Dave Smith

Why Blue?

I’m 37 and live in Canada. I was born and raised in Manchester and used to follow City when I was a nipper, and here are 9 memories:

1. My Uncle George (Smith) would come round to our house to visit, and he would balance a football on his instep as a “party-trick”. I was impressed. Uncle George played for City and scored 4 goals against United during the war years, as some of you may know, so it was a real treat to see him.
2. 1966. Running on the pitch at Maine Road at the end of the last game as the team paraded the Second Division trophy. I was 10 years old, and I was in heaven. Johnny Crossan is the only name I remember. Where is he now?
3. 1968. I was at the 4-3 Newcastle game. What a thrill. My dad wouldn’t let me go on my own, and made me travel with a couple of his mates from work. What an era for English and Manchester soccer. World cup in ’66, City winning the Division title in ’68 and United in the European Cup final.
4. Scoreboard end with my new City bobble-hat. Playing Leeds, and 30 minutes before the game started a bunch of Leeds fans arrived. I was sitting on a barrier, and before I knew it, one of them had snatched my bobble-hat, and ran off with it. I reported the theft to a bobby, but he couldn’t really do much. From then on I went into the Kippax – to be amongst friends.
5. “The ballet on ice”. Anyone remember that? Against Spurs, we won 4-1, and the football was fantastic. Tremendous game, played – you guessed it – on a sheet of snow and ice. Must have been a close call as to whether or not to postpone the game, but I’m glad they didn’t.
6. That woman with the bell. Glad I don’t have a season ticket for the seat next to her!
7. Standing at the barrier down at the front of the Kippax Street for one game. The ball skidded off the wet turf, and into my hands. I passed the ball back to George Heslop. He said “thanks”. Didn’t wash my hands for a week.
8. Me and my buddies hanging out on a street corner in my native Simister (near Prestwich), when who should stroll by but Tommy Booth on his way to the corner shop. Could have knocked us down with a feather. We couldn’t believe that there was a Mega-Star strolling along like a regular guy. Wow. He’d just bought a house in Simister (Farm Lane). He was nice guy, and would always be accomodating when we occasionally asked him to get tickets for us.
9. Hanging out near the Bell-Waldron retaurant in Whitefield in the hope of catching a glimpse of Colin. He was co-owner, and spent quite a bit of time there.

First printed in: MCIVTA Newsletter #96 on