I’d wanted to go to a City match long before my first but my Mum wouldn’t let me! Then came a fixture that she couldn’t resist herself – City v Schalke in the European Cup Winners Cup. My Mum, Rosemarie, who was from Gelsenkirchen in Germany, found out that my Uncle Karl, who worked in a travel agency, was escorting a group of Schalke fans to the game, so even she wanted to go – just to be with him.

I was 10 years old but it seems like yesterday to me. I can still remember being overwhelmed by the smells, the noise and the colours of being at a game. I’d only seen football on a black and white TV until that day! When I walked into the stadium my emotions went into overdrive – there were my heroes in blue and white, the grass was green (it was grey on my tele!)and I could actually smell it, along with bovril, hot food and the embrocation rubbed onto the players legs.

When City scored the crowd noise was deafening – and they scored five times! When Schalke got a late goal, my Mum was the only person, near me, who jumped out of her seat and cheered. Since that day – 15th April 1970 – I’ve been to, well over, 2000 games and I’ve never lost my enthusiasm for the beautiful game. These days I’m also a big fan of Schalke – I go to see them regularly. My Mum died when I was just 17 years old and that was the only game she went with me to. It was my first game and will always be my favourite.

Ian Cheeseman – lifelong City fan and City reporter BBC Radio Manchester