More than just a trivial place in which fans seek out the pleasure of watching their team play and hopefully win, football stadiums are cathedrals in which great drama can unfold. Indeed no football arena in England has ever confined the sensations of the sport as dramatically as Manchester City’s old Maine Road Stadium. Similar to the Teatro La Fenice Opera House hosting a performance of La traviata, Maine Road at its most compelling provided the set for passionate journeys that supplied audiences with capturing moments of emotion. In addition the sacred grounds handed supporters a place of worship and an area in which the Citizens clan was able to unite under its own community and build an identity.

Having said that, this is comparable with the relationship of many fans and stadia across Britain, so what made Maine Road so inimitably unique in comparison? Maybe it’s the records it has achieved? Maybe it’s the scintillating and unexplainable games that have occurred? Or maybe it’s the constant and dramatic 80 year voyage that Manchester City put their supporters through including winning championship titles, gaining promotions and failing in their attempts to avoid relegations. It has to be said that few groups of supporters have ever had to endure what a Maine Road regular was capable of withstanding.

Therefore it should be no surprise to learn that three years following the move to Maine Road after their old Hyde Road stadium was severely damaged by fire; City suffered relegation despite getting to the FA Cup final. The stadium had opened on the 25th August 1923, with 58,159 watching the home team beat Sheffield United 2-1. Initially a brick working named Dog Kennel Lane its title was changed to Maine Road in the 1870’s and was purchased for just £5,500 by the club in 1922.

Manchester City at home to Portsmouth in January 1936

In 1928 the football club won promotion back to the top division and Maine Road was the home of the football league’s best supported club. This was exemplified six years later when on the 3rd March 1934, 84,569 saw Manchester City play Stoke City in an FA Cup quarter final at Maine Road, a record attendance for an English football game of any kind at a club ground. Three seasons on and Manchester City achieved their first league title after beating Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 at Maine Road, sparking jubilant scenes.

After World War II, City continued to play their home games on Moss Side, allowing Manchester United to do the same at a rent of £5,000 per season after Old Trafford was demolished during the blitz. In this time the record attendance for a league game which still stands today was set by Manchester United and Arsenal who played out 1-1 draw in front of 83,260.

Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s Maine Road hosted first and second division football as Manchester City yo-yoed through the leagues. Then came arguably the club’s greatest ever honour which was achieved for the second time in 1968 by winning the league title, thanks in large to their form at Maine Road. City dropped just 10 points out of a possible 63 at Maine Road winning their final seven home league games. During this period the Kippax Stand (east side) was one of the most notorious parts of any ground in the country, with the club’s ardent supporters congregating to create a raucous atmosphere. This was in itself unique as supporters occupied a full side, as opposed to behind the goal. Due to the Taylor Report that was issued in January 1990 in response to the Hillsborough disaster, Manchester City was forced to say goodbye to the much loved Kippax stand as legislation dictated the end for terracing, making it a fully seated stand. In its day the Kippax stand stood erected as the largest standing area in the country. This completed the regeneration process after the building of the new Umbro stand that replaced the Platt Lane stand at the south end of the stadium. The ground was now one of the most instantly recognisable in the country with all four stands different heights and styles. However, this added a distinctive and traditional quality about the home of Manchester City in contrast to the brand new stadia going up in other areas across England.

Construction of the new all seated Kippax Stand

After yet again fighting their way back to the Premier League in the early part of the last decade, Manchester City announced that they were to abandon initial plans to enlarge the stadium to 45,000. This was in favour of a move to the City of Manchester Stadium in Eastlands, once the arena had been used for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Due to constant refurbishment the average capacity of Maine Road dropped throughout its existence. In the final game against Southampton on the last day of the 2002–2003 season 34,957, said farewell as the Citizens lost 0-1 to an Anders Svensson header. Nonetheless, this failed to spoil City’s festivities as they said goodbye with celebrations and tears induced by the types of emotions felt throughout Maine Road’s existence. The major celebration had come earlier on in the season when they won the final Manchester derby 3-1 against a United side on their way to becoming champions.

The last game against Southampton in 2003

Whilst the City of Mancheser Stadium now serves to provide City with the path to a potentially golden future, there has been no replacing the memories and nostalgia felt towards the club’s previous residence. Indeed they will forever be indebted to the home that helped formulate their identity. Football has missed it as well which is a tragic shame as this sacred area on Moss Side was so often the stage to see a “Maine” event.