Graham Hine

Why Blue?

Since emigrating to Australia from Manchester in 1969, following Man City has been a difficult task. Prior to leaving Manchester (as an 8-year-old) my dad arranged for us to attend a training session at Maine Road where we met all the players, Malcolm Allison and Joe Mercer. At that time Francis Lee was (and continued to be) my boyhood hero and City were the best team in England.

I continued to follow the Blues, although news filtered through on an irregular basis from out-of-date Shoot magazines (England not getting to the ’74 World Cup still hurts badly!), Pinks & MUEN articles etc. sent via my grandfather (prior to his departure to the heavens) and the occasional game shown on Match of the Day at 11.00pm on a Monday night.

I returned to Manchester in ’86 (old Div. 1) & ’88 (old Div. 2 – relegated again) and managed to see a few games to keep the flame alive.

Can anybody remember the following games?

Man Utd 2 vs. Man City 2 (1986) – City equalise after going 2 down against the Rags at Old Trafford – one of my proudest days (lost to Chelsea in the Full Members’ Cup Final the next day – our last visit to Wembley – as per City).

Man City 2 vs. Oxford 1 (1988) – Steve Redmond scores the winner in the last minute as City score twice in the dying minutes to beat Oxford (Paul Simpson playing for Oxford). Stood on the Kippax for the first time – this was a crap game but I went home happy that City had done what they can’t do today (i.e. snatch victory from the jaws of defeat – à la West Ham – FA Cup, Birmingham, Ipswich etc.).

The other games I saw were typical of City with the trend continued to this day!

Man City vs. Watford (1986) – lost at home to Watford (1-0 – I think), John Barnes playing for Watford – crap game.

Man City 0 vs Birmingham 0 (1988) – crap game again – how can we draw 0-0 at home?

Over the years I have discovered numerous City fans scattered across Perth – WA and whilst frustrated at the club’s lack of success and constant disappointments (relegation, FA Cup losses to crap teams etc.) we maintained the pride of Man City in our veins.

Imagine our delight when along came McVittee – at last the latest news of the Blues straight from the horse’s mouth – “the fans” – with accurate match reports and constant feedback of the comings & goings at Maine Road. Access to McVittee opened a new world of excitement and feedback, at last despite being 12,000 miles from home I could follow the Blues and feel like a real supporter.

McVittee was quickly photocopied and distributed to eight other City fans located in Perth; we even arranged to meet each month at a local pub to discuss Man City – we were enthused! “We love you City we do” etc.

Our new found enthusiasm did not go unnoticed as we wore our City shirts with pride able to handle the verbal sparring with Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool fans content in the knowledge that we were a big club just waiting to explode!

The wit and positive vibes of the articles being written in McVittee convinced me that it was only a matter of time before City assumed became the power we new it deserved. Along comes our white knight – Francis Lee – the fairy tale was complete, my hero returns to take City to the Top. – the rest is history.

We now wear our shirts despite the embarrassment and constant flak we endure not only from fans of the “big clubs” but any Tom, Dick or Harry. Unable to reply we are dead ducks – I even have Coventry, West Ham, Bury fans taking the p*** – where did they live prior to City’s demise?

Even McVittee has changed from a positive, upbeat production to the bearer of bad news – I sometimes long for the old days – out of sight out of mind! I don’t think I could be strong enough to keep going to Maine Road like most of you poor souls in the current environment.

What Next? – Let’s hope Joe Royle can keep the team in Div. 1 this season and that the boardroom squabbles can be resolved – Franny (I’m sad to say) has to go!

Oasis – Just a short note to let you know that Oasis are in Perth for a concert – what a couple of Wallies – the boys kicked up a storm on the flight over and then went into full verbal assault (F—ing & Blinding) all over the place on TV & Radio. Thank God they didn’t have their City shirts on. The concert got a good write up in today’s paper though.

First printed in: MCIVTA Newsletter #379 on