Vital Manchester City newbie, ‘Once a Blue’ sent us the following.
Much of the past three transfer windows have been dominated by the blue half of Manchester. Once the football fans ‘second club’ Manchester City have found themselves on the end of bitterness, jealously, scorn and even hatred by most football fans.
It all began with a British record £32.5 million fee for Brazilian ace Robinho, since then the club has been on a whirlwind adventure and has sky-rocketed into the international scene. Over three transfer periods the Blues have spent in excess of £180.000.000, a fee which would antagonise any other football team.
Funded by Arabic billionaire Sheik Mansour, City are trying to write their names in the history books. A feat manager Mark Hughes believes is on the horizon. However, situations at the club haven’t always been so rosy and this is somewhat a significant turn-around for the blues fans, fans deserved of success at this great club. Since their last major success, a 2-1 win against then Polish giants Gornik Zabrze to clinch the European Cup Winner’s Cup (1970), the Citizens have been known of some-what a friendly sleeping giant.
Many years have passed since with City failing to reach such heights; often fans were led wiping a bitter taste from their mouths as nearest arch-rivals Manchester United ignited the football world with local and national success. Nevertheless, the dedication of these fans has been evident for all too see from the glory days of the 60’s to the dark days of the 90’s.
Manchester City fans have had to have more than just a sturdy backbone over the years, with relegation to the third tier ending city’s hopes of becoming a major force. The dull grey skies swept over Maine Road that season as the blues endured the most roller coaster ride in 99. This season could and will be seen as the turnaround for the club, the part in their history where all things started to go right again (well almost).The highs were always met with instant lows and City were left wondering if this was all they were destined for.
However City’s next opportunity of top flight football was to come in 2002 and this time we have decided to grasp it and hold on for the coming years. 2003 was the beginning of a new chapter, hopefully a new fortress and hopefully the new beginning.
The City of Manchester stadium commonly known as Eastlands was handed to the Citizens. The once commonwealth games stadium was now to hold a crowd of 47,000 week in week out in the most entertaining league in the business.
Contrasting season’s followed with positions as high as 8th to be reached and unfortunately as low as 16th to be recorded. Nevertheless this truly historic Manchester club continued to progress and having been on the end of a controversial takeover by Thai Prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra the previous year, the club were finally gifted a huge lifeline and put in the perfectly capable hands of Sheikh Mansour and Chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak. From then on the glory days beckoned this aspiring football club. With astronomical sums of money in the bank Manchester City really begun to take the football world by storm.
Overwhelming sums of money from the billionaires was catapulted around in the transfer window of summer 2009 with in excess of £100 million spent on the greatest names in world football. International stars have now begun to ply their trade at the club. Something fans, the manager, and the chairman are all incredibly delighted with. Almost instantly the doubters and critics began to sink their teeth into the club, trying to bring the club down before it’s even reached the top.
A very impressive start to the 09/10 campaign has quietened the doubters for the minute as pundits alike are starting to praise the club for their hard work and commitment. With only one defeat from 11 and 5 wins already City look like the real deal, albeit Manchester City’s history lacks the silverware of a Real Madrid or dare I say Manchester United, but this time the blues mean business and their chomping at the bit to reach such heights and silverware. City are unlikely to forget their colourful roots, something hopefully to be desired of, the club see the only way as up and long make this continue.
Your right in the fact that you can’t buy history but theirs a real determination at the club and if anyone looks like buying their way to success it could be our turn.
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