Andy Lamb

Why Blue?

Well, as it’s the Summer and there’s very little Blue news about, thought I’d get round to writing a ‘Why Blue’

First and foremost, it was no doubt my father’s influence, as he had been a Blue as long as I could remember (although when he first moved to Manchester, like many people at that time, he alternated between Red and Blue each weekend, depending on who was at home. Somehow, he ended up Blue, probably due to the glorious team of the late 60s). As a child, I remember my father coming to tuck me up in bed with an “Up the Blues” and various comments about Bell, Lee and Summerbee!

From what I remember, my first long-awaited match (certainly the 1st I can recollect) was in the 1981 season. And what a start! It was a glorious sunny day and the match was against Norwich in a certain FA Cup run. Two things will remain with me all my life and keep me forever Blue…

1. Joe Corrigan was signing autographs at half time – and he was my favourite player as he was the only City player in a game of footballer Top Trumps that I owned (he always won in the ‘height’ category!)
2. City won 6-0

There have been many comments on how City have this ability to wave a carrot in front of your face until you have no way of refusing your support for them whatever hell they then put you through! Six wonderful goals was enough for me and from that moment I knew there was no way out. It didn’t take long to realise what City were capable of doing to your sanity as it was only a few weeks later that I shed my first tears over City as Tommy Hutch’ became the latest Blue villain.

At least, 15 years later, living in Norwich, I’m still there with the Blues, and I can hold my head up high in a crowd of Canary yellow, and tell of the day they got a caning from the Blues! And I was there!

First printed in: MCIVTA Newsletter #209 on