Inflated accounts? Inflated bananas. Manchester City fans have decided to see the funny side of the legal troubles engulfing the club, turning up at the stadium to revive an old tradition: a sea of inflatable bananas in the stands, a symbol of light-heartedness and good humour that has endured for almost forty years. The ritual dates back to 1987, thanks to a City fan and a former player who, guided by a certain entrepreneurial spirit, went on to make his fortune after hanging up his boots. Thanks, incredibly enough, to bananas. There is something gloriously absurd about the whole story, born of the simple instinct to laugh rather than cry. Towards the end of the Eighties, City were struggling in the Second Division, while English football was in the grip of hooliganism. Faced with iron bars and showers of stones, why not fight back with harmless plastic bananas? The idea came to Frank Newton during a match against Plymouth Argyle. From the stands to the pitch, the idea caught the eye of Imre Varadi, a striker who had spent much of his career in the lower divisions. After picking up the first inflatable banana, he earned himself the nickname “Imre Banana”. Hardly a name to strike fear into opposing defenders, but an apt one all the same. Varadi soon decided to invest in these curious gadgets.
Having seen the colourful spectacle of jubilant fans in the stands, he realised he could turn it into a business. He would later describe it as a “billion-dollar business”. A pioneer in the field, Varadi began selling inflatable bananas for £10 apiece, along with accessories, to customers around the world. “I get thousands of orders from every corner of the globe. Before long, demand had gone absolutely crazy.” His company describes the bananas as “a much-loved symbol of community and fun in stadiums around the world”, their design “the perfect addition to any matchday experience”.
For Varadi, now 67, the venture has been a godsend. With City fans embracing the old tradition once again, beginning with their win at Anfield against Liverpool, it has taken on a new lease of life. Varadi was invited to the Etihad as a guest of honour for City’s latest match against Ipswich. Even the Washington Post picked up the story. The day went rather well: Haaland and his teammates won 3–2. And when Phil Foden, back among the goals after a long drought, appeared for his post-match interviews, he turned up with an inflatable banana in hand. Varadi could only smile. “It’s pretty incredible, isn’t it?”