David Brierley

Why Blue?

I was born April 18th 1956; a few weeks earlier City had won the FA Cup beating Birmingham City 3-1. Of course that was a long time ago, ermm well 40 years in fact, so as far as I know all City’s trophies were won in the first half of my life.

My early childhood was spent in an area called Reddish, but despite its name it was, as I was to learn, solid Blue. I was a raggedy-arsed kid in those days, and I learned to live by my wits, i.e. if some of the big kids accosted you they would say “Do you support City or United?” The correct reply in these circumstances was to say “City”, but ever a sucker for a good hiding, I once bought a packet of sweet cigarettes, you know those white things with a blob of red on the end, and they had these cards featuring famous football players… call me dyslexic if you will, but I was convinced that the bloke on the card with a red and white shirt played for… S U N D ermmm LONDON! yes! that was it…

Haha! So once more I was accosted.
“Who do you support?”
“London” I replied proudly.
Now this answer caused some perplexion on my would be attackers… viz. “London?”
“No such team.”
“But there has to be.”
“No there ain’t” and as my would-be attackers debated the point as to whether there was a football team from London, I departed. Y’see You had to be smart to survive.

My footballing career:

I cannot play football. I am totally uncoordinated, but that did not stop me from playing left back in the school team for a good few years. My game play tactics were simple. I’m left back.. I stay left back. And so, as the other kids on the team chased the ball around the field like a swarm of bees, I resolutely stood my ground, only ever going towards the ball if it encroached on my patch. Basically I was a lazy t**t… but it worked, it really did. Mr. Hargreaves the PE teacher would sometimes blow his whistle and say “Look at Brierley! he knows his position” I was amazed. Just by standing still and only going for the ball when it was in “my bit” I was the ace player! Not being the selfish kind I imparted this basic knowledge to my fellow Right back. Hey! it worked for him too!

A good defence needs rapport. The problem was the goalie. I told him: “me and him are going to get the ball if it ever comes near us.”

The goalie sniffed; “I don’t wanna be in goals,” he whimpered. Now that’s true. I played in goals once, let 7 in and the rest of the team blamed me. Bastards. As a tried and tested left back I decided, with my fellow right back, to cheer up the goalie. We decided to make mud pies in the goal area. This was a bad mistake. Mr. Hargreaves spotted us, blew his whistle, and went, livid-faced to our muddy playground. “Do you think”, he shouted, slobbering, “that City and United players” he gasped – “make mud pies!?!” We sniffed abjectly. “No sir. mm no.” I was dropped from the team. I was made to play with the other kids, and I never ever played for the school again. That was when I was 10, fortunately for me, it was England winners 1966, World Cup Willie nougat bars and stuff like that. England 4 W Germany 2 … I knew England were going to win all along of course, and this rekindled my interest in football.

It was several years later that I actually went to a proper football match. It was a carnival atmosphere, well umm no it wasn’t. The fixture was Stockport County vs. Torquay (0-0), Friday night is County night and all that. Despite the match being completely abysmal I was hooked, and craved more, and soon I went to my first ever league match at Maine Road. City vs. Coventry. This is more like it I thought as City cruised to a 3-0 lead, the Blues looked invincible; then it was 3-1, soon 3-2, Hang On! What’s going on here? Anyway, Dennis Tueart popped up to score City’s 4th… ahh! Everything was OK again. It was a little taster for me that you “can never tell with City.”

And so I became a regular, standing on the Kippax. My favourite moments supporting City include the ’76 League Cup win vs. Newcastle, the 10-1 vs. Huddersfield and the 5-1 vs. the Rags. Going to away matches was always an adventure, I remember in particular the 76/77 opening match of the season vs. Leicester… 7,000 of us that day!

Up until last season (95/96) I was a season ticket holder in the Umbro stand, but these days I am living in Georgia, USA, and so more than ever I appreciate the efforts of the organizers and contributors of MCIVTA.

P.S. I have persuaded my Fiancee, Tracy, to be a Blue, and for a special treat while we are honeymooning in England I’m taking her to see City vs. Oxford.

First printed in: MCIVTA Newsletter #240 on