Love This City: New York City Official Supporters Club | OneFootball

Hear from a handful of New York City's Official Supporters Club members in our latest Love This City feature...

CONOR DAVIDSON

I became a City fan when my friends and I started playing FIFA religiously, they would always pick the best teams in the game – AC Milan, Real Madrid, and, of course, Manchester United. But I was always drawn to the other club in Manchester; they wore a proper shade of blue and had two American players, DeMarcus Beasley and Claudio Reyna.

So City became my club. I was always always always the only City supporter wherever I went, and that only made me root for them harder.

When I moved to New York I knew two people. But I knew that there was a bar where I could watch Manchester City and cheer and scream and sing some songs at ten in the morning with a pint of Guinness in my hand.

The New York Sky Blues became my first community of friends when I moved to the city, and I count some of their members among my closest friends to this day.

When I first moved into an apartment with my then-girlfriend, now-wife, we were struggling to find a neighborhood we both wanted to live in that was close enough to where we both worked. I suggested the West Village, and slowly but surely moved our apartment hunt to Greenwich Village.

We ended up finding a lovely 1-bedroom that we still live in today. It just so happens to be on the same block as Amity Hall, home of the New York Sky Blues. Second best decision I’ve ever made in my life, topped only by asking her to marry me.

The first season I ever watched City from start to finish was 2011/12.

It was my final year of high school and our Senior Prom was the Saturday before the final day of the season. I came home from an evening of dancing and party too nervous to fall asleep and watched the final match against QPR still wearing my rented suit with my scarf draped around my neck.

When Sergio Aguero scored at 93:20, I jumped off the couch with such enthusiasm and ferocity that I ripped my rented suit pants. Completely worth it.

Carolina Muñoz

I became a City fan in 2009 when Mancini took over, but it was Balotelli who really pulled me in. I loved him at Inter, and once he joined City, I started watching every game.

Growing up in Ecuador, all we saw were teams like Real Madrid, Man United, and AC Milan—and I couldn’t stand any of them. City wasn’t even on my radar back then, but once I learned the club’s history and started following them regularly, I was hooked. The success, the underdog story, even how much it annoys United fans it all made me fall in love.

City is my club. My badge. “I’ll follow it everywhere".

It’s honestly the best place where else can you find a group of people as passionate about your team as you are? Every weekend feels like a mini reunion of football crazed friends. We laugh, scream, stress, and celebrate together. It’s not just about watching City; it’s about unwinding, sharing the highs and lows, and being part of a community that truly understands.

The community is incredible. Being part of the New York Sky Blues Supporter Club has been amazing—everyone is so welcoming. We’re a bunch of strangers who come together every weekend to feel all the emotions out loud, win or lose.

I remember when we won the Champions League—people were hugging, some were in tears, it was pure joy. And it’s not just the NY Supporters Club,  I’ve been lucky to meet fans from other OSCs too, and everyone is just so nice and welcoming. On top of that, we do charity work, which makes it all even more meaningful. City has helped me make real friendships through football.

City has honestly changed my life in ways I didn’t expect. I’m naturally an introvert, but through supporting City, I’ve made so many new friends.

I even got into Oasis because of the club, and finally made my dream trip to Europe. Matchdays give me something to look forward to—football breaks up the stress of everyday life. Well… most of the time.

Sometimes City adds to the stress, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Some of my first memories as a City fan were so wild. Finishing 5th in Mancini’s first season felt like we were finally getting somewhere.

Then Tevez signed from United, and that “Welcome to Manchester” poster, it was pure banter. I’ll never forget the 6–1 at Old Trafford, it was us telling them we are here. And Balotelli pulling up with the “Why Always Me?” shirt? Instantly legendary.

But nothing, nothing, tops Aguerooo I still get chills thinking about it and I randomly watch it every now and then. That era had me fully locked in.

Elio Alter

I grew up in a big sports family, but we were never the football watching sort. I got into the game on my own, and when I was choosing a club to support, there wasn’t a local men’s professional or semi professional team within two hours of my hometown, and there wasn’t a pro or semi pro women’s team within six hours.

I could only talk about the game with a few others, one of whom is a blue from a family of blues in Manchester. She mentioned City, and the rest was history.

The New York Sky Blues is genuinely the light at the end of my weeks (and midweek on Champions League afternoons). It’s a place to go to feel every emotion on the spectrum, from elation to despair, sometimes all in one day. Whether that be during the season for 07:30 kick-offs or during preseason at 21:00.

If City’s playing, I know I’ll have a place to go and enjoy the game and sing City songs with people who love the club as much as I do. I haven’t missed a game in literal years, so if anyone ever comes to Amity Hall, I’d like to think they’ve got a friend in me to watch with, just as I have my friends week in and out!

I couldn’t ask for a better community here. This is a place where I can be myself, unapologetically. Everyone at Amity Hall is incredibly welcoming, whether it’s your first time at the bar or your thousandth, you’ll always be greeted with kindness and respect.

The people are always willing to share a drink, a song, a hug, a high five.

We raised about $20,000 for charity last season alone, too, so you know you’re going someplace that cares about the betterment of New York, the people around you, and the club we all love dearly.

It’s been a special decade. We have, in my opinion, the greatest manager to ever lead a Premier League team.

We truly see things they’ll never see, and I don’t take a second of it for granted. He is and always will be a legend in my mind.

I’ve met some of my best friends in life through City. If I had the opportunity to, I would name every single one of them who has made me a better person than I was before. My NYSB friends are the first I reach out to if I need a shoulder to cry on, a moviegoing partner, someone to go to a Gotham FC match, or dinner in Chinatown on a random Tuesday night.

They’ll always be there for City men’s games, and I know I’m not annoying them when I bring up City Women, from Bunny Shaw’s most recent hat trick to Kerstin Casparij’s silly Instagram captions after matches. I genuinely do not know where I’d be today if it weren’t for my friends I’ve met through City.

They make every day brighter for me, whether City wins, draws, or loses. I’ll never be able to thank them enough, and the club will be a massive part of me for the rest of my life.

Genuinely, I don’t have much long-term memory of anything, but I remember sitting in my apartment alone watching City games on my laptop, then immediately going to social media to be able to talk about City with people online.

The US broadcast showed a picture of a group of supporters outside of a New York bar, and that’s how I found out about the New York Sky Blues and that I had to join!

Matthew Roberts

I became a City fan thanks to my buddy Ben, who went to Florida State University like I did. One summer, he was watching the World Cup and got really into Yaya Toure play for the Ivory Coast, so he started following Yaya’s club career with Manchester City. Over time, he kept encouraging me to start watching and supporting City too.

I grew up on American sports (FSU college football, pro teams, the usual) and was hesitant to dive into something new. But one summer I went to London and Paris and ended up watching a Champions League final in a pub in London. I loved the atmosphere, the energy, and seeing football at its highest level. When I got home, with Ben’s encouragement, I decided to jump in. I was already a huge Oasis and Joy Division fan, so the Manchester music scene only deepened the connection.

While in Paris, I randomly wandered into a bar one night and hung out with a group of Algerians. After that trip, I went online and ordered a Riyad Mahrez City kit in their honour. A little while later, I googled the New York Sky Blues and showed up at Amity Hall for a watch party. I was nervous I wouldn’t know enough, but everyone was so welcoming. I met Spencer from the club, we bonded over Oasis, and I was hooked. It became something long-term and really meaningful for me.

I love the football itself, obviously. City is just fun to watch. But being part of the New York Sky Blues Supporters Club has been incredible. It’s introduced me to so many people who are now some of my closest friends.

Even outside New York, it has built connections. When I visit my hometown in Orlando, I meet up with the Orlando City supporters club. My parents live outside Seattle, so I’ve spent time with the Seattle club too. And we meet City fans from all over, especially UK visitors coming to Amity Hall for a match when they’re in town. It has really opened up an incredible universe for me, a supportive, passionate, and growing community.

Even when I make it back to FSU for American football games, I always link up with the small but mighty Tallahassee supporters club.

It’s an amazing community. As I mentioned, when I first showed up not knowing much, I was still totally embraced. And honestly, one of the best parts has been how welcoming everyone’s been to my dog, Wilson, who is a Wheaten Terrier.

During COVID, we had to do outdoor watch parties. One of the only bright spots of that time was that Wilson could come along. Even after things moved back indoors, he kept coming. Now he just sits in his corner at the bar and greets everyone. Visitors from all over know him. It’s like a rite of passage to meet Wilson, the NYC Man City Dog, at Amity Hall.

He’s even become a bit of a celebrity. He always pops up on NBC’s #MyPLMorning. He’s been interviewed on Man City’s Match Day Live, had a couple of videos go viral, and has even been featured on Man City’s official Instagram and social media channels. Now he’s excited to be interviewed for this feature too.

It’s really made the community feel like home for both of us.

Funny enough, I actually talked about this in a British GQ piece recently about Oasis and Wonderwall, and how my love for Oasis led me to City and how that changed my life.

It has impacted me in so many ways. I never would have imagined that the first time I walked into Amity Hall, I’d end up years later watching City win the Champions League in Istanbul with friends. It has taken me to Manchester, to matches all over the UK, to Istanbul for the final, and to games here in the U.S.

But more importantly, it has given me lifelong friends through the supporters club. It has connected me with people from all over the world. It has been an incredible experience and hopefully it’s far from over.

My earliest memories are probably just catching a match or two thanks to Ben years ago, as more of a casual observer. But it really started when I first came to Amity Hall in NYC to watch with the New York Sky Blues. Learning the songs, meeting people, getting immersed in City culture. It was incredible.

The next big milestone was going to Manchester for a match in person. And of course, the ultimate was travelling to Istanbul for the Champions League Final during the treble season. Those memories are something I’ll never forget.