My First City Match - 3rd Sept 1949

My first City match was against Spurs on the 3rd September 1949, in the old Division 2. I attach some pages from the programme and there were some well known players of that era playing for both teams. Ted Ditchburn, Alf Ramsey, Bill Nicholson,and Ron Burgess (Wales). The first three were all English Internationals, with of course, Ramsey famously becoming Manager of England, whilst Nicholson becoming Manager of Spurs for 15 years from the end of the 1950’s.
My father and I used to travel down from Pentre, Rhondda for years by bus after that with his firm, Hutchings Cooked Meats, Ton Pentre.
In the 1951/52 season, of course, City won promotion to the old Division 1, and the last match of the season was against Leeds which we had to win. In front of 52,000 we won 3-1 and were duly promoted. Great days when kids were put to sit around the ground with their backs against the walls, although recent Health and Safety rules just showed how stupid that was.
I attach some photos from the Spurs programme, a photo from City side in the 1950/51, and a copy of the front page of the Football Echo the day City beat Leeds to win promotion.
I am unable to attach the photos to this as the file is too big, so I will try to send them separately - sorry about that!

Photos as promised

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What a great bit of memorabilia and in good nick also...52,000 wow thats acrowd

Is the Baker who played that day Colin Baker? If so that's made me feel really old as he was still playing when I first went in the mid sixties!

Is the Baker who played that day Colin Baker? If so that's made me feel really old as he was still playing when I first went in the mid sixties!

No it was Billy Baker, Colin Baker started for City in 1951, the last game of the season

That is fantastic, mine was Jan / Feb in 73. Boys enclosure. Had watched on tv on various occasions, but the first time you go and attend is the one that hooks you I believe.

I was the fact every thing was in colour, the pitch looked smaller than on Tv , the smells. Oh the smells of hot dogs and onions, and pasties in the hot cabinet (always went to the kiosk by the corner of Bob bank and Grange. And the grass, the smell of fresh cut grass as soon as you came through the turnstiles. I used to be a season ticket holder in the early 2000's (travelling down from Leeds), and many a time I used to think this I was mad, but the minute I walk onto the Bob bank, I knew it was worth it.

Congrats to you 1950. I'm approaching 68 now and still hope to be going in my later years

City v Leeds 1952.jpg

My first City match was against Spurs on the 3rd September 1949, in the old Division 2. I attach some pages from the programme and there were some well known players of that era playing for both teams. Ted Ditchburn, Alf Ramsey, Bill Nicholson,and Ron Burgess (Wales). The first three were all English Internationals, with of course, Ramsey famously becoming Manager of England, whilst Nicholson becoming Manager of Spurs for 15 years from the end of the 1950’s.
My father and I used to travel down from Pentre, Rhondda for years by bus after that with his firm, Hutchings Cooked Meats, Ton Pentre.
In the 1951/52 season, of course, City won promotion to the old Division 1, and the last match of the season was against Leeds which we had to win. In front of 52,000 we won 3-1 and were duly promoted. Great days when kids were put to sit around the ground with their backs against the walls, although recent Health and Safety rules just showed how stupid that was.
I attach some photos from the Spurs programme, a photo from City side in the 1950/51, and a copy of the front page of the Football Echo the day City beat Leeds to win promotion.
I am unable to attach the photos to this as the file is too big, so I will try to send them separately - sorry about that!

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Thanks for sharing this, great memories and memorabilia.

You can tag on these i came across the other day

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And this

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And this

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Thank you for posting this, I was born 43 years after your first match!

Love seeing old memorabilia of stuff like that.

Brilliant.

My first game was Fulham at home on the 17th December 1960 we beat them 2-0

Last edited by BLUEBIRD on Fri Dec 19, 2025 2:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

My first game was Fulham at home on the 17th December 1960 we beat them 2-0

Is the Baker who played that day Colin Baker? If so that's made me feel really old as he was still playing when I first went in the mid sixties!

No it was Billy Baker, Colin Baker started for City in 1951, the last game of the season

Thanks for that. Not much later though.

My first City match was against Spurs on the 3rd September 1949, in the old Division 2. I attach some pages from the programme and there were some well known players of that era playing for both teams. Ted Ditchburn, Alf Ramsey, Bill Nicholson,and Ron Burgess (Wales). The first three were all English Internationals, with of course, Ramsey famously becoming Manager of England, whilst Nicholson becoming Manager of Spurs for 15 years from the end of the 1950’s.
My father and I used to travel down from Pentre, Rhondda for years by bus after that with his firm, Hutchings Cooked Meats, Ton Pentre.
In the 1951/52 season, of course, City won promotion to the old Division 1, and the last match of the season was against Leeds which we had to win. In front of 52,000 we won 3-1 and were duly promoted. Great days when kids were put to sit around the ground with their backs against the walls, although recent Health and Safety rules just showed how stupid that was.
I attach some photos from the Spurs programme, a photo from City side in the 1950/51, and a copy of the front page of the Football Echo the day City beat Leeds to win promotion.
I am unable to attach the photos to this as the file is too big, so I will try to send them separately - sorry about that!

What a great storey, puts my first game to shame (millwall january 1971-72 season) and there are some great names in there as well. Hope you are still watching the games especially with quite a few welsh youngsters in our team, good on you and thanks.

Thank you for sharing this.

My first City match was against Spurs on the 3rd September 1949, in the old Division 2. I attach some pages from the programme and there were some well known players of that era playing for both teams. Ted Ditchburn, Alf Ramsey, Bill Nicholson,and Ron Burgess (Wales). The first three were all English Internationals, with of course, Ramsey famously becoming Manager of England, whilst Nicholson becoming Manager of Spurs for 15 years from the end of the 1950’s.
My father and I used to travel down from Pentre, Rhondda for years by bus after that with his firm, Hutchings Cooked Meats, Ton Pentre.
In the 1951/52 season, of course, City won promotion to the old Division 1, and the last match of the season was against Leeds which we had to win. In front of 52,000 we won 3-1 and were duly promoted. Great days when kids were put to sit around the ground with their backs against the walls, although recent Health and Safety rules just showed how stupid that was.
I attach some photos from the Spurs programme, a photo from City side in the 1950/51, and a copy of the front page of the Football Echo the day City beat Leeds to win promotion.
I am unable to attach the photos to this as the file is too big, so I will try to send them separately - sorry about that!

What a great storey, puts my first game to shame (millwall january 1971-72 season) and there are some great names in there as well. Hope you are still watching the games especially with quite a few welsh youngsters in our team, good on you

My first City match was against Spurs on the 3rd September 1949, in the old Division 2. I attach some pages from the programme and there were some well known players of that era playing for both teams. Ted Ditchburn, Alf Ramsey, Bill Nicholson,and Ron Burgess (Wales). The first three were all English Internationals, with of course, Ramsey famously becoming Manager of England, whilst Nicholson becoming Manager of Spurs for 15 years from the end of the 1950’s.
My father and I used to travel down from Pentre, Rhondda for years by bus after that with his firm, Hutchings Cooked Meats, Ton Pentre.
In the 1951/52 season, of course, City won promotion to the old Division 1, and the last match of the season was against Leeds which we had to win. In front of 52,000 we won 3-1 and were duly promoted. Great days when kids were put to sit around the ground with their backs against the walls, although recent Health and Safety rules just showed how stupid that was.
I attach some photos from the Spurs programme, a photo from City side in the 1950/51, and a copy of the front page of the Football Echo the day City beat Leeds to win promotion.
I am unable to attach the photos to this as the file is too big, so I will try to send them separately - sorry about that!

What a great storey, puts my first game to shame (millwall january 1971-72 season) and there are some great names in there as well. Hope you are still watching the games especially with quite a few welsh youngsters in our team, good on you[

My first City match was against Spurs on the 3rd September 1949, in the old Division 2. I attach some pages from the programme and there were some well known players of that era playing for both teams. Ted Ditchburn, Alf Ramsey, Bill Nicholson,and Ron Burgess (Wales). The first three were all English Internationals, with of course, Ramsey famously becoming Manager of England, whilst Nicholson becoming Manager of Spurs for 15 years from the end of the 1950’s.
My father and I used to travel down from Pentre, Rhondda for years by bus after that with his firm, Hutchings Cooked Meats, Ton Pentre.
In the 1951/52 season, of course, City won promotion to the old Division 1, and the last match of the season was against Leeds which we had to win. In front of 52,000 we won 3-1 and were duly promoted. Great days when kids were put to sit around the ground with their backs against the walls, although recent Health and Safety rules just showed how stupid that was.
I attach some photos from the Spurs programme, a photo from City side in the 1950/51, and a copy of the front page of the Football Echo the day City beat Leeds to win promotion.
I am unable to attach the photos to this as the file is too big, so I will try to send them separately - sorry about that!

What a great storey, puts my first game to shame (millwall january 1971-72 season) and there are some great names in there as well. Hope you are still watching the games especially with quite a few welsh youngsters in our team, good on you and thanks.

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Yes, I am still a season ticket holder, and don’t miss many matches.