Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood

City Til I Die.  I know I am, I’m sure I am.  I’m City til I die. 

It encapsulates everything about being a City fan.  Unwavering loyalty.  Undying devotion. Through thick and thin.  Always there – and unashamedly proud of it.

So far, nothing negative there Garry?  Surely this unabashed declaration of love for our club should be welcomed?  Surely any club in the world would give its eye teeth for an army of fans as fanatical as we are?

I would have thought this would be a Marketing Man’s dream – thousand upon thousand of people literally screaming “sell me goods and services connected to my club because I love them to bits.”

So again, where’s the negative in that?

I wholeheartedly agree with Garry’s feelings toward the ‘typical City’ tag – I hate that too.  Don’t get me wrong, I also understand why Garry has said what he has said as well.  On the face of it, he will have heard us chanting this during some of our low points hence his thinking it is a negative thing for us.

But City til I die is more than a song.  It is two fingers up to everyone who doubts, lambastes or ridicules us.  It is the sonic shield the fans use to protect themselves and the club from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

It is something the club should be inherently proud of; to hear every match that we were there, we are there and we will always be there.

So say it loud, say it proud – we ARE City til we die.

Peter the Great

OB's Great Moments in City History. Part 3

March 28 1926

ALL LANCASHIRE CUP FINAL FOR WEMBLEY

CITY OUTCLASS THE UNITED AT SHEFFIELD

Manchester City defeated Manchester United by 3 to 0 though the scoreline was in nature a surprise it was well earned and victory went to the better team.

It was unfortunate that this great semi-final between the Manchester teams had to be played outside Lancashire.

Over 15,000 ardent Mancunians found their way to Sheffield and or an hour before the game started in front of 45,000 there were some ‘lively scenes’.

Thought City were the most dangerous side the first real thrill of the game came when McPherson of Utd rounded Cookson and put in a low drive that Goodchild went full length to save.

Adopting a more open game than their opponents the City had the better of the attacks but neither Austin or Hicks could place their centres with reasonable accuracy.

However following a nice move between Roberts and Johnson, Hicks forced a corner and during the terrific scrimmage in front of the goal which followed Bromwell pushed the ball into the goal at the end of 14 minutes play. Utd made a strong appeal in regard to an alleged infringement but this was not acknowledged by the referee.

Neither goalkeeper was sure in his handling and Utd should have scored when Goodchild failed to gather a low drive from Thomas. McPherson and Rennox both missed chances of levelling the scores before the interval at which stage City led by a goal.

An unpleasant incident involving a foul on Cowan resulted in a severe reprimand to a City player from the referee. Following this play become tough with fouls frequent. Silcock played a free kick and the City defenders had an anxious time.

As Utd showed more liveliness in attack the City backs began to falter their kicking being wild.
One opportunity fell to City and Steward tipped the ball over the bar from a fast moving shot from Austin. The City’s fast open movements always suggested danger and after 31 minutes Bromwell added a second goal with a brilliant first time shot the opening being made by a beautiful pass from Hicks.

Within 3 minutes the City went further ahead. Hicks again provided the opening when Roberts put in a fast low drive Steward could not hold the ball which as he lay outstretched on the ground went off his arm and high into the net.

Utd never gave up trying but they were outclassed by a much faster and cleverer side.

OB's Great Moments in City History. Part 2

As the new season begins I thought Bluewatchers might be interested in reading of some of our past glories as we embark on creating some new ones.

This first one is from April 25th 1904 and headlines read:

MANCHESTER WIN “T’ COOP”

MEREDITH’S GREAT GOAL

The Manchester City Club won the Football Association Cup from Bolton Wanders at Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon by 1 goal to nil. The national football trophy thus finds a new resting place for a season. It has been to Blackburn quite often but never to Manchester.

According to official estimates over 61,000 witnessed the play. The railway companies say they ran nearly 60 specials to the capital for the day. Saturday was a warm and sunny afternoon and conditions could not have been bettered.

This was Manchester City’s first appearance in the Final and it is a most remarkable thing that they are also in the running for the championship of the Football League. Their position constitutes a wonderful achievement when one remembers that they were only promoted from the Second Division at the close of last season.

It was not a great match – very few finals are – but was one of the hardest and most determined ever seen.

The boasts about the brilliant dribbling and short passing qualities of the Manchester men was not borne out in their play.

The Londoners needed have worried about not seeing the great Meredith. The Welsh International who is without question the finest outside right in the three kingdoms was in the very pink of health and condition

Although there were some doubts and legitimacy about the winning goal the referee Mr Barker never had such a doubt. Meredith being fast and very tricky always is very close to the opposing back. On this occasion he was close to but not behind Struthers when the ball came to him and as brown was a good deal further towards Davies the Blackburn goalie there could be no question of offside . The lightening-like movement by which Meredith got round Struthers was what caused the pen and ink critics of the game to boggle.

Little need be said of the players individual performances but Burgess at left back did more to win the match for his side than any other man in the eleven. The little fellow is a gem in his way. But for him Boltons kick and rush methods might have succeeded. Meredith was too closely watched to be as effective as usual.

Manchester City: Hillman, Burgess, Mason, Frost, Hynds, Ashworth, Meredith Livingston, Gillespie, Turnbull and Booth.

As a footnote as City challenge for the double their cross city rivals are currently 3rd in Division II.

OB

Editor's note - Stay glued to BlueWatch as we will publish another great moment tomorrow!

Don’t judge a book by its cover

This time last year superman was linked with Sunderland, £5 million was the amount and I would have ripped their arms off, I imagine I speak for many, he came across with a "party boy" "I don’t care attitude" (Johnson take note), I heard the rumours of how he was training for the upcoming season but thought he would be one of the first to fall with Hughes in charge.

Then the season began, he was comfortable on the ball, his vision to play a ball had improved, he was much stronger, and developed his shooting boots.  We watched is shock and amazement as we could see that Hughes and Ireland are actually on the same page. They went hand in hand and Hughes' training worked a treat.

The crazy wackiness of Ireland is something we love, the cars, the tatts, and the pants make him unique, my perception of him was totally wrong and just could not see past it

He has his own website which sells loads of memorabilia for Francis House which I must say is a brilliant cause, how many other city players do something like this?

http://www.stephenireland.com/shop/

Not only that but he’s pictured here in training for the new season in a Madeline McCann shirt, he doesn’t have to do this but chooses to regardless

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/06/19/article-1194140-0567762A000005DC-758_224x423.jpg

The guy is a model pro, the stories on here of how kids have knocked on his door and he went out for a kick about with them make me love him even more, he loves city and I love him

All the garbage regarding the national team I find laughable. The fact is the National team needs Ireland much more than Ireland needs the national team.  Trappatoni has yet to be able to bring Ireland back to the national squad.   Nor will he in all likely-hood.  It is the club that Ireland pledges his loyalty to.  While Michael Owen sells his soul to the Devil to save his England career, Ireland care about the glory of his club.  That is what drives the man.

We all forget Ireland is only 22, he has 2 young children and the weight of the world on his shoulders, idiots like me should cut the guy some slack he’s currently killing himself working for next season; I wonder where Johnson is right now? Probably getting pissed.

Ireland is the one to watch, Colin Bell was before my time yet videos of him that I have watched remind me much more of Ireland than Johnson, the speed in which he got across the pitch to score against Hamburg was world class something which Johnson in my opinion could never do

My mouth is drooling at the thought of Barry and Ireland next season because both will compliment each other beautifully

I cannot wait, I was wrong and Ireland is going on next season’s home + away + third shirt

MCFC

This article was written for www.bluewatchmcfc.co.uk.  This is in no way connected directly to the Manchester City Football Club, website, players, or management. "MCFC" is the name of a poster on our site who wrote the content.