First game was when I was eight years old. My Dad had said he’d take me to the game if I scored for my cub scout team that morning; my cousin was in goal for the opposition. I scored twice – which I think was the only time I bagged a brace!

My grandad worked for GM Buses in Moss Side and remember we parked in the bus garage before walking to the ground. The sensation when we walked up the staps in the corner of the kippax was fantastic. We were in the open air corner and I sat up on the wall behind my Dad – remember feeling scared when he left me and went off at half time to buy a drink.

We won – can’t remember the score – but was incredibly excited when we went to meet my Mum afterwards. Mum worked in C&A and we went for a meal in the Berni Inn nearby – think it was called the Hole in the Wall or Place in the Wall – on Churh Street near Afflecks Palace.

Great memories.

I had already seen City play in the pre-season cup at Ibrox, against Southampton.
My first game at Maine Road later the same year ( 1977 ).
It was 10th October 1977.
My and myself left home ( Ayr, Scotland ) at 7.30am on the morning of the match. We headed to Manchester via Glasgow and Preston. Arriving at Victoria Station in Manchester, we had no idea how to get to Maine Road. After getting a bit of advice from the locals, we arrived safely at Maine Road – what about a ticket ???
We finally overcame this hurdle, and entered the Stadium for the first time. Sat in the old wooden seats in the Platt Lane Stand, we were just in time to see Peter Barnes scoring the first goal in a 2-1 victory.
The return journey was every bit as adventurous, and were home before midnight.
Needles-to-say, my trips to games are a bit more sedate, but it would take a lot to beat MY FIRST CITY GAME !!!!

Hugh Miller
45, Masonhill Road
Ayr
KA7 3NY
01292 287784

i was 7 years old when i was taken to my first manchester city match by my best friends grandad,the match against nottingham forrest was dubbed as the war of the keepers and i didnt have a clue with only being 7 what in the world was going on of course the war was between citys mighty joe corrigan. and englands peter shilton on the way to the match we were bought a bag of plumbs from the grocerers on platt lane. i was enthralled by all the singing and wave of blue and white as we approached the kippax. we were ushered through the turnstiles and down the steps pushing through the crowd down to the front. and there they were the team i was to support for the rest of my life warming up on the pitch. we were sat on the fence legs dangling through eating our bag of plumbs.

When i was 7 years old i went to the local sports shop in Norwich and picked out my first kit ,city home, with red and white stripe across the striking royal blue. This started the wonderful but traumatic journey from my first game, Norwich away 22/12/75 . I can clearly remember an exciting 2-2 draw with my hero Dennis Tueart scoring right in front of where i was standing and the dulcet tones of Helen’s bell ringing in me and my dad’s ears. I was hooked, i now travel the 200 miles every home game and to most away games to see my beloved City 37 years on from that first shirt.

My first City match! I was 11 and a half years old and I was being treated by mum and dad. And what a treat! It was a match that was Pure City;we had our skipper Doyle sent off at 2-0 up and then we went 3-0 up before being pegged backed back by Derby to 3-2. My hero Tueart then scored a fabulous goal running through from his own half onto a ball from Ged Keegan to put us 4-2 up. There was still time for Derby to score a third leaving me biting my nails until the final whistle and a 4-3 win. Not much has changed since – but I would not change my City for the world!

I cant remember the exact match, but the team line up is imprinted on my blue soul.
CORRIGAN. CLEMENCE. DONACHIE.
DOYLE. WATSON. OAKS. BARNES .
BELL. ROYLE. HARTFORD. TUART

My first game was a boxing day clash between City and Huddersfield i was staying with along with my parents at Aunties in heald green we had travelled from Bognor Regis for the Christmas holidays. i was told that my christmas gift was a trip to Maine Rd to watch a live match a big thing for me a nine yr old as i had only seen City on the telly before. We arrived at the ground and i was amased to find me being greated by Neil Young and then taken into the dressing room to meet my heros francis Lee spoke to me for a few minutes along with the Buzzer and to cap it all big Malcolm A spoke to me. The day then went in a second the score i think was 1 each but what a start to viewing City!!!!

My first game was March 1970, taken to Maine Road by my uncle, a Utd fan. The pitch looked like a mud flat, the sky was a typical Manchester day. Not a great game for City. Jimmy Greaves had just joined West Ham from Tottenham and he scored twice. Worse was to follow. Joe Corrigan collected the ball and dispatched a kick down field. Before he could get back between the posts Ronnie Boyce had volleyed the ball straight into the net.
The start of a life long affair. Come on City our time has come. I hope!!

When I was young my Mam would not let me go to the footie. I remember my first game like it was yesterday. Me and a mate wnet to Maine Road to watch the Blues v Boro. I was only 14 and did not know what to expect. We walked up the stairs at the back of the Kippax and saw the pitch for the 1st time, a truely awesome sight. We sat on the bar over the old Piccadilly radio 261 sign but a lesson was soon to be learnt. Booth opened the scoring with and the crowd surged forward. I was pushhed off the bar and fell on some poor bloke. I apolgised and ran back to my mate. I never sat on the bars again. Gerry Armstrong (I Think) score two for Boro and it looked all over. We left the ground about five minutes before the end only to hear a massive roar. We ran back in through the gates between the Main & North Stands to see the players congratualting Tueart. My love for CITY took on a whole new dimension. My Mam found out that I had been to the game and grounded me. It had a happy ending though as she made mt Dad take me from thern on. Needless to say 30 years on I nearly always stay to the final whistle.

15th Sept 1976 I was aged 6 and this was the night I became a true blue. My late Dad had been going for years and was at wembley to see that great Dennis Tueart over head kick,easily the best goal scored at wembley, well after Paul Dickov.
I was bloodied at Maine road that night,the air was cool, the steam and smoke rose over that bright green pitch, and set the perfect scene, WOW!! look at those sky blue shirts I thought, my heart pounded, the hairs stood on my neck to the City theme (still does now!) I kicked every ball,and saw my hero wearing 11 (Tueart)skin the full back in black and white stripes over and over again,I loved every minute seeing CITY win 1 nil, I cried when they beat us away 2 nil! typical CITY ..thats when I knew CITY was in my blood, and there is nothing I could do about it.
I post this in memory of my late father Phil DEAR who passed away in 2001.
thanks DAD for that night!

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