Need to know
Manchester City fans are set to bring and wave inflatable bananas in the stands during their game against Liverpool
A general view of fans of Manchester City, as they hold up inflatable bananas, prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham United at Etihad Stadium on May 19, 2024 in Manchester, England.
Inflatable bananas have become part of the club’s folklore (Image: Getty Images)
Defiant show of support at Anfield: Travelling Manchester City supporters have reportedly ordered large quantities of inflatable bananas for Sunday's 4.30pm clash against Liverpool at Anfield. Online rumours suggest that reviving this tradition serves as a show of solidarity during a testing period for the club, as well as a celebration of City’s identity and history.
Origins: The trend is said to have originated in August 1987, when City supporter Frank Newton brought a five-foot blow-up banana to Maine Road for a match against Plymouth Argyle. Newton had borrowed the item from a friend, launching a stunt that offered some light-hearted fun amid the doom and gloom that cast a shadow over English football at the time.
Imre Varadi connection: Another popular account attributes the craze to fans on the Kippax stand adapting striker Imre Varadi's surname into the chant "Imre Banana". The affectionate chant cemented the yellow inflatable as an unofficial mascot and encouraged thousands more supporters to bring bananas to matches.
Peak of 'bananarama': The movement reached its peak on Boxing Day in 1988 when over 10,000 travelling Blues packed Stoke City's Victoria Ground with inflatables. To the delight of the away end, the City players even ran onto the pitch holding giant yellow bananas before kick-off.
A craze that swept the country: City's yellow inflatables sparked a nationwide phenomenon, with rival fanbases adopting their own mascots like Stoke City's Pink Panthers and Grimsby Town's Harry the Haddock. Terraces across England were soon filled with surreal battles between inflatable Frankenstein monsters, green dinosaurs and giant novelty hammers.
Symbol of fan identity: Reintroducing the bananas allows the present day fanbase to reconnect with the club's historic self-deprecating identity and terrace roots. It serves as a visual reminder that matchday culture remains anchored in supporter unity, regardless of Premier League legal battles or off-pitch politics.