Sports Occurrences

Manchester is the fifth largest city in England.  With 441,000 people it is the same size as Mesa, Arizona, America’s 38^th largest city, slightly smaller than Chaozhou, China’s 144^th largest, four times the population of the Republic of Kiribati.

The English invented the game of soccer, the world’s most popular sport, but it is a Manchester, not a London, Birmingham, Liverpool or Leeds, club that has for decades been the greatest and most famous in the world. “The World’s Greatest Club” trademark is owned by Manchester United.  Its manager is knighted, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Manchester is also home to another soccer club, Manchester City.  At their closest point the properties of the two clubs are one-eighth of a mile apart.  Manchester City has long toiled literally and figuratively in United’s shadow.

That has changed.

The beginning of what was then called the “Manchester Revolution” occurred in 2007 when billionaire former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra bought the club. When Shinawatra sold in 2008 it was to a fellow billionaire, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a 32-year old member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi.  Sheikh Mansour has transformed Manchester City into “the world’s most hated club.” 

Hated, because Sheikh Mansour has poured vast sums into player acquisition that has enabled City to challenge the best clubs in England.  Last season City broke into the so-called “Big Four” of United, Liverpool, and London-based Chelsea and Arsenal, finishing third in the English Premier League, supplanting Arsenal, and qualifying for the lucrative and prestigious pan-European Champions League competition. At the end of the season City also beat United to win the Football Association (FA) Cup, the most coveted trophy in English football. City finished some distance from United in the Premier League however.United won the league for a record 19th time.

Today, Manchester City and Manchester United played the first of their two “derbies,” intra-city games, in the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson called it the “biggest” derby in history and it was played at United’s Old Trafford grounds.  Said Ferguson after the game, "I'm shattered, I can't believe it":

Manchester City 6

Manchester United 1