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I remember it as clear as day. I was eight years old, sat at home watching live and kicking and my dad got back in with the shopping and as a complete surprise three tickets for me, my brother and him. It was fucking great.

We sat in the North Stand, and I was watching Andy Dibble warm up in total awe. The whole thing properly intoxicated me. I was a goalkeeper as a kid and i felt like i was watching something from another planet. In hindsight the game was probably shite -it was Andy Dibble, a Kevin Horlock own goal and a bunch of chancers ffs, but its stuck in my mind to this day.

Got chatting about it this morning over breakfast so i thought id post this. Mild distraction from the doom and gloom surrounding this place anyway. Ha.

I can't remember it at all.

First one was definitely the reserves, at Maine Rd, back in the day when the old scoreboard end was still up. Game was boring s fuck & I entertained myself exploring underneath the Kippax (probably playing with asbestos)

Not sure which was my first senior game. Some I can remember really clearly, some blur together, some I think I was at, I may have seen on tv.

I can remember Colin Bell clear as day though, & still miss him.

No recollection whatsoever.

I'm approaching 30 this year and i've been feeling really old. You're both making me feel a damn sight better about that. Cheers gents.

It was sad that Colin Bell underachieved somewhat at international level. Perhaps he was a little one paced but what a pace and the lungs of a horse. Allison called him Nijinsky which was apt. He also had a cracking shot. His career was sadly cut a little short by a knee injury, as I recall.

My first memory of a City game was actually away at the dippers in the 60s. We drew1-1. I was standing in the Anfield Road end. There were probably too many in the stand and there was some pushing and shoving. I was standing up against a crash barrier and was crushed against it knocking the wind out of me completely. For 30 seconds I thought I was going to die then I managed to squeeze away from the barrier and onto the steps. Hillsborough was many years later of course.

At home to reading in the coca cola cup, think it was 2nd round, maybe 3rd. Got the tickets through primary school. Sat in the north stand near big Helen. Finished 1-1. I remember rubbing Tony Coton's head at the end. Was probably 1992 or 93.

To be fair the reason i remember my first game so clearly is that my dad was never really a huge football fan, more passively interested in it, and i'd wanted to go for ages so it wasn't even a passage of rites father/son thing. It was my dad buying me the tickets, but It was actually me being the one who educated him to it all... it was a big day basically for me.

It's a bit like the academy games I go to with him now as well. He had no idea who any of em were at the first Schalke game at the CFA. Does now though.

KinkyKinkladze wrote:At home to reading in the coca cola cup, think it was 2nd round, maybe 3rd. Got the tickets through primary school. Sat in the north stand near big Helen. Finished 1-1. I remember rubbing Tony Coton's head at the end. Was probably 1992 or 93.

Fucking loved Tony Coton. Broke my heart when he developed that rags connection.



Had that shirt signed from him. Wore it constantly for about two years.

10 - 1

City v Bradford. Div 1. I think it just over 15 years ago. December, maybe 2000?

Memory is gone to shit, but swp scored two and i think we won 3-1. We were one nil down iirc.

That may have been his home debut but I could be way off there.

Anyway, it was Maine Rd and it was fucking freezing. Afterwards, my two pals and myself got completely lost and walked the curry mile and had pints in several different well dodgy boozers.

Now I have mancland sussed and I some of those dodgy boozers feel like home ;-)

Actually, I just found this article on the game. My memory has gone to shit!

http://www.theguardian.com/football/200 ... h.bradford

Middlesbrough at home in October 83. Week after my tenth birthday. Was the season after relegation with Billy McNeill in charge. We won 2-1 with goals from Parlane and Tolmie. Boro actually scored after 15 seconds! Welcome to Maine Road kid, this is the City life!

Like Twosips I was in awe of the day from the first moment of glimpsing the floodlights coming down Princess Parkway to congregating outside the main stand and watching the away coach outside the entrance with the players getting off. Walking round the back of the old Platt Lane stand to go through the turnstiles at the Kippax. Then, walking through the tunnel to see the stadium in the flesh for the first time, marvelling at the enormity of it. Stood at the front around halfway. From then I was hooked, the noise, the smells, the atmosphere all combining to make match day football what it is.

Rarely get to go games now due to a combination of work, family and location, but I've actually been to Barnsley for a couple night games this season as a pal has access to a box through his work and though the quality wasn't great I still had a buzz walking up to the ground beforehand. Once it's in your blood I don't think you tire of it

November the 6th, 1971. City 3 Rags 3, Lee Bell and Summerbee scored. Sat on a safety barrier for the whole game (apart from when the rags scored their first and was knocked off by a rag, accidentally (crowd was not segregated)). Got a hotdog and a life-long passion for following the blues.
Cracking game:

Good Friday 1977 v Leeds. Won 2-1. Kidd got both. I was 9 years old and my Dad and next door neighbour decided to take me. Joe Royle was on the cover of the programme. That's about all I remember.

12\11/75 city 4 scum 0 stood in the open air bit between the North Stand and the Kippax. Lots of scum fans so fights every 2 mins and after every goal. My old man a rag,took me my uncle a blue brought me back to Hulme 10.30. The old man doing his nut, funny and a great 1st game and confirmation I was a blue. On another point Tevez how we miss hat boy what a goal, rips the net out.....

December 1972 - Norwich A, a 1-1 draw.

Don't remember a thing. I was two years old and as we have family in Norwich, we were there over Xmas apparently. Mum and Dad had no babysitter so took a 2 year old me with them.

Southampton at home 1981. It was 1-1 with keegan scoring a pen for them then Kevin Reeves equalising. I quickly followed this up with a 1-0 home defeat to Spurs 2 weeks later..Mark Falco. I seem to think I did see a game before this away from home at Wigan in a pre season friendly. Pie eaters ran on the pitch and surrounded Joe Corrigan.

September 97 versus Swindon, won 6.0 what a match to go to! Maine road was electric, the atmosphere, the flag and poster sellers the little shit souvenir shops, I loves it!

Got the tickets through Junior blues think you got two free for joining, great day, that season went downhill after that game!

Hazy2 wrote:12\11/75 city 4 scum 0 stood in the open air bit between the North Stand and the Kippax. Lots of scum fans so fights every 2 mins and after every goal. My old man a rag,took me my uncle a blue brought me back to Hulme 10.30. The old man doing his nut, funny and a great 1st game and confirmation I was a blue. On another point Tevez how we miss hat boy what a goal, rips the net out.....

PS my birthday.

The thing I remember most about my first trip to Maine Road was walking up the steps then seeing the pitch and stadium for the first time. Took my breath away that first look.

Early 70s my dad took me to palace away as it was closer to us . Just remember being in awe at seeing big joe in the flesh . Got me a metal city badge that I still have somewhere :)