The extraordinary first derby at the City of Manchester Stadium
Manchester City moved into a shiny new stadium for the 2003/04 season. In March, their enemies came to take a look around for the first time. It turned out to be an incredible afternoon.
As Manchester underwent a cultural shift in the late nineties, something odd happened: The Manchester Derby temporarily disappeared.
This was a period when the iconic Hacienda nightclub would close forever and the ribbon was cut to an American-style mall called ‘The Trafford Centre’. The region was morphing into a different beast – and the local sports scene was seemingly swept up in the mood for change.
In New Manchester, there was seemingly only room for one football team at the top.
After years flirting with relegation, the region’s Blue team tumbled out of the Premier League trapdoor, before falling further down into Division Two.
Younger fans will find it hard to comprehend the gulf between Manchester’s two football clubs before the turn of the millennium. But not that long ago, the sides were separated by a staggering 46 places.
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When the summer of 1999 rolled around, United had picked up the third major trophy of the season. City, meanwhile, were only the third best team in Manchester.
After losing their top tier status, City spent several years contesting a very different kind of Manchester derby with Stockport County instead – desperately trying to claw their way back up the leagues whilst their traditional enemies at Old Trafford cemented a reputation as one of football’s greatest ever sides.
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The Blues had fallen so far off their arch-rivals’ radar they were considered inconsequential (the worst possible regard in which to be held by your nemeses). But in 2000, after a four-year exile, City made it back to the promised land of the Premier League – yo-yo’ing between divisions before finally defeating United for the first time since 1989 in a memorable 3-1 win.
The victory marked the final derby at Maine Road before City’s big move to a new 47,000-capacity stadium on the east side of Manchester. There had been discussions about simply upgrading the old ground, but City realised this new chapter was about more than just a fresh lick of paint. They wanted the kind of home that screamed clear intentions that City were no longer content to play second (or third) fiddle for Manchester on the world stage.
An international stadium – which had played a pivotal role in elevating the region’s global reputation via the Commonwealth Games competition – would be the place to do exactly that.
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City of Manchester Stadium / Image: David Dixon via Geograph
The City of Manchester Stadium officially opened to football fans in August 2003.
The Blues spent a few months settling in, and on March 14, their enemies came to take a look around for the first time.
They were in a foul mood, too.
There were 11 games left until the end of the season, but Sir Alex Ferguson’s men had already fallen well adrift of Arsenal in their attempts to retain their Premier League crown – arriving in Eastlands without a win in three.
The Reds had also just suffered an ignominious exit from the Champions League. On the previous Tuesday, Portuguese side Porto scored a last-gasp winner at Old Trafford that sent a young, dapper-dressed manager by the name of Jose Mourinho galloping down the touchline in wild celebration and left United fans sat in sickened silence.
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The damaging defeat had instigated a supporters’ inquiry; with fans pointing the finger of blame at various members of the squad. 19-year-old winger Cristiano Ronaldo was being called a show-pony who couldn’t deliver the goods on the big stage. Diego Forlan was being criticised for a lack of goals. And goalkeeper Tim Howard was also under fire for dropping the clanger that led to Porto’s big goal.
After a painful night in Europe, all United wanted was to curl up under the covers for the whole weekend – but were instead tasked with trudging down the road and putting their irritating noisy neighbours in their place.
They didn’t really want to be there. And City smelled blood.
Trevor Sinclair puts City 3-1 up in the first ever derby at the City of Manchester stadium
Over 47,200 fans packed into the ground for the first ever derby clash at the City of Manchester Stadium, with United supporters – still hungover from their Champions League defeat – trying to find their bearings in unfamiliar surroundings.
City hadn’t quite gotten used to their upgraded digs just yet either. They’d shown a few symptoms of home sickness since leaving Maine Road behind – having won just twice at the new ground.
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But on this particular Sunday afternoon, they were playing host to their most-anticipated visitors of the season. And there’d be no welcome mat.
Within three minutes, the stadium received a jolt so ferocious its new foundations threatened to come crashing down.
Some fans were still finding their way to their seats when the ball fell to City striker Robbie Fowler, who juggled his way into the six-yard box and prodded it home – inciting utter pandemonium.
The Red end grimaced. For United – it was the worst possible start caused by the worst possible player (Fowler had already represented two of United’s other bitter rivals in Liverpool and Leeds before joining City). But what felt like an unpleasant fever dream turned into a nauseating nightmare over the 87 minutes that followed.
Jon Macken caught the ball on the volley to put City 2-0 up after half an hour, and whilst Paul Scholes’ low drive gave the Red Devils a glimmer of hope, Trevor Sinclair capitalised on a defensive mix-up in the 73rd minute to stretch City’s lead once again in the second half.
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The most memorable moment of the match, though – and the one replayed by City fans time and time again ever since – came in stoppage time.
Young winger Shaun Wright-Phillips (who would go on to make his England debut later that summer) burst down the right flank, pivoted past Wes Brown and rattled in a worldie to make it 4-1.
The final whistle screeched to signal City’s biggest win over their rivals for 15 years – a margin that would not be surpassed until the “Why Always Me?” derby of 2011 when United were hit for six on their own turf.
It took another decade and over £1 billion of investment for City to finally put themselves on equal footing with their foes at the top of the Prem – but this was the moment where a new chapter for the Blues began to take shape.
Looking back, that first all-Manc fixture in Eastlands in 2004 was about more than just bragging rights. It was about City putting their foot down and making their new stadium feel like home.
And there’s no better way to do that in football than by warmly welcoming your neighbours, giving them a serious walloping, and sending them on their way.
Sport
The full list of Greater Manchester Olympians representing Team GB at Paris 2024
Danny Jones
The Paris Olympics are nearly here and this year Greater Manchester happens to have eight athletes competing at the 2024 Summer Games.
It just so happens that eight is also the exact same number of local Olympians who brought home medals from Tokyo 2020, and we’re hoping these lot will help Team GB bring back a record number, with the previous competition seeing them match their all-time record (65) set at London 2012.
Honestly, there are few times in the year that we love as much as when the summer of sport fully kicks in and with the heartbreak of the Euros finally starting to drift, we can fully throw ourselves into the Olympics and get behind our Mancs flying the flag for 0161.
But who exactly is representing Greater Manchester at Paris 2024 and what events are they competing in? Look no further.
Greater Manchester’s 2024 Team GB athletes and their sports
Without further ado, let’s meet our local Olympic heroes:
Keely Hodgkinson – Wigan – Athletics
Starting out over in the home of the Latics, pie barms and The Verve, we have Wigan‘s very own Keely Hodgkinson: a two-time European champion who also recently broke the all-time British record in the 800m at the Diamond League in London on 20 July.
Born in Atherton, the 22-year-old middle-distance runner’s career is already off to a flyer and having already picked up the silver in her event at the last Olympics at just 19, we have every faith she’ll be bringing home the gold this time.
Aimee Pratt – Stockport – Athletics
Over to Stockport (don’t start with that Cheshire nonsense today, just be proud she’s from around here) and our 3000m steeplechase specialist, who already broke the national record twice in 2022 and produced the UK’s best-ever finish (7th) in the women’s event at the World Athletics Championships.
A long-standing member of Sale Harriers running club and a University of Manchester graduate, Aimee Pratt, 26, has got so much local backing behind her and has quickly gone from rising star to very much looking like she’s going to live up to the expectations of becoming ‘world-class’ as coaches predicted.
The third and final Manc representing us in athletics events is Bury-born and bred Hannah Kelly, 23, who is also a member of nearby Bolton United Harriers.
She was part of the crack team at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow that helped Great Britain reach a women’s 4x400m national record, picking up the bronze medal and will no doubt be looking to go on further in her Olympic debut.
Now into the world of combat sport and the incredible story of Trafford boxer Pat Brown’s journey to Paris 2024 who beat Poland’s Mateusz Bereznicki in a qualifier back in March and now finds himself heading to his first-ever appearance at the Olympics.
Coming through the ranks at his local clubs Moss Side Fire Station and Sale West ABC, the 24-year-old has gone through his fair share of challenges of late, losing his best friend and cousin shortly after sealing his place at the Games but now has more spirit and motivation behind him than ever.
Moving over to the world of cycling and there’s just one local name taking part in two-wheeled events this year: 28-year-old sensation, Charlotte Worthington, from just down the road in Chorlton.
One of the select few Team GB athletes who managed to pick up an Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, the BMX star is not only ready to defend her title – becoming the first women’s champion freestyle park champion in history – but is looking to come back stronger than ever after some time out.
Insane stuff.
Anthony Harding – Ashton-under-Lyne – Diving
On to those wading through Paris waters in the name of Manchester, the first of two aquatic athletes competing at this year’s tournament is Antony Harding from Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside.
Joining forces will Britain’s first-ever Olympic diving champion, Jack Laugher (who won the gold at Rio 2016), the duo have already brought home Commonwealth and European gold in the 3m synchro, as well as a pair of World Championship silver medals in the last two years. Is 2024 set for more gold?
And completing the water-bound Team GB athletes hailing from 0161 is multiple-gold medal-winner James Guy who, to use a phrase the kids are using, really is ‘that guy‘.
Another Bury native, the 27-year-old swimmer already has a big collection of gold medals in both the 200m and 4x200m freestyle at the Worlds, as well as silvers across multiple events over the past few years. With five Olympic medals in total to date, we’re desperate for him to add a gold to that list.
Georgia Taylor-Brown – Droyslden – Triathlon
Last but certainly not least is Droyslden’s Georgia Taylor-Brown, who was born to be an Olympian after her mum and Dad swam and ran, respectively, but continues to chase her own story of greatness, having picked up silver on her Olympics debut at Tokyo 2020 – even whilst nursing an injury.
With two golds at the 2019 World Triathlon Mixed Relay Series and AJ Bell World Triathlon in Leeds as well, we already know the colour looks good on her. You can listen to her full interview about going for gold yet again on BBC Sounds HERE but, for now, we’ll admit that her talking about coping with missing her dog come race time has made us love her even more:
Passport ✅ Hotel ✅ Alfie the cavapoo 🥰@TeamGB triathlete Georgia Taylor-Brown from Droylsden on what she can't live without at the Olympics.
Fingers crossed out Greater Manchester Olympians will absolutely smash it at Paris 2024 and regardless of how many medals they come home with, we already know they’ll give it their all.
No matter what, they’ll be welcomed back with a lovely homecoming party over at the AO Arena and we already have a great place to watch the events too.
Best of luck to our Mancs and all of Team GB – now go and do us proud!
City Football Group strike landmark deal with Sony for series of TV shows
Danny Jones
Manchester City’s owners have struck yet another big commercial deal ahead of the 2024/25 season, announcing a new collaboration with Sony to produce a number of original TV series.
Confirmed on Wednesday, 23 July, the deal between the City Football Group (CFG) and Sony Pictures Television will see the entertainment corporation create various TV productions for Man City and the other clubs owned by the limited company as part of a new global partnership.
While it marks the third multimedia crossover of its kind they’ve had with an entertainment-led brand, having first worked with Amazon on their All Or Nothing series and then Netflix for the Treble Winners documentary, this deal will see Sony become an official partner of Man City.
City Football Group (CFG) and Sony Pictures Television have inked a new deal encompassing original scripted, nonfiction, and kids’ television projects. The collaboration will see CFG’s media creative production unit and expertise in sport pair with SPT’s production capabilities… pic.twitter.com/LmagHBMG2b
Although exactly how lucrative the deal itself is yet to be disclosed, as per an official statement from the club, the partnership will see Sony “co-develop and produce new original scripted, nonfiction, and kids’ television projects for worldwide audiences.”
The announcement goes on to state that “as well as scripted and unscripted series, projects can also include one-off documentaries, animated projects, or children’s programming.”
Given that CFG has stakes in 13 clubs across Europe, South America, Asia, the United States and Australia – most notably Girona, New York and Melbourne City, French club ES Troyes AC and Italian side Palermo – TV shows created could ultimately go on to feature teams other than just City.
With the holding group also currently developing the Etihad Campus even further by expanding the stadium capacity and adding new leisure additions such as a hotel, museum, rooftop bar and stadium ‘sky-walk’, this is just the latest step in a series of big commerical steps for Man City.
Moveover, as the CFG are also heavily invested in the recently opened Co-op Live arena – which is inextricably linked to the football club located just a stone’s throw away – the City franchise looks to be moving closer and closer to becoming not just a football club but fully-fledged lifestyle brand.
Commenting on the launch of the collaboration, CFG’s CEO Ferran Soriano said: “We are incredibly excited to be collaborating with Sony Pictures Television [SPT] in this joint initiative.
“City Football Group is already a global entertainment company, and this initiative builds on our long-standing track record of innovation in the content space and the growth of City Studios in the last years. We will now take an even more dynamic approach to content production, and we are already developing several scripted and nonfiction series that will delight audiences globally.
“Bringing together the expertise of both CFG and SPT will enable us to create brilliant shows and remain at the forefront of football-led content production.”
SPT’s President of International Production, Wayne Garvie, went on to add: “Football is the great global game, no other sport produces so many heroes, tears and laughter, joy and heartbreak as football […] but the game always evolves and over the last decade City Football Group have become an unprecedented innovator and global leader.
“Our aim is to be part of the next evolution of the game, creating a new generation of innovative football-based entertainment to thrill the world.” It’s still unclear as to when the first of these new football-related TV shows will start rolling out but given the success of previous ventures they’re sure to prove popular.