Chris in London
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 21 Sep 2009
- Messages
- 12,996
It's been a long time since I've come on here to post and believe me there has been many times I've been tempted. However tonight needed no more tempting it just felt the right thing to do.
I started following this wonderful club when my Dad first took me in 1972. My Dad was my first hero and will be my last but that Saturday afternoon in 72 he unearthed a plethora of new heroes that continues to this day. We all pick our favourites or maybe they pick you. My Dad's was Buzzer Summerbee, mine was Willie Donachie, whilst my own 2 daughters were Stephen Jordan and Sun Jihai for a short time at least.
But I knew all about Colin Bell before I even stepped foot inside Maine Road, how could I not. I'd heard all the stories from my Dad of his extraordinary stamina, his pace, his goals and the name Nijinsky. I'd thumbed through my Dad's scrapbooks from newspaper clippings and touched them longingly.
Surrounded by my Dad's mates, those foreboding dark stands, the tall floodlights, the smell of grass and then seeing for the first time in glorious technicolor those stunningly beautiful sky blue shirts and then there stood in the middle of the pitch this rapier like blonde fella, our very own England midfield Star - Nijinsky!
My Dad took me to almost every home game barring the derbies, too much trouble in those days, and so I missed that fateful League Cup game. But he made sure he took me to the King's homecoming v Newcastle. It's all been said before about the noise the crowd made when he appeared and it was beaten since. We've all heard and read about him, seen the clips, sung his name on many occasions and I hope 'Colin the King' is the first we sing whenever we are all back together. Where ever he is we need him and his family to hear it bellowing out every bit as loud as that Newcastle return.
I didn't want to believe it tonight although I knew it was true and I just had to ring my Dad who has been bedridden for far too long now to tell him the news. My Mam (a United fan) answered the phone and said she was sorry and I asked her to tell my Dad that Colin Bell had died....did i really just say that to my Dad!
I heard his voice in the background "Oh No not Colin Bell" and I put the phone down.
Fate has brought City v United together again in a League Cup tie tomorrow night. Those footballing gods really do know to play the heartstrings. Come on City Do it for the King, do it for Nijinsky, do it for every Blue's hero Colin Bell.
Nicely put Josh. Good to see you here again.
