Sally Diz

Maine Road in all its glory. What a magnificent sight! 💙 What a stunning photograph of the front of our beloved Maine Road, taken during the 1980s. A stadium that stood proud in the heart of Moss Side. A place that was so much more than just a football ground. For generations of Manchester City supporters, it was a second home, a place full of excitement, anticipation, friendships and memories that have never faded. There was something truly special about arriving at Maine Road on a match day. The excitement would build as you got closer to the ground. The familiar sights, the crowds gathering, the conversations about the team and the anticipation of what the afternoon might bring. And then there was the front entrance itself. How many thousands of Blues must have stood outside those doors over the years, sometimes for hours, hoping to catch a glimpse of their heroes? Perhaps an autograph, a quick photograph or simply the chance to exchange a few words with a player they idolised. It was a different world back then. Today, players are understandably much more protected. They arrive in their cars, often ushered through secure entrances, with very little opportunity for that personal interaction supporters once enjoyed. It's certainly a very different experience from those days standing outside Maine Road with your autograph book and a pen, hoping your favourite player might stop for a moment. I can still remember arriving at Maine Road ridiculously early on match days. Sometimes there was no particular reason to be there so early. I just wanted to be there. I'd stand around the front of the stadium, watching people coming and going, taking in the surroundings and simply looking up at that magnificent old ground. I was mesmerised by the place. There was something about Maine Road that you could never quite put into words. It wasn't always about the football, and goodness knows we endured our fair share of disappointments over the years! It was about belonging. It was about being a Blue. And for those of us who grew up with Maine Road, no matter how wonderful the Etihad is today, there will always be something about that old ground that can never be replaced. So here's a question for all you Blues. What were your Maine Road match-day rituals? Did you arrive hours before kick-off? Did you have a favourite meeting place, a particular turnstile, a lucky routine or somewhere you always stopped for a bite to eat, or pint? Perhaps, like me, you simply enjoyed standing outside the ground and soaking up the atmosphere. Let's keep Maine Road alive through the stories and memories of the people who loved it. Because although the stadium may be gone, the memories will live on forever. Maine Road. Our home. Our history. Our Maine Road Memories