Manchester Derby Series: My 10 Most Iconic

The Manchester derby. A game steeped in history. I'm not going to get into the 'which is the greatest derby' debate - around where I'm from, there is no debate, and I'm sure that's the same argument in Liverpool, Athens, Milan or Madrid. This post is very much about the most iconic moments (in my lifetime) of the Manchester derby. I have said this in a number of my previous posts, but I am a lifelong City fan, and as such, the list below is unashamedly weighted in favour of the Blues.

I will say one thing in my defence, however. In my lifetime (23 years and counting), my early experiences of Manchester derbies were negative from my perspective. However, this was always the expected outcome, and as a result, I would not consider many of those games 'iconic' in the relationship. As I got older, I found that United began to struggle more and more against City, perhaps underestimating their local rivals. Since 2008, the dynamic has shifted, and we have seen many more dramatic moments, and these dominate my list.

1. Manchester City 1-1 Manchester United (Maine Road, April 21, 2001)
As I mentioned, the majority of my earliest memories of the Manchester derby are negative, and as a result, perhaps I have willingly forgotten most of them. However, one moment that does stand out in my early years is 'that tackle'. And by tackle, I mean violent assault. A moment completely out of keeping with the rest of the game, petering out towards a dull 1-1 draw. However, Roy Keane's long-standing personal rivalry with Alf-Inge Haaland boiled over in stoppage time with a quite disgraceful kick to the knee. In my opinion, the United man was lucky to escape prison for assault (not being melodramatic - look at the law) and Haaland was never the same player.

2. Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United (Maine Road, November 9, 2002)
My first positive memory. The final Manchester derby to take place at Maine Road was all about one man: Shaun Goater. The legendary City striker followed an early strike from Nicolas Anelka to turn the game decisively in the Blues favour. Capitalising on a Gary Neville mistake that few City fans will let him forget, Goater put City back in front before half time, before lifting a neat finish over Fabien Barthez after an hour to secure the points and claim his 100th goal in City colours.

3. Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City (Old Trafford, February 10, 2008)
With the controversial Thaksin Shinawatra in control of affairs at City, the Blues had spent over £25m on talent including Elano, Bianchi, Corluka and most recently Benjani. It was the latter that would have the biggest impact in this game. However, with a United side including Rooney, Ronaldo, Vidic and Tevez, especially on the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster, no-one gave City a hope of a result. However, goals from Darius Vassell and a debut strike from Benjani meant that Joe Hart's superb rearguard action meant that City claimed their first league double over their rivals for 38 years.

4. Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City (Old Trafford, September 20, 2009)
Arguably the most dramatic and thrilling Manchester derby of all time. Heartbreaking from my perspective (along with being a little more than suspect timekeeping), but Michael Owen's 96th minute killed the 'noisy neighbours' challenge. A match with more than a few sub-plots, including Carlos Tevez returning to the home of his former side, but it was Mark Hughes who was left fuming at the final whistle. The prime example of 'Fergie Time' handed United the points and ended City's unbeaten league start.

5. Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United (City of Manchester Stadium, January 19, 2010)

Further to the earlier sub-plot, Tevez had a point to prove in the Carling Cup Semi Final First Leg at home to United. Having been disappointing at the classic at Old Trafford, Tevez got his opportunity to shove United chants back down their throats, stepping up to take a 40th minute penalty after City had fallen behind. After a few words from Wayne Rooney, Tevez almost took the net off with his spot kick before turning the match in the Blues' favour, nodding in on the hour mark. Though United went on to win the two-legged tie, Tevez had made his point to his former employers.

6. Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City (Old Trafford, February 12, 2011)
The Goal of the Premier League - apparently. With the match delicately poised at 1-1 going into the final 15 minutes, Wayne Rooney came up with a brilliant piece of shin-work to claim all three points. Despite my jokes, Rooney as the leading goal scorer in Manchester derby history must have done something right! And the technique has to be appreciated, even if it doesn't come firmly off his boot. Who would have thought that that would have been United's last victory against City at Old Trafford?

7. Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United (Wembley, April 16, 2011)

Without any doubt from my perspective, the kick starter for Manchester City's recent success was the victory against United at Wembley in the FA Cup. After being under the cosh for the majority of the first half, an error from Michael Carrick handed Yaya Toure the chance to slide the ball under van der Sar and hand City a return trip to Wembley. Another memory of mine was a disgraceful high challenge by Paul Scholes on Pablo Zabaleta that was slightly reminiscent of the Roy Keane GBH (though without the same intent).

8. Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City (Old Trafford, October 23, 2011)

The greatest derby of my lifetime (although of course I would say that!). One of the only moments that enigmatic striker Mario Balotelli came to the party, with his 'Why Always Me' shirt already an iconic moment in Premier League history. The match that Sir Alex Ferguson claimed was his 'worst moment in football', and the heaviest home defeat for Manchester United since 1955. The final few minutes were quite incredible, with 10-man United ripped apart on multiple occasions, resulting in three injury time goals.

9. Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United (Etihad Stadium, April 30, 2012)

If the 6-1 win at Old Trafford was a statement to the champions at the time, the game in April at the Etihad was the hammer blow. City had been roaring back in the league to bring the eight point gap back to three before the derby just three games from the end, putting huge emphasis on the game. As it was, a thunderous header from Vincent Kompany handed City the inertia and momentum going into the final two games. This goal was possibly just as important as that late late strike from Sergio Aguero against QPR.

10. Manchester City 4-1 Manchester United (Etihad Stadium, September 22, 2013)

With both teams having changed managers going into the new season, this was an entirely different dynamic, particularly for United. And so it proved. This game simply demonstrated the changing dynamic of the relationship between the two clubs, with City firmly on the up and United taking a downward trajectory. The emphatic defeat put further pressure on David Moyes and instantly lifted Manuel Pellegrini to hero status.

The relationship between the two clubs has changed dramatically in my lifetime. From growing up expecting nothing from derby day, and often dreading going to school the following day, I now look at today's derby thinking that anything other than three points is a significant disappointment. City's star seems to have been on a meteoric rise in the last 7 years, while United are firmly in the middle of an identity crisis following the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.

As a City fan, long may it continue, but it takes a brave person to predict a derby, particularly involving two such large clubs.

What Makes A Truly Great Stadium?

Behind every great team, there is an iconic stadium. Be it the Bernabeu, the Nou Camp, or Old Trafford, the essence of every club comes from the ground they play on. People often underestimate its importance in football - I have seen grounds change matches, seasons, and even end championship dreams. But when considering the world's best stadium, there is often a lot of discussion.

The first, and most obvious criterion, is aesthetics. There are many stadia around the world that are beautiful examples of architecture - the Emirates in London, the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City or the Etihad in Manchester. As a Man City fan, it should come as little surprise that I add the City stadium to this list, particularly at night. However, my personal favourite for aesthetics has to be the Allianz Arena in Munich. The perfect blend of modern technology mixed with modern architecture, the Bayern stadium has to be up there with the most aesthetically pleasing of all time.

The Etihad at night - one of the more beautiful stadia in world football?

But it is important to consider that looks are not everything. There are many more components to the perfect stadium, some often as important as looks alone.

Firstly, history plays a part. Certainly not as much as Man United and Liverpool fans like to make out, but it certainly is an aspect behind an iconic ground. Seeing some of the most important moments in world football's history does mean that a stadium becomes one of the world's greats. These are almost always not the most aesthetically pleasing - look at the mish-mashed development that is Old Trafford or Liverpool's rather disjointed city centre Anfield ground. Both have seen some of the greatest moments in football, and should certainly be considered. Outside of the UK, the San Siro and Nou Camp have been at the heart of football's dramas, but neither are, in my opinion, particularly attractive. However, as we have begun to see, football clubs with some of the more beautiful grounds have begun to see dramatic moments - who can forget 'Aguerooooooo'?

And secondly, it is important to consider atmosphere. Though the best looking stadia have their advantages, they are also often not the most atmospheric. As I said earlier, I have seen games and titles decided by the atmosphere created in a ground. Here is where the less attractive grounds often have the advantage. It's strange, but the older grounds in the UK tend to keep the atmosphere within better than the newer builds, and give fans the sense of being closer and more integral to the action. The best example I have of this is last season's critical late season match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park. 3-0 down, the home fans' enthusiasm was relentless, and ultimately dragged their side back into the game. An incredible comeback ensued to secure a 3-3 draw and destroy the Reds' title hopes.

So, with all those in mind, what makes the perfect stadium? In my eyes, a great stadium has to look appealing. I understand that the historic gates at Anfield have their own appeal, and I actually accept that point, even though the ground itself is not necessarily the most beautiful. Having said that, what does put me right off is the way that stadia like Old Trafford have pretty much killed any of the history of the ground by continually extending sections. The core heart of the historic ground has gone, and in my view, if you're going to build, you may as well make it attractive.

On top of this, it surprises me that science either hasn't been consulted or successfully used when creating a new ground to keep the atmosphere within and rival older grounds. I don't know if its simply nostalgia, but there still seems most enjoyable at historic grounds. Whether that will change, I don't know, but I hope so, as the best of both worlds would make it a ground people want to visit and enjoy once they are there.

Having considered all three of these elements, here is my list of 10 top grounds:

1. Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich
2. Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid
3. Nou Camp, Barcelona
4. Estadio do Maracana, Rio di Janeiro
5. Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
6. Anfield, Liverpool
7. Etihad Stadium, Manchester
8. Olympiastadion, Berlin
9. AmsterdamArena, Amsterdam
10. Estadio de Luz, Lisbon

Rugby League’s ‘Magic Weekend’ 2013: Back With A Bang

             Rugby League’s ‘Magic Weekend’, hosted at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, sees all 14 rugby league giants in action on the same pitch over two days of bone-crunching action. Huge credit must go to the ground staff of the Manchester stadium, as I remember our school rugby pitches after a PE lesson, as it was never a pretty sight! So to have men twice the size, hitting each other twice as hard, for twice as long, must be a gruelling 48 hours without sleep! Once again, the ‘Magic Weekend’ threw up some extraordinary ties, and some fantastically competitive matches, ending with a bang on each days with truly show-stopping games. On Saturday, we had St. Helens vs Warrington Wolves, and to end the weekend, the champions Leeds Rhinos vs the league leaders Wigan Warriors. How can you top that?

 

                The weekend started in fantastic form, with Catalan Dragons beating the London Broncos in the opening fixture. Though the 46-18 final scoreline suggests a thrashing, it was far from it in the first half. Whilst Catalan started strongly, with two quick tries, London quickly regrouped to level the scores just before the break. The second half was a different story, with Catalan half-back Scott Dureau coming back from eye surgery to inspire his team to a resounding second half victory, keeping them in the hunt for the playoffs. A quick turnaround, and the Etihad was ready to grace its second game, Castleford Tigers vs Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. The first derby to be staged at the grand stadium, and the pre-cursor to the Hull derby, Castleford came out of the blocks quickly to establish a 20 point lead by half time, leading 32-12. Their dominance continued into the second period, where, despite an early scare, they finished as comfortable 49-24 victors, handing new boss Daryl Powell his first win.

 

                Next came the Hull derby. In a fiercely competitive match, Hull FC started the brighter, scoring the opening try through Richard Whiting. Hull KR hit back quickly, with two quick scores to lead 10-6 at the break. A second half penalty and an Alex Brown try looked to have settled the game, as KR led by 10 points with only 8 minutes left on the clock. Hull FC fought back, with late tries from Tom Lineham and Kirk Yeaman levelling the scores. Then came the controversy. Hull FC prop Chris Green ran the ball in after KR misjudged the bounce of the ball in the last minute to win the game for FC, despite replays showing he was clearly in an offside decision. The RFL quickly acted, suspending the video referee and stating that a full enquiry would be held into the event. Nevertheless, the game provided us with just the tension and drama we needed going into Saturday’s headliner.

 

                St Helens vs Warrington Wolves, another derby in its own right, started at breakneck speed, with Warrington’s Chris Riley going over in the first minute. Wire soon doubled their advantage, as Ryan Atkins collected a chip to score, but Saints hit back quickly with two tries to move within two points of the Wolves. However, three rapid Warrington tries before half time knocked the stuffing out of St Helens, and gave the Wolves a comfortable cushion going into the break. Early second half tries from Jordan Turner and Lance Hohaia gave Saints hope, but three more tries late into the game from Warrington settled a pulsating tie, and ended an invigorating opening day.

 

                12 hours or so for the ground staff to go to work, before the opening game of today was on: Salford City Reds vs Widnes Vikings. Another intriguing and close encounter, which began with a scoreless first half hour, before Salford’s Lee Gaskell broke the deadlock with a 90 metre try. A quick second soon followed, with Jordan James going over. Widnes responded with two quick tries either side of the break, with Joe Mellor bursting through the Salford line on both occasions. In a game which ebbed and flowed throughout, Salford once again re-established control, through Martin Gleeson’s try. Once again, this would be short-lived, as Mellor claimed his hat-trick of tries to leave the contest tied at 16-16 with 12 minutes to go. With tries being exchanged regularly, Salford’s Theo Fages thought he had won the game for his side, before Kevin Brown cancelled out his try with only 5 minutes remaining. But in the final minute, up popped Jordan James once more, to clinch a thrilling contest in the Reds’ favour.

 

                Huddersfield Giants vs Bradford Bulls followed this encounter, and in a bit of a mismatch, the Giants comfortably saw off a disappointing Bradford side by 42 points to 6. Three tries in the first half ensured that the Giants held a comfortable lead by half time. A lead that was only extended after the break, as Dale Ferguson, Shaun Lunt, Brett Ferres and Anthony Mullaly all went over in the second half, boosting Huddersfield’s title charge. Next was the big one: champions Leeds vs rampant league leaders Wigan. Leeds, prior to the game, boasted a 100% record at ‘Magic Weekends’, whilst Wigan were looking for their 11^th consecutive Super League win. Something had to give.

 

It was Wigan who started the brighter, with last year’s Man Of Steel Sam Tomkins going over to hand the Warriors an early lead. A vicious shoulder charge by Wigan’s Michael McIlorum gave Leeds skipper Kevin Sinfield the chance to reduce the arrears with a penalty, which he duly took. This signalled a change in momentum, as the Rhinos took the lead soon after, as Sinfield touched down after work from Zak Hardaker. Unfortunately for Leeds, their lead only lasted a matter of moments, as journeyman Pat Richards went over in the corner to regain the lead. Whilst Kallum Watkins responded for the Rhinos, a late first half Charnley try left Leeds with some work to do in the second period, trailing 20-12. But it was the Warriors who started the brighter, nearly adding to their lead. Leeds did eventually awaken, with Joe Vickery going over to reduce the deficit. A breathless end to the contest ensued, with the pitch still looking in mint condition, allowing for free-flowing and fast rugby league. Danny McGuire thought he had won it for the champions, but he saw his late try chalked off, leaving the Rhinos too short on time to respond.

 

            A fantastic end to a thrilling weekend of rugby league action. Much has been said about the merits and pitfalls of the ‘Magic Weekend’, but I think it is a fantastic advertisement for the game. To play in a nigh-on 50,000 seater stadium is not a chance many of these rugby league players will have all too often, and as the pitch does not make for a worse game, I see no reason why these weekends should not continue. The drama, controversy and passion are all part of the modern game, and taking that into larger stadiums will only attract more people, which can only be good for the game.