It was 1955,I was 13. My uncle John had already taken me to my first game : at Old Trafford. The Reds had won 3-0 against Portsmouth, but somehow it wasn’t right.
The second was at Maine Road, against United.
What a revelation. My boyhood heroes, Trautmann, Revie and Johnstone all played. The ground itself, the magnificent uniform bowl that was the stadium’s original design, impressed me mightily, as did the huge and vociferous crowd.
City won 1-0 with little Joe Hayes getting the winner. I can still replay the goal in my mind’s eye over 50 years later.
A revelation it was and still remains.
Thanks City.

My first city game was a friendly against the Jamaican national team it was a freezing night and it was raining. i was sat right at the top of the kippax stand, a cracking view. Adding to the miserable conditions was the miserable scoreline. 0-0.

My dad took me to my first game in 1981. It was a cold winter day for the visit of Norwich in the 4th round of the FA Cup. I was 9 and we sat in the North Stand.
We won 6-0 and there were 6 different scorers that day. The match finished under floodlights and the sky blues players dancing on the pitch looked magical – i was in heaven, it must be like this every week i thought as we ploughed on to Wembley.
That night i looked through my Panini stickers i had collected and played out the match again on the lounge carpet.
To cap a great day City were on match of the day that night and you could clearly see my dad and me on the tele!

City against Chelsea in 1994 when i was 3. I drove my dad insane, missing all the goals courtesy of my toilet breaks, but it was quite simply love at first sight. (with city … not the toilets)

- Felix

i first ever city game was a testimonial. paul lakes my dad took me. i was born in 93 and it was against united but i was very young but i remeber someone scored but i was more bovvered about my pack lunch. now i’m a season ticket hold ever since in the east stand. without my city im nothing so 15 still many happy memories to come.

My first City game was at Maine Road in out brief spell in the Premier League under Joe Royle. We lost 3 – 1, I was in the uncovered corner next to the away fans, but was absolutely amazing, the atmosphere was immense!

I first went to watch a Manchester City game in the 1980’s, but my most memorable for personal reasons was this seasons UEFA Cup qualifier versus FC Midtjylland on 14th August. This is because it was the 1st match I was able to take my 3 children. 9 years, 5 years & nearly 2 years. My oldest had been with me a few times, he had even been to Maine Road with me. We lost 1-0 but I’ll never forget that night.

This was my first game i’d ever been to. a 2-0 win against Bradford City with paul dickov and Alfie Haaland with the goals. the atmoshphere at maine road that day was fantastic. there’s not a lot i can remember from that day as it was 8 years ago, but it was amazing and i’ve seen many more games since.

It was Easter Monday, 2nd April 1945. My friends were all with their families; I, a 13 year old only child, found myself at a loose end so decided to get an all day bus ticket on the number 50 departing from Sale. Football was certainly not on my mind. Sale was a rugby union stronghold and soccer, as it was contemptuously called at my school, was a dirty word. My parents, neighbours and friends had no interest in the game so City, United, etc. were just words on the sports pages of the Manchester Evening News.

I carried an A to Z of Manchester to identify the buildings that I passed and my habit was to get off and investigate anything that I thought to be of interest. Travelling along Princess Parkway and approaching Moss Side I noticed masses of people arriving and converging to a point before disappearing between the buildings. “This is exciting”, I thought, “better find out what is going on”. I alighted and was immediately accosted by a seller beating off his competitors for my one (old) penny programme which screamed, from its editorial front page, “Stockport’s Advantage”. Yes indeed, a football match featuring Manchester City v Stockport County with, apparently, a number of key players not available. The prediction was correct; City lost 1 – 5!

Following the throng, I passed sights long since gone. Some were tragic, ex professional footballers with placards around their necks detailing their clubs and histories begging for a few coppers, others more pleasant with traders selling rosettes and souvenirs from their barrows. There was no segregation with all supporters intermingling and approaching the ground together. Then I saw it standing before me, Maine Road! Never had I seen anything so big The grandstand towered above me, I entered through the turnstile an took the steps to the very top and the stadium opened up before me. I can still feel the awe that I expeienced that day; If this is football I want to be part of it!

As for the match itself, all I can remember is my first idol – Frank Swift. A charismatic showman who enchanted all. City may have seen better goalkeepers but none had the charm of big Frank. He was particularly loved by the kids and in those days, when keepers stayed on their line, he kept up a constant chatter with the boys behind his goal who would arrive 3 hours early to ensure their spot.

Now, 63 seasons later, I am enjoying my football more than ever. I have experienced good times and bad but there is nothing that beats being a City fan. I often think back to this eventful day that started me on this long journey and, bearing in mind that United shared the ground, I give thanks that it was City playing on this eventful day otherwise, horrors of horrors – I might have ended up a red!

My dad took me, 5 then and my older brother, 6 to our fist game.

Told we were going a week before the game and a bit too young to understand the significance of the game, the excitement was there nontheless. I remember being worried that I might go deaf if the cheering was too loud!

Maine Road was heaving and walking through the narrow alleys through towards Platt Lane was pretty daunting amid thousands of people.

The place was full; people standing in the aisles. I remember being lifted up when we scored. What a day and game to start it all.

A day I will never forget; City ’till I die!