Fraser Davidson

Why Blue?

Why does a Scot living in Geneva support City…

Well, when I was a wee boy, I was transported off to Manchester. When I reached the tender age of six, I began to express an interest in football. It was 1966 and at first I thought I was a Chelsea fan, on the logical basis that they beat somebody 10-1, I then decided to support United, because lots of lads at school were United fans. Fortunately my father told me in no uncertain terms that I would never be allowed anywhere near a football ground if I supported United, so in the Autumn of 66 my dad took me to my first football match, the Derby, City vs. United at Maine Road.

My memories of this encounter are sketchy, we were in the Platt Lane Stand, in the round covered bit next to the main stand that looks like a cow shed now. I think the score was 1-1, who cares, I was hooked, the atmosphere, the Bovril, the Wagon Wheels.

We saw five or six games that season, and I remember running round school after we won the league. The next season my father bought season tickets in block G, and we barely missed a match until we moved back to Scotland in 1973.

My main memories were the “ice ballet” (yes we really were there), Rodney Marsh eventually coming good against Derby, beating United 4-1 nearly every year and seeing Tommy Smith sent off at Maine Road. On the down side being knocked out of the Cup 3-0 by United in the third round, the season after we won it, Joe Mercer being sacked, My dad not taking me to the 69 Cup final, and both BBC and ITV showing the Chelsea-Leeds replay when City were winning the CWC in Vienna.

Great times to be a City fan; we moved to Fort William in 1973, and having been bitten I continued to follow the fortunes of the Blues, as best I could. We seemed to be on the right lines with Johnny Hart; it was sad that he had to retire. Tony Book created a very competent team, with the best back four I can remember City ever having. By then I was regularly visiting Manchester again. I couldnt believe the mess Allison made of City; he took a good top 5 team and decimated it. I was living in Edinburgh at the time, and City played in the Skol cup. We were crap, and matched the colour of the brown shirts used in one match.

I still saw the Blues fairly regularly at this point; just when Allison seemed to be turning the corner, Swales sacked him and Bond took over. He added a few hard men and gave Allison’s youngsters the backbone they needed. The cup run was great; I drove down to the 6th round replay against Everton, what a night that was… I went to the semi-final, an incredible day. Sadly I couldn’t get to the final; fortunately BBC Scotland showed the match, and the replay, nuff said.

It’s been downhill since then sadly; this season in my view is the crunch. I am not optimistic; after the November resurgance we seem to have dropped back down into the mire again, there is a lack of consistency in the tactics deployed but as I only see the Sky games I can’t really comment, I would be interested in hearing people’s views who have seen City all season.

I am living in Switzerland now; the Internet site is invaluable in keeping up to date, and for me Sky is great, although I would be really pissed off if I was living in the UK.

I would be delighted to hear from any City fan who remembers me, or other Blue masochists in Geneva… Keep up the good work.

First printed in: MCIVTA Newsletter #156 on