Ian Cheeseman: Forever Blue

Sometimes, in life, you just have to pinch yourself when you realise how lucky you are.

I’ve been a Manchester City fan all my life. I became so obsessed with watching them play in the stadiums that I even managed to make it my career.

Back in the 70s I have the privilege of watching a great City team that included my hero Colin Bell. I was a season ticket holder sat alongside my Dad at Maine Road. I travelled to away games by train, back when they were reliable and cheap. As a member of City Supporters Club, I became a steward on the notorious “football specials”, earning my way by selling the food and drink from the rear carriage, designed for mail delivery.

My football journey took me all over the country to towns I would never have had a reason to visit. My Dad was a railwayman so I also developed a fascination for rail travel too.

I saw all styles of football, either from City or their various opponents. From Wimbledon’s crazy gang at the old Plough Lane to the imperious Liverpool of Bob Paisley at Anfield.

City’s journey into the third tier of English football then took me to even smaller football outposts and there were the emotional lows, as a fan, of watching the Blues descend to the depths, but then the even more emotional highs of the climb back.

For many years I had the honour of holding a microphone in my hand and describing those emotions and all the action on radio, sat alongside some of my heroes.

Sergio Aguero scoring that late title winner and the 6-1 win at Old Trafford stands out of course but I’ve never taken what I see for granted. I was lucky enough to be sat up high in the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday evening watching this generation of City heroes taking on the mighty Real Madrid.

When Bernardo Silva caught out the Real keeper with that clever free kick I gasped. I hadn’t expected that. As the home crowd roared the home team back into it and they scored two quick goals I feared the Blues might not be on the winning side this time, the momentum all seemed with Real. I still felt lucky to be there.

This amazing City team, led by the genius Pep Guardiola, had other ideas about the outcome and I should never have doubted them. Two wonderful goals by Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol turned the game on it’s head and despite the late great goal by Real to level the tie, the Blues will start as hot favourites for the second leg next week.

After the final whistle I sat there reflecting on my experience. I was there, in person, watching that great game. I was in Madrid at the new improved Santiago Bernabeu, under a closed roof. I’d had another great trip with three mates of mine. We’d escaped the rain back home and had some sun on our backs for a couple of days too.

For now at least, I continue to travel all over Europe watching my team. I know there are lots of people who wish they could do the same. I wish they all could do too.

City’s amazing success in recent years is changing the club. It’s becoming more and more expensive and tickets are becoming rarer that rocking horse poo, so I will forever be grateful for the honour of being able to watch this great club on it’s amazing journey.

City face Luton Town on Saturday. David Pleat’s team once relegated the Blues on a last day of heartbreak at Maine Road. This time City desperately need the win to stay in the Premier League title race as they fight to stay up. How times have changed. Then it’s the Real Madrid second leg and an FA Cup semi-Final at Wembley. Now you know why I always say, It’s Great to be a Blue!