TRUE BLUE STORIES

Roy Grindrod

As a 9-year-old living in Ashton-Under-Lyne I must admit I didn't know anything about football or football teams. Our school class used to go cross-country running and it was on one of these runs that I became a Blue. My mate at school Les Hammond, who seemed to know all about football, was telling me he had been to watch City the previous weekend with his Dad. His stories about the ground and the players enthralled me. He told me their shirts were Sky Blue which happened to be my favourite colour. Most of the other classmates were reds so, always wanting to be different, I became blue. I was too young to take much interest and I can't really remember following their results and fortunes, but April 16th Good Friday 1965 my Dad took me to Maine Road for the first time. I can't remember much about the game except it was against Crystal Palace, City lost 0-2 and the Palace goalkeeper broke his leg. But I had been on the Kippax and I had seen those famous Blue shirts. I was hooked. I begged my Dad to take me to the next game. He finally relented and took me again. Having the knowledge now, I can sympathise with him as that season was one of City's lowest times languishing near the bottom of the second division. The next season City turned the corner. It was the beginning of the Mercer/Allison era. I was now old enough to go with my older friends and that first season was really special. What a golden period the next few years were - 2nd Division Champions, 1st Division Champions, FA Cup Winners, European Cup Winners Cup and League Cup Winners - what great years! When I left school I took up an apprenticeship with Manchester Direct Works and to my great pleasure I worked with older Blues who told me great tales of Swift, Trautman, Revie, Doherty, Busby etc. When I qualified as a Carpenter and Joiner I decided I wanted to see the world. Subsequent years I was an exiled Blue living in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia and Israel. I used to spend Saturday evening's trying to tune into the BBC overseas service for match reports and results. One great high was the semi-final v Ipswich Town. I just managed to tune into the BBC Africa service as the match commentator said "the light blue end of the ground is erupting in joyous scenes as their team heads for Wembley". Heaven!! The lowest point was hearing the result of the Luton relegation game. Despair!! That just about sums up being a Blue, it's either heaven or despair. I have been living in Bournemouth for the past 8 years and visit my family in Ashton-Under-Lyne as often as time permits, but I always pay a visit to Maine Road. Last Christmas I took my 9-year-old son to Maine Road for the City v. Port Vale game. City lost 1-0 and were languishing near the bottom of the old 2nd Division. A short time later a new manager took over - Frank Clark - does it sound familiar? Let's hope the wheel has turned and its the beginning of a new golden era.