set of stairs, nowhere near full. Just lighting up and suddenly a mob of Spurs came charging across out of nowhere. Mayhem and panic for a few seconds, got knocked flat on my back by a guy trying to get away from them. Utter chaos for about 20-30 seconds…then a great big fucking roar as blues piled into them from all sides, knocking seven shades out of em all the way down towards the Platt Lane. Brilliant.

 

[Stoned Rose]

Commit No Nuisance

Don’t think Domalino is on this thread mate.