After all the poorer grounds we have to visit and kick and rush football on show, sometimes you just need a change and treat yourself once in a while so on a chilly sunday morning, I headed up north to see what the City of Manchester stadium had to offer as the new look Man City (complete with Brazilian flair) took on the Stoke City side that refused to role over at the end of last season and take the three points we needed to stay up. No prizes for guessing where my alligences lay in this one! The journey was meant to be really simple. Train from Leicester to Sheffield, and then another train to Manchester arriving at 12:30 leaving us 2 and half hours to look around the city and stadium. Sounds easy.... was anything but!
Arrived in Sheffield bang on time only to find out that every train to Manchester was cancelled due to a landslide on the rails. After running round the station like a man possessed, I was informed by the information desk to get a train to Leeds and change there for Manchester.... without thinking I ran and jumped onto the train only to soon realise it was the same train that I'd caught to Huddersfield only a few weeks before meaning it was slower than walking!! It was completely rammed and at least 20 Man City fans were on it, all on phones trying to find out how we were going to get to the stadium.
I got chatting to a couple of fans who were from Loughborough and after many phone calls to people around the country, we made the decision to get off at Huddersfield and get the train to Manchester from there.... except for some reason, this train didn't stop there and went around instead of through! Nightmare!!
We slowly trundled along with the clock ticking and poor Helen waiting patiently in Manchester for us. The next plan was to get off in Leeds and try and find the quickest train to Picadilly station.... simple. Erm.... no! The only train to Manchester was to the Victoria station as according to the guard on the platform, no trains were going to Picadilly today... utter bollocks as Helen had got there easily enough!! So after running round Leeds like idiots, me and these two City fans and their kids all jumped on the train to Victoria and rang Helen to get her to meet us there. This train wasn't due in till 20 minutes before kick off so it came to the realisation that kick off was a no go for us. This day was turning into a disaster!!
The journey itself was absolute quality as we exchanged stories and jokes all the way there. I haven't laughed as hard and much as I did on that trip. It had gone so badly wrong that all we could do was joke about it and try and work out how the hell to get home. Small matters.
When we finally got into Victoria station (10 minutes early thank God), we rang Helen as we rushed through the station to get us a taxi so we could just dive straight in and away we went to the stadium.
And have you ever seen a more beautiful sight after all that? It was such a relief to be at the ground, and with 10 minutes to spare as well! We quickly said our goodbyes to the people I'd travelled up with and me and Helen headed off to find our turnstile and make our way up to our seats in the Gods.
There was a point when I never expected to make it here but the City of Manchester stadium was finally in front of us.
And what a view it was. Completely worth the hastle of getting there and I had a genuine excitement as the teams gathered in the tunnel and the stadium started to fill up as fans made their way up from the concourse. What a stadium it is - probably the best that I've been too in all the 50 plus that Ive visited.
The teams lined up complete with Robinho (who was the main reason for being there if we're honest), and other quality players like Shaun Wright-Phillips and Stephen Ireland complete with bald head.
The game itself was absolute quality and the best game I've had the pleasure of being at this season so far. Man City are starting to play football in the way it should be played, one touch pass and move with attacking being the main aim. Silky skills, cheeky flicks and tricks, and defence splitting passes were all on display. Robinho showed all his class to run from the half way line and crash a shot at the near post that Sorenssen did well to tip over. It wasn't long though before City were one up. Chipped ball into the box was headed down to Ched Evans who shaped to shoot before playing a stunning ball through to Robinho who had the simple task of passing it past the keeper.
Man City continued to press and Elano swung in a free kick that just dropped wide of the post. Stoke wern't completely out of it though and Hart showed why he looks set to be a future England keeper as he snuffed out every opportunity that came the Potters way.
As the half time whistle rang, City went in still one nil up and we took the opportunity to finally relax for 15 minutes after rushing around all day and then the intesity of the match. So we got another picture for the collection of the away day travellers - although I look half asleep after all that travelling... at least the Cote d'Ivoire scarf reigns supreme though!
The second half started with a bang as Daniel Sturridge picked up the ball on the right and ran straight at the heart of the defence before playing a superb through ball to Robinho who lashed it across the keeper and into the net to double the lead before running to the fans who idolise him. He is an absolute hero to these people and it's easy to see why as as soon as he gets the ball at his feet, magic seems to happen. The crowd love him and he loves them. People doubted he would succeed in this team but he's thriving and showing the world what he can do.
Stoke continued to look for a way back into the game but their one real weapon this season wasn't functioning as Rory Delaps long throws were dealt with with real ease by the defence as Hart, Dunne and Richards let nothing past them.
The show belonged to one man though and after a couple of great saves denied him, Robinho made sure that the match ball was his as a great flowing move was finished with a cool finish at the back post by the Brazilian boy wonder. I found myself really getting involved at this point and cheering like it was my own team that had just scored. I've really warmed to this team and they are a joy to watch, so I'm sure I will find myself watching them again before the season is out. 
At 3-0 up, Man City went from strength to strength and could have had further goals if it wasn't from poor finishing from SWP and Ireland. The sun set over the stadium though and a great day out (unless you're a stoke fan).
At the final whistle we made the 25 minute walk back to Picadilly (in what we hoped was the right direction as none of the police or stewards seemed fully certain which way it was). The walk in typical manchester weather as well I might add - pissed it down all the way back. At the station, the trains were still off to Sheffield so had to get a replacement bus service all the way back... which Im convinced took the wrong turning somewhere as it took over two hours to do the 50 miles or so. Absolute crazy and meant I missed my last train to Leicester so could only make it as far as Nottingham and had to have the old man come and bail me out by picking me up from there.
What a day it was. Absolutely exhausted by the end of it but fully worth doing. Man City play with such style and grace that they're a joy to see in action and for one day only, "There's only two City's!" Sadly it's the crash back to reality next as we go from luxury to the dive that is Brighton away. Joy!
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