Summerbee was talking as part of a roundtable discussion, alongside Paul Power, Ian Brightwell and Nicky Weaver, which is out this week to mark this week’s 100th anniversary of the first-ever game at our wonderful old ground.
Buzzer, who was a key component in the team that won four trophies between 1968 and 1970, spoke passionately about his former footballing home as he reminisced about heady times playing alongside the likes of Colin Bell and Francis Lee, fellow members of City’s “Holy Trinity”.
He said: “Maine Road was our spiritual home and the place I played all my City career.
“I loved every minute of playing at Maine Road, but the time was right to move on when we did.
NEW BOOK | 100 YEARS: FROM MAINE ROAD TO THE ETIHAD
“It’s a place I will never forget, from the playing surface Stan Gibson used to prepare for us, to the people who worked there.
“The Etihad is our home now and we’ve made it our home more than ever over the last two decades, but I don’t think you’ll find a City fan who doesn’t miss Maine Road.”
Summerbee is a hugely popular figure with fans off the pitch as he shines in his role as Club Ambassador.
But the 80-year-old admits he used to chat to them when he was on the pitch at Maine Road too, engaging in conversation as he glided up and down the right wing in the sky blue colours.
“When I played on the sides, I just used to talk to the crowd,” he added.
“I used to walk along with the linesman and I used to always spend time talking to the crowd. It was part of the way I was.
MY MAINE MEMORIES | MIKE SUMMERBEE
“I wasn’t being distracted from the game at all. I just enjoyed chatting to the crowd.”
