TRUE BLUE STORIES

Ian Renard

This is a question which I do not want to remember how many times I have been asked. I come from around 20-25 miles from my beloved Maine Road, I was just far enough away to catch most of the typical Man U*!#%d hassle from people who often travelled to watch the match, this travelling consisted of moving the armchair to get a better view of the tv. Which made them instant experts, many could even name the team (Schmeical, Cantona, er...., yeah...., can I have a clue) I bet that is a familiar story. Many of whom couldn't understand why I was so loyal to a team.

However, my answer to the question Why Blue? has always been the same, it was bred into me. If there was such a thing as Blue Blood it would run through my veins. Every relative of mine is a blue, this runs from aunties, uncles, cousins the list goes on. So from a very early age I have been influenced. More so as one of my great uncles played in the thirties and was in the two cup finals and won the league.

This is not the reason why I am blue, the reason is being taken to a match for the first time. I was aged around 6, and it was the promotion season of 84-85 (although I may be wrong), it was against Blackburn Rovers and I watched it from the H block in the Main Stand on my Grandad's season ticket, I can't remember the result, all I can remember was the fantastic excitement around me. Also what amazed me was the way people seemed to know each other. I can even remember an old lady who sat next to me, why, sweets are an amazing incentive for a six-year-old!!!

Well that was it, hooked. Unfortunately, my Grandad was too ill to go to many more games that season, so I was now addicted. My abiding memory was the end of that season when we needed to beat Charlton to go up. We did, 5-1 and there was about 45,000 people there. Most of whom ended up on the pitch at the final whistle, with many players being carried off on the shoulders of estatic fans. It still brings a tingle to my spine 13 years later.

I have seen 2 promotions and 2 relegations, so I have been through the good and bad times. The latter outweighing the former. I do remember the 10-1 against Huddersfield and of course the 5-1 against the rags. But I have seen reverses on those results as well. As well as around 10 managers since Billy McNeil. I have also seen many players come through the ranks, the genius of Paul Lake, David White in full flow, the dependability of Ian Brightwell, plus the present youngsters around.

But this is the joy of supporting City, unpredictability. Though I hope soon to see some European nights at Maine Road, and with Frank Clark I believe we will. It is this dream that means I will be blue as long as there is a Manchester City playing.