The When
The Why
And
The Win
Stories from the fans of
Manchester City Football Club
Mark
Photographed underneath one of his art works at the East side of the Etihad Stadium.
Saturday 15th September 2001
Manchester City v Birmingham City
A football club to whatever degree of success, is part of the fabric of a community. The identity of the club becomes intertwined with the identity the people, with the unifying factors being traditions and cutlural aspects that an area is recognised for. In Manchester both City and United are able to draw from the wealth of successful bands that hail from the area. The music of the Manchester is used to create an atmosphere in the stadium pre match, on entrance of the players to the pitch and fans reinterpret words to the songs in support of their team. Another important cultural aspect that Manchester City has adopted at the Etihad complex is art. Mark Kennedy is a mosaic artist who's work can be found throughout the city. Most notably his work can be found on the walls of Afflecks Palace in the Northern Quarter which reflect a series of iconic Mancunians, individuals and characters who have made an impression on the city.
In a period when Mark was following City home & away Ali Benarbia signed for City. In his first appearance against Birmingham in 2001 he captivated the crowd with his skill and natural ability. He didn't play the full 90 minutes, substituted for Kevin Horlock after 74 minutes but it was enough to make an impression.
Benarbia was also the reason that a relationship was cemented between Mark and the club. He produced a mosaic of him, took it to Maine Road and handed it over to an official hoping that it would be passed on to Benarbia himself. He was then asked during the final season at Maine Road if he could dismantle the mosiacs that were above the entrances above the Main Stand.
Mark has since been commissioned by the club to produce several other pieces, some of which sit proudly within the football academy where the players get to see them during training sessions. For the 2020/21 season Puma produced a kit that was inspired by Mark's mosaics. The shirt in the traditional sky blue featured a mosaic pattern across the front and sleeves. For a local boy who grew up as a City fan and has worked hard at creating art in a city known for its industry, seeing City players and fans wearing the shirt he inspired is an achievement he can be rightly proud of.
​
​
Colin Bell toy
Gifted to Mark by Mark E Smith
Bill
Photographed outside the Dreamshed!
Bill's garden office where
Sunday 30th May 1999
Manchester City v Gillingham
2nd Division Play - Off Final
Occasionally there comes a game that changes everything.
A game so full of emotion that it can make you take stock of exactly what this club and this game of football means to you.
The venue was Wembley Stadium and this was a pivotal moment in the clubs history. The final game of the season for City was to be decided via the play-offs. Win, promotion back to the first division and heading in the right direction. Lose and who knows what consequences could have bestowed the future development of the club. It was a season in which City fans showed immense loyalty travelling home and away filling their allocation in grounds that in some cases had never been visited before. The games were arduous, after a bright start City came up against resilient teams that were much more established at this level and they struggled to maintain the points needed for instant promotion. So a trip to London beckoned for the play off final against Gillingham, who City drew at home with and beat away 2-0 at the Priestfield Stadium that season. Bill drove his son Will and friend Gareth down to London the day before the match staying over in a Travelodge, so they would be fresh and prepared for match day. Prepared, perhaps the wrong word...
With 89 minutes played City are 2-0 down, the game is nearly over, it is looking likely that City are destined for another season in the second division. The heartbreak in the sky blue half of the stadium was palpable and disillusioned City fans began to leave the stadium. But then there's a small sign of hope, Kevin Horlock scores, 2-1. It looks like this is just a consolation prize for the fans when within minutes the ball drops to No9 - Paul Dickov, top corner, 2-2. The crowd erupts an explosion of emotion embarks. At this point Bill turns to his uncle Dave and lifts him off the ground into the air,
held aloft like a trophy while screaming with joy!
City won the game in the preceding penalty shoot out and they were promoted to the First Division. Those two late goals an abiding memory for all City fans. Bill's Uncle Dave passed away in 2020, he would often recall how he was lifted into the air when Dickov equalised, he would laugh and reminisce with Bill on the fun that was had that day. Bill's enduring memory of Dave is that he could always be relied upon to bring a smile to his face, even when City's performances left a lot to be desired! Shared memories that last a life time.
A mouse mat showing a teletext screen with details of the the Play Off Final
Jair
2003 - First Visit to the Etihad
2023 - Twenty Years Later
Signed Photographs
Thursday 10th August 2006
9 Days before the 2006/07 season starts
Every football fan has a favourite player, of course this changes as time passes and new players are bought into the squad. The rationale behind this varies greatly and can be discussed at length amongst fellow fans.
For 9 year old Jair, who played in goal for Fletcher Moss Rangers FC it was David James. The England number one made his debut on 17th January 2004 in a 1-1 Draw to Blackburn Rovers. Throughout the period in which David James was first choice goalkeeper for City, the team languished in the mid table of the Premier League. There was a brief flirt with greater things in the season finale of 2004/05 in which James featured highly. The last game of the season against Middlesboro saw both teams battling it out to qualify for a UEFA cup spot. City's manager Stuart Pearce moved David James from goal to play as centre forward for the last 6 minutes of the game. It was an attempt to unsettle the opposition but, despite this outlandish tactical ploy and the drama of a missed penalty the game resulted in a 1-1draw; giving Middlesboro the points and the European spot.
​
In August 2006 a bid from Portsmouth was accepted by City for £1.2 million for James, so he departed the North West and started the next phase of his career on the South Coast. When Jair heard the news that David James was leaving City he was crushed. He felt that something needed to be done to convince him to change his mind. So he wrote a letter to him at his new club to tell him 'you're my favourite, so I think you need to come back to Manchester'. The letter was posted and Jair waited for the news that James was returning to his position with City. A few days later Jair received a signed photograph in the post from James in his new Portsmouth jersey simply saying 'best wishes'. It looked like he wasn't coming back, this was confirmed on Saturday 19th August with David James in goal for Portsmouth against Blackburn Rovers and the following day City away at Chelsea with Nicky Weaver in goal. The signed photo preserved as a reminder for Jair of his early football memories.
​
​
2005/06 book of trading cards
Wilf
Photographed at Gloucester Train Station. Since moving from Stockport to Gloucester in 1990 Wilf has been a member of the Gloucester & Cheltenham Official Supporters Club. One of the pick up points for the coach is at the front of Gloucester Train Station.
Saturday 16th September 1961
Manchester City v Bolton Wanderers
Celtic manager Jock Stein famously said 'Football without fans is nothing'. Never was this more strikingly observed than during the COVID-19 pandemic. The game being played out behind closed doors, with just the reverberating sounds of only the players filling the stadium completely sterilised the beautiful game. The emotional attachment that supporters gain is driven by the crowd, the sense of belonging, community, identifying with one another, the social connection.
​
But how does that connection start? Is it logistical, the ground is on your door step? Is it a player, or the kit that appeals? Is it the pleasure of watching a successful side, or the challenges of the under dog? Or is it your Uncle, your Aunt, your friend or a teacher that ignited that spark? For Wilf it was his Grandad Alf. Wilf's mother had insisted that he wasn't going to attend a game until he was five, information that Alf took as verbatim, and on the weekend of Wilf's 5th birthday his inauguration was set. Alf drove the two of them to Maine Road where they took up their spot in the Platt Lane Stand, the details of the game are lost in the annals of time, but it was the atmosphere and the blue shirts that remains fixed in the memory.
Since this first game in 1961, Wilf has attended a game every year, and for the majority of those years a season ticket holder. In 1990 Wilf moved to Gloucester for work, and joined the Gloucester and Cheltenham Supporters Branch. Wilf's first game with the branch was Tottenham Away in August 1990, he soon became an integral part of the branch and now has honorary life membership for the dedication and support he has shown.
​
​
​
1981 FA Cup final tickets
