Memories of the Kippax

[JGL07]

I never spent much time in the Kippax. I started watching from the Platt Lane stand and then to the Scoreboard End. I did watch from the Kippax during redevelopment but moved into the North Stand when it was opened.

I do recall watching an FA Youth Cup match from the Kippax. It was during the spell when Mal Allison was not only banned from the dugout but banned from the entire stadium for several weeks. It may have been the year that City got to the semi-final and faced United with massive crowds for the two legs.

The match took place during this ban and I looked behind me and who was standing on the terrace but Big Mal trying to look inconspicuous. Several others noticed but it was all kept quiet in case he was found out and had his ban trebled.

After the ban was over, Mal was interviewed by the BBC and he said his biggest regret was not seeing the Youth Cup team in action during his ban!

 

[smeeagain]

and what was that tune they played as we all filed out at full time ???
like a classical tune ,trumpet triumphant sounding
anybody remember this ???

 

[yerwot?]

the smell of a dimp smouldering on the crown of a trilby,poor sod kept turning round to see what everyone was laughing at .
witnessing a kiddie having his face split open by a coin during the derby in the early 70's
the corner between the scoreboard end and the kippax was the worst place in the ground,no roof,the sun shone straight in your eyes,the wind was funneled into a dust-filled gale,but the craic was the essence of city humour.
queuing to piss against the wall at the back of the stand?
the slow realisation that the magic had gone when the seats went in (how i envy the german fans)
being jockeyed by police horses,as you waited to reach the turn-stiles,the sparks from their hooves.
scousers running over the tops of cars in the alleys at the back of the kippax
the great banana revolution,it marked the beginning of the end of the thug era, for me anyway,i know it wasn't just the kippax but it reached it's peak there.
For those who have only known seated stadiums;a jam-packed kippax,a city goal,.....well,you had to be there. Sid

 

[flb]

The toilets had a smell all of their own, and one that not I've smelt since. Goodness I loved that place!

The greyhound pub's toilets near wembley fella are the nearest you will ever get to the smell of the kippax toilets.

 

[Wingsofasparrow]

I remember sitting in the Kippax when the roof was off I think it was 94/95 season, or maybe 95/96 & they handed out those pac-a-macs. I caned a load of strong lager in the back alley opposite the club shop before the game & I ended up throwing up on the woman infront of me in the kippax. Luckily she had her pac-a-mac on so it wasnt too bad. It was around the half way line & the stewards clocked so I got kicked out.

I'd bought my ticket on a 3 for 3 deal including the derby, so the next game I went to was the derby & I sat in the same seat & the woman in front was in the same seat too! I was well embarrassed & the woman swapped seats with someone else!

kids & beer dont mix well....

 

[Innsbruckblue]

All of us waiting to scale the fences at the end of the 3-3 against Bournemouth. 3-0 up at half-time, 5 mins injury time and Bournemouth score. Had to wait until Bradford!
The Sunderland game when we relegated them. Great fans, had a proper party with them at the end when the barriers were moved.
Losing my glasses when Hinchcliffe scored in the 5-1. Luckily, nobody stood on them and I got them back!
Taking a rucksack full of beer into the ground and drinking the cans in the Kippax.
Taking my little brother to the Luton game after the 5-1 and converting him to City!
Working the bar in the new Kippax and seeing all the home games for free! Only problem is, I worked there two seasons....95-96 and 97-98! Said I'd never work there again!
The first Oasis gigs at Maine Road and all the bar staff being invited to the backstage party in the suite at the top.

 

[exiledbaguleyblue]

earliest about '67 as a 6 year old staring at a bloke with a massive scab where his ear should have been.

£35 season tickets.

using tippex on the vouchers at the back of the season ticket to get extra derby tickets

In at 1pm to sit on "our barrier", then being tall enough to stand in front of our barrier.

We've got a rattle that'll get on your nerves.

Leaving early to run round to the main stand to get on the pitch @Luton game, only to get back in and they'd scored "confronting" Luton players on the pitch, running back to the kippax to have a go at the luton fans in the corner and getting kicked up the arse by a copper in front of the luton fans.

Charlton, singing we love you charlton we do

Arther albason

12th Nov 1975 beating scum 4-0, the night king Colin was crippled.(having bought rothmans king size as it was a big match)

Boro in the semi later that year (and before that game as a 15 year old getting run by the bastards in the alley's at the back of the Platt Lane)

Mate being hit on the head by a lump of brick v scum, and before we could react another lad asking"can i borrow your brick" as he picked it up and threw it back at the scum bastards,

down against liverpool

Colin Bell v Newcastle (still brings goosebumps)

Wigan semi in playoffs - singing Wembley all the way back to town

Years in the birch villa "never seeing a kick off"

eating oranges injected with vodka first game we couldnt drink in sight of the pitch

Everton FA cup replay (with an Everton fan)

Beating Leeds 4-0, pissed off at first 2 goals as it looked like we'd given scum the title then thinking fuck it and celebrating next 2 - making amends for it at scumland a few days later

the buzz of seeing the floodlights on for night matches as the bus trundled down princess parkway

singing boring boring Arsenal when they were 3 or 4 up in the first 20 mins
kicking the gate,in the alley, at the back of the kippax to wind the mad dog up

the "surges"

first sight of the pitch as we walked through the tunnel

Grand National day, everything would go quiet as the winners were read out

fucking cuntanar

Pearce missing the pen that would have given us a record number of goals

Lee coming back playing for Derby

beating AC Milan (3? goals in the last 4 mins?)

West Ham (?) trying to take the Kippax by coming up the middle stairs

Swales out

The bogs

the sheer madness every time we scored

the shared humour every game

seeing the same faces around you every game and spotting them in pubs and on terraces at away matches

young Gary Owen having a go at Mike Doyle (v Wolves) in front of the kippax

Gerry Francis (?) getting shit over wifes extra curricula activities

the sheer sadness of lost youth the last game on the kippax and having to relocate to the north stand

not the same sadness at the last game in the new kippax

taking my boy when he was 3 (new kippax)

The crushes on the way out after the game

All my kids having a teddy bear called kippax

Experiences never to be repeated

 

[goatinho]

i remember standing in the top corner and singing so loud and so much that i always used to go to the bottom at half time to join the scrum to buy a paper cup of coke poured out of a warm flat 2litre bottle for about a quid!<br /><br />-- Fri Jun 24, 2011 7:38 pm --<br /><br />i also had number 00001 season ticket one year. it still upstairs somewhere

 

[theboyfrombrazil]

Terraced houses with the gates to the backyards open and dozens of bikes being 'minded' for a minimal fee.

The smell of the bogs.

Pintpots of piss being knocked over and running down the terracing.

Looking up into the rafters of the Kippax stand, marvelling at the piss poor tannoy system and seeing the plastic hawk hanging from a piece of string in an attempt to scare the pigeons.

Dodging darts, sharpened coins and bangers when it was near bonfire night.

Reading the scores against the letters at half time for the old boys who couldn't read them

 

[Kippaxsteps]

The kippax steps!
The slash of green as you got in on a night match.
Going left on entry.
Mad Scottish fan we stood with. "I've been stabbed I've been slashed for this club', 'I remember when Maine Road was a fortress, a bastion of invincibility'. The ref was a 'black and white enamel bastard'. Always had the latest, 'just gone off at Piccadilly with Newcastle on their way to.....'
Starting a song. Needed big balls and a big mouth....
Surges.
Preparing for pitch invasion v Charlton.
Disbelief as we won 5-1.
The narrow gap between us and United/liverpool fans. Pure hatred.
Hugging strangers.
The 'old songs'.
Ken McNabb thanking the fans for their 'man on' shouts.
"When Ken goes up, to lift the FA Cup'.....