Declan Carty

Why Blue?

I actually need some help with the reason why I follow the Citizens, and maybe some of you out there could help me with my timing? I am the youngest of 5 football supporting – or at least they used to – boys. From the top down the teams they supported were Arsenal, Spurs (plenty of rivalry there!), United, Arsenal again, and Me (City – which had even more rivalry than the eldest two).

My best mate supported Liverpool, so I really didn’t know which team to follow. So I braved a decision and decided to plump for Chopper Harris’ Chelsea. I’m actually not sure what year this all took place (1971-2?) but I didn’t follow Chelsea for long. I was under huge pressure from my mate – both of whose brothers followed the Red Scum, and so one day Liverpool hit Chelsea for three or four at Stamford Bridge, and that was it – I was to be a scouser!

However, that didn’t fit very well either, and not long after a team called Manchester City came to Anfield and hit Liverpool for four (or maybe 3, or even 5?!). Now nobody I knew followed this team, that’s for sure, so I became a True Blue – in a sort of round about way! But it must be something to think that about 30 years later I’m still with them – Oh the foibles of childhood – we were so fickle!

P.S. could some of you out there help me get the facts straight – it would be nice to know when exactly it all happened!

First printed in: MCIVTA Newsletter #759 on