His friends say that Christie McDonald is a lover, not a fighter. The irony of the events around Wembley in 2011 are therefore not lost on him.
A seasoned away traveller, McDonald was insistent that he would spend FA Cup semi-final day with his dad, who had taken him to Maine Road as a child. The pair went to the Etihad each week and this was a special occasion, Manchester City’s first trip to the new national stadium.
One to savour but one to plan, given the opponents. A train bursting with well-oiled supporters of City and Manchester United was probably not the mode of transport for a pensioner.