I became a City fan the day that Colin Bell was transferred from Bury (he was my favourite player at that time and remains the best I have ever seen. Because of my age I was not allowed to go to Main Road. When City reached the FA Cup Final in 1969 my dad got tickets through Bobby Owen, how excited was I?

The journey was planned with Military precision, we left North Manchester in the early hours of Saturday morning, my dad driving, Watford Gap at dawn and parking at Wembley at about 8 in the morning. The day just got better, lots of fans arriving, both City and Leicester, the atmosphere was becoming electric. The gates opened, we were in the Tunnel end, the singing, the banter, the humour I will never forget.

The goal……buzzer on the wing, crossed and Neil Young with the sweetest shot and it was in the net. Delerium, joy, words cant explain how I felt. We won the cup. The memories will be with me until the day I die.
I am now 54 and my son and I, he is 25, are season card holders I am as fanatical now as I was then.

the frist match i went to watch city was in 1965. we played spurs. but i was to young to remeber much. the match that i truly became a blue was the 69 cup final. which we all know city won 1-0. being a blue is been up one day and down the next. lets hope the furture is blue.
- trevor, blue for life

My parents took me to my 1st game around 1969 along with my brother who was 5. I was 8. All I can remember was it was a reserve game and my brother used to run up and down the steps,as my parents wanted me to get used to the ground when it was quite empty and not so intimidating. Sort of breaking me into the habit of going to the matches before being ready for the electric atmosphere of the first team which it was in those days.The noise of the crowd when I eventually did go for the 1st time was deafening and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Like any other young kid, you were in awe of everything about the place.

I was only 10 years old when I saw city play for the first time. After the FA cup win, I decided I would support City. I travelled the short distance to the ground, all my mates predicting a city thrashing, I kept my gob shut. The match started, my eyes level with the pitch at the north bank. City tore Wolves apart with Colin Bell and Franny Lee scoring, with Wolves getting a late consolation goal. I smiled in silence on the bus back home reliving the city goals – Magic!!

Was on ‘holiday’ as a nipper in Rawtenstall! September, 1969. I’d just become a City fan the Christmas before and the visit coincided with City being at Burnley. My mum took me and although my memories are hazy I do remember the white-haired Burnley keeper (Peter Mellor) and Ian Bowyer scoring for us in a 1-1 draw. I also fondly recall Francis Lee telling me to eff off afterwards when asking him for an autograph! But we chatted to Joe Mercer and he was a gentleman. Looked the game up years later and discovered Stan Bowles had made a rare start for us that day.

The sun shone brightly, the atmosphere excitedly expetant. City scored 6 and coasted to victory. It provided no real insight to the 40 year roller-coaster ahead… My Father an Irish immigrant arrived and supported United from the off, but died a proud City fan after his last match sat on the benches at Platt Lane.
Supporting City isn’t simply ‘following your team’. It’s a mission, a character building way of life that I wouldn’t change for the world.

My Dad took me to my very first football match at Wembley in 1969 where City beat Leicester 1-0 in the FA Cup final. I remember the day vividly, I literally got swept off my feet by the thousands of fans outside the stadium. As a 9 year old boy at the time, I’d never seen as many people in one place at the same time. Once inside the stadium I stood behind the goals with all of the city fans, and I couldn’t see a thing. My back was against a wall where the terraces had a step upwards, and someone asked my dad to lift me up so that I could perch on the front of the wall and watch the game. I had a great view and recall the Neil Young goal as though it was yesterday. After that I thought the game wasn’t great, but the celebrations afterwards with Tony Book collecting the trophy and everyone around me going mad I’ll never forget. We stayed season ticket holders throughout the 70’s and my dad and I would visit Wembly again in 1974, 1976 and 1981. My hope now is that I’ll be able to take my son to Wembly to watch City in the near future. We’ve been to every season at the COMS, but Wembly is a very special place to be. – Stuart