City's move to the Etihad

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

Strange one

it's almost been the same amount of time at the etihad, as it was at Maine rd, that I've followed city... The memories of my first game sat with my old man, my bro sitting me on the barriers in the kippax, the shitty city chippy chips and gravy, the walks across the croft will stay forever, however, the glory will be forever remembered at the etihad, for me and all the future generations!!!!

 

[OB1]

I've had a season ticket since 1972 so I spent plenty of time at Maine Road. Got the first one in the North Stand when they installed seats and moved to the Platt Lane when they rebuilt it and then the Kippax when that got the rebuild treatment. Maine Road will forever be a special place to me for many reasons but I never had any reservations about the move to a new stadium: City needed a better ground and a complete rebuild of Maine Road was not a viable alternative.

I am not sure that the Etihad will have the soul that MR had but it is a fabulous stadium that is set to get bigger and better. I took my daughters to the stadium (their first time there) recently to see One Direction. We stood on the pitch, which I had not done before: my seat is on level 3 of the Kippax (East Stand), and the size of the place really hits home down there. When both ends have been extended, I would think it will be ammazing to be a player on that pitch. Mind you, it must have been amazing to be down there at that Aguero moment, a moment better than any I enjoyed at Maine Road.

The only thing I don't like about the move is that it is further to go and has added to the journey time and that is importnat when you live 180 miles away. Still that's a small price to pay for what is being served up at the Etihad and there is no way that we would be enjoying such fare if we were still at Maine Road.

 

[petrusha]

I've had a season ticket since 1972 so I spent plenty of time at Maine Road. Got the first one in the North Stand when they installed seats and moved to the Platt Lane when they rebuilt it and then the Kippax when that got the rebuild treatment. Maine Road will forever be a special place to me for many reasons but I never had any reservations about the move to a new stadium: City needed a better ground and a complete rebuild of Maine Road was not a viable alternative.

I am not sure that the Etihad will have the soul that MR had but it is a fabulous stadium that is set to get bigger and better. I took my daughters to the stadium (their first time there) recently to see One Direction. We stood on the pitch, which I had not done before: my seat is on level 3 of the Kippax (East Stand), and the size of the place really hits home down there. When both ends have been extended, I would think it will be ammazing to be a player on that pitch. Mind you, it must have been amazing to be down there at that Aguero moment, a moment better than any I enjoyed at Maine Road.

The only thing I don't like about the move is that it is further to go and has added to the journey time and that is importnat when you live 180 miles away. Still that's a small price to pay for what is being served up at the Etihad and there is no way that we would be enjoying such fare if we were still at Maine Road.

I first went in 1975 and agree with all of the above. I'd add that Maine Road in the seventies was a top ground, which was often chosen ahead of Old Trafford for games such as semi-finals. By the time it had been redeveloped into an all-seater stadium in the mid-1990s, it was a shadow of the venue it had been previously. I loved the Maine Road that I first visited, but IMO a lot of the 'soul' people talk about had gone long before we left it. And as you say, it would never have been a suitable home for a team hoping to compete for trophies in the 21st century.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

The above posts are spot on.

Maine Rd sadly died a slow death from the late 70's both in atmosphere apart from a few periods and in stature by the time we left it was almost falling down.

That being said I didn't think I'd ever warm to the new ground as I did Maine Rd but I have. It helps having winning memories.

The real sad thing is that I'll never be moved 25 yards in a sea of blue at the back of the Kippax when we score again although in my 50's that's probably a good thing.

 

[BlueiNZ]

For those who never stood on the Kippax

I have seen things you would not believe

Surges that swept you like a leaf in a storm

A million cigs glittering in the dark of the main stand

Running battles down dog-shit alleys, police horses herding fans like cattle

All these memories will be lost, like tears in the rain

In truth Maine Rd was never the same after the seats went in, so the move had the air of inevitability that softened the blow. Life goes on

Haha brilliant......LA in The bladerunner also reminds me of going to see some winter games at Maine Rd. Seriously loved standing in the Kippax though.

 

[manimanc]

I remember a circle forming on the kippax when 2 lads kicked off over Trevor morley, proper going for it they was.
And well before Hillsborough happened, I lost count the amount of times a crush occurred on the stairs at the back of the kippax at full time and my feet didn't touch the floor from top to bottom.
And the toilet at the bottom of the stairs, just a line dugout out in the ground and the piss trickled to a bigger hole at the side. I can smell the ammonia now....

 

[eastmanc]

Soul comes from memories and this team are making many.

 

[eastmanc]

I don't think anyone has mentioned that without the move the AUG takeover would never have taken place. Also as had been said Maine Road had become a shadow of its former self.

 

[1972Bramhall_Blue]

Took my eldest lad (12) to the football museum the other day and there's a model of the old Kippax in the shop, I told him that was where I used to watch City when I was a bit older than him and he looked at the model, then at me with his eyes widening in disbelief and said "How can you say that was better then the Ethihad?" Different world!

 

[Bill]

i was going to maine road for almost 40 years, seen many many changes. as people have said the changes did take its edge away. will never forget the alley ways, the houses that you could park your bike for a tanner, the chippy's and the long walk back to aytoun street. i'll never forget my time there, i'll never forget my first game or indeed the last. the ones in between are just a blur, as we won things we thought we'd always win things. mistake. this time round i'm going to do as Martin Tyler says, i'm going to "drink it in" we may never see anything like it again.

well not us old buggers anyway :)