What things do you remember from Maine Road?

In the days when we only had 10 mins at half time. Getting to the bar, getting served with pies & pints and getting back to your seat for the start of the second half.. That will never catch on at the Etihad...
 
The night before the last derby match I couldn't get to sleep and I ended up going through the walk from Whalley Range School where we parked to Maine Road, getting into the Kippax and then my Dad saying 'Are we going up?' before heading up the steps to our seats.
 
We lived on Mauldeth Road West and there was always hundreds of people walking up Yew Tree Road on match days. Most people just paid on the gate so the queues were enormous and occasionally they would close the kids turnstiles. That was ok if my Dad was already inside cos you just found a policeman and he would make sure you got in. I remember them closing the kids entrance once before my dad was in and they made him pay full price for me and our kid. It was 7/6 each instead of half a crown and he was bleeding livid, mind you, £1 2s 6p was probably a fair chunk of his take home pay then. Once inside, I always remember the 2 police horses that stood in the passage between the Platt lane and Main stands. Wagon Wheels that seemed much bigger than than they do now and for some strange reason the sign that said Booths Steel on top of the Kippax Stand.
I remember how excited I was when i started going to the match with my mates instead of with my Dad in 1970. If I'd known he wouldn't last another season I would have savoured every moment with him.
 
going with my dad, on the bus, early sixties, him meeting his pals on the forecourt, coppers, ex-coppers & ex-players for pre match banter, then getting in the main stand S/T Gate H , 2 bob slipped to the ticket taker "Cheers Ginger", to stand at the back behind the wooden wall with the other off-duty cops. Didnt miss many home games from '59-'72 though tf he bought a used Anglia in '66 (?).. Helluva distance from the pitch but what a view. As someone said, sense of smell is the most evocative and on the rare occasions i smell tobacco smoke these days it sends me back to climbing those stairs.
 
By early 2000 I had been a City fan for a full year, despite the threats from my rag girlfriend. In February I decided that I was gonna try to watch a match. I walked from our flat on Boundary Lane to Maine Rd and paid 25 quid for a ticket off a tout. Imagine my shock when I got into the stadium and found my seat in the away end with the Norwich fans. I can laugh about it now. I knew nothing then except for the fact I had to keep quiet!

Three things stood out that day. First, Mark Kennedy scored two goals and he became my instant favorite player as we beat Norwich 3-1. Second, part of the way through the first half this other Blue came in with his young son, about 5 yrs old maybe. We were surrounded by foul mouthed Norwich fans and I could see the gentleman getting upset about his boy listening to that language. They got up at halftime and didn't come back.

The third thing I remember is my girlfriend calling me and asking where I was. When I told her she went ballistic. "You are NOT at Maine Rd!! You better not be! Don't bother coming home if you are!" LOL, good times.
 
Maine Road can still smell the kippax bogs could fart in there and still not smell it

Peter Swales, Forward with Franny

David Pleat dancing on the pitch the twat
 
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