My touchstone from Saturday is the FA Cup Final 1981

[OB1]

It's been emotional. I'm back home now after what feels like months of rising tension and hassle as we jumped the hurdles one by one: the semis, the location, the flights, the hotels, the tickets, the tests, he paperwork, the cash...there was so much skin in the game, and such excitement out there in porto: for us old school blues this felt like it was going to be the end of our journey.

Karma bit us. This team has been delivering on the big occasions consistently. We haven't had a "big"'loss like this for a long time. I've been searching my memory for another game that hurt in the same way and all I can come up with is the Spurs final of 1981. I was only 11 but the feeling of expecting joy and being left with despair never left me, and I think most blues of my generation have never forgotten how that felt.

This was the modern day equivalent. A gutting defeat.

But this time is going to be different. I have total confidence that this team with this manager will lift this trophy in glorious fashion next year (1955 anyone?),
Or the year after, or very soon. It's coming.

This is just part of Manchester City's wonderful history. My faith is intact.

I remember our supporters definitely singing in 1981, we'll be back again next year; we weren't and, well we all know how long it took.

I am not going to jinx things and say we'll be back next year but we can be genuinely optimistic about another UCL final before too long now that we have at least got the monkey of getting there off our back.

Sadly, we have lost the first final of every cup competition I've been to but won the next (well, we never did another Full Members) so I am hopeful history will repeat real soon.

I found the Wigan defeat more gutting than yesterday but I'm definitely tired and emotional and sad about the fall flat finale to the season. However, that Wigan game was just miserable all round, whereas I enjoyed so much about yesterday. The club day trip was excellent (although having to get up the MCR to fly meant my trip from home was Friday to Sunday), I've never done one before. I was on Flight 9 with the City supporting Captain piloting the plane to give the whole thing some added frisson. We didn't go into the fan park but went off and spent much of time eating and drinking (coffee) at a cafe, chatting amicably with Chelsea fans. So much of the day was a good experience and chapeau to HH for coughing up for the travel.

Let's hope even more of us can be in St Pete's and celebrating next year.

 

[OB1]

you're right about the wolves game,i was 9 and my dad couldn't get us tickets,it broke my young heart losing that game when we should of won,took us only 2 years to put it right in 76.
was similar last night seeing my 13year old crying in grief on the way home after watching us lose last night,he'll remember that awful feeling all his life,and hopefully it will be put right asap.

Wolves was my first final and we lost a game that we should have won, it was gutting but two years later Tueart put things to rights.

 

[ooh vonky vonky]

Totally with you about ’81

I was 9 at the time and had been taken to the home games on that cup run. I remember how we battered Palace and Norwich and I was so sure we’d win the cup.

Went to both the final and the replay. I don’t remember too much of the first game, but the emotions of the replay are something I’ll never forget. From the amazing McKenzie volley to the ridiculous Villa goal …
I was in tears at the end and remember consoled by some Spurs fans sat on the row behind. The were telling me we’d get another chance soon. The lying Bast**ds.

 

[bitterfuse]

Been a Blue since 1976 (52 Years old) and before last night, the 3 defeats that really stick out for me were Luton home in 83, Liverpool home 96 and the FA Cup Qtr Final v West Ham in 2006.As one off games all really hurt. I know we have encountered other dissapointments in the meantime but those 3 really stand out. Last night surpasses them all for me but in doing so it just shows how much our expectations have changed.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Been a Blue since 1976 (52 Years old) and before last night, the 3 defeats that really stick out for me were Luton home in 83, Liverpool home 96 and the FA Cup Qtr Final v West Ham in 2006.As one off games all really hurt. I know we have encountered other dissapointments in the meantime but those 3 really stand out. Last night surpasses them all for me but in doing so it just shows how much our expectations have changed.

haha. I'm 51 and my first match was 1976. I'd agree with two of those three. I guess we are all a bit different though because I'd put Spurs fa cup 93 and man United league cup 2010 above the West Ham defeat, although they all fit the bill as being a defeat when we were expected glory. I also agree that last night might have surpassed them all. There was so much more glory at stake.

 

[northstandgiveusasong]

What about the 5-2 "win" against Stoke? I was totally gutted after that. Going into depths we've never encountered before...

Although the same disappointment was evident yesterday, just to be able to sit there at 8pm with my son watching us in a Champions League Final was an experience we'll never forget. It felt surreal but also made us Blues so proud of what we've achieved and where we have come from.

 

[Spurs quarter 69]

The difference is this time we are the champions of England for my money the biggest prize their is. The championship is the cake the champions League merely the iceing. For blues of my vintage ( I'm 65) I would have loved to have won last night but as someone who saw us lose at home to Wycombe think I'll get over it.

 

[bluealf]

It's been emotional. I'm back home now after what feels like months of rising tension and hassle as we jumped the hurdles one by one: the semis, the location, the flights, the hotels, the tickets, the tests, he paperwork, the cash...there was so much skin in the game, and such excitement out there in porto: for us old school blues this felt like it was going to be the end of our journey.

Karma bit us. This team has been delivering on the big occasions consistently. We haven't had a "big"'loss like this for a long time. I've been searching my memory for another game that hurt in the same way and all I can come up with is the Spurs final of 1981. I was only 11 but the feeling of expecting joy and being left with despair never left me, and I think most blues of my generation have never forgotten how that felt.

This was the modern day equivalent. A gutting defeat.

But this time is going to be different. I have total confidence that this team with this manager will lift this trophy in glorious fashion next year (1955 anyone?),
Or the year after, or very soon. It's coming.

This is just part of Manchester City's wonderful history. My faith is intact.

I said this in another post somewhere and tacked on Luton bastard Town in 83 as the next worst feeling, if not actually even worse than 81 tbh, David Pleat skipping across our turf chasing prostitutes in his head no doubt.

 

[Spurs quarter 69]

If I needed something to cheer me up Lancy stuffed the yorkies today.

 

[OB1]

What about the 5-2 "win" against Stoke? I was totally gutted after that. Going into depths we've never encountered before...

Although the same disappointment was evident yesterday, just to be able to sit there at 8pm with my son watching us in a Champions League Final was an experience we'll never forget. It felt surreal but also made us Blues so proud of what we've achieved and where we have come from.

I was at Stoke and there last night and we have come so far in between.

The team let themselves down last night (not deliberately) but they need to use the experience to come back even stronger and hungrier.