Living just off Maine Road in Moss Side, I was brought up with Manchester City and loved the atmosphere on match days. I used to look out of the window watching all the crowds go by and listening for the cheers once the match had started. Finally, aged 7, I got the chance to go to a game with my family. We sat in the Platt Lane end on the wooden bench seats. I remember walking to our seats and thinking how huge the place was. I don’t remember who we were playing but I got the bug from that day on and from the age of 10, I used to pay my £1.80 with my friend to get into the Kippax. We couldn’t see anything so used to ask someone to lift us on the sides of the tunnels and sit on there for the whole game. We had a great view! Later, I became a season ticket holder and have supported City all my life. I don’t live near Maine Road anymore but have some great memories of it.

My first city game was when i was about 10, i came with my dad, the one thing i remember the most is,chearing through out the whole game even when they hafnt scored.

My first City game was in the 2002/2003 season and City had the impossible task of playing Fulham. I was 5 years old and was being accompanied by two of my uncle’s. My favourite memory of that fantastic game was when City scored an awesome goal. I will always remember the way the crowd roared and cheered, the atmosphere was amazing. Also in that game was one of David James’s greatest saves. The final score was 1-1.

One dark ,wintry night, spent in an endless queue for tickets into the Kippax.My father, brother and me! We were playing Liverpool, my father’s team.We were crammed into the stand, it seemed like everyone was holding each other up.I could hardly see the game. We scored,the crowd surged forwards,a hand tapped my fathers trilby off his head and it flew over rows of heads infront of us.It never came back!!!
Come on, hand it over!

My heroes were coming to town, well Oxford anyway. We lived 20 miles away in Buckinghamshire.

The closest I had got to my idols up till then was walking round the corner to a family friends house to watch Match of the Day on a colour TV. They were City through and through.

My father was not a fan, didn’t understand the game, but he got press ganged into taking me to see my beloved City at Oxford Utd.

So off we went, with a crate for me to stand on, I was only 12!

The only problem was my old man had no idea about fan segregation, ends or violence, so we bought a ticket and proceeded to stand right in the middle of the home supporters (London Rd end).

Well done Dad!

Actually they took pity on us and I was a bit of a star, cheering every goal, and there were plenty. Seven in total, luckily five to City.

I only remember one goal, a Denis Law header. That seals the year, as he only arrived on a free in the summer of 73 and I went to the League Cup final against Wolves later that season, so it must have been 1973.

I saw Colin Bell, Tony Book, Glyn Pardoe, Tommy Booth, Mike Summerbee, Francis Lee, Alan Oakes and Big Joe.

I went back to Oxford many times as I got older, it had a great atmosphere. I remember OPR, Chelsea, Orient, Wolves, Bolton, Sunderland and even the Rags. Needless to say I was an Oxford supporter on all those days, but I never returned to the London Rd end, the memories were to precious, my first City game amongst the yobs.

I did return to Oxford to watch City many years later. I can’t tell you the year, probably about 1986. After getting off the train we were collected by the local constabulary, but we were marched to the London Road turnstiles, at which point we realised this wasn’t the local constabulary as they didn’t know which end was which. Probably brought in for the match. After a few strong words and bottles in the air we ended up in the right place.

I think it was a one nil win.

I live in Western Australia now, so live starved of decent football, but those days on terraces at Oxford, Wycombe, Wimbledon, West Ham, Arsenal, Bristol Rovers, Cardiff, Chelsea, Luton, QPR, Saints, Spurs etc will live with me forever.

Maine Road is the real memory and it’s still home.

The game has changed the passion has subsided, so I hold all those memories dear.

First game in 1973, and I was there at Wembley in 1999, and I am still always there, maybe now not in body, but all the passion remains.

CTID

Ian Spencer

it was this season and i was sat in the colin bell stand and it was also shay givens debut and criag bellamy scored

My first game from what i can remember was watford in the 80’s.I can remember going in the kippax with my dad and seeing all these people could not figure out what all the fuss was about.can’t remember the score or much about the game just remember a young john barnes wearing gloves.

after mythering my dad(regular home and away from early 60s til present)for years to take me he decided that at 6 i was finally old enough. it was the 1st game of season and ranson,reid and caton (rip) were making their debuts.we arrived at maine road an hour before kick off with hardly anyone about and went through the turnstile into the main stand.”just go up there son”- i walked a few steps and there it was-heaven. the kippax across the green baize.ill never forget that moment.the match finished 0-0 and a palace player got booked!

I have been a city fan for 11years, since the good old second division. Living in the shetland isles its pretty difficult to get to see a match. This season i decided i had to come and see robinho. I went to see city win 2-1 against newcasle. Great day since it was bellamy and de jongs debut and became obvious that given was joining. Shaun wright and bellamy scored and robinho showed what a quality player he is. Will definately get sometime soon again. hopefully the uefa cup final.

It was wonderful opening this page just now and it was particularly poignant to immediately see the photo of Frank Swift – because it was his presence when we were literally sitting beside the Goal only a few yards away just behind the goal line. I have been meaning to enter my name among this “Hall of Old’uns” but I have not been to well of late. However, my birthday on March 26th, reminded me of my many visits to Maine Road during the war – including attending so-called “International Representative Matches” where well over 70,000 fans attended. The immediate names which come to mind (as well as the very kindly “Big Frank” Swift) are Styanley Matthews and Willie Waddell (Scotland).
I have been a loyal fan – mostly from afar however – because I ‘emigrated’ to London in 1951. Since that time I have been lucky enough to have travelled the world a great deal – but ‘City’ was ALWAYS on my mind – through Thick and Thin – and there were many times when I was in some other part of the world – and made a point of seeking out an English Sunday paper – always 1 to 3 days late – but still costing huge amounts of money. I still travel now and of course, it is so much easier now to pull up the results on my XDA – possibly even in real time.
I have to finish now, but – if it is possible, I will add to my story some other time. I will try to remember more Matches and Players etc. Before, I go, I have to tell you that my Son John who is now 51 – has been a Manchester City fan ALL HIS LIFE – even though he has only ever visited Manchester about a dozen times! (I could not and certainly would not entertain any person in my family supporting any other team!)
Good Luck to Mark and the Team and may you all get together and go from strength to strength