Why were Manchester City fans carrying inflatable bananas at Anfield? The story behind the unusual sight
Football rivalries usually bring banners, chants and colorful displays. Manchester City supporters had something rather different in mind for their trip to Liverpool, reviving a tradition with an unexpected history.
Forget the usual scarves and flags for a moment. Among the Manchester City supporters visiting Anfield, something far less conventional stood out: inflatable bananas.
The unusual accessories were no accident.
According to the Manchester Evening News, City fans had arranged bulk orders of the inflatable fruit ahead of the Liverpool fixture. Supporters followed through, arriving at the Reds' stadium with their bright yellow companions.
To anyone unfamiliar with Manchester City's supporter culture, it might have looked like a spontaneous joke.
In reality, the explanation goes back nearly four decades.
How Frank Newton started a Manchester City tradition in 1987
The story begins on August 15, 1987, when Manchester City played Plymouth Argyle.
Among the crowd was a supporter named Frank Newton, who decided to bring an unusually large inflatable banana to the match.
It was a simple idea, but one that caught on.
As documented by Manchester City and historian Gary James, fellow supporters began copying Newton, bringing inflatable objects of their own to subsequent games.
A single fan's playful gesture had sparked a tradition that would become closely associated with the club's supporters.
From giant bananas to dinosaurs and inflatable sharks
The craze soon moved well beyond fruit.
By the late 1980s, when Manchester City were competing in English football's second division, traveling fans were filling away sections with an increasingly bizarre collection of inflatable figures.
Sharks, dinosaurs, monsters and oversized hammers joined the bananas in the stands.
The displays offered a lighthearted contrast to a period when the atmosphere at many English football grounds was becoming increasingly troubled.
What began as an individual joke had grown into a distinctive part of City's fan culture.
Three facts behind Manchester City's inflatable banana tradition
- It started in 1987: Frank Newton brought an inflatable banana to a match against Plymouth Argyle, inspiring other supporters to follow his lead.
- The trend expanded: Inflatable dinosaurs, sharks, monsters and giant hammers eventually joined the bananas.
- Anfield brought it back: City supporters arranged bulk orders of inflatable bananas ahead of their visit to Liverpool.
Subscribe to watch beIN SPORTS LIVE
