Inside The Mind Of A City Fan, Manchester Derby And The Unfortunately Relegated

Andre Marriner will referee to date, the biggest Manchester derby of my life time. Having had the opportunity of living many Manchester derbies including the 1989, 5-1 at Maine Road, I thought it could never get any better than that. lol was I wrong after Manchester recorded a record triumph over United by 6-1 and exceeding the leagues home win record. 

At least it's not Fergies favourite referee ala Howard (Uniteds twelfth man) Webb, we still have to learn how to over come referees who favour our opponents anyway. It's inevitable referees will occasionally show a little more favour for the less fortunate, something all big clubs at some point have to deal with I suppose (unless you're United obviously).Usually its United loud mouth Patrice Evra that has the first word but he's been beaten to the punch by Nani claiming 'We are disappointed and angry'. Oooooooooooooooooooh scary, quick hide. 

Amy Lawrence over at Fox Soccer summed up the rags in three simple paragraphs, "With ten minutes to go at Old Trafford against Everton, and United in a position of apparent comfort with a 4-2 lead and a chance for a fifth that smacked against a post, few imagined the sudden lurch which was about to send a tremor beneath the CITY of Manchester. All in the United garden seemed rosy. The celebratory songs were being aired. Sir Alex Ferguson could offer regal waves to the crowd and share a joke with the officials. 

Ten minutes later Ferguson’s face was a picture of fury. Wayne Rooney marched off the pitch shaking his head in disbelief. The United supporters were flattened. Everton’s two late uppercuts didn’t so much knock United out in terms of the title race - they still have it in their own hands – but they did leave the Red Devils badly bruised and dizzy. Fergie later admitted he was “in a state of shock”. 

United have started limping at the worst possible moment and have now dropped five points against Wigan and Everton over the same period that City have regrouped from their own slump. They have recovered from the defeat at Arsenal which prompted Mancini to verbally give the title to United, winning three consecutive matches and rediscovering their penetration." 

The news is that Alex Fungalson has gagged his players before the upcoming derby for fear of making themselves look worse than they already do should they lose, and make no mistake they're well aware that they should not underestimate or disrespect us as they are accustomed to doing. 

I can smell their fear from here! 

I have to admit I'd be happy with second place and Champions League football but for all the bile about the experience and history United have in title run ins, United, the media and their fans right now look the right bunch of ignorant and arrogant hypocrites they really are. Arrogant enough to think they could walk their remaining fixtures and go on to win a 20th league title, I heard that 20th league title T-shirts were in full swing before the Everton match. So much for respect of your opponents when all United fans ever do is demand respect they believe they deserve for buying their collective glory. There are very few clubs that can lay claim to not buying glory in my humble opinion, but United are not one of them. 

In the past losing to United always devastated me for a day, hearing people say "come on, its only a game" meant nothing to me. It wasn't about bragging rights for me like it was and is for the rags, it was about being a City fan and wanting the best for my club, not having to listen to a glory hunting rag from another country mouth off for a few days was just the icing on the cake. 

For the first time I find myself in a very strange position with the imminent Manchester Derby, I honestly feel a sense of weightlessness, like the decades of torment and typical City have just washed off my shoulders. Thinking to myself 'so what if we lose the derby, at least we are on our way back', it's time to really, really enjoy ourselves. Don't get me wrong for I want us to win the title, but it's not like time is against us is it, what is important is to keep hold of our values, respect those who deserve to be and not be corrupted by greed and glory like United. 

Even Uwe Rosler shares my enthusiasm, "I think everybody should be excited, not anxious because we have everything to win and nothing to lose. We have undoubted quality in our football club and in our team. We are more than capable of beating United at home." 

I found it disgusting but predictable how some in the media tried to spin it that we condemned Wolverhampton Wanderers to relegation, if anyone knows how relegation feels more than anyone it's us, once the yo yo club everyone loved to pity. 

No matter what the outcome of the imminent Manchester Derby, I am going to enjoy the moment, keep the faith and wish all the relegated clubs the very best of luck for the following season.