View from the Visitors: Geoff Thomas on City support, Bell adoration and Palace glory years | OneFootball

Geoff Thomas may be a Crystal Palace legend but he’s a lifelong Manchester City fan.

In this week’s View from the Visitors, we speak to the former Eagles captain about his support of the Blues, his years playing at Selhurst Park as well as his thoughts on Pep Guardiola’s champions.

How did you come to support City?

It was in the blood, the family blood.

We all lived very close to Maine Road. My gran actually lived in Kippax Street under the shadow of the Main Stand.

We lived across the road. People of a certain age – my age – will remember The Croft next to the old ground and we lived on the street alongside there called Arnside Street.

What were your earliest memories following the Club?

The atmosphere of the place!

Because we lived so close, from a very young age I just remember thousands of people walking past our house going to the game.

Then really being old enough to go on my dad’s shoulders. What they used to do is open the big gates with about 20 minutes to go. My dad used to work on a Saturday so occasionally when he got home in time he’d take me to watch the last 20 minutes.

If the team was doing well, we’d get an easy route in. If they were doing badly, it was quite a task trying to get in.

Can you remember your first game as a fan?

There’s one game that really sticks out. It was the 1969/70 season at home to West Ham.

There was no grass on the pitch whatsoever. I’ve seen the game numerous times on TV in the years since and West Ham won 5-1.

That’s one of the first times I got to watch the full 90 minutes – and what a shocker it was!

It was freezing and a dismal game.

Which City player was your hero growing up?

I don’t even need to think about that one – Colin Bell!

He was just a quiet leader. He didn’t shout. He was just there, breaking up their midfield and then being dominant going forward, too.

He seemed to have everything for someone in that position.

And his fitness levels in the 1960s and 1970s were just amazing.

How would you compare the glory years of the 1960s and 1970s with the modern era under Pep Guardiola?

If I had to pick a Manchester City XI, I’d have include a mixture of players from both eras. (Editor's Note - He does, it's in Saturday's matchday programme!)

I have such fond memories of that team in the 1960s and 1970s.

And because I lived near Platt Fields where they used to train and my mum used to work in the club in one of the bars on matchday, she used to get me to watch the team train or prepare for games at the stadium.

I remember going in the physio room in the week and there was Tony Book and Colin Bell in there and I was in complete awe of them.

I remember asking Franny Lee for his autograph once and I remember it because he said: ‘Not until you wipe your snotty nose’.

I used to wait hours for the players to come out so I could get an autograph.

Did you ever come close to joining City as a player?

You ask any City fans who can remember, I got loads of stick for not signing for City when I went to Wolves.

I was about to sign for City in 1993, I’d had talks with Peter Reid and everything was agreed but then Wolves came in at the last second really and put an offer on the table and a vision for what the club wanted to do.

I’d had a deal fall through the year before from Blackburn and I’d seen what Blackburn were doing and I felt it was the perfect time for me to move on but that didn’t go through but the year after City, Newcastle, Sheffield Wednesday and Arsenal were sniffing about.

I decided to go to Wolves and it was a case at my age at the time, 28, to get the juices going again. I also got told by Trevor Francis, who was at Sheffield Wednesday, not to sign for City because he said that while it was the best club he’d ever played for, there was a lot of turmoil behind the scenes and it was going to implode. And it did.

I took that on board when I made the decision to sign for Wolves.

I think soon after City suffered two relegations in quick succession.

Despite that, was it special playing at Maine Road as an opposition player?

Yes of course. All my family used to go. They’d be in the City end shouting my name and I’d go across when I was warming up.

I always felt I had a good relationship with City fans because I think a lot of them knew I was a Blue. I always got a decent reception. I scored a few goals against them too!

I always enjoyed playing at Maine Road. It was a dream to play professional football but to play on the turf your icons have played on was a bit special.

WATCH: Memorable moments: City v Crystal Palace

Any games against City stand out during your playing career?

Yes last match of the 1987/88 season at Selhurst Park.We needed to win. And Millwall, who had already won the Second Division and had already been promoted had to beat Blackburn to give us a chance of making the play-offs.

We were playing City on that final day and I scored the second goal.

There was a point where the crowd erupted as if Millwall were winning.

Then they went silent and it was clearly false information that was being passed on to the ground. It wasn’t the time of social media where you can instantly find out the result.

That game sticks in my mind because there was so much riding on the game.

We won 2-0 in the end. Millwall lost 4-1 to Blackburn and we didn’t end up making the play-offs.

Do you still follow City now?

Yes absolutely.

My two teams for different reasons are Manchester City and Crystal Palace. Palace because I spent so many years there and was captain there in one of their best eras with Ian Wright and Mark Bright.

But when it comes to the club that’s in your blood, City has always been there and always will be. I have enjoyed the last few years for sure!

What have you made of the Pep Guardiola era?

It’s been amazing.

It’s the style of football, the class of players that have come in and it all seemed to gel. It’s been special.

As a Manchester guy, with Manchester being dominated by the Reds for so long, it's been so refreshing to see the other side do really well.

City player you enjoy watching in the current team?

Kevin De Bruyne.

He’s been a special player in the sky blue shirt.

Playing in midfield, I see him as special because he sees things that a lot of others don’t see.

Players like Sergio Aguero and Erling Haaland have no doubt benefited from such a master in the centre.

Obviously you’re a fan favourite at Crystal Palace - how much did you enjoy your time at Selhurst Park?

I loved it.

It was my best period as a footballer.

Being a Manchester lad and moving down south was a big thing but the dressing room was a very special place at the time.

We had some characters. Ian Wright. Nigel Martyn. Andy Gray was a formidable midfielder alongside me. The Wright-Bright partnership was a bit special.

Unfortunately the team broke apart but I had a fantastic six or seven years there.

What do you make of current Palace team under Oliver Glasner?

They are doing excellently.

I am so pleased. They had a sticky start to the season and lost a few key players as well as a few injuries but they have added a few, they have gelled and the atmosphere in the stadium has always been a bit special but all the fans are enjoying what they’re seeing this season and that’s credit to the manager, the coaching staff and, of course, the players.