50 years a Blue

manclad said:
Today is the 50th anniversary of the first City game I attended as a young boy, 5th March 1966 vs. Leicester City in the FA Cup at Maine Road. My Dad took me and we stood on the old Scoreboard end near the wall at the front,and the game ended in a 2-2 draw,with Neil Young scoring both goals. I have managed to attend 9 Cup Finals(1 being a replay) and 4 FA Cup semi- finals in those 50 years and watch City win the League 3 times. But I have also seen us relegated a few times and also yo-yo up and down the leagues for a few years.
Be interesting to see what the next 50 years brings for this great and historic football club that we Bluemooners support.
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Can,t remember the game,but first taken by my brother 57/58,he used to take a bugle,remember that cricket type scoreboard,and getting soaked.
 
I come up for my 53rd anniversary on 4th May this year.

My first match was a 3-0 home defeat by Blackpool. City were relegated two weeks later despite beating the recent double winners Spurs seven days after the Blackpool match.
 
Great thread, as an Irish blue it is great to read this to get a feel for the times before I have actual memories of being a blue. I've followed City since I was 8. Which is 25 years. I wasn't always in attendance obviously, my experience was ceefax, newspaper reports, match of the day and the very rare experience of a 3pm broadcast. Ive seen us play pre season tournaments whenever City came to Ireland and met Alan Ball and his squad in Galway and got all the signatures, most prized being Quinn! Being a blue in Ireland was tough, surrounded by rags and dippers, being the laughing stock of my school and football teams, I always wore my city shirt to training. Always. I follow City because when I was very young they came to play Limerick FC, my hometown club whom my Dad played for, I idolised them, they were good. City came and dismantled them, I thought, they must be the best team in the world! I was very right but mistimed it by about 20 years.

Anyway I'm beered up, here's to you and your anniversary.
 
First game I attended was in February 1955 with my dad and uncle against Cardiff (won 4-1). In the old scoreboard end against the wall. All the blokes made space for us kids at the front.
My next game was at Old Trafford the following week when we walloped them 5-0.
I watched FA Cup Final against Newcastle on my grannies black & white TV.
My wife and I emigrated to New Zealand in 1974 and whenever we get back to England we always try to take in a game. We've been guests of the club on a couple of occasions and on our 25th wedding anniversary we met all the players in the Maine Road dressing room, Peter Reid took us down the tunnel and onto the pitch.
Happy memories.
Our son and eldest grandson are blue through and through, proudly wearing their Etihad shirts out and about in Hamilton (NZ), and of course our son was named after the KING - who else!

By the way, we lived in Gorse Hill a short walk from the swamp!!
 
Congratulations (youngster!) on the big 50.
How things have changed, on and off the pitch. "The only thing that's stayed the same is the shape of the ball." (Denis Law, I think.)
 
I am lucky in that I still have a decent head of hair as I approach turning 60 this summer.
Although what I have upstairs is turning grey at an alarming rate. Whether the grey hair is down to supporting City for 50 years or whether it is part of the natural ageing process is known only to the hair gods.
 
Baby still, turned 45 this month and my first game was when i was 7.

Yes, i was at York.
 
March 2nd 1963 won 2 1 against Birmingham Harley and Gray scored 28798 in Maine road . I was third generation City according to my dad . 4th generation now going.
 
46 years Man & Boy for me. I remember my dear old Nan once muttering "You'll grow out of this obsession with that football club when you get a bit older" after I'd missed yet another family affair. I was about 40 by then! I suspect she still looks out for our results from her cloud though. Closet Blue that she was ;)
 
My first game, I was a very lucky boy to witness what was about to happen in the next few years Manchester City vs Bolton Wanderers

Division Two (Old)
Sat 16 April 1966.

Score: W 4-1

Attendance: 29459

HW Dowd
R Kennedy
RC Sear
G Pardoe
GW Heslop
AA Oakes
M Summerbee
JA Crossan
M Doyle
C Bell
DR Connor
 
mancunial said:
My first game, I was a very lucky boy to witness what was about to happen in the next few years Manchester City vs Bolton Wanderers

Division Two (Old)
Sat 16 April 1966.

Score: W 4-1

Attendance: 29459

HW Dowd
R Kennedy
RC Sear
G Pardoe
GW Heslop
AA Oakes
M Summerbee
JA Crossan
M Doyle
C Bell
DR Connor
Click to expand...
Dave Connor he was what we used to call " a utility player" he was a very good footballer. I miss Tony Coleman
 
Had a season ticket since 1957 aged 6 so I guess I'm fast approaching my 60 the anniversary! Started in the Platt Lane stand with my dad and, through the years moved around the stadium and sat on all four sides. Seen some great players and great games and endured some utter dross. Been to every cup final since I started watching with the exception of the ECWC win.

As the username suggests I skipped school to watch us gain promotion with a midweek 1-0 win away at Rotherham and I was at St James Park to watch us win the league in 1968. The following season was at Maine Road with my dad watching us "terrify Europe" against Fenerbache when my dad suffered his first (and fatal) heart attack aged 48 ! I don't go to the cemetery to visit dad I go to watch City and visit him there. When the going gets tough during a match I often have a little mental chat with my dad and ask him to put a word in for the blues with the big fella and it usually works. Last weeks penalty shoot out was down to my Dad you know !

My two sons sit with me and have both held season tickets for over 25 years and our connection with City is so strong my 5 year old grandson is called Blue! The future has never looked so good, thanks for the memories City.
 
Bbc spokesman said:
Dave Connor he was what we used to call " a utility player" he was a very good footballer. I miss Tony Coleman
Click to expand...
Great player Dave Connor he played nearly every position, I remember city were willing to sell him, he went to Spurs had a medical and was sat their with pen in hand waiting to sign, then for reasons unknown he was recalled, his best game for city was the FA cup semi final at villa park 1969, Everton, rumour had it he was told to mark alan ball out of the game, at half time when the players were returning to the field Dave waited outside evertons changing room and followed alan ball out on to the pitch, a very useful player what you call a bread and butter player, Dave and alan Oakes were my favourite players in those days without great players like these the others wouldn't flourish
 
Congrats, our kid. :)

Can't clearly remember my first games but they were just before we got relegated early/mid 60s. Started going regularly when we came back up. A vintage example of a glory hunter.
 
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