The transference of footballing power in Manchester has been covered in great depth in recent years and understandably most of the attention has focused on the respective teams as one nears the end of a sustained era of dominance and worse in the shadow of a blue moon rising. As far as the fans are concerned it has largely been the City contingent who has piqued the media’s interest and again this is understandable because what a mad trip it’s been for them. One minute they supported a club that was regularly the punchline to a national joke – so soap-operatic that they lost all threat and patronisingly became everybody’s ‘second favourite team’ – and then in a relative heartbeat they have the greatest coach in the world in their technical area and win their third Premier League title in seven years, on this occasion at its earliest juncture.
The thoughts and feelings of United fans have obviously not been ignored but to their enormous credit their opinions have concentrated largely on internal matters: on Moyes’ ineptitude and Van Gaal’s failings and latterly Mourinho’s intention to transform one of the world’s most famously adventurous sides into Wimbledon circa 1986. Rarely did they publicly address the considerable distress at no longer being the city’s top dog and perhaps if they did we would not have witnessed this season’s collective meltdown. Because having endured the first two steps in the seven stages of grief – shock and denial followed by pain and guilt – they have now ran full-tilt into anger and if you think the reversal of fortunes on the pitch has been startling that is nothing to how the mentality of the fan-bases have switched like-for-like. Where once City fans were derided for being ‘bitter’ and ‘small-time’ now it is Reds who snipe endless salty grievances online; finding agendas in every media article (hell, they will probably even think this is aimed at them); and pettily grumbling from the side-lines, denying the undeniable and talking down the superb.
It should not be underestimated how difficult the past decade must have been for them. After all they once had a banner up in the Stretford End that mocked City’s trophyless spell in the wilderness during an era when they themselves hoovered up titles and European silverware in abundance. They once used to refer to their neighbours as ‘little citeh’. They once used to claim to be ‘not arrogant, just better’. For a generation and more they insisted Manchester City were not worthy of even being considered a rival.
Now they are in real danger of becoming everything they once delighted in scoffing at.
Therefore, in the spirit of goodwill maybe it’s time for this City fan to offer out an olive branch, with four slices of advice learned the hard way from a lifetime of being the cousin with a limp to the Olympic athlete. It’s not easy being second best but it can be tolerable if you follow these simple guidelines.
Little victories
When Lennie Godber found himself incarcerated in HMP Slade he was fortunate to have a cell-mate in Norman Stanley Fletcher who sagely reasoned that ‘little victories’ got you through. There is a lot of truth to this.
Winning FA Cups in a semi-regular fashion will help during the hard times to come – they’ve certainly sustained Arsenal throughout Arsene Wenger’s deathly slow dethronement – and more so celebrating City losses in Europe will put the occasional smile on your face too.
I’ve had some of my greatest nights as a City fan cheering on United’s continental opposition and when that resulted in a Champions League exit it almost atoned for my team losing to Championship fare the previous Saturday. Did that make me bitter? Absolutely but sometimes – for the sheer sake of sanity – needs must.
Don’t give in to the dark side
Having said that it is imperative that you strike a balance. It pained me to the point of my stomach hurting to be magnanimous about United at their most imperious but when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were romping to yet another league playing scintillating football it would have been churlish in the extreme not to acknowledge that to mates of a red persuasion. As a bonus it sort of annoyed them as it deflated their boastful hot air.
On that note is City’s brilliance this season entirely due to spending £100m on full-backs? Really? You’re sticking to that line are you? Okay, well I tried to be of assistance.
Find consolations
Consolations can be found everywhere and in bad times can be a genuine comfort. For City it was that Old Trafford was geographically outside of the city of Manchester meaning that we were the only true Manchester club. More so we could claim to have the majority of the localised support (that this had no factual basis really was irrelevant) and this made us authentic compared to the legions of glory-hunters heading up the M1.
It’s maybe not my place to suggest what your consolation could be but it’s fair to admit that City do not boast the greatest track record in recent years in blooding their home-grown youth. Whereas United are famous for it. Burrowing deep down into this and over-emphasising its significance might be the way forward.
Ultimately it comes down to whatever gets you through the night; whatever offers you a comeback no matter how trivial. Trust me. I’ve been there.
Choose your battles
With City set to dominate the footballing landscape for several years to come while United try on new identities with the same capriciousness as an indecisive shopaholic it’s probably wise to not get agitated over absolutely everything. The press will praise your foe on a daily basis. They will think nothing of taking side-swipes at your beloved. Perceived injustices will become the norm.
It’s far shrewder then – not to mention better for your blood pressure – if you wait for the big iniquity to fall and then reserve your entire wrath for that. A major controversy or favouritism that has a genuine impact. Perhaps rank hypocrisy from our manager.
Gripe at it all and you simply become the boy who cried foul and people stop listening and when they stop listening they stop caring and soon after that City fans will claim that they don’t even consider you a rival anymore.
