Manchester City FC
Ground: Etihad Stadium
Capacity: 61,038
Club Founded: 1880
League: Premier League (current level)
Manchester City FC has been a prominent club in English football for decades. However, a change of ownership to the Abu Dhabi-financed City Football Club took them to a completely new level.
Club History
Early Years
The club was originally founded as St Mark's (West Gorton) FC in 1880 before changing its name to Ardwick FC after the area of Manchester where it played seven years later. They became a founding member of the Football League Second Division in 1892, reorganising two years later to become Manchester City.
In a story common to City fans of a certain age, the team was promoted as champions but soon relegated. They lifted the FA Cup in 1903-04 by defeating Bolton Wanderers 1-0 at Crystal Palace as Tom
Maley became the first non-Englishman to manage the Cup winners. The team came
agonisingly close to completing the double, ending as league runners-up.
In 1925-26, City lost 1-0 to Bolton Wanderers at
Wembley in the FA Cup Final, while the team was also relegated. In 1926-27. Back playing as a Division One side, they reached another final six years later. Again, it ended in disappointment as Everton cruised to a 3-0 victory.
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My visits
League and Cup Success
Not to be
outdone, the ‘Citizens’ returned to the twin towers for the 1933-34 final where they beat Portsmouth 2-1. Three seasons later, City were crowned League champions for the first
time under the management of Wilf Wild. Unbelievably, the team was relegated
the following season!
More relegations and promotions followed before the team reached Wembley again in 1954-55 for another FA Cup final. On this occasion, it would be Newcastle
United who took the honours with a 3-1 win.
City returned the following year to lift the famous trophy 3-1 against
Birmingham City in the game when legendary keeper Bert Trautman broke his neck,
while Don Revie planned attacks from midfield. In 1962-63, City were relegated once more to the second tier as gates hit an all-time low at Maine Road.
The Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison Era
Things were about to stir when Joe Mercer arrived as manager in 1965,
with young coach Malcolm Allison following. The pair tapped into the club's youth
scheme and astutely signed the likes of Tony Book, Francis Lee, and Colin Bell. Mercer took
the team straight back up to Division One and then led them to the League title
for a second time in 1967-68.
The following year, a Neil Young goal defeated
Leicester City at Wembley as the Moss Side club lifted the FA Cup for a fourth
time. The run continued in 1969-70. West
Bromwich Albion were defeated 2-1 as City won the League Cup. The same season ended in European Cup-Winners Cup glory, with Young and Lee scoring the goals to defeat Gornik Zabrze in the final.
The 1971-72 season looked like it would end in another league title. However, City blew their advantage. Many observers pointed to the signing of Rodney Marsh and the change in team style as the reason, even though Marsh was adored by the fans, as Allison took control of team affairs.
The 70s and 80s
After
Allison moved on, Johnny Hart, Tony Book, and Ron Saunders all had a go as
manager. Saunders took the team to the League Cup Final in 1974, where they
lost 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers. City fans took consolation when a Denis
Law goal at Old Trafford virtually sent rivals United down to the second tier.
Book
returned as the team boss and built an excellent side. Former Sunderland FA Cup heroes
Dennis Tueart and Dave Watson arrived. The League Cup was won 2-1 in 1976
following a victory over Newcastle United. The following season saw City end as
league runners-up.
In 1980-81, City lost in the FA Cup Final after a replay to Tottenham Hotspur, but by 1982-83 they were relegated under John Bond, who later took the team back up. Managers came and went as chairman Peter Swales became very unpopular with the Maine Road faithful.
The Nadir then Recovery
Peter Reid
took the side to two top-five finishes. Francis Lee
became Chairman in 1994 after buying Swales’ shares. He replaced Brian Horton
as manager with his old pal Alan Ball. The move ended in another relegation. David Bernstein bought the club, while Joe Royle tried to rescue things on the pitch, but City were relegated to the third tier, Division Two, in May 1998.
Fans, filled with gallows humour, sang ‘We’re Not Really Here’. In 1998-99, City reached the play-off final at Wembley against Gillingham. In one of the most famous few minutes in the club's history, goals from Kevin Horlock and Paul Dickov sent the game into extra time, as many City fans were heading down Wembley Way with their team losing 2-0.
Nicky Weaver saved two penalties in the shoot-out as City won 3-1 to win promotion. Royle took the team back to the top flight the following season after a second-place finish. After going straight back down, Kevin Keegan arrived to manage the team as goals flowed once again.
Farewell Maine Road
However, the
team went straight back down.The 2002-03 season was the club's last at
Maine Road, before they moved across town to the City of Manchester Stadium,
which had formerly held the Commonwealth Games. Stuart
Pearce and then Sven-Goran Eriksson both had spells as managers as the club
looked to build in their new surroundings.
A controversial takeover occurred in
2008 when the club was sold to former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Star defender Vincent Kompany arrived from Hamburger SV. The owner's assets
were frozen because of his political dealings back home. In August 2008, the
club was purchased by the Abu Dhabi United Group.
Mark
Hughes had taken over from Eriksson, but was soon replaced by the former Italian star player
Roberto Mancini. The club signed stars such as David Silva, as the owners developed the
area around the stadium to match the quality of the new players.
Champions Again at Last
The 2010-11 season saw the trophy drought end as City lifted the FA Cup at Wembley after beating Stoke City with a goal from star man Yaya Toure. The club renamed the City of Manchester Stadium to the Etihad Stadium in a huge sponsorship deal in the summer of 2011.
The
team had been boosted by the signings of Samir Nasri and Sergio Agüero, amongst
others, while Joe Hart cut a commanding figure in goal. The team went on to
lift the Premier League in 2011-12 in
a typically dramatic City finish, when they trailed QPR with a minute remaining.
Edin Dzeko headed in the equaliser before Sergio Agüero scored a stoppage-time winner to deny their great rivals Manchester United another title. In typical City style, they lost the following season's FA Cup final to huge underdogs Wigan Athletic. Mancini paid for the failure with his job. The Chilean Manuel Pellegrini came in to replace him.
The Manuel Pellegrini Years
In
Pellegrini’s first season, City lifted the League Cup following a 3-1 win over
Sunderland and then went on to become Premier League champions for 2013-14. City’s ownership was placed into the City Football Group, which had been
created by the Abu Dhabi owners.
New York City FC, Melbourne City FC, and Yokohama F. Marinos were also purchased by the group as it looked to expand their global brand. The Etihad campus was improved with the opening of a new stadium for the development and ladies teams. Meanwhile, the Etihad Stadium's South Stand was extended with the addition of a new tier.
New York City FC, Melbourne City FC, and Yokohama F. Marinos were also purchased by the group as it looked to expand their global brand. The Etihad campus was improved with the opening of a new stadium for the development and ladies teams. Meanwhile, the Etihad Stadium's South Stand was extended with the addition of a new tier.
Pellegrini was allowed to add to the already impressive squad with the big signings of Kevin De Bruyne, Nicolás Otamendi, and Raheem Sterling arriving at the Etihad. The 2015-16 campaign saw City pick up the League Cup with victory over Liverpool on penalties as Sergio Agüero continued to bang in the goals.
The Pep Guardiola Era
Pep Guardiola
arrived as the new manager at the Etihad for the 2016-17 season. David Silva continued to weave his magic in midfield, as City played some of the best football in living memory, sweeping all aside to win the Premier League by nineteen points in 2017-18. Bernardo Silva was added to the mix along with goalkeeper Ederson and Gabriel Jesus.
Arsenal were defeated as City lifted the retitled EFL Cup, which was retained after beating Chelsea on penalties. Agüero would top the scoring again in 2018-19 as the team held off Liverpool to lift the Premier League crown. The domestic treble was completed when City equalled the record score in an FA Cup final when defeating Watford 6-0.
The EFL Cup was lifted once again following a 2-1 win against Aston Villa. The brilliant David Silva departed as young starlet Phil Foden began to make his mark. The 2020-21 season saw City once again lift the Premier League crown and reach the Champions League final, played at Estádio do Dragão in Porto. Chelsea won the all-English final 1-0.
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The Success Continues
Question marks continued to be raised over the breaches of Financial Fair Play that the club was charged with in record numbers. A UEFA ban had earlier been overturned in court, and resulted in a huge fine. City were crowned champions of England for an eighth time in 2012-22. They then embarked on their greatest season.
The league title was retained for a third time, before the double was completed with a 2-1 win against Manchester United in the FA Cup final. The Champions League was finally lifted when a Rodri goal defeated Inter Milan 1-0 at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium. The Premier League then announced its own financial investigation into the club.
City became the first club to lift the title four times in a row in 2023-24 but were denied the double by neighbours Manchester United in the FA Cup final. A goal from Antoine Semenyo was enough to beat Chelsea in the 2025-26 FA Cup final to complete the domestic cup double. A brace from Nico O'Reilly had earlier defeated Arsenal 2-0 in the EFL Cup final.
A New Era
Enzo Maresca was appointed manager of Manchester City in June 2026.
Maine Road
Manchester City 2 Hull City 0
Manchester City 2 Hull City 0
Full Members Cup Semi-Final Second Leg - Wednesday 11th December 1985
👨👨👧👧 10,180
The Full Members Cup was for teams in the top two divisions and was divided into a northern and southern section. This was the second leg of the semi-final with Hull leading 2-1 from the first game at Boothferry Park, with the winners going on to the final at Wembley. Even though there was a lowish crowd, there was a decent atmosphere.
We were in the end section of The Kippax, a huge covered terrace down one side of a huge traditional venue. Maine Road held a record at an English venue outside Wembley when 84,569 fans watched an FA Cup tie against Stoke City. I really liked the place.
The game itself was heading for extra time until City broke the Tigers' hearts with a last-minute winner, which led the home fans into song as we went to search for our van, which was miraculously still in one piece. We had a few hairy moments trying to negotiate our way from Moss Side as City fans looked on suspiciously!
Manchester City 0 Aston Villa 2
We were taken to the changing rooms and saw all the corporate facilities behind the scenes. It had lots of community facilities. I was especially impressed with the slogan seen in a lot of places, "Our City, Our Club". I have done quite a few stadium tours, but the staff at City shone through, rather than being guides just going through the motions as at other venues.
I had a look around outside to finish off. The club had created a memorial garden for relatives to sit and think about City fans no longer with us. Opposite was a small athletics stadium which held some City junior games. I took the bus back into the city, ready to go to Stalybridge, after being thoroughly impressed with what I saw and heard.
Manchester City 1 Napoli 1
A new road named Blue Moon Way was the only reminder. A show house and sales office stood near where the North Stand once dominated, trying to tempt potential buyers to invest in a property at The Maine Place. A whole new community and village were destined to spring up over the following years, although much of the ground was still untouched at the time of my visit.
I continued up to the top of the road and noticed there were no street signs for Maine Road. I would guess that they'd been 'secured' by a fan many blue moons previously. I caught a bus with the mixed community back into the city from Claremont Road. My visit had reminded me of days gone by, and my mind soon raced back to times when visiting Maine Road as a non-City fan could be quite an interesting experience.
I went in the back of a transit van to this game with a group of Tigers fans from Bridlington and Scarborough. No one had a real clue about the quickest way to the ground, but we somehow found it. We parked in a side street near the away section, and some local lads kindly offered to "look after" the van for a fee.
The Full Members Cup was for teams in the top two divisions and was divided into a northern and southern section. This was the second leg of the semi-final with Hull leading 2-1 from the first game at Boothferry Park, with the winners going on to the final at Wembley. Even though there was a lowish crowd, there was a decent atmosphere.
We were in the end section of The Kippax, a huge covered terrace down one side of a huge traditional venue. Maine Road held a record at an English venue outside Wembley when 84,569 fans watched an FA Cup tie against Stoke City. I really liked the place.
The game itself was heading for extra time until City broke the Tigers' hearts with a last-minute winner, which led the home fans into song as we went to search for our van, which was miraculously still in one piece. We had a few hairy moments trying to negotiate our way from Moss Side as City fans looked on suspiciously!
Manchester City 0 Aston Villa 2
Division Two - Saturday 23rd January 1988
👨👨👧👧 24,688
I was in a car with my brother Nick, Mick, and driver Doomy on our way to Newport County to watch Scarborough when we rang South Wales after reaching the Midlands in treacherous conditions to find out the pitch was covered in snow and the match was off.
We scanned the fixtures in my paper and quickly plumped for a game that would definitely be on. We knew that Maine Road had undersoil heating installed, so we made that our destination. After a couple of pints, we went to park near the ground with the ridiculous notion that we could get into another pub before kick-off.
These were the days when football fans were generally treated like filth, and the pubs would only allow City season ticket holders in. Even worse, Maine Road had been divided up into members-only sections.
The only option we could buy a ticket for that wouldn't hammer us financially was in a seated section between the Main and North Stands. It was a poorish view and ridiculous reasoning, as half the rest of the ground was empty. An impressive Villa side ran out 2-0 victors on their way to promotion at the end of the season.
We eventually got back after an interesting ride back over the Pennines in extremely dodgy conditions.
The City of Manchester/Etihad Stadium
Tuesday 22nd August 2006
Scarborough were playing at Stalybridge Celtic in the Conference North, and I had a couple of days off. I booked into a hotel in Manchester and caught the train on the morning of the match. I decided to walk to the stadium to see if I could get a look around. It took about half an hour to arrive, and I was delighted to be told I was in time for the last tour of the day.
We scanned the fixtures in my paper and quickly plumped for a game that would definitely be on. We knew that Maine Road had undersoil heating installed, so we made that our destination. After a couple of pints, we went to park near the ground with the ridiculous notion that we could get into another pub before kick-off.
These were the days when football fans were generally treated like filth, and the pubs would only allow City season ticket holders in. Even worse, Maine Road had been divided up into members-only sections.
The only option we could buy a ticket for that wouldn't hammer us financially was in a seated section between the Main and North Stands. It was a poorish view and ridiculous reasoning, as half the rest of the ground was empty. An impressive Villa side ran out 2-0 victors on their way to promotion at the end of the season.
We eventually got back after an interesting ride back over the Pennines in extremely dodgy conditions.
The City of Manchester/Etihad Stadium
Tuesday 22nd August 2006
Scarborough were playing at Stalybridge Celtic in the Conference North, and I had a couple of days off. I booked into a hotel in Manchester and caught the train on the morning of the match. I decided to walk to the stadium to see if I could get a look around. It took about half an hour to arrive, and I was delighted to be told I was in time for the last tour of the day.
I had a look inside the museum while waiting for the tour to start. City cared about their image greatly and wanted to be seen as a club up to date with the times. Indie tracks played out constantly in the museum.
Our guide appeared. It was genuinely nice to see it was a youngish bloke who obviously loved the City. He also strongly approved of me supporting my local club. After a brief introduction, we got inside the stadium.
It was extremely impressive. After the Commonwealth Games had finished, the track had been removed, and an extra tier of seating had been added. The stands were extended behind both goals. The stadium is bowl-shaped, with two tiers all the way around the ground and a third tier along the two side stands.
Our guide appeared. It was genuinely nice to see it was a youngish bloke who obviously loved the City. He also strongly approved of me supporting my local club. After a brief introduction, we got inside the stadium.
It was extremely impressive. After the Commonwealth Games had finished, the track had been removed, and an extra tier of seating had been added. The stands were extended behind both goals. The stadium is bowl-shaped, with two tiers all the way around the ground and a third tier along the two side stands.
We were taken to the changing rooms and saw all the corporate facilities behind the scenes. It had lots of community facilities. I was especially impressed with the slogan seen in a lot of places, "Our City, Our Club". I have done quite a few stadium tours, but the staff at City shone through, rather than being guides just going through the motions as at other venues.
I had a look around outside to finish off. The club had created a memorial garden for relatives to sit and think about City fans no longer with us. Opposite was a small athletics stadium which held some City junior games. I took the bus back into the city, ready to go to Stalybridge, after being thoroughly impressed with what I saw and heard.
Manchester City 1 Napoli 1
Champions League Group Stage - Wednesday 14th September 2011
👨👨👧👧 44,026
As I was off work for a couple of days after night shift, I went about planning a couple of days up north. I always wanted to go to a game at Accrington Stanley, and they were at home against Rotherham United the previous evening.
This fitted in well, as I was also keen on visiting a few clubs in the area. I looked at fixtures for the Wednesday evening, and City were at home in their first Champions League game, which was ideal as I booked a budget hotel in the city.
I'd registered on the website, but the club would not allow anyone to purchase a ticket for the game if they didn't have a previous purchasing history with them. I tried every trick I knew. I rang up, emailed, and rang again, offering to buy a League Cup ticket for the Birmingham game first, all to no avail. I decided to turn up on the night.
The fellas on reception at my Salford hotel told me that they knew that there were definitely tickets about, so I walked to Victoria and took a cab to the Etihad Stadium, as it was now called. Crowds were already gathering, and I found the matchday sales office.
After explaining that I had a fan's number, I was sold a ticket for the third tier of the East Stand for just £25. I was ever so slightly delighted! Next on the list was finding a bar. I had toyed with the idea of taking a bus to Droylsden, where I'd been with Scarborough and knew there was a decent selection of pubs.
The traffic was getting heavy. Instead, I went behind the North Stand, where the new City Square had been developed at the end of Joe Mercer Way. Huge screens were showing Sky Sports News, and then old Citeh, as the locals seem to call them, matches. I showed my match ticket and was allowed into a cordoned-off area with bars under a protective roof.
As I was off work for a couple of days after night shift, I went about planning a couple of days up north. I always wanted to go to a game at Accrington Stanley, and they were at home against Rotherham United the previous evening.
This fitted in well, as I was also keen on visiting a few clubs in the area. I looked at fixtures for the Wednesday evening, and City were at home in their first Champions League game, which was ideal as I booked a budget hotel in the city.
I'd registered on the website, but the club would not allow anyone to purchase a ticket for the game if they didn't have a previous purchasing history with them. I tried every trick I knew. I rang up, emailed, and rang again, offering to buy a League Cup ticket for the Birmingham game first, all to no avail. I decided to turn up on the night.
The fellas on reception at my Salford hotel told me that they knew that there were definitely tickets about, so I walked to Victoria and took a cab to the Etihad Stadium, as it was now called. Crowds were already gathering, and I found the matchday sales office.
After explaining that I had a fan's number, I was sold a ticket for the third tier of the East Stand for just £25. I was ever so slightly delighted! Next on the list was finding a bar. I had toyed with the idea of taking a bus to Droylsden, where I'd been with Scarborough and knew there was a decent selection of pubs.
The traffic was getting heavy. Instead, I went behind the North Stand, where the new City Square had been developed at the end of Joe Mercer Way. Huge screens were showing Sky Sports News, and then old Citeh, as the locals seem to call them, matches. I showed my match ticket and was allowed into a cordoned-off area with bars under a protective roof.
It was £3.40 a pint, but the service was excellent, and they had pies! I got talking to a City fan from Northampton, and everyone was in good spirits. I was told to get in front of two blokes at the bar as they said they arrived after me. You don't find that at many places! At around 7.20, it was time to go in.
It was a good walk up one of the circular tower pathways all the way to the top tier, but I wasn't bothered. The facilities on the concourse were first-class with plenty of room and everything a fan could want. Well, nearly everything, as it was designated an alcohol free game under UEFA rules, so it would have to be a pie and Bovril at half-time.
The view from my seat was superb as I looked down on probably the noisiest set of away fans I've ever heard. The City fans were giving it their best as well with some quality songs. Their legendary gallows humour shone through all night, and it was a pleasure to be amongst them.
The game was an excellent advert for European football, with slick passing and counter-attacking. City were probably a bit too elaborate, but with players like Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero up front, there is always a case for not just humping it forward. It was goalless at half-time, but thoroughly entertaining.
The music choice at half-time was the best I've heard at a ground, with all the Manchester favourites blasting out. Napoli got more into the second half as it progressed and broke away to get the opener through Edinson Cavani. The Neopolitans behind the goal went berserk. They were already standing and squeezed into a confined area.
When the ball went in, some breached the barrier at the front and jumped into the huge net erected to protect the goalmouth from missiles as the stewards and police struggled to maintain order. I was positive that the City fans wouldn't be afforded such soft-handed treatment over in Naples.
Within minutes, City equalised with a stunning Aleksandar Kolarov thunderbolt free kick, dipping over the visitors' wall. Both sides tried to win, but a draw was a fair result. I decided, rather foolishly in hindsight, to wait for a bus to take me back into the city. The police on patrol let traffic move from everywhere, apart from our bus marooned past the traffic lights.
It was a good walk up one of the circular tower pathways all the way to the top tier, but I wasn't bothered. The facilities on the concourse were first-class with plenty of room and everything a fan could want. Well, nearly everything, as it was designated an alcohol free game under UEFA rules, so it would have to be a pie and Bovril at half-time.
The view from my seat was superb as I looked down on probably the noisiest set of away fans I've ever heard. The City fans were giving it their best as well with some quality songs. Their legendary gallows humour shone through all night, and it was a pleasure to be amongst them.
The game was an excellent advert for European football, with slick passing and counter-attacking. City were probably a bit too elaborate, but with players like Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero up front, there is always a case for not just humping it forward. It was goalless at half-time, but thoroughly entertaining.
The music choice at half-time was the best I've heard at a ground, with all the Manchester favourites blasting out. Napoli got more into the second half as it progressed and broke away to get the opener through Edinson Cavani. The Neopolitans behind the goal went berserk. They were already standing and squeezed into a confined area.
When the ball went in, some breached the barrier at the front and jumped into the huge net erected to protect the goalmouth from missiles as the stewards and police struggled to maintain order. I was positive that the City fans wouldn't be afforded such soft-handed treatment over in Naples.
Within minutes, City equalised with a stunning Aleksandar Kolarov thunderbolt free kick, dipping over the visitors' wall. Both sides tried to win, but a draw was a fair result. I decided, rather foolishly in hindsight, to wait for a bus to take me back into the city. The police on patrol let traffic move from everywhere, apart from our bus marooned past the traffic lights.
It was extremely frustrating as even the away fans were let out and escorted back into the city. Eventually, our driver could collect us, and we went on our slow way. The police were absolutely on the ball. A few local youths decided to try to infiltrate the away fans and offer them more than a goodnight hug.
We eventually reached Piccadilly, where a City fan apologised to the driver for the behaviour of some of his fellow fans. He was no shrinking violet himself, but he shook his head in disgust at the bad name the morons were giving his beloved club.
I quickly worked out my route to my particular favourite, The City Arms, and then The Waterhouse for some welcome lubrication before heading back to the hotel. It had been a superb evening out, which continued the next morning before my train home. Manchester is a great city, and I was gutted to be heading back to London. It's always a delight to visit.
Thursday 2nd February 2012 - Maine Road
I was thankfully back in Manchester, having stayed in Salford Quays the previous evening, using a Travelodge as my base to attend the Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal game. The following morning, I had a few hours to kill before my train back down south. I had caught a bus to Whalley Range, where I managed to get some photos of Maine Road FC.
We eventually reached Piccadilly, where a City fan apologised to the driver for the behaviour of some of his fellow fans. He was no shrinking violet himself, but he shook his head in disgust at the bad name the morons were giving his beloved club.
I quickly worked out my route to my particular favourite, The City Arms, and then The Waterhouse for some welcome lubrication before heading back to the hotel. It had been a superb evening out, which continued the next morning before my train home. Manchester is a great city, and I was gutted to be heading back to London. It's always a delight to visit.
Thursday 2nd February 2012 - Maine Road
I was thankfully back in Manchester, having stayed in Salford Quays the previous evening, using a Travelodge as my base to attend the Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal game. The following morning, I had a few hours to kill before my train back down south. I had caught a bus to Whalley Range, where I managed to get some photos of Maine Road FC.
However, after studying my iPhone map and checking the time, I decided it would be good to have a brisk walk in the cold morning sun and see what has become of Maine Road. I walked past Alexandra Park and over Princess Road and found myself in amongst the warren of terraced streets.
 |
| My drawings of Maine Road, former City kits, and club crests. Click on the images for enlarged views. |
The back cobbled lanes all had modern metal gates for security, something that would have stopped a lot of hooliganism in the days of the old stadium. I noticed police patrol cars on a few occasions, which must have been good for locals. Moss Side looked as though it was trying hard to clean up its act.
After a wrong turning, I walked up Lowthorpe Street. Instead of the huge Main Stand being in view at the end, there was now a modern housing block. It was designed quite nicely, if truth be told, but I didn't see any plaques to remind future generations of the millions of fans who'd trampled the tight streets to see their team.
After a wrong turning, I walked up Lowthorpe Street. Instead of the huge Main Stand being in view at the end, there was now a modern housing block. It was designed quite nicely, if truth be told, but I didn't see any plaques to remind future generations of the millions of fans who'd trampled the tight streets to see their team.
A new road named Blue Moon Way was the only reminder. A show house and sales office stood near where the North Stand once dominated, trying to tempt potential buyers to invest in a property at The Maine Place. A whole new community and village were destined to spring up over the following years, although much of the ground was still untouched at the time of my visit.
I continued up to the top of the road and noticed there were no street signs for Maine Road. I would guess that they'd been 'secured' by a fan many blue moons previously. I caught a bus with the mixed community back into the city from Claremont Road. My visit had reminded me of days gone by, and my mind soon raced back to times when visiting Maine Road as a non-City fan could be quite an interesting experience.
It also took me back to days when the grounds were the heart of the community. The Etihad Stadium was an incredible venue, and there's no doubt City had prospered since moving north, but I thought it a shame for the locals. I hoped that City had carried on their excellent community work in the area.
Manchester
City 4 Hull City 1
League Cup Quarter Final - Tuesday 1st December 2015
👨👨👧👧 38,246 🎟️ £18
The
Tigers had reached the last eight of the League Cup for the first time ever.
Man City had given Hull City an away allocation of 5,500 tickets, so it was easy for Frazer to
book us a few seats together. My night shifts had finished on the morning of the game, so after a few hours' kip, I caught the train from Euston to Manchester.
A tram ride from Piccadilly with one change dropped me at Trafford Bar, where I booked into the Trafford Hall Hotel. The building was mid-refurbishment and was formerly Trafford Town Hall. The floodlights of Old Trafford Cricket Ground were just a short walk away.
After
freshening up, I was back on the tram going past the Etihad Stadium to Droylsden. My
brother Nick was driving with young Stan, with John Groombridge and his
lad, Harry. Locally based, Frazer was bringing his boys, Dan and Billy. Ideally, we would all meet up for a drink.
As the area around the stadium isn’t ideal for away fans, we decided the King’s Head at Droylsden was a reasonable choice.
I’d used it many years earlier when watching Scarborough play next door. Unfortunately, traffic was against the meet-up. I sat on the set of ‘Early Doors’ for four pints of Holts Bitter and IPA.
The locals were friendly and had a chat when I unveiled my Hull City polo shirt.
A
band played in the fans' park behind the North Stand, with screens showing their
performance, while supporters used the outdoor bars. It wasn’t dissimilar to
the German model. We walked to the far end, where the away section was located. The
security was as stringent as I’d ever seen at a British ground.
We had to place
our possessions in small airport-type baskets while being frisked. Hats had to
be removed. Some Hull fans were moaning, but it wasn’t the stewards' fault.
They did their job pretty well. They had been allocated the entire newly built third tier, which meant quite a walk up
the stairs. Unbelievably, there were no pies left at the bars.
Surely they knew
how many tickets they’d sold? Up
in the seating, our view was magnificent. We were very high up, but the steep
rake let us see all the action. The Hull support was loud and must have given
the players a boost. It would seem that the team came with just one plan: to restrict and frustrate Man
City and to capitalise on a miracle goal or a cock up.
The defenders were doing a fine job, the midfield wasn’t bad if lacking ambition, but the forwards were either scared or not good enough to go forward. It resulted in one-way traffic. David
Silva was running the game for the Sky Blues, who’d been boosted earlier in the
day by a multi-million-pound Chinese investment into the City Football Group.
Sooner
or later, a goal was coming. It came on just twelve minutes in when a low shot from
Kevin De Bruyne hit the foot of the post, only for Wilfried Bony to slot home
the rebound. The
rest of the half was mainly Man City, with an occasional break, which generally
gave way near the edge of the box.
One long-range shot was saved easily by home
keeper Willy Caballero. Just
before half-time, I dashed downstairs to meet Chewy, who’d kindly got the beers
in. The staff had restocked, so I bought a very good pie. However, for all its quality, it did not merit £4. I asked the lad behind the counter whether they’d shrunk in the oven.
To
be fair to the Tigers, they gave it their best. Harry McGuire at the back was
outstanding, and several other players didn’t look out of place. It was just
that they lacked the same pace and quality as the home team. There
was a good atmosphere at times from the travelling hordes, but most were
resigned to the fact that it wasn’t going to be.
The introduction of long-term
injury victim, Rob Snodgrass, raised the volume even louder, but the game was
more or less over soon after he came on. Substitute Raheem Sterling used his pace to whip in an excellent cross for fellow replacement Kelechi Iheanacho to turn the ball home with ten minutes remaining.
Within
two minutes, De Bruyne capitalised on a weak headed back pass to score past City keeper Eldin Jakupovic to make it three. We called it a night
shortly afterwards. While
I don’t generally like leaving early, the game was as good as done. Nick had a
long drive and needed to get on a tram as soon as possible.
I also had my eyes
on the clock as I fancied a few pints. I remembered just how long it took me to get into town the last time I’d been to the stadium. On
the walk round to the Etihad Campus tram stop, we missed a free kick from De
Bruyne that made it 4-0, before Andy Robertson grabbed a fine consolation.
I caught up with all the goals the following evening on Channel 5’s highlights show. It confirmed how one-sided it had been and highlighted the excellent noise from the away end. By
10.15, I was in Chorlton, where I enjoyed the beer at the Marble Beer House. A
quiz was just about to conclude, so I sat outside.
It was remarkably mild for
the first day of December. I finished off with a couple of fine ales at Pi before taking the tram a stop back to Trafford Bar from Firswood, ending the
evening with a lovely pizza.
I
must have been tired as I didn’t wake up until 9.40 the next morning, just in
time to head into town for a spot of shopping and to grab some food and reading
for the train. As ever, I enjoyed my short visit to Manchester.
The photos on this page of Maine Road have been taken from the internet.
