Earliest memories of city games (3 Viewers)

My first game .October 1963 city v Wrexham we were top of division 3
Won 3-0 I believe .stood in the old covered end.on a wooden box.my uncle took me. As dad was working. EMEB.
Got the bug. Still have the passion but away games only this year.as I am a "lapsed season ticket holder"

At PNE, Boxing Day 1964 - Howard Kendall punched the ball into net for the winner. We thrashed them next day at Highfield Road.

I wish I could remember the games, I can not. I had a friend who knew the names of all the people in his class when he was 5, I can not remember any.

It would have been in the early 60's, my Granddad took me, we would walk up from the Prefab, a long walk, and stop on the way back at the Topshops to pick up a Pink and a bag of chips.

I can still visualise the Prefab and the walk, must have changed a lot now, we cut through the Cemetery. We would be on the Kop, I think later I would usually go down nearer the front so I could see better.

I also remember the Toilets! You could get a programme and something else? from the sellers walking around the edge of the pitch?

0-0 v Notts Forest, 1978-79. Midweek game, 5 years of age, my Dad took me and my brother. Sat in the west stand, can remember the pensioner cars pitch side, and that strangely pleasant smell of cigars, beer & bovril. Went to my next game a week or so later vs Norwich were we won 4-1.

Voice_of_Reason said:

Terry Bly played for Kings Lynn that day, not us.

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No he didn't he played for Peterborough before us. Jimmy Hill paid £10000 for him a record fee for us, later that season he paid £21000 for George Hudson and that spelt the end of Bly's Sky Blue career and was sold to Notts County for reported £13000, which meant Hudson cost only £8000, what a bargai
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V West ham at home aged 7 in 75 we won 2-0 David Cross scored one not sure about the second.
Sat in the West stand .

Manofdogs said:

Losing to Kings Lynn in FA Cup in 1961, I think Jimmy Hills first game in charge. I was 10 years old. Haven't missed a great deal of games since then until this season. Ex season ticket holder for 45 years.:claping hands: PUSB

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Jimmy Hill sat in the stands with Derek Robbins for that game,he was appointed manager the following week.If you remember,the crowd was abysmal,I'm sure the Pink had it at 1200 ish-although it's been reported recently as being
just over 2000.

being born in 92, my most vivid memories is the Buust testimonial, but more vividly, the 7-0 win vs Macclesfield.

Idk what it is, but when your aged 4/5-12/13, a football stadium is a magical place

Early 70's against the great Leeds Utd team that was on the decline, still beat us 2-0, with my best mate from school, in the west stand. It took several games before I saw us win.

jesus-wept said:

No he didn't he played for Peterborough before us. Jimmy Hill paid £10000 for him a record fee for us, later that season he paid £21000 for George Hudson and that spelt the end of Bly's Sky Blue career and was sold to Notts County for reported £13000, which meant Hudson cost only £8000, what a bargai
t

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Didn't we sign Hudson from Peterborough too ?

Voice_of_Reason said:

Didn't we sign Hudson from Peterborough too ?

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You are absolutely right, my grey cells are aging now ! Terry Bly died in 2009 (1935-2009).

Yes we signed Hudson from Peterborough also. The story goes that Terry Bly was bought by Derrick Robbins because he thought that was who Jimmy Hill wanted. Apparently Hill preferred George Hudson. Don't forget, as forceful a personality as Jimmy Hill was, Derrick Robbins was the boss, the chairman and a strong individual.
Bly was a terrific goalscorer for us, something like 25 goals in 30 games. But Hill thought 'The Hud,' was a better centre forward. If my memory serves me right Bly and Hudson played one game together, but that was it. And Bly scored in it. Shortly after he left for Notts County. Where he really surprisingly faded away after a magnificent goalscoring career. I was baffled at why he was sold at the time. But only being a kid soon took to Hudson.
Last Time I saw Terry Bly he was the pitch presenting prizes at halftime when we played Peterborough at their place in the League Cup on the day of the 9/11 disaster. He walked with a big limp. He died a few years ago. A very old school centre forward who did brilliantly for us and must have wondered what he'd done wrong here. But then we don't know the inside story. Could be a hundred reasons.
Hill came after the Kings Lynn game. He'd been approached by Derrick Robbins a few weeks before. According to most reports, including 'Nemo' at the time in the Telegraph, Hill sat in the stand across from the main stand during that cup game. Hoping not to be noticed. The crowd was 12,080. According to the Telegraph, a couple of thousand Kings Lynn fans travelled here and made a noise.
Great to read these memories. A big change from all the other stuff.
The Norwich game we won was a 5-4 to us. Christmas 1977. Jim Blyth saved a last minute penalty. Powell, Wallace, Gooding, McDonald and Graydon scored. 21, 578 attendance. I've got a book here. Remember being on the kop freezing that day.

Leeds, some terrific players but a bunch of nasty cloggers. They used every trick in the book and were hated across the land. In particular Bremner,but also Giles, Hunter, Jack Charlton, Clarke, Reaney all of them good at their jobs but horrible bastards. They took 'professionalism' to new lows. Whenever fans of a certain vintage look back to that time they shake their heads when it comes to Leeds. Don't get me started on Don Revie. No wonder Brian Clough tried to change them.

Yes, Leeds were on the wane at that point, maybe '74 or '75. I recently saw some vid snippets, Giles giving Keegan a right hook, Bremner/Keegan, Hunter winding Franny Lee into attacking him.

That Norwich 5-4 match was a great game, (was Martin Peters playing for them that day?) I was in the Sky Blue Terrace that day! I remember Jim Blyth saving a few pens over the years, I was there the day he injured himself in the warm-up and they had to grab Murcott.

And the Bristol game; my dad made us leave early and we missed the bit where the score was flashed on the screen, we heard a big cheer as we were leaving the ground but didn't know what had happened (I didn't find out the score until we got home, I thought we'd been relegated). Can't quite remember, was it 36,000 or 38,000?

Ads87 said:

December 10th 1983, City 4 Liverpool 0, Terry Gibson hat-trick. Nicky Platenuer scored the opener in the first minute.

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Yeah, NP headed over the line on his knees, great game! The first reign of Bobby Gould was probably my favourite CCFC period, and that is probably my favourite league game ever.

mrtrench said:

He did. My dad is Mick Coop.

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Really? Great memories of him, hope he is well!

Yep. It was all or nothing with Bobby Gould teams. Always admired his attitude.
And Coopy. 'Scoop.' What a great career he had with us. Think he might have made his debut back in 1966. Part of the team that took us up to the top division. Hundreds of games. His era is like our 'golden times' now. A true Sky Blue legend.
Bristol attendance 36,903. (Just looked in my book). Thousands from Brizzle.
It was such a pity about Leeds. So much talent but they were cynical. Horrible fans back then.
That punch up between Francis Lee and Hunter. Best ever!
Lee perfected the Manchester dive.

Last game of 1974/75 season v Middlesbrough. Dave Armstrong (sure he had a full head of hair back then) Graeme Souness, Bobby Murdoch for them. Stood on the Kop with dad. Split West end at other end."Why are they shouting 'Liverpool' dad"? (Never heard anyone from M'boro talk before, that's what it sounded like) Wondering why the teenage three star tank top bedecked City fans had a sky blue silk scarf tied on one wrist and a M'boro one on the other. We lost 2-0 and I was hooked. Unfortunately for many a subsequent visit, so it seemed were City.

Lots of stories Re Terry Bly's short stay here including unknowing to JH there was a bit of nudge-nudge with Bly or Hudson and either Mrs Bly or Mrs Hudson. I think it was Hill's intention to play them together until the naughty, naughties came out. Hudson was a bit of a hardnut, i believe he was a schoolboy British champion boxer They did only play one game together at Bristol Rovers at their old Eastville stadium ended 2-2 and Bly did score.
JH was fantastic in the transfer market and seemed to know exactly when to cash in on players, made profits on Bly, £3k, Willy Humphries £10k sold Arthur Lightening to Middlesbrough for £11000 who within a month legged iback to South Africa.

Threads like this bring out the best in us, as City fans. So many memories, but no vitriol or resentment to each other - just respect for the views and memories of fellow sky blue fans.

The way it should be!

My first attendance was the dreadful 0-0 draw against WBA on Boxing Day 1972. My grandad ( never been to a football match before, a lifelong Coventry Rugby supporter) took my brother and I , as a treat, because he knew we both wanted to go so much, to our first ever football match. He hated it, bless him, and it was an awful advert for football.......but I was hooked!

Why oh why could we not be at the Ricoh today, I suspect that the gate would have been close on twenty thousand.

mrtrench said:

He did. My dad is Mick Coop.

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Scoop, Scoop, scoop, scoop !

Moff said:

Tommy Hutchison on the wing...priceless.

Beating Crystal Palace 3-1 with the Clive Allen goal from a free kick that never was..it went in hit the frame of the goal and came out and the only person who didnt see it were the officials.

A few years later beating Sunderland 6-1 at home in a midweek game, our biggest top flight win, and against the Maccams as well. Nice!

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At that Sunderland game, one of their supporters got a good round of 'who's that tw^t in the dungarees, doo dah. doo dah' from the Spion Kop - remember that with a smile

oscillatewildly said:

Last game of 1974/75 season v Middlesbrough. Dave Armstrong (sure he had a full head of hair back then) Graeme Souness, Bobby Murdoch for them. Stood on the Kop with dad. Split West end at other end."Why are they shouting 'Liverpool' dad"? (Never heard anyone from M'boro talk before, that's what it sounded like) Wondering why the teenage three star tank top bedecked City fans had a sky blue silk scarf tied on one wrist and a M'boro one on the other. We lost 2-0 and I was hooked. Unfortunately for many a subsequent visit, so it seemed were City.

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I remember that match too. I stood on the raised wooden bit of the kop at the back. I recall that it was a nothing end of season game and it was very hot. I would have been 15.