It was billed as our official launch night (although we started up back in february this year) but the theme was twinned with the 20th anniversary (almost to the day) of us slaughtering the rags 5-1 at Maine Road on 23rd September 1989.
We'd been working on this with the help of Paul Lake and Danny Wilson (supporters liason officer) for about 5 months with the culmination on the eve of this seasons derby at the swamp, (we couldn't believe it when the fixtures were first published and we saw we had the rags on the same weekend - perfect!).
Paul originally hatched the plot and had been working with Danny to re-unite the players and it was in the very early stages of this task that he and a good mate of his who's one of our members deceided It should combine with our event.
Some of the players would prove almost impossible to track down, Brian Gayle hadn't been involved in football since he retiered and was a gardner somewhere in Yorkshire.
Ian Bishop was somewhere in the states. This wasn't going to be easy.
Paul and Danny stuck at it and assembled a list of definite attendees.
We started holding sub-comittee meetings wondering how the hell we'd entertain a load of City's finest. Lakey said the lads hadn't been re-united like this since they were team mates and they really didn't want too much fuss making of them.
We wern't exactly sure who'd be able to make it so two of our lads who are graphic designers came up with plans to design lifesize silk banners of the 12 players from the day to decorate our club. Even some of the images were proving hard to get.
I finally picked 'em up from a design house, just opposite the swamp actually, last Friday.
They were all rags that had produced them but they were and are spectacular. They did a great job even though they said they may have 'cusomised' them a bit.
We'd also adopted Paul's charity "Jumpspace" which helps children with autism and if we needed anything to spur us on to make this a sucess this was it! Paul's own son suffers with this disability!
Gradually things came together and we assembled a fantastic array of prizes to help the club and Pauls charity.
A squad signed Etihad 1st team shirt was gererously donated, we aquired a stunning signed portrait of Robinho and another great signed picture of Shay. Geoff Durban, Lancashire C.C. commercial director generously donated a signed bat by the whole team. A Vincent Kompany shirt and signed Shay keepers shirt were again generously donated.
The room had been booked for months. Jason Manford had been approached to help with a spot on the night, he told me he had filming comittments in London but would have loved to have done it for Paul. We had a great band 'Monkeyharris' booked from 10. The lead singer is one of our boys. (Earlier in the months leading up, via Paul, we heard Johnny Marr might be joining us but it didn't come off).
We needed a wow factor to really get some exposure for the club and charity!
Kevin Parker, the OSC General Secretary pulled out all the stops and put us in touch with Danny Wilson.
Kev got back to me and hinted he may be able to get someone down on the night.
Danny phoned me last Thursday and told me none other than Garry Cook was coming!! We were buzzing!
The day arrived and the place looked the dogs! Banners of the 12, montage posters of the news headlines of the day from 23rd Sept 89, posters of the players, ballons, streamers you name it!
The lads had met up and had been in town for lunch in the afternoon. Well before 7 the first of the 220 with tickets started turning up.
fucking hell was I nervous (i'm well known for being the one who starts frothing at the mouth if it even looks like things aren't going to plan). I needn't have worried!
Kev Parker turned up with Carol the social sec. The players were a bit late but that's footballers for you.
We couldn't complain when David White, Gary Fleming, Ian Brightwell, Steve Redmond, David Oldfield, Jason Beckford and Lakey turned up looking for a good night out! Hinchy was a last minute cancellation as was Brian Gayle but this wasn't going to stop us and the lads having a great night.
Danny came with the players too, what an absolutley smashing bloke he is!
I was chain smoking outside and must have been easy to spot shufling about waiting for Garry when he introduced himself and gave me 1 of just 100 produced of the third shirt from the African tour. Gobsmacked! Danny said Garry was close and he'd be 5 minutes or so...I went off stopming around nervously with another fag. Went inside for a bit came out and Garry sticks out his hand and smiles broadly.
Is this really happening? We go through and the night kicks off with Lakey saying a few word about the charity. Our MC is a colourful local lad and both him and Paul look like they've been doing it for years.
Garry answers some really inquiring questions in the main room and you can see within seconds why he's rated so highly. he's a very impressive bloke! his answers are eloquent and indepth and the room is completely hushed..evrey answer though comes back to us!
This club is putting the fans first! We're all invited on the journey and Garry leaves no one in any doubt where the club is headed.
Our lad does a great job and we're loving it!
The players are just the same and every one is approachable .. I had to do a double take and our anthem 'We're not really here' was never so true.
To cut a long one short we raffled all but the 3rd strip and the Shay shirt which fetched over a grand between them.
Just one prize left courtesy of Lakey!
A walk on part in the C4 soap Hollyoaks wearing a City shirt!!!
This was auction time and I wont tell you what it went for but when it ended in 4 figures Lakey lets on its actually for 2 places and both high bidders get one! How good was that!
We presented Paul with a 4 foot long cheque for £1500 for Jumpspace of which we're very proud!
Not only that but Barry Hayton of Haytons exec Coach Travel stepped up and donated a day out for 50 autistic children to Chester Zoo on him! Thanks Barry you're an absolute star! There were many on this night, Garry Cook was immense, thanks to Geoff Durban and Kevin and Danny, thanks Barry and the players were fantastic.
To everyone who helped and donated prizes and dug deep in their pockets we salute you but the brightest star on the night for me was Paul Lake! There is no other word I can find other than LEGEND!
