"Would Didsbury Dave please report to the nearest steward.."

[Didsbury Dave]

Tannoy announcements giving a name, or a car registration number, and asking them to report to the nearest steward immediately, have been a part of my City match-watching experience for all of my life. It might be me, but I'm sure you don't hear them any more, but there used to be at least one every match at Maine Road and at away games.

My mind always drifts, just for a second, to wonder idly what's caused this. Has someone's wife gone into labour? Is someone's wife (or husband?) furious because they've just found out their partner's sneaked off to the match instead of mowing the lawn?

Has anyone ever been called out at a City game?

I have. Wycombe Wanderers away, 1995. I nearly fainted when my car registration was called out. Went to the nearest steward feeling like I was in a dream, who radioed around then sent me back to my car. When I got there there was a parking type official guarding my car. I'd left the bloody windows wide open, having been asking people where to park. A dull story, only enlivened by the fact that I couldn't persuade the bastards to let me back in the ground. It took a toddler style tantrum before I was let in.

Is there anyone out there with a better story to tell about being called out? Anyone missed a goal or a famous moment? And am I imaging the fact that you don't hear these any more? Why?

My Dad has a good one, but it was before my time. A City game at Maine Road in the early 70s. His mate Rod was there drinking, and his wife was heavily pregnant. His name was called out to say his wife had gone into labour, and he stayed another half hour to watch the end of the game, just laughing.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I was sat in the Main Stand sometime in the mid 80's with my dad and his name was announced on the tannoy.

He had a lock-up in Whalley Range at the time and it was burning down. I'm not sure why he was tannoyed, I guess the Fire Brigade must have rung home and my mum must have said he was at the game with me. He had one of those ridiculous brick sized mobiles at the time but the battery life was about half an hour.

Good job he had an alibi and about 24,000 witnesses!!

 

[The Flash]

He had a lock-up in Whalley Range at the time and it was burning down.

Good job he had an alibi and about 24,000 witnesses!!

80's GSC???

 

[Skashion]

And am I imaging the fact that you don't hear these any more? Why?

Probably because these days they know exactly where you sit unless you happen to be one of those who sneak into the standing sections with their mates. I'd imagine these days they'd just send a steward down to your seat and only put an announcement out if they can't find you. That and mobile phones.

 

[allan harper]

"Would Didsbury Dave please report to the nearest steward.."

I remember playing Burnley away many moons ago and every 5 minutes it seemed someone was being called out to report to their nearest steward, after awhile us City fans started taking the piss out of each name that was called out.

This was before mobile phones but me and mate was on our way to Nottingham Forrest and we was waiting for our connection from Crewe when our names were called out on the station tannoy to report to the information office. We didn't have a clue what it was about but the person at the information office told us they had received a message asking us to wait for the next train to arrive at platform 2. Still unsure what was going on, we waited at platform 2 for this train to arrive, next minute our City mates from Blackpool jumped off the train !

Still to this day I haven't a clue how they'd known we was at Crewe station !

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I was sat in the Main Stand sometime in the mid 80's with my dad and his name was announced on the tannoy.

He had a lock-up in Whalley Range at the time and it was burning down. I'm not sure why he was tannoyed, I guess the Fire Brigade must have rung home and my mum must have said he was at the game with me. He had one of those ridiculous brick sized mobiles at the time but the battery life was about half an hour.

Good job he had an alibi and about 24,000 witnesses!!

Actually you've jsut given the rather obvious answer as to why you don't hear these any more.

Mobiles phones. Doh!<br /><br />-- Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:31 am --<br /><br />

And am I imaging the fact that you don't hear these any more? Why?

Probably because these days they know exactly where you sit unless you happen to be one of those who sneak into the standing sections with their mates. I'd imagine these days they'd just send a steward down to your seat and only put an announcement out if they can't find you. That and mobile phones.

Of course. Pretty damned obvious really.

 

[jay_mcfc]

It will be because people can be contacted by mobile now. But yes the whole tannoy system was part of the experience at Maine Rd, especially with Mr Banks in the North Stand.

 

[Skashion]

Mr Banks seemed to very popular.

 

[borassic]

Used to always look around Maine Road to see if I could see someone legging it up the steps. Impossible though as we were usually getting slapped 2 or 3 nil and everyone was rushing for a pint after about 26 minutes.

 

[IOWBlue]

Didnt get a call, but had to go to one of the policemen on duty in 1974 aged 9. My brother had taken me to the game. It was my first season and he took me to about 6 home games. Stretford on the number 22, off at the Princess. He sat me on the Kippax wall and moved back to stand with his mates. At the end of the match he forgot that he'd taken me that day, and headed back to Hough End. One of his mates said " didnt you bring your little brother with you today". Shiiiiiiiiit !!! He legs it back to Maine Road, whilst i being virtually the last person in the ground at this point, got offered a lift home in the back of a police dog van. He arrives home distraught at about half six, i'm digesting all the scores from div one down, to the lowest leagues shown, in the Pink. Cant blame him though, if he had left me to my own devices, the tentacles of the Swamp monster might possibly have ensnared me, as there were only 2 Blues in my class. ( We both had season tickets together for many years, whereas the rags didnt go, a mile and a half was obviously too far ).