Surreal Moments at City Games

[dobingsdobber]

There's a bit of doom and gloom around the world at the moment so let's try and lighten things here (for a few moments at least). I saw the thread about the Chicken Man (see: https://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/an-audience-with-the-frozen-chicken-man.322795/ ) and it got me thinking about other surreal moments at City. I'm thinking about odd things that have happened which have lightened the mood or been a bit of a distraction from negativity. Obviously, there's the banana craze and fancy dress games but what about other moments that maybe some of us remember and others think 'surely that didn't happen?'

I'll start with one: Norman Wisdom on the pitch in full City kit plus flat cap (and yes, those of us on the Kippax did genuinely think it was Peter Reid wearing a flat cap for some reason when he first came out!). Norman was promoting a golf competition and he basically larked around on the pitch for a bit. He took a penalty and of course fell over.

20 years ago when I was writing Farewell To Maine Road an elderly fan told me about a character she called Hoppy. The nickname is not very PC BUT the story is that 'Hoppy' had one leg and before many home games in the inter-war period he used to hop around the pitch. He'd do a full lap of the pitch and be cheered all the way around it. She thought that he'd lost his leg in WW1 and thinks he may have been doing it to raise money for a charity, but apart from her memory I've never managed to find any other evidence of Hoppy.

So, go on, what other surreal or odd moments can we think of?

I was on the Kippax for the Norman Wisdom incident,everyone shouting "Mr.Grimsdale" at him,and when he fell over,he back-heeled himself up the arse.Classic.

 

[Semper aggressus]

I remember when we played Newcastle years ago and a magpie landed on the pitch, loads of people shouting at the ref that they’ve got 12 players. Might still have been at Maine Road then, was a long time ago.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Not strictly "at" a match, though watching that facup away match via some lad streaming it on his phone was funny...

It was on periscope if I remember rightly can’t remember the fame though

 

[stonerblue]

At one derby I sat behind the smurfs. At another I had a posh woman breast feeding a baby

 

[dobingsdobber]

I recall an incident involving the City mascot against Liverpool at Maine Road soon after promotion in 1966.

City had used the same mascot since before relegation in 1963. He was a callow young boy when I went to my early matches at Maine Road. By the time that City were promoted he was more burly but still running around the pitch before home matches.

At the early-season Liverpool match, there was an unofficial scouse mascot dressed as Batman in a red Batsuit. He also ran onto the pitch and confronted the City mascot in the centre-circle. The two started fighting to the delight of both sets of fans. Both were promptly ejected from the stadium.

If I recall correctly, City won the match 2-1.

Think the lad you refer to might be Donald Hitchen,same school as me and lived on the same street.Hard bugger he was..

 

[gloryhuntersince85]

Late eighties or early nineties Boro midweek away (cup?)game. Unbelievably foggy, you couldn't see the halfway line. One lad had his portable radio out and was giving us updates. Probably would have been called off these days.

remember the game well, everytime City disappeared into the fog, City fans started cheering singing 1-0, then same again when we went into it again, remember singing to Tony Coton "Tony, Tony whats the score" he turned round and shrugged his shoulders, we lost 2-1 then drew them again in FA Cup 3rd round and lost again 2-1, then they got promoted and beat us 2-0 in their home opener , I absolutely hated Ayresome Park

 

[horlock_was_super]

A woman breast feeding her baby at a ECL group match last season whilst the game was going on!
I would like to say I didn’t know where to look………..
Truly was a memorable campaign.

 

[Spurs quarter 69]

Southampton at home late 80s , Cardiffs game at Huddersfield called off. A few coach loads of their fans put in the away section of North Stand. They quickly made it apparent they were supporting City Southampton fans out numbered and intimidated asked the police to move Cardiff supporters which they did. Bemused Kippax chanted " who the f*****g hell are you.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

A woman breast feeding her baby at a ECL group match last season whilst the game was going on!
I would like to say I didn’t know where to look………..
Truly was a memorable campaign.

Bet you felt a tit.

 

[ColinBellsjockstrap]

Phil Browns half time team talk on the pitch

lol!