Hands up if you've played on the Etihad hallowed turf

[Abe Frohman]

Back in the late 90s, when my mates and I tried to outdo each other with japes, wind-ups, etc, I entered a competition promoted by Coca Cola to play at a "Top football stadium".



The choices (if I won) included the San Siro, Paris, and others throughout Europe that I can barely recall.



Unbeknown to me, a mate worked for a promotions company running the competition for Coca Cola, and fixed it that I won, but in the "under 11s" age group. His take being I'd look like Rodney in the Groovy Gang (one for the older viewers).

I pitched up in May 2004 and thankfully, the confusion as to which match I was playing in, with fellow winners, was quickly cleared up, and I got to captain a Mixed Bag of varying talented/talentless footballers from all over Europe in an entertaining 8-4 defeat.

Incidentally, I wore screw in studs that day, and "lost" 4 or 5 somewhere in the pitch - despite being told that only moulded studs were acceptable, and a few days later, Gary Neville suffered a particularly bloodied knee injury from simply hitting the deck when playing for England in a friendly. I maintain to this day that a screw from one of my studs injured him so I did my bit at the time.

Anyone else been lucky enough to play there, or, were in either team that day?

 

[Pubteam Lomas]

Played in a Thomas Cook game when competition winners played journalists.
My mate was playing for the journalists and he got a message saying they were a player short, so I got asked if I fancied it, as we both worked at the same local newspaper.
It was 48 hours after the Aguerooooooo goal and the pitch still had plenty of the gold celebration confetti on it.
Couldn't believe it.........
What an experience.

 

[dickie davies]

Three times and scored two goals at the South stand end

 

[gloryhuntersince85]

back in 2003 my company won an auction to put a team to play at Maine Road, I was chosen to play and we played against another company who had a couple of ringers ( Rob Jones ex Liverpool) & Michael Thomas (ex Arsenal) , quickly we were 3-0 down, we got a corner at North Stand end and keeper punched it out to edge of the box where I was standing, it bounced once and I caught it sweetly as it flew into bottom corner, I did the Aguero celebration running down the side of the Kippax, we eventually lost 7-2 but I still live off that goal.

back in 2005 City played Portsmouth and in match programme there was a competition for a City fans XI to play at COMS, I entered and thought nothing of it, a week or so later we played Villa away and when I got back to pub after game I was congratulated as my name had been read out on Key 103 that I had been chosen for City fans XI to play against Key 103. That Boro match was on the Sunday and 2 days later I made my way to COMS for the game, as I parked up Archie Kelly (Phoenix Nights) parked next to me as he was playing for Key 103, made our way down to dressing room area and we were greeted by Andy Hinchcliffe who was our manager. We all had personalised home kits with squad numbers (our squad numbers matched those of City players in which position we would be), mine was there #10 who was Sibierski at the time. We made our way down to warm up pitch under the stadium, Hinchcliffe asked all of us (who were complete strangers) who wanted to be captain, there was a complete silence and after 20 seconds or so someone volunteered, Hinchcliffe said who is going to take penalties, he hadn't finished asking before I shouted "me" which got a few shitty looks from others. We lined up in tunnel 'Right here, right now' was blasting, within 15 minutes we were beating Key 103 3-0 but 2nd half they pulled it back and made it 3-3 with 5 minutes to go, I wasn't arsed as it was going to penalties and my chance would come until our number #29 broke away at the death to win it for us, absolutely unbelievable experiences , if anybody gets chance to play there ,do it.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Without going in to the how and why...

As a young teenager, I spent a couple hours on the Maine Road pitch by myself and my football.

It was around 11pm at night and pitch black. I hadn't broken in, I was okay to be there and was indulged, let's say.

Covered every blade of grass, did pretend goal celebrations, ran towards the Kippax with my arms aloft, smashed the ball into an empty net about 300 times.

Lay in the centre circle looking up at the stars and just taking in the silence.

Until which time I got the shout from the directors' box it was time to go home and stop fucking up the pitch.

A dream come true and remember it like it was yesterday.

 

[Indaparkside]

Plenty after 93-20 not in my lifetime

 

[LongsightM13]

Back in the late 90s, when my mates and I tried to outdo each other with japes, wind-ups, etc, I entered a competition promoted by Coca Cola to play at a "Top football stadium".



The choices (if I won) included the San Siro, Paris, and others throughout Europe that I can barely recall.



Unbeknown to me, a mate worked for a promotions company running the competition for Coca Cola, and fixed it that I won, but in the "under 11s" age group. His take being I'd look like Rodney in the Groovy Gang (one for the older viewers).

I pitched up in May 2004 and thankfully, the confusion as to which match I was playing in, with fellow winners, was quickly cleared up, and I got to captain a Mixed Bag of varying talented/talentless footballers from all over Europe in an entertaining 8-4 defeat.

Incidentally, I wore screw in studs that day, and "lost" 4 or 5 somewhere in the pitch - despite being told that only moulded studs were acceptable, and a few days later, Gary Neville suffered a particularly bloodied knee injury from simply hitting the deck when playing for England in a friendly. I maintain to this day that a screw from one of my studs injured him so I did my bit at the time.

Anyone else been lucky enough to play there, or, were in either team that day?

It took 5/6 years to choose the winners?

 

[BELFAST_BLUE_BOY]

Had a kick about at half time in a fan competition - does that count? even with a few beers in me scored 2 goals and won some hospitality tickets .......I was told off by staff for doing a slide celebration on pitch - Kun scored for us 2nd half and was obviously inspired by my half time goals lol

 

[Zapcity]

When I did a tour of the ground about 10 years ago they let you go to the side of the pitch (probably still do) no doubt like many others I was so tempted to run on with my imaginary ball and slam one into the back of the net ,do they take them down on non match days?(might even have been able to sneak in a small ball that fits in an A4 sized bag??)
When I saw Foo Fighters a few years before that I was on the pitch and tried to 'trace the route' along the touchline that SWP took when he scored that goal in the first derby there (this was a few years before we started winning things). Not quite the same as actually playing obviously!
Last year I played at Morecambe's ground, hardly the Etihad and the pitch was of surprisingly poor quality( but I enjoyed it the first time I've got to play at an actual proper football ground).

 

[Pelegrinni]

I can proudly say that I have WALKED on the Etihad hallowed turf after the Aguero moment in 2012.