Alan Arenson

Why Blue?

My reasons for supporting City are not all that clear to me – If I remember correctly – it is over 20 years that I started – it may have had something to do with Frannie Lee. I used to get ‘Shoot’ magazine and saw that he featured on a regular basis. I also liked the colours. Living in South Africa, with no ties to England, it made no difference who I supported. City were a good team, made the news regularly and so I started following their progress. Then =46rannie came to South Africa to play for a team that I did not support. However, I saw him, was impressed, and have stuck with City, for better or for worse, ever since. Naturally, I am very happy to have him in the driver’s seat at Maine Road and hope for better days.

I have only been to Maine Road once, and not to a game either. In 1979, I was going to England on vacation and wrote to the club, Tony Book actually, asking if I could attend a training session. He replied saying that I could, and when I arrived in England, contacted them to set it up. I arrived at the ground to be told that my luck was in, they were playing a training match at the stadium, that I could watch, talk to any of the players not involved in the game, and would be introduced to the team afterwards. It was great watching the team train, I chatted at length with an ex-South African – Colin Viljoen, who had recently joined the team and met some of my “heroes”. This brings me to a question. That day I also had a lengthy conversation with Roger Palmer, who had also played in South Africa at one stage. He was subsequently transferred, I think to Oldham. Any idea what happened to him? Also are any other of the “greats” eg Dennis Law, Colin Bell, Joe Corrigan, still involved with the club? I noted that Mike Summerbee may be playing some sort of rôle.

First printed in: MCIVTA Newsletter #8 on