We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful

It was a game that was rightfully billed as “the biggest Manchester derby of all time” and a certain sports news network even went so far as to call it “the biggest game in the history of the Premier League”. 

And with somewhere between 400 and 650 million worldwide viewers reportedly tuning for Monday’s table topping clash between City and United, they might’ve had a point.

It was quite typical then, that in terms of entertainment value, the game itself flattered to deceive somewhat. It was a fast paced yet cagey affair between two very evenly matched groups of players with everything at stake. For City, however, there was absolutely nothing anti-climactic about the result.

A solitary Vincent Kompany headed goal on the stroke of half time was enough to decide a tense encounter and the improbable dream of just a few short weeks ago is now being realised before our very eyes. City, eight points adrift of United not long ago, somehow find themselves back at the top of the league on goal difference with just two games remaining and the title is undoubtedly ours to lose again.

But if City’s dream of winning the Premier League title felt improbable a few weeks ago, it was nothing compared to the seeming impossibility of the task in years past.

Should the Blues go on to lift the coveted trophy on the 13^th of May, the “the biggest game in the history of the Premier League” will correctly be remembered as one of the most momentous occasions in this club’s history too. And as the final whistle sounded and the Etihad Stadium erupted on Monday night, there was something very ethereal about it all. It wasn’t that long ago that the idea of conquering United, our most fierce and bitter rivals, to potentially win the league title seemed like an inconceivable fantasy for City fans. The dream is now becoming a reality.

Despite what Gabrielle would have us believe, in life, it's extremely rare that dreams come true. Most people are willing to accept that our time on this earth cannot always fulfil our greatest hopes and ambitions and sometimes you should just be thankful for what you’ve got. Other people are more optimistic about their potential in life and very occasionally their faith and hard work is rewarded.

One of the most wonderful things about football however, is that it’s a game which can provide those life-affirming moments and often does. Indeed, many supporters subconsciously go so far as to use the glory of their team as compensation for the general disappointment which accompanies their personal lives.

In my experience, City fans have always genetically been an expectant yet humble lot. We maintained our faith and devotion throughout the darkest of times but never lost sight of our ambitions for our team. To the realists amongst us, however, the extent of those ambitions stretched no further than the occasional Carling Cup run or a place in the top six come the end of the season. The idea that we would one day see our team win the Premier League or the Champions League was hardly even worth contemplating such was the extreme unlikelihood of fulfilment. 

But here we are, on the brink of that dream and make no mistake, we know exactly how we got here and how lucky we are. The impossible has been made possible by the significant investment of Sheikh Mansour and the Abu Dhabi United Group and for that we are eternally grateful.

Many detractors continue to suggest that there is a hollowness surrounding anything City achieve, that our alleged “purchase” of success (which, ironically, was the very thing we were repeatedly told we couldn’t buy a couple of years ago) is unfair and unjust. Football is often a breeding ground for mis-placed self-righteousness and I hate to say this, but these are opinions steeped in bitterness and jealousy and reek of hypocrisy, because there’s not a single football fan in the land who wouldn’t want what City fans have for their club.

Two excellent pieces regarding City’s spending by Sam Wallace in The Independent and Martin Samuel in the Daily Mail this week both perfectly summarised City’s journey from mediocrity to potential title winners and I’d urge you to read them. Something tells me those with a grudge to bear, particularly our friends in the Red half of Manchester, will choose to ignore them, however. After all, why let the facts get in the way of a good argument?

I’d like to think those capable of handling the truth will come to realise that though City’s almost incomparable financial strength has enabled them to become the force they are today, they certainly weren’t the first and won’t be the last football club to achieve success in this way. Despite the continual Pravda-like perpetuation of the myth that Manchester United’s sustained success has been achieved by pure hard work and definitely not any of that “dirty money”, a brief trawl through their own club’s history would teach a few people a thing or two and perhaps lay to rest some of that mis-guided sense of entitlement. If there’s one thing I’ve observed though, it’s that it’s rare you find a group of people so capable of collective amnesia as United fans, so I won’t be holding my breath.

It’s been a beautifully surreal few weeks to be a City fan but it’s not over yet. Newcastle away at the weekend presents a significant obstacle en route to title glory and we must be at our best to overcome it. We have nothing to celebrate yet, but we’re edging ever closer.

As supporters, we’ve endured an awful lot of shit over the years and we’ll enjoy our day in the sun, whatever anyone says. The world will be better for this...that one man scorned and covered with scars...still strove with his last ounce of courage...to reach the unreachable star.

Come on City!