Manchester City fans recall journey from Gills to Champions League thrills
The IndependentSign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “When we won the League Cup in 1976 and were runners-up to Liverpool by one point in 1977, I thought football was only going to get better and better,” said Kevin Parker, 60, general secretary of City’s Official Supporters Club and a season-ticket holder since 1973. “I don’t still want to be on it – to be fair – but we’ve had the best of both worlds.” Saturday’s glamour clash against Chelsea in Porto comes 22 years after City needed a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Gillingham in the play-off final to escape the division now known as League One. He told the PA news agency: “People have this belief that City fans don’t like the Champions League but that’s not true. “The Champions League, as a competition, is one of those things we’ve always wanted to compete in, get to a final and win it.