Lynne Duckworth

Whilst sat at home contemplating the end of my sporting career at the age of 37( I broke my ankle playing lacrosse on Sat), I thought, rather than telling you about my 1st city game in 1966, I would dedicate this article to the wife, who has to chauffeur me around and leap to my beck and call.

When you are a sports widow, coming 6th best to lacrosse, football, running, and golf and squash, you have a choice,... run away or join them. Well, the fateful day when she saw her first professional football game (she did see Freddie and the Dreamers play at Stalybridge Celtic she says, but I said it didn't count) was Franny Lee's debut as Chairman. With a distinct artificial enthusiasm, she sat in the main stand (#12 a head) wondering why we were rapturously applauding this fat middle aged bloke. The game began and within 10 minutes, the tension was too much to bear and, when Ian Brightwell (?) passed the ball into the path of Marshall who scored for Ipswich, she was hooked as a City fan- she has always felt sorry for the underdog. By the final whistle I was battered and bruised as she showed her enthusiasm. Her lasting impressions on the game were Rocastle has a nice bum. Phelan is as fast as f*** and Lomas is a sweetheart.

Unfortunately,for my wallet, she demanded to go again, and so on to Villa. 3-0 up, City fans covering their eyes in dire suspense, she turned to everyone around me and said 'What are you worried about, we are bound to win' Oh, if William Blake were alive today, she would have prime place in Auguries of Innocence. She was of course correct, we did win. but WE KNEW THAT- with 10 minutes to go.

The next game I took her to was probably the most embarassing. On entering the ground and walking past Colin Bell, I said 'hi Colin' and she said within earshot - 'who's that guy?'. Things would get worse. Flitcroft was having a bad time on the field, nothing would go right for him and when this was pointed out to me by my nearest and dearest, I explained that he was injured. End of the matter-NOT. She stood up and shouted '' Get him off the field if he is being detrimental to the team''. I don't know about anyone else, but detrimental is probably one of the longest words spoken at Maine Rd, all I wanted to do was crawl away as everyone turned to find the source of the quote.

Anyway City won again' and although I wanted her banned from Maine Rd forever, it was not allowed. She was the good luck charm, the mascot, everyone knew that and demanded she attended every game AND, made sure she would only go to the loo when the ref blew the whisle for half time.(they never sponsored me for tickets)

Now you know. Was it Franny who saved City last season, or der bomber Uwe, the Artful Dodger, or the little genius? Ney, it was me taking Lynne watching City.