James Talbot

Why Blue?

I have been told by my parents tha I had no interest whatsoever in Football until I was 7 (1980); suddenly I was frantic about the game, playing and Watching. Even though I was born in Manchester and my grandfather and father were City Fans, because I had spent most of my upbringing, at that time, near Birmingham, I became a brief Villa Fan (now my second club); this was mainly due to peer pressure. My dad was great and didn’t push me to support City, I guess he realised that I would realise soon enough that it was in my blood. It was and I found it. My earliest recollection of watching a City game is the ’81 Final, and seeing my dad cry for the first (and last) time in my life. During the eighties I went to not so many games and had to follow it on TV, mainly due to being away at school, and my mum banning my dad from taking me due to crowd violence.

My first game at the Academy was against Watford in the League Cup, I remember Coton in goal for them! He saved a Paul Stewart penalty if I remember rightly, but he made up for it by scoring one in the second half. Best moment at Maine Road has got to be in ’89 when we thrashed the Rags 5-1, and nearly as good a year later when me and my dad were driving up the M6 passing loads of scum buses; my dad would wave and hold all five fingers out, some would wave back, and I would greet them with the Bird next to my dad’s hand and show my shirt (small things…!).

Best and worst moment in one day, Colin Hendry getting me in to Forest for free and having the team sign my leg (it was broken, I still have it as well, the plaster that is, the leg fell off shortly after! not), thought it was great until the Dibble Disaster; on the video of that game you can see me in the stand behind Kendall giving it some chelp and waving my crutch about!

Since ’92, I’ve been in London and get to all the London games, favourite ground seems to be QPR as it seems lucky for City bar last season. I’ve just bought two season tickets for Maine Road next season even though, thanks to Sky, I won’t be able to get to them all. The last time City won something major I wasn’t even one year old, I hope I am not going to wait too long, and whilst I don’t have much faith in AB my Exeter friends assure me he’ll come good. Finally there is no way I would support any other club like I do City, and it breaks my heart to hear of unrest in the camp. Here’s to a happier future.

First printed in: MCIVTA Newsletter #211 on