Then that wave broke back. My son loves playing football but watching City he can take or leave.. Its boring. I understand without that excitement, those waves I would have took or leave aswell.
Not sure I agree with all of the points here. I also went to Chelsea and the like in the 1970's and was generally scared witless. I wanted to go and watch the football, but it terrified me - the surging crowds and shouting and smoking - as a 8-12 year old. It was the same at home games, where my Dad insisted on standing in the area now taken up by the Atyeo stand, as he had stood there all his life. Imagine being a City supporter in the middle of the West Ham or Aston Villa supporters in 1974. I used to hope we wouldn't score!! Later on in the 1980's I used to revel in the rough and tumble, but I was single then. Charlton away was always a favourite as the away supporters would be waiting nearer the Station. Most of the London clubs involved a decent amount of argy bargy. Now onto Saturday - I was able to take my 12 year old up to Milton Keynes, no pushing and shoving, nice comfy seat, 90 minutes of standing up and sitting down and waving our scarves and singing along, And then 100 yards outside the exit, straight into Nando's to meet the wife for some tea, and then into the Car which was parked 30 yards away. Yes it's more sterile now, but it's all about the entertainment on the pitch. That is what we pay for. I don't think I would take either of my sons if it was back to the 1970's or 1980's.
When you say you went to Chelsea, do you mean at Stamford Bridge or you saw City play Chelsea down here (2-2 draw ?) I went there in 1970 (I reckon) to see Chelsea (Bonetti, Harris, Osgood and co) play Man U (Charlton, Besty, Stepney, Stiles and co) and as a 9 year old I was terrified. Everyone around me outside of the ground was about 6 foot tall and it was really claustrophobic. Anyway for the record, Man U won 2-1. Hudson opened the scoring in front of the Shed End, forget who equalised, and Alan Gowling got the winner right at the death.
It was around 1975, City were playing at Stamford Bridge, and I was 11. I went with my Mum, Dad and Sister and as the game started the caged animals started to pound on the fencing and it clearly wasn't up to the job as they managed to crash down the first lot. Then they were almost up to our 'pen' and my Dad decided that it would be better if we left as my sister was only 9 years old. I can still remember the terror of seeing a few hundred hooligans with scarves around the wrists charging at the City end. They were hard days.
John Player Blue WERE filtered. Here are the little beauties: I'm glad they stopped selling them in the 1980's - it would have made giving up a lot harder otherwise....
I don't find it boring - far from it - but it is different, certainly. These days when I watch City live (on TV or in person) I spend the 90 minutes in a state of extreme tension and stress, drumming my feet, desperately trying not to swear in front of my (grown up) kids! Really it can't be good for you, watching football!
If it was all about the entertainment on the pitch I would have stopped going in 79. A problem now is that the game is sterile, which explains why so many kids don't go to be surrounded by old fogeys moaning. England has been left standing [!!] by the Germans of the park. As a young kid under ten in the EE in the seventies I couldn't wait to be able to go on my own to take part in all the singing dont ever remember being worried or scared by any of it even when Arsenal came in mob handed.
I was referring to a chap who is eight .. Compared to playing football and kick boxing it is boring. Extreme tension and stress ... Biggest moneybags normally wins, thats the sketch .. Nothing to get stressed about on the pitch.
not many supporters can say they have seen their teams in all 4 divisions, from 2nd in the top flight, to bottom in the 4th, have seen their team at Wembley 3 times (soon to be 4) and better still, win at Wembley; to have seen the sublime skills of Jackie; the goal-scoring prowess of a soon to be England forward (Andy C) and one who would have been (Paul C); to have seen Norman Hunter bite some legs, and to have bounced around the ground on occasion. To have seen us beat Chelsea (1990); Man City (1979); Man Utd 3-1 at Old Trafford (1978) and Liverpool at Anfield (1994) is more than many teams. And I sincerely hope - no I BELIEVE - that the good times and the entertainment are on their way back to Gate. Ready for my own son. Supporting City has been frustrating, infuriating, upsetting, depressing, uplifting and exciting. And never, never boring.
Totally agree. I was lucky enough to see us win at Leeds in the '74 FA Cup 5th Round replay at Elland Road during the 3 day week. A day I will never forget. I was 13. Also the first time we were at Wembley when we beat Bolton 3-0 in '85 was a special day. Up until then I never thought I'd see my team at such a hallowed ground. Having said that I'm convinced that if we'd beaten Liverpool in the 6th round in 1974 we would have won the cup.
I was at the Bolton Game too. What a great day in the Old Wembley. Mind you, we ended up with the Bolton fans as couldn't get City end tickets. In those days we had more supporters than Bolton! Probably still do. I forgot the Stoke game as well - Bolton, Stoke, Mansfield and Hull ... that is 4 visits so far and one more to come.
Took my boy to Brentford early days and he was hooked. My daughter and I were upstairs sat down and he was down with the boys standing going mental. Took him to Watford with 7k City fans - it was brilliant. Saturday at Mk it was sanitised. I enjoyed it but he didn't and reckoned the quicker we get safe safe standing the better.
60 something now and a reformed smoker, embassy used to be the *** of choise ( an aunt collected the coupons) but I could kill for one last day on the east end, or a proper old away game, when you had to find your own way, to this day I have never travelled away on an organised coach.
