Whilst growing up in the West Midlands, my father was more of a football fan as opposed to supporting one team. He would take me to a match depending upon who was playing. One week it was Birmingham City, the next WBA and so on. However, when he took me to see City play Wolves at Molineux, I knew from that moment, the die was cast, i was to become a Blue. I was 9 years old and watched a terrific City side (Doyle, Bell, Kidd and Marsh) play a great game against a very good Wolves side. I can’t remember the score exactly but I remember the atmosphere standing amongst the City fans in the North Bank. Terrifi. I’m 44 now, my son accompanies me and has done since he was 7 he too loves the Blues. City till we die.

My grandad was a lifelong United fan. But he agreed to take me to Maine Road to watch my first City game. We were playing Ipswich but what I remember most about the day was the shouts, the smoke and the banter as the crowd gathered in the terraced streets around Maine Road in the run up to kick-off. These days I take my own boys to games and they experience the same thrill I did more than 30 years ago watching Bell, Summerbee and Lee.

My first game was a 0-0 draw against QPR in 1974 – it was a school trip!
Hasn’t stopped me coming ever since.
CTID

My 1st City Game.I was just turned 13 and the date was the 10th September 1974. A League Cup tie at home to Scunthorpe. I lived in West Gorton and my dad took me to the game. We caught the 53 Bus from Belle Vue Street to the ground. I remember walking towards the Kippax stand and because it was a midweek evening game the floodlights were blazing, and I could just see into the ground before I entered, Majical!! We won 6-0 a hatrick from Bell, and goals from Barrett, Doyle and Marsh. That was me hooked. Once a Blue always a Blue!

Dave Pawsey

14/9/74.
My next door neighbour was a Liverpool fan. He got tickets for himself and me. I was 10 years old. Unfortunately my dad was a Rugby fan an d never had much time for footy.
We sat in the main stand about half way up with a pillar partially obstructing the view.
A pulsating game with chances for both sides, but it was a great piece of skill from Rodney marsh and a sliding effort at the far post by Dennis Tueart that separated the teams.
Dennis’ goal was shown at the start of sport northwest for the rest of the season. We didn’t beat the scousers too much at the time so it was all the more sweet.

We had a second hand shop a few hundred yards away from Maine Road, i never took too much interest as a small kid but one day the school bully pinned me against a wall and ‘told’ me i had to support united. enough said from then on i was a Blue !
I loved Maine Road, sitting outside waiting for the Kippax turnstiles to open, watching fans parking their bikes and motorbikes in peoples backyards, people arriving by the football special buses, the whole build up.
Then the gates opened, pay our money and rush across to try and get a space above one of the tunnels, having to use the toilets open to the skies, having money for a programme so we could get our ‘token’ to get tickets for the next ‘big’ match.
I especially love night games (still do) the colour, the atmosphere, being up late, seeing ‘King Colin’, Franny, Buzzer, all my heroes, hoping my mam had knitted their names onto my hand knitted scarf, just being ther it was magical.
Now all grown up it’s still as exciting and thrilling, still the same massive buzz it’s always been, as me and my wife head towards the ground it’s such a thrill knowing the fabulous arena we are entering, we love the whole experience every time.
Even now i still call the C.O.M.Stadium ‘Maine Road’ and i suppose thats a habit i’ll never break (and don’t really want to either).
Now we’re just waiting for our new heroes and champions to come to the fore. Cheers City – it’s been emotional !!

my first game was against bristol city at maine road in 1974. we won 2-1 and i remember my dad paid 35p to get me in. we went in the kippax. all i remember about the game is watching the city fans singing….i asked my dad after a bit when i understood what the words to the songs were if it was ok to sware….he immediately clipped my ear. the next time i went i actually watched the match but the thing that got me hooked was being in the electric atmosphere of the kippax. i would give anything to stand on that terrace again.

The first time I ever saw City was at Maine Road when we had the famous 5 forward line of Summerbee, Bell, Lee, Law and Marsh against Norwich City on a hot August day in 1974. We won the game 2-1. Colin Bell got one goal but not sure about the other. I was hooked although I did see the same F5 under perform later that year at Wembley versus Wolves in League Cup Final. But as all City fans know. That’s what being a City fan is all about !

My first visit to maine road was during a day off from school we met Rodney Marsh who ask me and my friend to look after his car while he was training and he even said that if we had our trainers with us we could of had a kick about which is unreal today
he was such a showman and a great player

At my first City match Rodney Marsh scored and we won 4-0 – or so I’m told as I was very young! I do know I kept telling my Dad (pictured with me) to stop jumping around and embarrassing me when they scored! I was soon City mad too and since then The Blues have provided us with so many vivid memories.

They have been in my blood ever since and I never forget the special feeling that comes with supporting my Dad’s team and being a Blue!