I’m sure you can imagine Northern Ireland was quite a turbulent place to grow up in during the 1970’s, the community relations branch of the old RUC and Army used to organise trips to England on a regular basis for teenagers to remove them from what was going on in the towns and cities. Being a 13 year old City supporter I jumped at the chance to join one of the trips which was heading to Maine Road. The game itself was a blur as I tried to take in the surroundings and the atmosphere, we won 2-0 and I think that win put us to the top of the old first division. It really was am unforgettable weekend.

It is a distant memory, but not a dream that at the end of the ’70s my dad took me to see City reserves at home. The memory was not the match, but the fact that my dad and I got into the changing rooms at the end of the game to meet Watson, Channon and Barnes. Aged 9 I was too shy to speak, but confident enough to stride out on the pitch afterwards to take air penalties which nestled into the goal at the North Stand End.

April 28th 1973. Malcolm Allison newly appointed Crystal Palace manager brings his team to Maine Road. I was 5 years old sat in the main stand, knowing at that age it was the greatest place on the earth, and in typical fashion so began my Manchester City life with a 3-2 defeat to a team who would later be relegated. It didn’t matter though it was City at Maine Road.

As a nine year old living in South Wales I had the opportunity to travel to ashton gate in the car with my father and best friend and his father, being too small I had to sit on my dads shoulders so I could see the game which we lost 1-0 thanks to a Gerry Gow free kick who was later to sign for city, city had a Gary Owen overhead kick disallowed I remember. I left disappointed not expecting what happened next as on the motorway a coach overtook us and the guy sat in the front seat looking gloomy looked like Joe Corrigan I thought, I quickly realised it was the team coach and players on seeing my city bobble hat started to give me the thumbs up out of the windows of the coach as it past making sure I never forgot my first city game!!

My first game was in Feb 1970. My grandad took me and our kid (aged 10 and to the away derby, where we were able to buy tickets at the box office on the day.
Sat in the middle of the “enemy”, we excitedly celebrated Mike Doyle’s opening goal at the Stretford End,and City went on to win 2-1. Hooked from that day on!

My first game was in February 1974, my friend and I had said we would go and watch City, but we went and picked a league cup semi final against Plymouth Argyle! We were 14 at the time and the queues were amazing, one kind soul got us near the front of the queue to go into the Kippax near to the North Stand. We ended up coming up the steps in the corner, what I saw was just breath taking with the floodlights on and the immense noise from all around the ground, it is something that will never ever leave me and I can conjure it up in my mind whenever I doubt my sanity at supporting City, then I know why I have paid for a season ticket every year since, it is love, plain and simple. We won 2-0 and were at Wembley.

Bleak Otober night in October 78 after a 1-1 draw at Bloomfield. We won 3-1. I was sat in the Platt Lane end. I don’t really recall the goals, I think I was in awe of the place & the special atmosphere. Most vivid memory was Peter Barnes hitting the post to the north stand end in the second half! happy days!!!

my first game was the league cup final 1974
i was 10 years old and we had tickets in the Wolves end. me and my dad
went home on the losing side of a 2-1 score line but came back 2 years later to win by the same score v newcastle.

My first manchester city game was against west ham united on 17th august 1974 and I was 8 years old.
It was a glorious sunny day and I was with my dad my grandad and my younger brother.
I was so excited when paying at the turnstiles and picking up my match programme and looking at the team sheet.
We made are way to sit down in the platt lane,and the players were warming up on the pitch,you could almost touch them.
Colin bell, Mike Summerbee, Mike Doyle all my heroes and the opposition Clyde Best, Frank Lampard, Billy Bonds.
What a fantastic day and we won 4-0.
That was the day i fell in love with Manchester City and now take my own children.
-Tony

My first city game on my own was 1979. I cycled from wilmslow back to withington having just moved to meet my mate jeff hart. We then parked our bikes in someone’s backyard for i think 5 or 10p. the game was nottingham forest. i think it was a 1-1 draw. we stood in the kippax and i think archie gemmil was playing. then i had the daunting task of a ten mile bike ride home. I was 12 years old, it was worth it definitely.