Blue Tuesday (Lakey's question): Derby Day defining moments!

[blue_bird]

It's the morning of September 23rd, 1989, our day of reckoning. Halfway through my journey to Maine Road I pull up to the traffic lights at the junction of Stockport Road and Dickenson Road in Longsight. Stood at the adjacent bus stop is a City fan in his thirties with his arm around his young son, both of them kitted out in replica shirts and the old-style blue, white and red scarves. Having clocked me sitting there in my car, this fella nudges his lad and then does something that will stay with me forever. Pressing his palms together as if in prayer, he looks at me beseechingly and simply mouths “please … please … please.”

The traffic lights turn to green and I speed off towards the ground, my bottom lip quivering. It’s the haunted look in the fan’s eyes that’s done me in. Here’s a bloke wearied by years of taunts and jibes from United fans, a long-time Blue aching for a shaft of light to keep his hope afloat and his pride intact. I feel as though I owe him one.

There’s only one thing for it. We have to beat United.

That has really choked me. Can totally relate to the guy. Great story.

 

[A Blue]

Sunday, somewhere in Salford. The rain pouring down, tackles flying in, mud and blood everywhere. Game over, get showered. God the pain..........some muppet had marked the pitch with quick lime.Hope Hospital, covered in bandages on crutches."Sorry Mrs Blue, your lad won't be able to walk for a couple of weeks,and it will be ages before his skin returns to normal.
Wednesday evening at the swamp.George (just the one for me i'm driving ) Best , scores the opening goal. Our equaliser, crowd go mental,pain again (happy excrusiating pain) Big George H scores what was probably his first goal that season. Pain ? What pain ? Getting towards the end,Hobble to the outside of the ground. Huge cheers, asks a nitid fan who scored. "They did" he replied."Still time for another ?" I asked. "Nah, fink we lost this one, lucky barstewards."
Never had so much pleasure from such pain. Well ,apart from visiting Whiplash Wanda every week.
I know it wasn't really a defining moment , but God it still feels good talking about it.

 

[poyntonblue]

When Gary Chuckle fed the goat and for me personally when Trevor Sinclair scored in the 4-1 you could see how much it meant to him and I was behind the goal.

Lakey, I'll be at the do on the 19th with my dad who was at the 5-1 but wouldn't let me go! I was gutted

 

[bluedub]

The first Manchester derby I ever saw was in 1990 at Maine Road, a 3-3 draw. I watched the highlights on Granada, this was my first season following English football (I am from Dublin), I was 11 years old at the time. Like so many others, Italia 90 was the event that turned me onto football, and I was particularly interested in how the Irish lads were doing for their clubs, Niall Quinn being one of those lads. I remember the second and third City goals that day, particularly the second, scored by David White. Redmond played the ball infield, Heath turned and flicked the ball with the outside of his foot as he did so, releasing White who allowed the ball to bounce once before burying it. That was the day I fell in love with City, it really didn't matter that we blew a 2 goal lead, I just couldn't believe that I'd never heard of this club before, with the lovely football they played that day, and the brilliant ground they played in. When I finally made it to Maine Road several years later for my first match (by which stage the club's health and my own had taken a severe turn for the worse) I noticed a picture of White's celebration of that second goal from that match on the cover of a Manchester City derby book being advertised in the match programme (West Brom, Joe Royle's second game in charge, late February 1998). Sealey (RIP) was on the deck, Pallister looked exasperated after failing to track White's run, and White himself was wheeling away in celebration, the delight on his face so radiant and pure. I would appreciate it if you would mention it to him, Lakey, that goal was the moment I fell in love with City, everything about it was class, from its inception to its execution to its celebration. And every moment ever since, from the dark day in 1998 when we tumbled to the third tier, to the glorious day last September when I learned of our takeover on a sunny Crete morning by the pool, I have been with City every step of the way, and will be there forever more. PS of more recent derby memories, I'd have to say the win at Old Trafford last year, I was on a cloud that day, as Sven said it was "Perfect" ;)

 

[shepboy]

Sept 23rd. I remember being in utter shock when we went 1-0 up in the opening minutes. This, of course, quickly turned to joy and and absolute delight.

The game also has my worst derby moment. I had to leave 10 mins early to get to my normal job. Missed Hinchcliffe's bullet header. It taught me a lesson though and i've only missed the final whistle once since.

It does also have one other fond memory. As I was working as a steward, I was able to walk round the pitch during the match. I remember deliberately walking past the Platt Lane stand and subtly flicking the v's at all the as I walked past. Talk about pissed off. Always gives me a chuckle

 

[scall11]

Quite simple, this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb8gO7wrosY[/youtube]

The whole day we did everything perfectly. The minutes silence, the performance on the pitch, the post match celebrations, it was all textbook an honourable.

 

[thelegde]

The night we went to Old Trafford and beat em 3-1 in 68, it set us up to go on and win the League and gave us the belief that Joe and Malcolm could take us on to such fantastic success in the next few years after that. It reminds me that we may be on to something similar in the near future.

 

[Slats]

Meeting up with my Brother & Nephews at half time of the last Derby at Maine Road, 2-1 up and I was literally shaking the win meant that much to me I thought I would have a heart attack before the match finished. Feed the Goat in the second half after his 100th goal never sounded sweeter.

 

[Dave P]

My 21st birthday fell on Thursday 21st September 1989. Not a great night for a party so it was delayed till the Saturday.

Went to work in the morning getting a bit of extra cash etc. Got some flowers etc to present to mother as you do and got a neighbour to bring them to the do.

As lunchtime approached, it was to the boozer to meet the lads and the beers were flowing at quite a speed. We needed plenty of refreshments in anticipation of a busy afternoon shouting encouragement to the lads.

On arrival at the ground, there was the usual feelings of will we do it or won't we? On form it wasn't looking that great and all we could do was hope or pray.

The teams came onto the pitch and soon after kick off the teams were taken off tdue to fighting breaking out in the North Stand. The teams came back onto the pitch and the break appeared to galvanise the fans who gave absolute support for the remainder of the game.

The whole team played out of their skins...Unbelieveable as Hinchcliffe made it five. Then we went to my party and gave it all of the reds who were brave enough to turn up. Forget New York, New York by Sinatra. My last tune of the night was Boys in Blue!

Then went to town to keep the night going and the first tune that was heard in the club was New Order's Blue Monday.....Get in !!!!

 

[RoqueSantaBoozeCruz]

Beating them at OT last season. I work nights and stayed up to watch it so was knackered. I cried at the final whistle and went to bed still crying. Those fuckers!