My First City Game » 1969

My First Game – FA Cup Final 1969

Gary Armitage — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:43:30 +0000

My dad woke me up in what seemed like the middle of the night, it was very early Saturday morning, and we were “off to Wembley”. We arrived at the Stadium at 8am and my excitement was nearly overwhelming. As the morning progressed more and more fans arrived from both City and Leicester City, the atmosphere was really building. We must have walked up and down Wembley way 3 or 4 times waiting for the gates to open. The City fans were at the tunnel end and as the stadium filled the atmosphere was electric, made the hairs on the back of your neck stand out. The game itself was a blur but I can remember the goal as if it was in slow motion. I was hooked and have been a City fan eversince. My son attends all the home games with me now and when they show the goal on the big screens in the stadium I proudly tell him “I was there and thats where my love affair with City really started”

Memories

David Lomas — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:40:13 +0000

As schoolboys my pals and I were at Maine Road autograph hunting, in those days the players trained at the stadium. Mike Simerbee came out, signed our books, we asked if any ball boys were needed, “go and ask Malcom, tell him I sent you” was the reply. So we marched up to reception, asked to see Mr Alison, we only got into his office to see the man himself! That just would not happen today, great memories.

My first game

Colin Greenwood — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:11:38 +0000

My first game was the 1969 FA Cup Quarter final against Spurs; my Dad took me to the game on a very wet Saturday after noon. We got the 53 special bus from Belle Vue getting off at the end of Dickinson road a journey that I would make hundreds of times in the future. We walked around Platt lane into the side streets and called into the Rusholm Working men’s club sadly no longer there I sat in the corner with a coke and some salt and shake crisps listening to the city fans talking about the coming game. Just walking to the ground through the back alleys was exiting enough with the sound of the crowd and everyone wearing some form of blue, I had never seen so many people. Once inside the walls of Maine Road .I was overwhelmed by magnitude of the ground and the hustle and bustle of fans chanting and cheering.
I sat on the wall close to the half way line with my feet dangling over onto the side of the wet and muddy pitch. When the players came out in their sky blue, my heart missed a beat I was so close that I could have reached out and touched them it was fantastic. The thing that I remember the most was the roar of the crowd and the celebrations when Franny Lee scored the winner; I was nearly pushed on to the pitch
I remember thinking that I would get the chance to go to a semi final. But was told that I was too young.
A game that I will never forget
Colin Greenwood born in Gorton

rainy first match

Colin Greenwood — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:06:24 +0000

My first game was the 1969 FA Cup Quarter final against Spurs I was only 8 my Dad took me to the game on a very wet Saturday after noon. we got the 53 bus from Belle Vie and got off at the end of Dickinson Road and walked around the side off Platt lane to the Resole Working Men’s Club sadly no longer their I sat in the corner with coke and a packet of crisps I remember listening to all the men talking about the game.
.Just walking to the ground through the back alleys was exiting enough with the sound of the crowd and everyone wearing some form of blue, I had never seen so many people. Once inside the great walls of Maine Road .I was overwhelmed by the size of the ground and the hustle and bustle of fans chanting and cheering, and the programme sellers shouting “programmes come and get your programmes”.
I sat on the wall close to the half way line with my feet dangling over the side all that I could see looking back onto the Kippax was a sea off blue scarves and in front of me a green but rather muddy pitch. I was so close I could have touched the players it was fantastic. The thing that I remember the most was the roar of the crowd and the celebrations when Franny Lee scored the winner; I was nearly pushed on to the pitch
I remember thinking that I would get the chance to go to a semi final. But was told that I was too young.
A game that I will never forget
Colin Greenwood Born in gorton

Banks clanger

Gary Smale — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:35:44 +0000

My first memory is City v Leicester (I think) sat in the old Platt Lane End on the wooden benches. I went with my Dad, we paid to get in the Kippax and transferred for a shilling into the Platt Lane. City won 4-1 and the game was made even memorable by a very rare Gordon Banks own goal. It was happy days watching the then 1st Division Champions.

Fa cup rd 3 v Wigan

Nigel Reynolds — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:12:13 +0000

My first game watching City’s first team was against Wigan, who were then a nn league team. The North stand at Maine Rd was a large lump of earth. I sat in the front of the main stand with my dad and I watched City win 1 – 0. I was 6 and a half. I remember the game because we had coffee with rum in it to warm us up on a cold winters day. Great memories. Sadly my dad isn’t here any more but I know he will be watching all the goings on at City.

Joe Mercer

stephen wilkinson — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:43:24 +0000

My earliest and greatest memory as a ciy fan was outside main road(by the way i think city’s new stadium should be called new main road.)I was about 9 and in those days you could wander around outside the ground,without the security problems that you get today.I was waiting to go into block H which we always went into as Alan Oakes, mum was a dinner lady at our school and she sold me the tickets that he had been allocated to him.We were outside the ground when i felt someone put their hands on my shoulders i turned and looked up and it was Joe Mercer.I don’t think anyone believes me to this day,but it happened and it happened to me.I wonder what the great (and let’s not forget that’s what he was)Joe Mercer would have made of our great club today.

Cup Match

Charles Cracknell — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:48:17 +0000

I was one of the orginal glory hunters!!!! and am prepared to admit it as I went to see MCFC play against my home team Hull City in the Cup and MCFC won Colin Bell scoring. We went as a gang of 8 year oldfs and had a great time supporting the blues. I have supported them every since and I have even managed to get Hulls Youth Enterprise Programme named after City its Making Changes For Careers now thats great combining work and City. City Fan at work – The Girl must be a Red!!

City v Everton – League Cup

Geoff Jasinski — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:04:24 +0000

City beat a strong Everton side 2-0 (Bell and Lee)in round 4 of the cup. But it was the electric atmosphere that night that will live with me forever. I sat on a wall in the old scoreboard end at Maine Road and was transfixed by the colour of the pitch, the size of the Kippax, the glow of matches and lighters in the crowd, and the brilliant green of the pitch (we only saw football in black and white in those days). I was just hooked. My brother-in-law’s brother took me on the bus from Middleton – I was 11 years old and had been desperate to see a live game.

My greatest game came a few months later when we beat Shalke 5-1 in the CWC semi-final – there has never been a performance to beat that since by any City side.

A TRANSFER FOR LIFE

ANDREW HEYDEMAN — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:43:47 +0000

A day I will never forget,attending Maine Road for the first time ever with my Dad for a 1-0 FA Cup Quarter Final victory over Tottenham.On a muddy Maine Road pitch,Francis Lee scored the winner midway through the second half.
My Dad was a Spurs fan,and we had travelled up from London for the game with my Mum and sister.
I fell in love with Maine Road,the friendly and electric atmosphere,the passion emanating from the crowd and the formidable team.
My allegiance changed to City that day,the family moved to Manchester by happy coincidence just two years afterwards, and I remain a passionate Blue still attending with my Mum as a Season Ticket holder 37 rollercoaster years later.And I wouldn’t change anything-it was love at first sight with Manchester City,and my love for the club will stay with me until I die!!