Full Members Cup Final 30 years on

[Spurge]

Apologies if this link has been posted already, I meant to post this closer to the anniversary itself but never got round to it. A good read reflecting on the final.

I went there full of optimism which further increased when Steve Kinsey put us in front. Chelsea equalised and dozens of Chelsea fans came over the barrier from the section to our right and it all kicked off - largely between Chelsea fans and the police. A pyramid of fighting bodies appeared about five rows in front of us and the optimism disappeared with it along with my view of the pitch!

With the day seemingly ruined at 5-1 down, City fans leaving the ground in droves when City do what City do - 3 goals in the dying minutes and a 'look what you could have won' moment in keeping with 'typical city' completes the day. We legged it on the final whistle to catch a train and I remember catching up with some blues who had left with 5 mins to go who couldn't believe we lost 5-4 instead of 5-1, though we still lost at the end of the day!

Anyone else have any memories of the day, I thought it might be my only chance to see City at Wembley as there was no sign of what was to come nearly 3 decades on....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35782829

[Wonderwall]

I was 14 and was interviewed by piccadilly radio at the game. I remember it well, I was behind the goal and have a vivid memory of the ball boys climbing the fence to celebrate when we scored to make it 5-4. Strange feeling going home upbeat after losing a cup final.

[mancitymark]

If my memory isn't playing tricks, we played away at the Swamp on the Saturday, then this final was the following day on the Sunday !

[s1ty m]

We drew 2-2 with The Rags on the Saturday, at The Swamp. Arthur Albiston got a cheeky OG late on and was celebrated at Wembley for his efforts. My Dad and I went on the Sunday for the final and it was appalling for most of the match, going 5-1 down with the giant David Speedie heading in as Nixon flapped. TBF, he was great in the air for a small bloke. I believe we saw the real Eric and knew he was not going to make it at the top. Decent crowd too, 67k.

Things went 'a bit City' in the last 5 minutes and as we all know it got back to 5-4 and I am convinced that if there was more time, we'd have equalised such was the amazing momentum swing. In earlier rounds, I had got into Maine Road using the free for the last 10 minutes rule when they opened the gates. Crowds were tiny but I do recall 1 game going to ET and pens, where Eric Nixon was the emerging hero so I got value for nothing that night; I lived in Rusholme in a slum on Dickenson Road as I was in Manchester at college, so it was a stroll to the ground and in, like the tight-wad student I was. The Kippax was funny at those games, kind of semi-serious stuff but noisy when it got nervy with pens. Leeds got a 6-1 spanking too, which is always nice.

On our way back, we stopped at a service station just north of London. Some lads had a van and were sat looking disconsolate. We reckoned they'd left way earlier than us to get as far up the motorway as this. 'How did it end?', one of them asked. 'What was it when you left, lads?', asked my Dad. '5-1'. Dad then reeled off the story of the last 5 minutes and their faces were a picture. 2 from Lillis, one a penalty and an own goal. I think we thought Lillis had scored a hat-trick at the time.

Good day out.

[craigmcfc]

Remember it well, my first Wembley final.