fa cup final when city lost to newcastle made me a city fan.before the war my gran worked at maine road and would bring the kit home to wash and iron it so there was a connection already. in those days of no cars washing would be hung across the street, imagine that today! my dad and granddad took me to watch my first match but even before we got there i was amazed at the throngs converging on the stadium. many on bikes. no segregation preston fans were stood near us no problems. we went to each home game and i clearly remember asking my dad why so many more people were heading to maine road . stanley matthews is playing was the reply. well. he did not play, and the groan that greeted the news was deafening mixed wiyh more than a little anger.for the next fifteen years i saw the high and lows but the hooligan years finally put an end to my live football matches. the derby game when the ref took the players off to cool off was my last for many years. i am still amazed how depressed i get when city dont play well. and how good it feels when utd lose. not forgetting leeds of course they were so cynical . liverpool fans were the first to bring obscene chants to maine rd but chelsea fans took the biscuit for provocation by waving fivers at us .loadsamoney!

I experienced my first City Game at the age of 4 when my dad, who was left to babysit me, instead took me along to watch City beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-1. I obviously don’t remember much except that it was mid-week at night and I do remember the floodlights and crowd cheering and my dad giving me a piggyback ride on his shoulders to the ground. A few years later my dad could take me to the matches under more legitimate circumstances and I used to idolize Bert Trautmann. Dad used to take car loads of his mates from Bury just to watch Trautmann play. Have supported them through thick and thin ever since. Even from Canada we get most of their games.
Keith Sharp
Toronto Canada

Can’t remember the exact game but my early memories are of Joe Hayes with his brilliant dribbling & Bert Trautmann. Like many of the supporters from that era have said, Bert was the ultimate hero and surely kept us from relegation for a number of seasons. What about a statue of him outside the ground ??

The teams emerge from the tunnel.
A blond Adonis wearing a green jersey positions himself in goal.
His charisma is palpable. His saves are spectacular.
Bert my hero – City my club.

Joyce Gale 1955

My first match was around ‘54 – ‘55 against Spurs at Maine Road, we lsot 3-1. I remember the atmosphere and seeing City run out for the first time. It was exciting, I was impressed by the sky blue shirts with red numbers, and Bert trautmann became my favourite straight away.
The disappointment of losing the ‘55 cup final and winning the ‘56 cup final. I was in the crowd to welcome back City with the cup, everyone chanting for Bert after his heroics during the match. The memories from when you are young are the most vivid, I can still recite both City teams from the ‘55 and ‘56 Cup Finals. I also remember a real “downer” towards the end of the fifties when city lost to Grimsby Town in the FA Cup at Maine Roa, what a miserable journey home.
Of course, the real highs came during the Mercer Allison period, wonderful memories of winning the championship and other trophies. I came to live in the Midlands during this time, and went to watch city at Maine road whenever I could, and went to matches around the Midlands when City were playing.
Inthe low period when we were in division 2, I had to take the “brickbrats” from villa, Wolves, WBA, Birmingham City and even walsall fans. The worst howevrr came from those Midland Man Utd fans, I stood my ground and gave as good as I got.
A nice memory was a pre-season firendly, wolves v City, July 2004. SWP made one of his fantastic runs down the right, cut inside and scored a great goal.
However the biggest thrill that happened for me, when my daughter booked a stadium tour as a surprise for my 60th birthday. We travelled to Eastlands in the summer of 2004, it was a glorious sunny day and the stadium was a magnificent sight.
City were to play Lazio in a friendly, so unfortunately we were unable to see the dressing rooms. I photographed various parts of the ground and rounded off the visit by having lunch in the cafe next to the museum. It was a wonderful experience and one I will always remember.
I am phyiscally an absentee supporter, but I am always with City in spirit, and await anxiously the result on match day, experiencing the highs and lows according to the outcome.
With the new dawn at Eastlands, I look forward to the exciting times ahead, and offer all concerned my best wishes for the future

i was 7 and my own memory is vague but
my grandad gave me a city rossette and sat me in front of the black and whiteb tv,and apparently i was
inconsolable when we lost 3-1.the first game i actually
attended was i think in 62/63 and we got hammered.
most of my mates were reds buti instantly fell for the blues,and became a lifelong supporter.

My first game watching City was in 1953 when I was age 6. My elder brother Barry took me to Maine Road and we stood behind the vast number of City fans waving rattles around at the old scoreboard end. City won 3-1 but funnily enough I can only remember two players on the Charlton side! One was a cultured left half called John Hewie, I think he was South African, and the other was their goalkeeper Sam Bartram. Nevertheless a lifelong association with City was founded and still continues from my seat in the East stand. My two sons also have season tickets but I’m still waiting to introduce a grandson to the topsy turvy world of City. Incidentally I was one of the 8000 for citys lowest attendance in George Poysers days.

City beat United 2-0 in front of nearly 75,000. My father had to hold me on his shoulders unde the old scoreboard. My mother had taken my sister to the ballet at the Palace so I insisted on my treat at Maine Road. The same day Liverpool played Everton in the Cup in front of 72,000. The score was also 2-0. This must be some kind of record.

20th December 1951. My father took me to Maine Roead to see City play Stoke City. He took me into the main stand (which was the only covered and seated area at that time.I was hooked for life. The game wasn’t memorable only for Bert Trautmann being in goal. City lost 1-0, my father teased me that he wouldn’t take me again, but he took me many times

It was a Wednesday afternoon game and my teacher Miss Bird,I think her first name was Pat,took me as a reward for doing well in my exams at Brindle Heath School in Pendleton. My mother took me to meet her in Manchester, from there we took the bus from Aytoun Street to Maine Road.Miss Bird must have been well connected with the club because we had drinks in the boardroom before the game.We lost 5-4 but that was me hooked for life.I was ten at that time,and I am now 61yrs and I still go to this day,along with my son and grandaughter.