TRUE BLUE STORIES

Helen Murtagh

My family, being Irish catholics, is very large and growing up with 6 brothers, football and sport in general, was a part of my life. Every Sunday afternoon we would trudge over to Bogart Hole Clough (WHERE?!!) and "football" 'til we dropped. I remember supporting Liverpool at one point - but let me say in my defence - I am the youngest of 10, my mum used to call me "scrapings of the pot" - so maybe I had Irish stew for brains!!

My first visit to Maine Road was as a young girl with my sister and my uncle, who was over here on a visit from Ireland. We beat West Ham 2-0 and I recall sitting in the North Stand, but where they usually put the away fans now - where did they put them that day? (Perhaps being southerners they felt more at home at OT?). I had a pie, my uncle threw me in the air when the Blues scored and my pie was never seen again!! I went again with my sister (same one), my brother-in-law and my nephew. Outside the ground a young lad asked if he could mind the car, my brother-in-law said "No, it's alright, it has an alarm", to which the young lad replied "Yeah, but does it put out fires?". We drew against Tottenham and my brother-in-law never went again!

Although I didn't go again for a while myself, I followed City's progress/demise every week. It was then that I met up with Tony and myself and Maine Road resumed our acquaintance. Why Blue? City remind me of an "old" friend of mine (Sorry Ann-Maree!!) - we plan a night out weeks in advance, where we will go, what we will do and then BAM! right at the last minute she phones to say she can't make it. Disappointed, I put the phone down but I know that when we DO get together we always have one hell of a night! Take the City vs Geordies match, we go it from the off and take the lead - they get one back. We do it all over again - they get one back - you all know the rest! But at the end of the match, you know, come hell or high water, Premier League or Conference League (OK - MAYBE NOT THAT EXTREME!!), we all have a bitch, a moan and maybe the occasional laugh, we'll all be out there the week after shouting and supporting them all the more.

STAY TRUE! STAY BLUE!