Off to Portsmouth later armed with two grandsons, nearly 55 years after the last time 17th October 1964 to be precise. A big date in the JH days. This was the day City goalkeeper legend Bill Glazier signed and made his debut v Pompey. In those days if a player signed on a match day before noon they could play, he did and starred in a 2-0 win.
It was really strange went down with a few mates despite being only 12 that’s what we did every fortnight, scrounged the money, you needed about a quid, took pop and milk bottles back to shops get three pence a pop bottle, tuppence on co-op milk bottles, needed about 8 shilling (40p) for the fare on the old Sky Blue special most games, half a crown pocket money, scrounged the other 10/12 bob, entrance money usually about 2 bob (10p), the essential programme, and the rest for chips etc. from mum, no chance off the old man.
We took our position in the Sky Blue zone, which was always identified in the previous home game program, out came the team lead by the barrel chested skipper George Curtis with his distinguished crew cut and behind him was this goalie, not the familiar Bob Wesson, no one knew who it was, We knew Hill was trying to sign a keeper, Bournemouth’s David Best and Watford’s Pat Jennings we’re linked but Jennings was nicked by Spurs so we all thought it was Best. In those days after matches you could buy a sports paper outside the stadium and that’s when we found out it was ‘good old Bill’ would have been in the World Cup winning squad had he not broken his leg at Man City, I was there too, that’s another story.
It was really strange went down with a few mates despite being only 12 that’s what we did every fortnight, scrounged the money, you needed about a quid, took pop and milk bottles back to shops get three pence a pop bottle, tuppence on co-op milk bottles, needed about 8 shilling (40p) for the fare on the old Sky Blue special most games, half a crown pocket money, scrounged the other 10/12 bob, entrance money usually about 2 bob (10p), the essential programme, and the rest for chips etc. from mum, no chance off the old man.
We took our position in the Sky Blue zone, which was always identified in the previous home game program, out came the team lead by the barrel chested skipper George Curtis with his distinguished crew cut and behind him was this goalie, not the familiar Bob Wesson, no one knew who it was, We knew Hill was trying to sign a keeper, Bournemouth’s David Best and Watford’s Pat Jennings we’re linked but Jennings was nicked by Spurs so we all thought it was Best. In those days after matches you could buy a sports paper outside the stadium and that’s when we found out it was ‘good old Bill’ would have been in the World Cup winning squad had he not broken his leg at Man City, I was there too, that’s another story.