My First City Game » 1973

Joe Mercer

john McLoughlin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:32:52 +0000

my first game was City against Coventry.I was 10 years old and sat in the Platt lane stand with my dad and my brother.I was deafened by the ovation before the game for the arrival of the Coventry manager-Joe Mercer!
we lost the game 1-2 and Francis Lee missed a penalty.but most important of all-I got to see Colin Bell in the flesh!

City v Chelsea in 1973

Mark — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:38:56 +0000

I was 9 when I attended my first City game with my Dad and older brother. I remember we sat towards the front of the Main Stand on the bench seats. City won 3-2. I particularly remember the City forward line of Summerbee Bell Lee Marsh and Law which I still think to this day takes some beating. I was hooked!……..

My first City game 1973

Andrea Gibson — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:06:54 +0000

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.

1973/4 3rd round FA Cup (I think) v Oxford Utd (Manor Ground)

Ian Spencer — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:37:07 +0000

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

1973 City v Sunderland

Pete Share — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:45:14 +0000

My first match was the FA Cup 5th round tie at Maine road. I was just a kid and my dad sat me up on the wall at the back of the Kippax so that I’d have a good view. The atmosphere was fantastic! We drew 2-2 that day and lost at Sunderland. But some good came of it because we ended up buying the great Denis Tueart, and Dave Watson from the Mackem’s. Iv’e been a blue ever since that day.

Birmingham City

Steve Bunker — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:29:53 +0000

My dad was on short time in the early 70s and couldn’t afford to take his football-mad son to a football match. Fortunately, my best mate and his dad were regulars at City. They took me to the first game of the 73/74 season against Birmingham. Sat on the wheel arch in the back of a Servis van with no windows, there was great anticipation during the journey. I remember noticing the huge crowds and my first sight of the stadium was fantastic. We sat in the Platt Lane Stand – purple seats with painted white dividers to identify your seat. I don’t remember the game too much but I know we won. I was hooked and always looked forward to the next games. The season is notorious for our part in United’s relegation (and why not?) but for me it was the start of a long and loving relationship that is a strong as ever today.

“Our Time”

Martin Cannon — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 08:31:03 +0000

Coming from “down south” my first game was at Highbury I think in 1973, I was taken by my Dad and we of course lost but Francis Lee scored. The joy of belonging ids what mattered and it has been passed down to my son and City ganes are “our time” and hopefully it will stay that way when he has children.

burnley away,tueart misses 2 pens

michael miller — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:41:32 +0000

my first game was away to burnley,the game ended o-o with dennis tueart missing 2 penalties. afterwards there was crowd trouble and my dad would never take me away again

My 1st City Game – 1973

Phil Lines — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:18:59 +0000

24th April 1973
City 2 Sunderland 2
Sitting on the top deck of the 41 bus from Sale to Moss Side swishing over the inky puddles on the Parkway. Arriving at Maine Road to be greeted by the noise of touts, louts and fans. The wrinkled old codger at the turnstile with his bronchitic laugh, the pungent smell of old men, cheap tobacco and draft beer filling the air. I took to my seat to see an oasis view of lush green turf under a slate grey sky, the deafening noise of 54,000 as the sky blue team of City took to the field; a hot vimto with its centre of the sun heat, a dodgy pie packed with mystery meat and good natured but foul language all around. A paper on the way home with a picture of a topless Miss Pink sporting only a sky blue bikini bottom and a wide Mancunian smile.

Burnt mouth, indigestion, a naked lady, three new swear words for school on Monday a great match and a very exciting 2-2 draw.

I couldn’t wait for the next match, I still can’t.

Phil Lines

mr

jomania — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 08:29:17 +0000

V MANYOO..Dennis Law famously scored a goal against Manchester United which guaranteed their relegation from the First Division,the back-heel gave City a 1–0 win, but he was devastated to have relegated United and he did not celebrate the goal, walking off the pitch with his head down as he was substituted immediately afterwards. This game was the last of his professional career, as he retired shortly afterwards, not wanting to be confined to the reserve team of a City side who were bringing in younger players.