Dave Bradbury

Why Blue?

As a 22 year old I obviously can’t recall City having any real success; until last season I’d known no other chairman than Swales! So as you can guess, it was family tradition and the fact that I was born in Didsbury, South M/Cr that meant I was a Blue from day one. Shamefully, I can’t remember the first game I went to; for some reason I do remember vividly the walk across Platt Fields with my dad but not the game. I would have been about 7 or 8. I still walk to Maine Road across the park, it’s one of my favourite parts of match day. There’s something really special about that approach to the ground, everyone walking together with the noise of the tannoy and crowd in the distance.

The first great game I remember wasn’t all that long ago, the 5-1 promotion clincher against Charlton Athletic. I was with my dad and my brother in the North Stand. I remember a bit of a pitch invasion and sulking because my dad wouldn’t let me go down. I never saw that many games as a kid because my dad was never that bothered about going and we moved to Matlock in Derbyshire in 1979.

My childhood heroes were Paul Power and Joe Corrigan, plus Trevor Francis while he was there. After a few years in the wilderness I have now been watching City for the last three years. I was always a devout Kippaxer but this season had a season ticket in the North Stand block N, which has been alright. I get to a few away matches but don’t make the best of choices, i.e. Cardiff, Barnet, Crystal Palace, all a bastard to get to and really bad games. I’ve been to the odd good one though, I enjoy the atmosphere at the swamp even if the scoreline is a letdown.

As for the future, well let’s hope for the best, with Franny in charge things could be a lot worse. I’ll leave you with a good quote I read about the Blues; it’s from the Guardian and was recalled by the editor of ‘Electric Blue’ fanzine:

“Has there ever been a club quite like Manchester City? Managers and players come and go, styles change and tactics alter, but they remain true to a tradition of eccentricity that has endeared, infuriated and baffled in turn.”

I think that pretty much sums it up,

First printed in: MCIVTA Newsletter #90 on