For my 70th birthday treat I was taken to the Etihad for Man City v Arsenal, with transport and tickets arranged by son Sean.
City won 3-1 and it would have been a really memorable day out – but for a certain Kevin de Bruyne!
It had been a tight opening period and it was De Bruyne who made the breakthrough with the opening goal.
With everyone around us we were on our feet cheering, arms aloft and clapping.
Unfortunately the act of bringing the hands together caused a ring to fly off into god knows where.
It was my late father’s signet ring, of no susbstantial monetary value, but of great sentimental worth.
Dad had taken me to see City for the very first time in 1955 and I had worn it ever since he died in 2015.
You can’t really start hunting around during a game in a packed stand but the people in the row in front knew what had happened and did look.
However, at half-time with more rows emptying for refreshments etc, we were able to have a scout round but to no avail.
At the end of the game we waited until the stand had emptied and a very helpful steward helped us search, but again with no luck.
He took us down to the office to leave my name and address and promised the cleaning staff would have a real search when they came in the following morning.
I’m afraid there is no happy ending to this tale. No ring was ever found.
It could have ended up in somebody’s hood in front of us, or in a paper bag that was subsequently thrown out – and never saw the light of day again.
All of which rather spoiled the day even though City got three more points on their way to the title.
After De Bruyne’s opener, Sergio Aguero added a penalty before Alexandre Lacazette pulled one back for Arsenal. Gabriel Jesus clinched it for City with the third.
