When I was 11 my dad was going to the League Cup Final with a friend from work, he had to drop out so he took me instead. I had always liked City but never been to a football match never mind Wembley. I can remember the journey down, seemed to take forever and the sheer numbers of fans all waving blue scarves. It was frightened of getting lost so I stuck close with him. We were sat in the South stand near the back but high up with a good view, the atmosphere was incedible, the noise and then we scored, Peter Barnes. But this was short lived as Newcastle equalised and I remember everyone around moods changed to that of apprehension. Nervous times followed until that Dennis Tueart overhead kick, everyone stood up and being small I only just saw it but missed the celebration and nearly got crushed in the melee! The best bit was the presentation and the journey home, I became a Man City fan forever.

My first match was at the ripe old age of 12. I was born and lived in Guildford although my Dad was born in Salford and like my Grandad was blue through and through. The City gene was passed down to me and I felt 10ft tall when my Dad, Mum, Grandad and Grandma visited our relatives in Manchester and I was taken to see City beat Bristol City 2-1. What made it so memorable was the fact that it was the only game that I ever went to with both my Dad and Grandad as sadly my Grandad never made it back up to Manchester again to see his beloved Blues.

I remember City won pretty easily and beat Bristol City who were near the top. My Dad took me for the first time with my little brother and uncle. I was aged about 11 or 12. My Dad was a United fan but agreed to take my bro and my Uncle who was a regular at Maine Road. By the way, my Dad converted gradually to becoming a City boy. We now go fairly regularly together!! Lots of memories of that era, shamefully all I remember about my first game was the amazing roar of the crowd. From that point on we wanted to go to all the games. Moving away from Manchester made it more difficult. However, the saying “once a blue, always a blue” still applies……….Except in my Dads case !!

A miserable 20th November in 1976 with City at home to WBA saw a young lad approaching his 10th birthday, and yet to be really bitten by the City bug, make his Maine Road debut. The blues had won the League Cup earlier in the year and created a childhood hero for me in Dennis Tueart after his spectacular overhead kick winner.
How fitting then that I should make my first visit to Maine Road with a family friend and witness Tueart run what seemed the length of the pitch before firing in another spectacular winner as City won 1-0.
There began a lifetime of following the club home and away yet still waiting for my first major trophy.

My first game was when we played Bristol city at home. The date was the 11/09/1976 we won 2-1. I remember this day well because my grandad took me. My grandad and i were very close i was 16. When i went to this game i was glad he took me because sadly he died a month later .