Your First Derby Game

JGL07 said:
My first derby match was at the fag end of the 1962-63 season.

It was my third match at Maine Road after a 0-3 defeat by Blackpool and a 1-0 win over the (then) mighty Spurs. George Hannah was brilliant the previous Saturday but picked up an injury and Joe Hayes was moved to take Hannah's role with Neil Young coming in on the wing.

Team​

  1. Harry Dowd
  2. Bobby Kennedy
  3. Cliff Sear
  4. Alan Oakes
  5. Bill Leivers
  6. Matt Gray
  7. Neil Young
  8. Peter Dobing
  9. Alex Harley
  10. Joe Hayes
  11. David Wagstaffe
City needed to win to have a realistic chance of avoiding relegation with United just above them in the table. All was going well with Alex Harley putting City ahead. Time was running out when Denis Law made a nine tariff dive to win a penalty for United that was put away by Albert Quixall.

That match effectively relegated City and they would not play United again for three seasons apart from the rather silly Duke of Edinburgh Cup friendly in 1964 for the Variety Club of Great Britain. I can't remember the result other than City getting gubbed.
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This was (nearly) my first derby - I'd gone from Reddish on a charabanc from Melba Motors (part of North Western by then) rather than my usual Raleigh Blue Streak bike. By the time we arrived the gates were closing and I couldn't find an entrance - I heard the roar as Alex Harley scored but decided not to stay and caught a bus home - arriving home more or less as Denis Law kicked Harry Dowd in the head to win the penalty.
Still, that made the Denis Law backheel all the more poignant a few years later.

However, I also went to a youth derby, a Youth Cup Semi-Final at Old Trafford, there were a couple of Reddish lads playing - Mike Doyle and Phil Burrows, Phil was a couple of years older than me and lived next door but one. We often had a kick around on North Reddish Park or in our cobbled back entry. We lost but the match was memorable for Mike Doyle "chinning" George Best without the referee seeing! It was an ill tempered game and was probably the start of a chain that led to that awful challenge by George Best on Glynn Pardoe.
 
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Not sure of the year , but we beat them three nil at Maine Rd. and distinctly remember the song "shit on O'Farrell ,shit on O'Farell tonight" it stuck in my young and impressionable mind.
 
jaseisblue said:
Me too Tolm
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I saw City win six times in seven years at Old Trafford. The first was the 3-1 win in the 1967-68 season. The last was the Denis Law backheel match that ended with relegation for United.

By the time United were promoted I had moved away from Manchester and have never been to a match there since then.

I have been to Old Trafford once since. I was in Manchester for an Academic Conference in September 2011, hosted by the University of Salford. The Conference banquet was held in a function room at Old Trafford overlooking the pitch. I had turned up with a Black and Red City top under my shirt. At some stage during the meal I went to the toilet and re-emerged with my City top on full display.

Six weeks later, City won there 6-1 and set up a League Championship win.
 
Cassandra said:
This was (nearly) my first derby - I'd gone from Reddish on a charabanc from Melba Motors (part of North Western by then) rather than my usual Raleigh Blue Streak bike. By the time we arrived the gates were closing and I couldn't find an entrance - I heard the roar as Alex Harley scored but decided not to stay and caught a bus home - arriving home more or less as Denis Law kicked Harry Dowd in the head to win the penalty.
Still, that made the Denis Law backheel all the more poignant a few years later.

However, I also went to a youth derby, a Youth Cup Semi-Final at Old Trafford, there were a couple of Reddish lads playing - Mike Doyle and Phil Burrows, Phil was a couple of years older than me and lived next door but one. We often had a kick around on North Reddish Park or in our cobbled back entry. We lost but the match was memorable for Mike Doyle "chinning" George Best without the referee seeing! It was an ill tempered game and was probably the start of a chain that led to that awful challenge by George Best on Glynn Pardoe.
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I was at both legs of the Youth Cup Semi-Final.

There were three City first team squad players involved (as I recall): Glyn Pardoe, Mike Doyle, and Alan Ogley.

United also had three first team regulars involved: John Aston, David Sadler and George Best.

I think that United won 4-1 at Old Trafford and 4-3 at Maine Road.

Colin Shindler wrote a rather good book about this tie: George Best and 21 Others. I have a copy in my office and I have not been there in over a year through the lockdown.
 
JGL07 said:
I was at both legs of the Youth Cup Semi-Final.

There were three City first team squad players involved (as I recall): Glyn Pardoe, Mike Doyle, and Alan Ogley.

United also had three first team regulars involved: John Aston, David Sadler and George Best.

I think that United won 4-1 at Old Trafford and 4-3 at Maine Road.

Colin Shindler wrote a rather good book about this tie: George Best and 21 Others. I have a copy in my office and I have not been there in over a year through the lockdown.
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I can't remember why I didn't go to the return leg. "George Best and 21 others" is a great read following the "fate" of each of the players over the next few years. I think I passed my copy on to my sister. From memory two things stood out about my mate Phil Burrows. Firstly I can imagine the scene when he and his dad (Arthur - ex Stockport County I think) were negotiating a deal and they weren't getting what they wanted when his dad said OK we're leaving - Phil was mortified but they were duly called back and the deal was improved. The other was that Phil was actually selected to play for the first team, but no-one told him!. By the time he read about it in the mid-day "Pink" it was too late for him to do anything about it and the chance was gone. He was a classy left back and had a good career particularly with York City. Something similar happened to Mike Doyle but he managed to get a lift - I think they were playing Cardiff City away - so it was presumably to the airport. I also think that that was the game where Johnny Crossan acted as his avenger and protector. Their two experiences and their futures reminds me of the film "Sliding Doors".

Similarly, at my late Brother in Law - George Greenall's funeral I saw an embossed card telling him he had been selected to play against United - the match was postponed and he never got another opportunity. He played regularly for the reserves at centre half and was a great mate of Harry Dowd. Later played at Oldham along with Bobby Johnstone and a few other ex- City players. I occasionally pull my sister's leg by referring to her as one of the original WAG's.
 
JGL07 said:
My first derby match was at the fag end of the 1962-63 season.

It was my third match at Maine Road after a 0-3 defeat by Blackpool and a 1-0 win over the (then) mighty Spurs. George Hannah was brilliant the previous Saturday but picked up an injury and Joe Hayes was moved to take Hannah's role with Neil Young coming in on the wing.

Team​

  1. Harry Dowd
  2. Bobby Kennedy
  3. Cliff Sear
  4. Alan Oakes
  5. Bill Leivers
  6. Matt Gray
  7. Neil Young
  8. Peter Dobing
  9. Alex Harley
  10. Joe Hayes
  11. David Wagstaffe
City needed to win to have a realistic chance of avoiding relegation with United just above them in the table. All was going well with Alex Harley putting City ahead. Time was running out when Denis Law made a nine tariff dive to win a penalty for United that was put away by Albert Quixall.

That match effectively relegated City and they would not play United again for three seasons apart from the rather silly Duke of Edinburgh Cup friendly in 1964 for the Variety Club of Great Britain. I can't remember the result other than City getting gubbed.
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I can remember being at this game As a 10 year old,We were stood at the front of the scoreboard end leaning on the wall, right behind the goal, I can still see Harry Dowd diving at Laws feet and winning the ball only for Law to dive and win a penalty, I also recall before the game an aeroplane flying over the stadium and us kids wandering what it were doing, the following day on the centre pages of the daily express (I think ) was an aerial photo of a full Maine Road.
 
lancs blue said:
72/73 season, Colin Bell should have been credited with a hat-trick but one was given as a Buchan o.g.
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This was my first ever game never mind first derby! Went on coach from Rochdale and parked on the Kippax car park. United fans bricked the coaches even though many of them had rags fans on them!
 
My brother took me to the 1990 derby at Maine Rd, he was 27 at the time, I was 19, we was unplayable for 80 mins, fuckin 3-3 when we should have pissed that game, he now lives in states but misses City like mad..
 
4th May 1976 at OT - lost 2 - 0. This was the last match of the season after the rags had been beaten 1 - 0 by Southampton in the FA Cup Final.
Stood on the Scoreboard End and shit myself when just before the final whistle the Stretford End invaded the pitch and ran towards us. Silk scarf down my sock on the way home.
 
Despite having a season ticket since 94/95 I always sold my derby ticket as I hated them so much I couldn’t bear watching them beat us.

First one was in the Stretford end, Howey equalised at the other end of the pitch with a header, not sure who scored for them but Keane was sent off for a ‘tackle’ on Haaland.

I probably wasn’t far off getting a kicking when somebody I knew pointed out “they’re city” as soon as we got outside. Luckily I know someone who lived on Railway Road and he was in.
 
1980 at Old Trafford. I was in with the United fans keeping very quiet until City scored the second goal! Ended 2-2. And there was loads of empty seats in there end even at a derby game. There was always empty seats alas how I got mine!
 
1976 at home got beat 3 1 to make matters worse i was in the scum standing, as I was only allowed to go with my mate and his mother now that was a shit day
 
city986 said:
1976 at home got beat 3 1 to make matters worse i was in the scum standing, as I was only allowed to go with my mate and his mother now that was a shit day
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Wasn't my first derby but remember one from the 60's at the sty. 3 or 4 of us with our united pals all together in the Stretford End. I could check this out but going from memory definitely a City win with an Alex Harley winner at the opposite end. Much celebration by us very young ones! I do remember an older rag fan grabbing my mother knitted bobble hat and then ramming it back down on my head as we continued to celebrate.
More happy days. If a certain City fan is reading this he will remember that episode.
 
beenmeaningtojoinforyears said:
Wasn't my first derby but remember one from the 60's at the sty. 3 or 4 of us with our united pals all together in the Stretford End. I could check this out but going from memory definitely a City win with an Alex Harley winner at the opposite end. Much celebration by us very young ones! I do remember an older rag fan grabbing my mother knitted bobble hat and then ramming it back down on my head as we continued to celebrate.
More happy days. If a certain City fan is reading this he will remember that episode.
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1962. My first.
 
Cassandra said:
This was (nearly) my first derby - I'd gone from Reddish on a charabanc from Melba Motors (part of North Western by then) rather than my usual Raleigh Blue Streak bike. By the time we arrived the gates were closing and I couldn't find an entrance - I heard the roar as Alex Harley scored but decided not to stay and caught a bus home - arriving home more or less as Denis Law kicked Harry Dowd in the head to win the penalty.
Still, that made the Denis Law backheel all the more poignant a few years later.

However, I also went to a youth derby, a Youth Cup Semi-Final at Old Trafford, there were a couple of Reddish lads playing - Mike Doyle and Phil Burrows, Phil was a couple of years older than me and lived next door but one. We often had a kick around on North Reddish Park or in our cobbled back entry. We lost but the match was memorable for Mike Doyle "chinning" George Best without the referee seeing! It was an ill tempered game and was probably the start of a chain that led to that awful challenge by George Best on Glynn Pardoe.
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this as it finally jogged my rapidly fading memory. I arrived with a pal also to find the gates closed and heard the roar of Harley, Harley, Harley. We hung around and finally got in when they opened a gate in the Main stand only to see the Law incident which left Dowd out cold for a while.

I think I was also at the earlier game at the swamp as I seem to remember the Alex Dawson "header" that @JGL07 recalled in an earlier post, he had quite a reputation for punching the ball in the net.
 
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