Reasons to believe
Yesterday was a day that will live as long in the memory as the past 46 years have. My football club, Manchester City, have finally landed the biggest prize in English football – “THE TITLE”. For as long as I can remember, we have been the club that has cocked things up.
Up until last season, when we won the FA Cup, the last thing we won was the League Cup in 1976 and the odd promotion after being relegated, back and forward, from the top league. Even in 1999 – when we won the second-division play-off final, when we came back from the dead against Gillingham – nothing compared to this.
As a City fan, I have been to some duff grounds. I can recall Crewe, Stockport, Huddersfield, Barnsley, Notts County, Wycombe, Stockport and Lincoln among the lower-league ones. I recall losing the 1986 Full Members Cup final 5-4 to Chelsea at Wembley after being 5-1 down. Too little, too late.
This is Manchester City. Perennial failures.
I have watched and hidden after our city rivals Manchester United have won trophy after trophy in my lifetime. As their glory-hunting fans from all points of the globe have sniggered at my support for my club. But as a City fan, you never wane. Call it blind faith or stupidity, there is just something about that club that’s in my bones.
I was locked in Maine Road in 1981 after City drew 0-0 with Stoke City. I was 15. I collapsed in the Kippax – no idea why – and was carted to the St John Ambulance on the other side of the ground to get aid. I was given Bovril and met the then manager, John Bond. I was left there in the empty stadium to make my own way out of the ground and make the four-mile walk home.
I finally escaped through an unlocked gate in between the main stand and the north stand. I got into my bed at midnight and went to school the next day to tell my tale.
I must admit that, at 91 minutes yesterday, for the first time, 2-1 down at home to QPR in the final game of the season, I got nervous. I don’t usually get nervous. I berate fellow City fans for flapping when we play United or are in a big game.
But what if we didn’t score? What if that undeserving club from across the city got their hands on their 20th league title? Oh, my life would be unbearable all summer and beyond. The texts from rival fans we’re hitting my phone, twitter, facebook, email. Life was going horribly wrong – again.
And then … Edin Dzeko scored to make it 2-2. Get another, quick. Then time stopped. The little Argentinian Sergio Aguero done what he had done all season, he put the ball in the net. At long last, unbelievable, unbridled joy. The final whistle, tears, 44 years of being laughed at, ridiculed.
I cried. And I am not one bit ashamed to say so. I still have tears in my eyes.
You see, no matter what happens from here on in, we did it, we won. My team, Manchester City, won the Premier League in the last minute, in the last game, with the last attack of the match. You can throw what you want at us – the money, the ground, the players, the manager, but one thing never changes – the fans will always be there right to the end.
May the force ALWAYS be with you.
Secret journalist, I meant City are my team cos they play in blue and I am [was] a boy. No nostalgic family reasons etc. Typing comments using ‘phone which sucks and inhibits detailed explanations.
Jesus forgave Pilate long before Pilate forgave himself. See ‘Master & Margarita’. Don’t believe in “humble journo’s” anymore than I believe in humble lawyers.
Enjoyed ‘Super Cliche’ article (and @TSFGuardian) comment). @TSFPundit shows promise as a sub-ed and should be encouraged.
all makes sense now … blue, boy, etc … red is a bit girly, anyway … but not sure I cd wade thro “The Master and Margarita” … looks a bit heavy going to me … at least Super Cliche is a title-winner now !! … a humble journo signs off
Not really interested in saddo spat between ManC die-hard and ManC hater … ManC bought the title, pure and simple … Where were they before Abu Dhabi millions? Nowhere … But where were Chelsea before Abramovich and his Russki roubles came in? … Nowhere … Money had nothing to do, though, with gutsy ManC last-minute victory … all to do with bottle, determination and belief … fair play to that … and love comment from “Anomia” … not sure what you’re saying … too deep for a humble journo … but whatever you’re on, I want loads of it !! … it just abt sums up the Blue Manc euphoria … I think !!!
Over 30 years ago as a child growing up in Stockport as kids are wont to do we were picking teams based on imitating our heros. I remember thinking (and still secretly believe) that red is a girl’s colour. After over 30 years of penance for my childish sexism those 2 minutes brought an overwhelming feeling of self-forgiveness – like Pilate ascending from purgatory.
Mr Gallagher, I hope you don’t think the years of being laughed at and ridiculed are at an end, if so you don’t understand the mentality of the average fan! But all hail City; they will enjoy their moment in the sun just like their neighbours have for an eternity. For the aficionado, every club needs a nemesis; Arsenal-Spurs, Liverpool-Everton, Newcastle-Sunderland, Celtic-Rangers the list goes on, the best rivalries are pretty even handed and at last we have the prospect of the two Manchester giants battling shoulder to shoulder for honours.
By coincidence, the day Manchester City won the title was the day I saw the first swallow of the year. While we know that one of those birds doesn’t make a summer the likelihood is that it will return next year. Will we be able to say the same about the Blues?
The pain of being the poor relations, the also-ran’s who could only glance enviously across the city may have finally been exhorcised but to look the red half in the eye will depend on the sustainability of success.
Financial backing won’t be a problem as long as the Abu Dhabi group remain interested but as Chelsea have seen an abundance of riches is no guarantee of success. City are fortunate to have backers who seem content to remain in the background and let their manager and his staff get on with winning trophies whereas Chelsea are still hostage to a rich man’s whims and the resulting upset of ever changing managers.
On a personal note; will you ever feel the same again about your team, you’ve done it, but 44years of hurt have been replaced by what? The red half of the city will always feel superior in the belief that their record will never be matched.
People tend to forget it took Manchester United 26 years to win the title.
In the meantime of course they had won the odd cup but they were under the Liverpool stranglehold in the 70s and 80s.
Times changed for them when Martin Edwards who was a rugby man brought in outside finance after failed bids to sell the club to various eggheads,coupled with the birth of the Premier League, the asian markets, and the expansion of their ground and a then young manager Alex Ferguson, they hit the gold rush.
United dominated for 20 years winning everything before them.
Now i am not saying that Manchester City will do the same thing as the goalposts in European Competition have moved against them.
Though i will say that Abu Dhabi money will propel them where they want to go and they will have a good shot at winning major prizes.
Anyone who invests £1 billion into Manchester is not about to pull the plug while things are going well, add to that the expansion of the club that is taking place, the Sheikh should be applauded for backing a city and a country that is in recession.
Will i change about my team- NEVER..
I am not the kind of CITY fan that looks at United with envy, because frankly i dont care what they do, and after Sunday, i hope some of my fellow blues will see the bigger picture and realise that as usual, we stand alone in the direction we are taking.
I feel that the changing of the guard has occured and Man City will go onto dominate English and European football for years to come. Whatever people say about city one thing people can’t deny is the fact that even in their darkest days of League One they would still fill their stadium. City fans never faultered and they followed their team through thick and thin and if City had thrown away the title yesterday the everybody would of said “same old City”.
The thing is its not same old City is it? This is a new era and one which I’m sure will herald trophy after trophy.Good luck to them.