Memories of your first time watching City

[Stiff Little Wingers]

Chelsea home 1972....I remember...
What seemed like a long walk to the ground from the car
Cigarettes everywhere
Tommy Booth heading the winner
Congratulations playing on the tannoy
The scorecard
Getting a 3 pack of Jaffa Cakes at half time
Wanting to go back again

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

Great thread!

I moved to South Africa in 1972 at age 7. As my dad was a Blue I became a Blue, following from afar. If we were lucky, the results of the games played on the Saturday would appear in a column called "stop press" right at the back of the paper; how I would scan the paper for these as they weren't always in the same place. Fast forward 5 years and we went back to Manchester to see all the relatives.

I persuaded my dad, who had stopped going to football matches when the Sheffield Wednesday scandal came to be- so this was a big deal for him. Not nearly as big a deal as it was for me though!

He decided we were going the match against Birmingham City on 19 April 1977, a nigh match two days before my 12th birthday.

And we were off! We got the bus from Ashton into the city centre and got the special from Aytoun Street. While there were a smattering of City fans on the bus from Ashton, the special was full of them. Back in the 70's the typical football fan was a different animal to the typical football fan now. They were rougher, tighter and somehow bigger and nastier, and I loved every second of being in that bus with them. To be on a bus where everyone was talking and chanting about City was heaven. Had I died on the bus that day I would have died happy.

When we got to the ground my dad and I queued up at one of the turnstiles at the Kippax and then we were in. As many have posted in this thread, the site of the pitch, massive and green under the floodlights just took my breath away. It's something that has stayed with me all my life and will be with me forever.

We were in the ground quite early, so we found a nice spot closish to the away supporters (but not too close) in the top left of the Kippax. As people filtered in, the atmosphere grew and grew until I noticed that there was very little space left, but my dad looked after me and everyone around was friendly to us.

The roar when the match started was unbelievable and the game went by in a blink. As I remember, a young Trevor Francis was playing for Drum that night but Dave Watson never gave him a look-in all game. We came out winning 2-1 and I was as happy as I could remember.

If it wasn't for a freak loss to Derby shortly after we could have won the first division.

Maine Road never let any dreaming kid down on their first visit.

Still a Blue and always a Blue

Really nice story. That win v Bham was only my second night game. Kiddo got 2 that night and yes, so close to winning the league

 

[Bluesince1979]

V norwich, 1980 , 0-0. Something tells me it was dennis tuearts come back game after returning from cosmos

Wish i had all the memories that posts above have but truth is a dont. They came later i guess.
I do remember thinking that if i shouted dead loud that id hear myself on match of the day later

 

[burnley blue mcfc]

Was on motd for months bouncing up & down at front of platt lane, david phillips had just banged a 25yrd screamer into the top corner v carlisle 1985, “typical city” lost 1-3 :-/

 

[Bluemoon dan]

Mine was a 0-0 draw with Birmingham in 1983. I have a recollection that a dog ran on the pitch at one stage and that was the highlight!
My 3rd ever game was a couple of months later against Luton. Slightly more vivid memories of that one...

 

[lancs blue]

Manchester City vs Leicester City, F.A. Cup, Sat 05 March 1966

Details of every game played by Manchester City Football Club

bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk

Can't recall too much of the match itself except Neil Young equalising twice, the main memory was the size of the crowd (56,000) and the noise, I'd never seen so many people in one place before. My parents took me in the corner section of the Platt Lane, I think it was 3 shillings for juniors. We had two Leicester fans next to us, both women, no aggravation or anything when they cheered the Leicester goals, the seating areas at Maine Rd were fairly peaceful at that time, hooliganism wasn't as widespread then and was generally confined to the terraces.

We won the replay at Filbert St and took Everton to a 2nd replay in the QF before losing at Molineux. It was the season we won the old Div. 2 under Joe and Mal.

 

[jimharri]

I lived on Claremont Road from '62 (when I was born) to '73. Number 198, near the junction with Broadfield Road. Don't remember any cinema on there (before my time, maybe?). There was the Claremont pub, on the left as you headed towards Princess Road. Made Mary D's look like the Cafe Royal in comparison!

 

[J.G.Blue.]

I lived on Claremont Road from '62 (when I was born) to '73. Number 198, near the junction with Broadfield Road. Don't remember any cinema on there (before my time, maybe?). There was the Claremont pub, on the left as you headed towards Princess Road. Made Mary D's look like the Cafe Royal in comparison!

Just looked it up, it was the Claremont super cinema on the corner of Claremont road & upper Lord Street?, I remember it looking a bit rough when we used to walk past & it seems it was demolished in 1974 after standing empty for years.

 

[jimharri]

Just looked it up, it was the Claremont super cinema on the corner of Claremont road & upper Lord Street?, I remember it looking a bit rough when we used to walk past & it seems it was demolished in 1974 after standing empty for years.

I honestly don't remember that. There was a William & Glyn's bank on that junction (or was it Lloyd's?). And, I'm fairly sure, a shoe shop across the road from it.

Upper Lloyd St, by the way.

 

[J.G.Blue.]

I honestly don't remember that. There was a William & Glyn's bank on that junction (or was it Lloyd's?). And, I'm fairly sure, a shoe shop across the road from it.

Upper Lloyd St, by the way.

Yes Lloyd street sorry, A bit odd you dont remember it it looks a big place, right on the corner with a couple of big pillars in the doorway, quite a few photos on facebook etc but I dont know how to do a link :-)