The other "Foreign Blues" Thread

[The Man In Blue]

FTG's ill advised thread got me thinking:

you out-of-the-way blues (non manc-born), what got you into city? Dads from manc, family connections - just pure random luck?

interested to know.

[kinkylola]

all my friends growing up who liked soccer where rag fans. It made me sick because every last one of them only followed the rags cuz they won everything. I hated it. I hated how they pretended to have passion for the scum ... how could they really know what it meant if they had never been through bad times with their team? I detested manure and resented my friends who followed them so easily ... I even had one friend who started following real madrid when beckham went there, that said it all for me really. So, I went out and I found a team that was the complete opposite of all that bullshit. I found city. I got caught up in the team, and the fans ... and when we were relegated that season I was devastated ... and that's when I knew I was blue for life.

Being from baltimore I appreciate the working class side of things alot more, and I saw city as very much a team of the people. United and their prawn sandwish brigade not only repulsed me, it filled me with hatred ... one that I would normally reserve for the Yankees (baseball) ... so it was fitting to find out later that the scum have a business deal with the yankees ... which has really cemented my position.

I'm happy i'm blue, and that will never change.

[Hinch's 5 Fingered Salute]

all my friends growing up who liked soccer where rag fans. It made me sick because every last one of them only followed the rags cuz they won everything. I hated it. I hated how they pretended to have passion for the scum ... how could they really know what it meant if they had never been through bad times with their team? I detested manure and resented my friends who followed them so easily ... I even had one friend who started following real madrid when beckham went there, that said it all for me really. So, I went out and I found a team that was the complete opposite of all that bullshit. I found city. I got caught up in the team, and the fans ... and when we were relegated that season I was devastated ... and that's when I knew I was blue for life.

Being from baltimore I appreciate the working class side of things alot more, and I saw city as very much a team of the people. U***d and their prawn sandwish brigade not only repulsed me, it filled me with hatred ... one that I would normally reserve for the Yankees (baseball) ... so it was fitting to find out later that the scum have a business deal with the yankees ... which has really cemented my position.

I'm happy i'm blue, and that will never change.

Good lad

[Kladze]

all my friends growing up who liked soccer where rag fans. It made me sick because every last one of them only followed the rags cuz they won everything. I hated it. I hated how they pretended to have passion for the scum ... how could they really know what it meant if they had never been through bad times with their team? I detested manure and resented my friends who followed them so easily ... I even had one friend who started following real madrid when beckham went there, that said it all for me really. So, I went out and I found a team that was the complete opposite of all that bullshit. I found city. I got caught up in the team, and the fans ... and when we were relegated that season I was devastated ... and that's when I knew I was blue for life.

Being from baltimore I appreciate the working class side of things alot more, and I saw city as very much a team of the people. U***d and their prawn sandwish brigade not only repulsed me, it filled me with hatred ... one that I would normally reserve for the Yankees (baseball) ... so it was fitting to find out later that the scum have a business deal with the yankees ... which has really cemented my position.

I'm happy i'm blue, and that will never change.

If you were are girl Kinky I'd say I loved you :-o

[pears12]

Well my choice for choosing to support to man city was I was watching a highlights show about 15 years ago in Australia and I liked the light blue of man city's shirt so really it was lucky we wore light blue. Had I gone with family collection be supporting Sunderland because my dad is from Durham so basically it was completely random..had city been playing away on the day that I watched highlights show I could of well gone for someone else

[Steve]

all my friends growing up who liked soccer where rag fans. It made me sick because every last one of them only followed the rags cuz they won everything. I hated it. I hated how they pretended to have passion for the scum ... how could they really know what it meant if they had never been through bad times with their team? I detested manure and resented my friends who followed them so easily ... I even had one friend who started following real madrid when beckham went there, that said it all for me really. So, I went out and I found a team that was the complete opposite of all that bullshit. I found city. I got caught up in the team, and the fans ... and when we were relegated that season I was devastated ... and that's when I knew I was blue for life.

Being from baltimore I appreciate the working class side of things alot more, and I saw city as very much a team of the people. U***d and their prawn sandwish brigade not only repulsed me, it filled me with hatred ... one that I would normally reserve for the Yankees (baseball) ... so it was fitting to find out later that the scum have a business deal with the yankees ... which has really cemented my position.

I'm happy i'm blue, and that will never change.

It's funny how the rags and Yankees seem like they have so much in common. Non more so that you see their shirt/cap every two feet you look. What is more funny now is that only the Yankees look like winning/dominating anything furthermore. Fingers crossed however that ends with the 09 world series, we haven't got space for them in the ALE, period.

[john68]

There's a flip side to that story.
I know fuck all about baseball and it has never interested me in the slightest but when the rags signed up with the Yankees, I used to snarl at people wearing their caps...I must be the only guy who suppOrts no baseball team but just hates the Yankees...BASTARDS.

[MSG77]

I'm sure there's been a lot of these threads, but I've never posted in one before.

Funny the two early responses are some of the main reasons I "started" following City.

1. Hatred of rags

2. Love the Sky Blue kits

But there must be more reasons as well. If I was to really dig thru my head, I'd probably come up with a lot. And it'd probably bore the shit out of everyone for me to post a stream of consciousness.

But the more I think about it, the more I think it just grew on me organically.

I know people say you sort of have to be born into it, and I think I'd have to agree. It just felt right, even if logic should have pushed me away on several occasions.

After becoming more of a "die-hard' rather than casual follower the last few years (and I'm well aware that the last few years have been "easy" to follow city - I didn't really go thru the hard times) I really can't picture myself following any other club.

It just wouldn't feel right. Damn it! I must be "infected" like the rest of you crazy bastards.

[CityFanFromRome]

Well, for me it all started with a hate for the rags. I've always admired Barcelona, Real Madrid, Milan for their successes in Europe, but every time I saw a European match with the rags playing, I couldn't help wanting them to lose, don't know why but I never liked them. Then the time came for Roma to clash with the rags in the Champions League's last eight, three seasons ago. After winning the first leg 2-1 at home, we got smashed at the swamp 7-1, and since then my dislike for the rags changed into pure hate. I simply couldn't stand them. So, when I heard that Eriksson was the new manager of Manchester City FC, I did a research, and found out about the story of the club, and about the strong rivalry with the rags, and since then I was hooked. I had some troubles following the matches here from Italy, until around the end of December I found this site and registered, and I have to say since then I've learned a lot more about the club, and my love for the Sky blues has constantly grown.

Admittedly, I weren't a fan through the hard times this club has known, but I know if they were ever to happen again (hopefully not though!! let's touch wood!! ), I'd still be here, because City has become part of my life just as much, if not even more, than Roma has been since when I were a kid. My friends often mock me because the City colours, and crest, resemble those of Lazio, Roma's fiercest rivals, but I don't care, I'm a blue and I'll keep being one, lol.

[BobbyJ1956]

Well, Kinkylola in Baltimore, you're another in a growing list of Americans I run into over here who dislike ManU because they're the Yankees of English/European football, they have that same arrogance. Where I live I'm surrounded by Yankee fans, I can see the stadium if I lean out the window, but I'd never go there unless the Mets were playing or as my brother in law here says "unless they had a fire." It's a bit unorthodox, isn't it, being turned off one team because they win all the time, because they're the media's darlings? Most kids want to be on the winning side but there's always some who go against the trend. Personally at age 5 or 6 I just liked sky blue better better than red, that was 50+ years ago. Anyway, going back to your Baltimore, expect you've read "Growing Up" by Russell Baker, if not have a look, there's a lot of working-class Baltimore in it.

[HeyMark]

I picked it up from one of my three older brothers who was a city fan. I had been an arsenal fan for a few years (another brother supports them) but when I was around 5 I decided I wanted to support City, a few years later we were getting relegated to Division 1 and they were going on to win leagues and cups. I knew my decision would pay off in the end though, just had to wait a while :)

[legget]

My school was sport fanatics and you HAD to have a favorite team (this was when i was around 10 years old). So everyone ran around asking: Whats your favorite team in england? In italy, spain etc etc? And I wasn't that interested in soccer then I only played it. But I had seen a team on the tv a few times that had some blue shirts that I loved and that was Manchester City. So when anyone asked I always answered Manchester City and I didnt do much else of it. But I always said Manchester City and as my soccer interest growed so did my interest in the club that I always had said was my favorite. So it really growed on me and now I cant think of any other club (I'm 25 now btw to give some time perspective)

[xavi6]

My whole family are either Rags or Leeds fans. The first game I ever saw City play was the 5-1 in 1989 and I loved the light blue colour. Then we signed Big Niall so I had the Irish connection as well and that was it, I was hooked.

Used to get awful abuse in school when I was a nipper, and I'll admit to questioning my faith on more than one occassion. I managed to come out the other side though and all's good now.

[HeyMark]

My whole family are either Rags or Leeds fans. The first game I ever saw City play was the 5-1 in 1989 and I loved the light blue colour. Then we signed Big Niall so I had the Irish connection as well and that was it, I was hooked.

Used to get awful abuse in school when I was a nipper, and I'll admit to questioning my faith on more than one occassion. I managed to come out the other side though and all's good now.

I used to get hammered aswell when I was younger, I remember showing up to Gaelic training in the mid 90's in my City top and nobody else on the team knowing who they were.

[Kyle]

My whole family are either Rags or Leeds fans. The first game I ever saw City play was the 5-1 in 1989 and I loved the light blue colour. Then we signed Big Niall so I had the Irish connection as well and that was it, I was hooked.

Used to get awful abuse in school when I was a nipper, and I'll admit to questioning my faith on more than one occassion. I managed to come out the other side though and all's good now.

I used to get hammered aswell when I was younger, I remember showing up to Gaelic training in the mid 90's in my City top and nobody else on the team knowing who they were.

Oh it kills me too. Even last week I was at work telling everyone I was excited to go home and watch the derby. They were like who do you like? I said City, Manchester City, in my best james bond impression, and they said you mean Manchester Utd? I just dropped my head in shame and left the room. Disgrace.

[ant london]

Oh it kills me too. Even last week I was at work telling everyone I was excited to go home and watch the derby. They were like who do you like? I said City, Manchester City, in my best james bond impression, and they said you mean Manchester Utd? I just dropped my head in shame and left the room. Disgrace.

I remember watching a derby a few years back in a pub on Great Portland St in London. There were a group of Americans in there supporting United by constantly urging them on with very fuckwittedly amusing cries of "Cmon Manchester"

Silly fucking cunts

[fees]

Although I have lived most of my life in South Africa I was born in Wythenshawe and did spend some time at school in Newall Green. My dad is a blue but it was my uncle who took me to my first game, to see the scum at the swamp. Uncle bought me a hat, scarf, pie and bovril at half time. the next week my dad took me to the October "86 derby game at Maine Road. Stood in the Kippax and my dad bought me nothing. I fell in love with with City that day....

City till I die...

[TomS]

Friends of mine founded the german branch of the rags´ supporters club and invited me to join in some 25 yrs ago.
Had a few thoughts about being a fan of the english version of Bayern Munich but with deep regrets i had to announce to my friend that i choosed the only possible opportunity, the famous Manchester City FC.....

short version of my story.....

[Blue in the face]

When I was a kid here in Belfast in the 60's everybody supported the rags. me included, simply because Geordie Best played for them,(I was still in primary school at the time, give me a break). In about 1969/70 I decided to stop following the crowd and follow a different team. City were brilliant in them days and it didn't take much to swing from poacher to gamekeeper. Its been a rocky journey since then, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

[dave watson's perm]

When I was a kid here in Belfast in the 60's everybody supported the rags. me included, simply because Geordie Best played for them,(I was still in primary school at the time, give me a break). In about 1969/70 I decided to stop following the crowd and follow a different team. City were brilliant in them days and it didn't take much to swing from poacher to gamekeeper. Its been a rocky journey since then, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sounds very similar to myself although I started in the mid 70s, probably not long after the time of the 76LCF (like the rest of the country, I was mesmerized by that Tueart goal) - does that make me a glory hunter or was it me who put the fckin scud on us for the last 34 years???

Over here its either Scouse Red or the Scum with some Arse, Chelsea, Spuds, Scouse Blue thrown in. I do remember one game after I had taken the Sky Blue oath where we beat Scouse Red about 3-1 (maybe some on here remember that?) I gave some stick in the playground that Monday morning I can tell you.................

I'm happy to say both my sons were quick to take up the Sky Blue banner and we all wear our colours with pride over here amidst a sea of filth............