35 years of memories

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

Thinking Michael Hughes was going to be the answer to our problems. Saying out loud in the North Stand how Steve McMahon didnt look right in a City shirt when he ran out for the first time at Maine Rd. Peter Reids massive shorts. Feeling sick when I heard on the radio that Paul Lake had done his knee again. David White smashing them in for fun, seemingly every game. Feeling chuffed that we had Tony Coton and David White in the England team. Feeling hatred towards Alan Ball and wanting to choke Nigel Clough. Then blanking out, and then things picking up.

 

[Balti]

I know there's many older memories but for smile value how about:
ALI! ALI! ALI!

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

More recent but watershed moments nonetheless:

Keegans infectious hope.Bosvelt conducts an orchestra vs Spurs.Foe RIP.Geovanni's masterpiece.Elano free kick.

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

Neil McNab and Billy McNeil and it always seeming to be pissing down when we played at home.The carpet feeling thick in the supporters club and the City badge etched in the glass doors when going for a pint there. Howard Kendal coming and the banner saying he wouldn't let us go down. Howard Kendal leaving. Fucking love affair, get back to the dippers then. Swales obsessing about United.Redmond and Colin Hendry and Ian Brightwell at the back. David Brightwell (!). Rick Fucking Holden. Tottenham in the QF and mounted police. Horton and his Jeremy Beadle beard. Steve Coppell, Phil Neale and a feeling of utter despair. I have a mental block to all things Frank Clarke. Big Joe Royle and a sense of fun around the place again. Horlock, Mark Kennedy and players who enjoyed being Blues. I remember really hoping we wouldn't lose that identity we have when we moved ground. Signing Anelka felt at the time like signing Yaya did recently.So many memories, grey hairs, frustration, humour. Most of all, all of this was lived through by us Blues with that sense of typical City and what will happen next, which makes us unique. CTID, and yes, I've had a few pints.

 

[OB1]

And the meek shall inherit the earth ;-)

Amen<br /><br />-- Wed May 25, 2011 9:21 am --<br /><br />Anyone remember ’96: City win at Villa in the afternoon, Oasis win at Maine Road in the evening but City still go down the next wasting time in the corner. Nevermind Wonderwall: I wonder what Ball was thinking?

 

[jimmy grummble]

Thats great, brought a tear or two to my eyes, cheers mate.

Im not wishing to add to it but some moment for me that stick out that are nt there;

beaker.

the eternal hope that lake would over come injury.

dibble and the give away goal.

alan ball and his gem finding.

going away to chesterfield and seeing utd tops in the home crowd.

steak pepper pies.

 

[Chris in London]

Fantastic post - you've taken care of everything, the team we watch, the chants we sing, the players who give pleasure to our eye...


But can I add Big Joe arguing about where the penalty spot should be at Derby in '76?

And the meek shall inherit the earth ;-)

Don't get that bit - why does a team from Belgrade ('hold the Red Star proudly high in hand') get to inherit the earth?


I'll get my coat.

;-)

 

[OB1]

Fantastic post - you've taken care of everything, the team we watch, the chants we sing, the players who give pleasure to our eye...


But can I add Big Joe arguing about where the penalty spot should be at Derby in '76?

And the meek shall inherit the earth ;-)

Don't get that bit - why does a team from Belgrade ('hold the Red Star proudly high in hand') get to inherit the earth?


I'll get my coat.

;-)

It's an in-joke; you obviously don't listen to the right music:) I'd just leave that thing alone.

 

[fathellensbellend]

the city fan dressed head to toe in light blue, still wears the same coat as when i first saw him when i was 7, i am 40 now.

sitting down on the terraces at derby away for no apparent reason.

the old club shop, that sold sew on patches that you could view through the glass.

if you wanted a replica kit, took about 6 weeks to order and arrive.

staring through a fence watching the game.

collection for disabled children at the parkside.

standing on the back of the kippax watching the crowds flood through the car park.

 

[MCFC BOB]

35 years of hurt - your five happiest moments.

That thread makes me shiver reading back through it, so let's change the mood in this thread. What are your top 5 moments as a City fan since our first game in the 1977/1978 season?

Honourable mentions go to qualifying for the Champions League, beating United in the first leg of the Carling Cup Semi-Final, beating Blackburn 4-1, beating Gillingham (the moment I actually became a City fan - kind of), going unbeaten in 3 Manchester Derbies, the 6-1 against Burnley, and last summer.


1) Winning the FA Cup. I honestly never thought it would happen. When we lost 2-1 to West Brom earlier on in the season, I thought that was our chance at a trophy dissolved in a horrible night away at the Hawthorns. I felt even worse when we went 1-0 down to Leicester after 46 seconds and having to listen to them blast out that God-awful 'Fire' by Kasabian. But no, we pulled it around and made history. Watching the crying 50 year-old men hug other crying 50 year-old men, and watching small children being embraced by their parents. A 50+ year-old women hugging me tighter than I bet she's ever hugged anything. Seeing my mum cry all the way through 'Abide with Me' - that was when I felt like we'd arrived.

2) Finishing third. I just didn't see it. Around February, I thought we were going to scrape fourth by the skin of our teeth and have to endure a difficult qualifying round. Even when we beat Tottenham I was already looking to the qualifiers, but to win 4 of the 5 games we played in 22 days was incredible, and really showed how much the players wanted it. Watching that Bolton game on the worst stream ever, but to see Joleon Lescott's "header" sail into the back of the net - incredible.

3) Beating United in the FA Cup at Wembley. I went to that game expecting to lose; I went to that game surrounded by the vicious tension; I went to that game thinking that I would not want to surface again. But we played a blinder. When that goal went in, 30,000 people were together in one emotion: crying, cheering, not really knowing what to do. I kissed a man with the harshest stubble that day, and not once have either of us regretted, I'm sure (well, I know I haven't). That was a fantastic day, and nothing could spoil it. Not anything. That will remain as one of the best days of my life for a long time. I've heard tales of husbands telling their wives that beating United a Wembley was better than seeing their children being born.

4) Signing David Silva. I'd watched Silva - not very closely - for a few years ever since hed returned to Valencia from Celta Vigo; my friend is a Valencia fan, and he'd warned me about Silva. So I watched him. The best playmaker I think I'd ever seen? He reminded me so much of Ali Benarbia. And when signed him, I couldn't believe it. I was worried as to whether he'd make it over here, because I really wanted him to, but my my, why was I worried?

5) Beating Ipswich 4-1. To beat a Premier League team like that, at their ground, on national TV - well, what a feeling that was. Eyal Berkovic cracked in a fine effort, and Shaun Goater completed the rout. What a game that was...<br /><br />-- May 25th, 2011, 1:59 pm --<br /><br />I'm really not happy about that being merged at all.