Why Manchester City’s F.A. Cup final win had Manchester United fans crying into their beer

Monday, May 16th, 2011

It was a great weekend for fans of the Manchester clubs. Of that there can be no doubt.

Yet, just as United fans were cranking up their celebrations at their club winning the league for a remarkable 19th time on Saturday, they were brought crashing back down to earth by City’s 1-0 win over Stoke at Wembley.

Much of the talk of the media prior to game suggested that United winning the league would put a dampener on any City win. In truth, they got it completely wrong. Most City fans couldn’t have given a flying fig about United’s scratchy 1-1 draw with Blackburn. Their focus was on City and on breaking that 35 year barren spell.

Yet, back in Manchester it was clear that United fans were miffed at City’s victory. After all, they were going to have remove that banner now (although, to be fair, such is their trepidation at City’s progress it would not be a shock if they were to come up with another wizard jape). And, crucially, slap bang in the middle of what should have been a huge celebration, they were forced to face up to an unpleasant reality.

That reality is that Manchester City are back – and they’re gunning for United.

Be Sociable, Share!

Tagged as: FA cup, manchester city, Manchester United

{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }

CP May 16, 2011 at 3:03 pm: Keep believing that Pal. Most people think its the other way round! For 500 million, I would be expecting more than an an FA Cup. After all Portsmouth won it in 20o8.

United stole your thunder once again. Just like 1968.

Forever in our shadow etc etc etc
jon May 16, 2011 at 3:10 pm: What bitter kunt wrote this? Portsmouth won the fa cup 2 years ago you know, and they didnt need to spend a billion to do it. Manchester was buzzing on saturday night and not a bitter blue insight. Nineteen. nineteen. nineteen. 19. 19. 19.
Stephen May 16, 2011 at 3:10 pm: Funny, most United fans i know were celebrating the league title win and couldn’t give a toss about city…

They are progressing indeed but they aren’t there yet… Few more years yet…
cittymike May 16, 2011 at 3:20 pm: Spot on again!
Slacker May 16, 2011 at 3:39 pm: “…and they’re gunning for United.”

Not really, but if they do happen to get in the way…
bluemoon70 May 16, 2011 at 3:49 pm: We are gunning for top of the league, so, yes, we are gunning for United since they are the title holders.
A Real Manc May 16, 2011 at 4:02 pm: Yes I dont care what they do at the swamp Manchester City are finally on the move again and it is the only thing I care about they can stick that banner up their ass as no one cares they are always talking about us they are very bitter ya see.
Boris May 16, 2011 at 4:05 pm: It was hilarious, United’s big day was overshadowed by City and the Eurovision Song Contest. I haven’t stopped laughing yet.
Graham Hogg May 16, 2011 at 4:15 pm: I love the way they pretend they hate us. I think it’s almost healthy for them. It’s sort of given them a unifying purpose; Something real to hold onto. They know they’re a plastic club and this opportunity to despise a team that’s actually loved by the people of Manchester is everything they’ve ever craved.

I love the way that everybody jumping on the we despise City bandwagon. David May, who was arguably the greatest defender in United’s history, keeps getting his anemic ginger head on every TV and radio show that are desperate enough to stand his gut wrenching, monotone Blackburn accent. He was that bad at United you could almost class him as a Blue. Phil Neville going at Manchini. Screaming profanity till he was hoarse. I thought he was going to cry. His hatred is as mystifying
as it is synthetic.

I loved the way the rags celebrated Ronney’s derby goal. It proved that this fixture is now their cup final. Their persudo fans creeping away back down the M6. Distancing themselves from the club and the fans they now all pretend to despise.

loooooooooooooooooooosers
Sir Imogen Giggs May 16, 2011 at 4:29 pm: If Porstmouth didn’t have to spend any money to win the F.A. Cup how come they’re in so much in debt now, you silly red bastards.
Isaidso May 16, 2011 at 4:48 pm: Quote ‘they are gunning for United’ – yeah but so far they are shooting with damp squids when it comes to PL etc. Lets hope they do better in CL than they did in that 2nd europpean cup on offer. Truth is though – my family were out in Mcr celebrating United 19th title, but they were celebrating together with Man City fans who happened to be in the same pub- good banter all round, and no discord between both sets of fans whatsoever. Just the media like to stir it up. As far as football is concerned, Manchester is going to be the place two be – bring it on. The Northe of England – always the best!
Jay May 16, 2011 at 5:22 pm: And as if by magic, Connolly rears his useless, shite, opinion article, the second City do something their chequebook demanded.

From what i recall of Saturday there was barely a mention of the FA Cup outside of ESPN/ITV coverage. SSN/BBC etc were focused on the top domestic prize in the country, the Premier League.

Congratulations on winning the FA Cup, speaks volumes about you and your club that on the biggest day in the last 35 years for you lot, the first thing you do is post a stream of shit about United and overshadowing (just no) the Premier League title win.

You couldn’t write this….oh wait…
Mystical Mike May 16, 2011 at 5:28 pm: Hiralious! It’s not like United have a Champions league to forward to is it?

City have a great squad, but under Mancini the league is out of yr reach I’m afraid. They should b hammering teams with that libe up but they are grateful for scrappy dull 1-0 victories
Oli May 16, 2011 at 5:39 pm: United fans having a go for spending money is a bit rich (pardon the pun)
You’d think that they never bought anyone!
I seem to remember it being alright when they were the richest club in the world!
Jay May 16, 2011 at 7:10 pm: Oh yeah, i mean spending cash your club generates is totally the same as being bought by an Arab with a blank chequebook.

Jesus.
prawn May 16, 2011 at 7:12 pm: United have forked out £402.6 million on players since 2000.

Speaks volumes that on the day United, as is their destiny, win the top domestic prize in the country, some of their proud fans seem unable to get over the fact that their inferior neighbours win a trivial piece of silverware.
Jay May 16, 2011 at 7:16 pm: Prawn, do you have the cash generated and net spend of the club since 2000?

Otherwise that figure means dick all.
yaj May 16, 2011 at 7:17 pm: Who gives a fook where the money came from; we beat you in the semi, we beat Stoke in the final, we won the FA cup. End of. Now grow up and start praying for a miracle in your cup final…
Mystical Mike May 16, 2011 at 7:20 pm: read the papers, in 20 years time Cities name will still be on the FA Cup, even if the Arabs do a runner
Jay May 16, 2011 at 7:24 pm: yaj May 16, 2011 at 7:17 pm
Who gives a fook where the money came from; we beat you in the semi, we beat Stoke in the final, we won the FA cup. End of. Now grow up and start praying for a miracle in your cup final…

—————-

Ahem, i said congratulations, perhaps you cannot read, i don’t know your situation.

My gripe is with morons like the writer of this bit of drivel who assume that city winning the FA Cup is an achievement above winning the PL. Which it clearly isn’t. you only have to look at the fact that it took place on a Saturday filled with PL fixtures to know that it is losing it’s appeal to the masses.

Well done for winning in the semi and beating Stoke in the final. We will just sit here and cry about how we’ve only managed to win our 19th title, finished well clear of City and made it to yet another ECL final.

Terrible times to be a United fan
prawn May 16, 2011 at 7:26 pm: The prime reason why United have money to spend is that they finally got to win things when winning things paid well. Their emergence under Fergie coincided with the rise of the Premiership and the Champions League. The financial gulf between the established clubs and the rest is such that it is almost impossible for any team not currently in the “elite” to break into it without the largesse of some multibillionaire.
Jay May 16, 2011 at 7:32 pm: prawn May 16, 2011 at 7:26 pm
The prime reason why United have money to spend is that they finally got to win things when winning things paid well. Their emergence under Fergie coincided with the rise of the Premiership and the Champions League. The financial gulf between the established clubs and the rest is such that it is almost impossible for any team not currently in the “elite” to break into it without the largesse of some multibillionaire.

—————

oh right, so what you actually mean is that your first post was utter tosh then?

The money United have spent has been earnt over decades – not just since the PL began. United have had the highest avergae attendence almost every year since WW2 for example. this even hen the club was in the midst of a mammoth major trophy drought and also languishing out of the top division a few times.

Yes ofcourse United spend money, but the money they spend is earnt through the viability of the club on and off the field. It’s completely and utterly different to some random bloke ploughing in hundreds of millions of pounds in the space of 2/3 years.

Uniteds net spend since Sir Alex Ferguson took over is £150m. That takes into account players bought against players sold.

£150m in over 20 years is pretty damned impressive for a side who have continually contested at the top end of the league since the early 90′s.
Longsight is Blue May 16, 2011 at 7:36 pm: Mancini has done in less than 18 months what it took Sir Alky many, many years and several British transfer records to achieve – win the FA Cup.
But most of you plastics think football only existed once the Premier League and its corrupt financial structure was created.
Enjoy being humiliated, embarrassed and shown up twice at Wembley in consecutive months.
Jay May 16, 2011 at 7:41 pm: Mancini has also been gifted a blank chequebook.

It’s amazing how all these “lifelong” citizens have come crawling out of the woodwork since you got a cash injection.
yaya May 16, 2011 at 8:31 pm: Congratulations to both teams, but I’m more bothered about City’s progress (which has been far more significant since Mancini arrived) than theirs- let’s have it right, Chelsea spunked the title with that awful 3 points from 21 run mid season. It leaves me a bit sick that we weren’t quite up for it to challenge the top 2 into the final weeks but there you go, I feel we’ve had a fantastic season and our stock keeps increasing. Next season we’ll be looking to make it 19-3. We’re just at the start of our good times in the modern era, so yes we’ll need to come back when it’s 20, but give us time and we’ll chip away at that.
CTID
Jem May 16, 2011 at 9:05 pm: A few united comments stating the didn’t care about city winning the cup & that they were only interested in winning the league for themselves, well if thats the case, and you don’t care what happens at city? Then why have the banner in the first place? Doesn’t add up.
Blue Mick May 16, 2011 at 10:20 pm: Jay, maybe time to accept that there are always going to be people who get up your nose. Let it go mate.

Still Here.
Mike May 16, 2011 at 10:55 pm: Jay u are boring everybody , now fuck off ! That’s a good chap !
Jay May 16, 2011 at 11:55 pm: Mike May 16, 2011 at 10:55 pm
Jay u are boring everybody , now fuck off ! That’s a good chap !

——–

Brilliantly thought out counterpoint from the master debater there.
Blueste May 17, 2011 at 12:46 am: The fact of it all is that United are appalling winners and appalling losers. The need for a banner to celebrate our barren spell is unique- no other club taunts it’s rival in such a way.
The fact is City’s success meant more to us fans because it is definitely a turning of a corner, a sign that our rapid investment – bearing in mind we’re closing in on third potentially- is paying off, and we’re closing the gap.
United invested heavily in Ferguson for 3 years before a trophy was won, with spend disproportionate to any other club. This investment paid off, and has helped United achieve the fantastic success they had, but now after 35 years of us blues having our noses rubbed in it, our turn has come to revert hopefully to the pre-WW2 days where City were the top dogs.
Finally, while United fans hatch plans for new banners, and attempts to spoil our parade next week, City announced today we will not parade the trophy in our game against Stoke tmw out of respect to them. This is the difference between the two clubs and why we are as excellent winners as we were excellent coping with adversity. We didn’t need to buy class, we always had it.
Colin May 17, 2011 at 8:29 am: I’m a city fan and personally don’t care one jot what them lot do across the road let concentrate on supporting our own . I was out celebrating the cup with city fans and united fans alike there was great banter from both sides . We need to be Carefull not to tarnish all united fans with the same brush yes they have a whole lot of plastic fans but that comes with success guess we may attain some ourselves over the coming years . One thing I will say is the ” united fans” who were hanging around COMS harassing people and attacking people ” families ” should be ashamed and their fellow supporters should be descraced of them . Manchester soon to become the Mecca of world football and the Darbys may well become tittle deciders .
FEED THE GOAT May 17, 2011 at 9:25 am: Funny how Jay isn’t bothered about our progress yet he still came on here to rant about it. Well played mate. Point is, the FA Cup was the icing on the cake to the Champions league finish – the revolution begins now.
Paul May 17, 2011 at 11:11 am: Jon: Portsmouth won the fa cup 2 years ago you know

Hey, pal, did they also beat United on their way to the final?
stephen May 17, 2011 at 11:59 am: as a city fan i am over the bluemoon that manu won the league. it will make it all the sweeter when we take it of them next season.
stephen May 17, 2011 at 12:03 pm: addministration will come before manu win another cup.
stephen May 17, 2011 at 12:10 pm: it must have hurt to loose the treble and now the duble.
Anthony May 17, 2011 at 1:09 pm: Another way to look at it is that if spending £300 million+ won us the FA Cup, getting into debt to the tune of £1 billion plus won them the Glazer family.
M Assive May 17, 2011 at 10:39 pm: United deserved the massive success and trophies they have bought over many years to be fair. Yes it cost massive amounts of money but that’s okay cos we’re man united and we do what we want. No one is as Massive as ManU.
Sammy May 18, 2011 at 12:50 pm: I heard they renamed it the billion dollar cup.

Forever in our shadow you bitter stockport massive.

Youve still got the biggest floodlights in the land dont forget, and curly watts.

To catch united youll need 3 European cups and 19 league titles just to match them. That means you cant waste anymore time or youll all be dead by the time it happens. Put that in your bitter bertie pipes.

THE CITY IS YOURS, THE CITY IS YOURRRRRSS,
20,000 EMPTY BLUE SEATS, ARE YOU FUCKING SURE?
Mike May 18, 2011 at 6:59 pm: Sammy chill man !! We are MANCS who go to games , Stockport? WTF are u on, just trot of back to Trafford !! Facts only please .
yaya toures right foot May 18, 2011 at 7:24 pm: yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayaya TOURE!!!!!! FA CUP 16/04/2011 – 14/05/2011 = 35 years no thanks how about4 days.

Why Manchester City’s F.A. Cup final win had Manchester United fans crying into their beer

Recent Comments

Football Links