SEASON REVIEW: THROUGH OPPONENTS' EYES

PART FOUR

Continuing the series wrapping up last season with the view of Scousers, Saints, Hammers and Mackems, amongst others. This is what they had to say to Question Four

 Your side’s matches with City last season: memories that stand out, talking points?

• Phil Lythell Chelsea ESPN correspondent, season ticket holder, writes at Shouty and Spitty 
• "Community Shield was entertaining but was most memorable for Hazard's attempted backheel then went drastically wrong. First league meeting was Benitez's home debut - dreadful game but a point secured and a fair result. Throughly outplayed at Etihad, Chelsea never got going and City's midfield ran the show that day. Lampard's missed penalty very costly but, in truth, City were streets ahead of Chelsea..."
• Luke O'Farrell writes for ESPN, EPL Index and blogs on all things Everton.
• "Unlike the rest of those at the top, Everton have the hex over City and the four point return could easily have been six. The only aspect that rankled was the lack of class from Mancini and several others. This notion of the Merseyside paupers bullying the Manchester millionaires is the easy way out, there was minimal credit for the football on display...." 
• Pete Sixsmith 's chosen dish is Sunderland (gristle and all). He writes at Salut Sunderland
• "Talking points? Beating you at The Stadium of Light and it not being in the last minute. I thought City were poor on that day. My mate took his family there on a hospitality day out - said it was priceless to watch his Mag supporting son-in-law sit there with a rictus grin on his face. We were totally outclassed at your place. Humph!!!.."
• Peter Thorne aka Billy Blagg has been writing on all things West Ham for ESPN for many years 
• "The gutsy draw early on at UP really marked us down as difficult to beat (at home anyway!) but it wasn't that much of a game. The match at your place was really just another bad awayday for us but with the Premier League as it is at the moment, these are games we're just happy to compete in....."
• Matthew Evans is a West Brom season ticket holder and ESPN correspondent
• "Albion's home game with Man City made me believe they'd be champions again this year. Down to 10 men but still managed to come back from one goal down, admittedly West Brom didn't help themselves but it was the spirit of champions so surprised things turned out as they did...."
• Marc Duffy follows Newcastle through thin and thinner and writes for ESPN
• "None. Our performance at the Etihad was utterly disgusting and one of the reasons I lost faith in Pardew. I didn't expect a result, I did expect some effort....."
• Chris Rann runs the excellent George Weah's Cousin and is Saints ESPN writer
• "Well, nearly beating you on the opening day, and playing you off the park at home were both pretty memorable. Gareth Barry's delectable finish into his own net has to 
• be up there, but Rickie Lambet's goal at the Emirates was a special moment for us...." 
•  

  

  Gareth slots in

    
• Simon Hughes remembers cheering Brian Labone and Gordon West from the unreconstructed Gladwys Street:
• "Another good year against City. Robbed in the away game by a very poor decision from the ref. Home one marked by Osman being captain and scoring a beauty. A much loved and underrated player...."
• John Wilson still has a poster of Peter Lorimer above his bed:
• "The thrashing in the cup ! Leeds were playing terrible and City were coming back from a heavy defeat. We were obviously going to be hammered so I didn't even watch the match...."
• James Whittaker, ESPN's Stoke reporter
• "Not too many talking points really, we did best against you in the cup as there were no points at stake for our negative former manager. The home games were less painful and the away game followed the trend of every other away game to that point, surrender.."
• Chris Dottie is an Evertonian child of the Kendall era and resident of the city of Gaudi and Messi
• "Trepidation before the games, looking at City's line up and thinking that our luck had to run out. Still no - at the Etihad we were unlucky to only draw because of the type of penalty that is normally only given at Anfield or Old Trafford - a sure sign of your new status. At Goodison we got our fully deserved 3 points and even Jelavic scored. My main memory is Distin giving Dzeko a bit of a clatter early on as a loosener to see if he was up for it or not. Dzeko spent the rest of the game looking as if he was about to run off down the tunnel for his teddy....."
• Phil Mison has been reporting on Fulham affairs across all media since the late 80s 
• "We gave up 6 points and deserved nowt...."
• Dave Glenn is a regular visitor to Old Trafford in hisJean Paul Gaultier tennis socks
• Nasri ducking – just perfect....."

 

SEASON REVIEW: THROUGH OPPONENTS' EYES

PART THREE
Continuing the series wrapping up last season with the view of Geordies, Saints, Throstles and Hammers, amongst others. This is what they had to say to Question Three

3. City fans: billy big time or still more or less the same poor masochists as before?

• Phil Lythell Chelsea ESPN correspondent, season ticket holder, writes at Shouty and Spitty 
• "Still the same downtrodden lot. No arrogance has seeped in despite success (yet!) and their backing of Mancini was - and is - extremely laudable.."
• Luke O'Farrell writes for ESPN, EPL Index and blogs on all things Everton.
• "There will always be those glory hunting types, the ones that accompany any successful side, but the majority of City fans seem to have their heads screwed on and know their football. This was fairly apparent with the show of support for Mancini; the recent advert in Gazzetta dello Sport was a great gesture....." 
• Pete Sixsmith 's chosen dish is Sunderland (gristle and all). He writes at Salut Sunderland
• "Had a couple of smashing conversations as we walked back to the city centre after you had cuffed us 3-0 in October. City fans still seem to be sensible and realistic - like us and Everton and not like United, Newcastle or Liverpool.."
• Peter Thorne aka Billy Blagg has been writing on all things West Ham for ESPN for many years 
• "We've not had the chance to get fed up with you lot yet. Prefer you to that mob down the road but give it time....."
• Matthew Evans is a West Brom season ticket holder and ESPN correspondent
• "Fans level of expectations have certainly grown which is completely understandable considering City won the league but don't think there is too much arrogance about it. I also admire the support/stance the fans have taken on Mancini....."
• Marc Duffy follows Newcastle through thin and thinner and writes for ESPN
• "Still the same, definitely...."
• Chris Rann runs the excellent George Weah's Cousin and is Saints ESPN writer
• "You haven't quite gone full Chelsea yet. NEVER go full Chelsea. The support shown for Mancini was admirable given a lack of success this season. I'm sure you get plenty more face painters these days, but you were still a great crowd at St. Mary's as we have come to expect...."
• Simon Hughes remembers cheering Brian Labone and Gordon West from the unreconstructed Gladwys Street:
• I still retain an affection for City's more mature supporters, but the newer, plastic ones can fuck off.
• John Wilson still has a poster of Peter Lorimer above his bed:
• "Not Billy Big Time. Same as before but if City turned into a Barcelona or Real Madrid it just wouldn't suit them..."
• James Whittaker, ESPN's Stoke reporter
• "More or less the same I would say. I know a lot of Man City fans and remember sharing relegation with you all those years ago. There will always be idiots everywhere but for the most part, your lot are sound. ."
• Chris Dottie is an Evertonian child of the Kendall era and resident of the city of Gaudi and Messi
• "Both. At their best they can represent the plucky traditional supporter like no-one else, at their worst they can be bitter nouveau riche. There seem to be some of each and some who vary between the two, according to their fancy...."
• Phil Mison has been reporting on Fulham affairs across all media since the late 80s 
• "City supporters are a pragmatic lot and know they must walk in United's shadow. They do have a sense a humour, unlike unbearable Reds followers...
• Dave Glenn is a regular visitor to Old Trafford in his velvet catsuit and mauve moccasins
• " Same bitter deluded tossers as ever..."
  
  
  

  
  

ANOTHER SURGICAL STRIKE

After months of the strangest speculation and oddest public requests from the player himself, City seem on the verge of signing Fernando Luiz Rosa from Ukrainian champions and Brazilian stud farm FC Shakhtar Donetsk. Like almost all Brazilians who play football, he goes by a nickname, in this case Fernandinho, or "little Fernando". Yet another from the massive unchecked "inho" family. Fernandinho was born in southern Brazil twenty eight years ago, in the city of Londrina of all places..

The experience City require

The question everyone is asking is what exactly can he bring to City? Here is what City's Brazilian supporters branch make of him:

"At the beginning of his career when he played for Atlético Paranense, Fernandinho was an attacking midfielder, but since his arrival in Europe in 2005, the Brazilian took on the new role of second holding midfielder and had to adapt to this new role, especially in approach play, cutting space and tackling. It is certainly true that, playing as a holding midfielder, Fernandinho has became a better player. owing to his great pace, his ability to open up defences, the Brazilian is now described as a box-to box player with a great passing and a surprisingly powerful shot. He will provide what was missing in the last two seasons: greater pace  in midfield. City can now start our attacking moves from the back, and offer some relief and freedom to the likes of David Silva, who will be able to stay in the final third, where the Spaniard is more dangerous...."

It is apparent that Pellegrini is, despite all of this activity having taken place before the official announcement of his new position at the Etihad, remaining true to his Malaga principles of fast attacking football. His first two signings are all about speed and precision. Manchester City 2013-14 vintage is going to be pretty but will be able to adapt its approach to games and will attack wide and fast, with the ability to go long or play the short passing game.

Luciano Silva Pinto , a Brazilian City fan living in Porto Alegre is not sure Fernandinho is necessarily the right choice. "Four or five years ago, yes, but I'm not absolutely sure he is good enough for where City are now. Hernanes of Lazio, the brilliant ex-São Paulo talent, might have been a more interesting acquisition.... Fernandinho must not be seen as a replacement for Barry either. A Fernandinho-Yaya defensive axis would produce problems,,,defensively".

Lazio's super talented Hernanes in his São Paulo days

Our Brazilian branch members continue: "He will also give us a new option: long balls. Fernandinho is able to make long passes and can quickly turn defence to attack with his passing over great distance. He has everything to be a success at City, but it is not entirely clear to me what his function in the team will be exactly. Will he be used as a replacement for Yaya Toure, or will Pellegrini put both together in midfield? Whatever the answer to that, City seems to be hitting surgical strikes in the transfer market with the new signings, and if Fernandinho achieves 50% of what his most famous "brother" did in Barcelona, we can start smiling and dreaming....".

++++

My thanks go to City's Brazilian branch and to Luciano for a very swift request for information on our latest acquisition.

SEASON REVIEW: THROUGH OPPONENTS' EYES

PART TWO 

2. Roberto Mancini: Were City right or wrong to get rid?

Continuing the series wrapping up last season with the view of Evertonians, Unitedites, Throstles and Geordies, amongst others.This is what they had to say to the above....

Mancini explains his European tactics

• Phil Lythell Chelsea ESPN correspondent, season ticket holder, writes at Shouty and Spitty 
• "Tricky one. Has to shoulder some blame for being unable to supply correct motivation. Record in Europe still poor despite hard group. Spent all season criticising board for transfer policy. Players response after his sacking suggest he wasn't exactly popular. On the other side, only one team can win the title and 2nd is perfectly respectable. Having won the title for first time in 44 years probably deserved one more season - shades of Ancelotti's sacking at CFC a year after winning the double. I don't think Mancini did himself any favours but it was a little harsh to get rid of him...."
• Luke O'Farrell writes for ESPN, EPL Index and blogs on all things Everton.
• "Wrong, very wrong. It probably wasn't the season most expected, but few would emerge from that Champions League group. Evident at Chelsea and now City, these foreign money-men are yet to grasp the idea of continuity and longevity...." 

  

  Cup final woes didn't help

• Pete Sixsmith 's chosen dish is Sunderland (gristle and all). He writes at Salut Sunderland
• "Who knows? Managers have short shelf lives now. The players looked as if they wanted rid of him - how else can you explain such a dreadful performance at Wembley. Time will tell if Pellegrini is an improvement. Anyway, we have our own Italian to worry about...."
• Peter Thorne aka Billy Blagg has been writing on all things West Ham for ESPN for many years 
• "WRONG! He won the title for you last season - the world is going insane, country = dogs  etc....."
• Matthew Evans is a West Brom season ticket holder and ESPN correspondent
• "No. Thought Mancini was a very good manager, most success someone has brought Man City in many a year. Also enjoyed the fact he out-did Sir Alex in the mind games last season. Can't see that Pellegrini is that big an improvement on Mancini...."
• Marc Duffy follows Newcastle through thin and thinner and writes for ESPN
• "Absolutely right. I can totally understand City fans loving the man who delivered their first title in a generation, but as a neutral (although I do like City so would want you to beat most) I found it hard watching many of your completely dull games. I work for an Italian company in Milan and the locals there also don't get or rate RM in the slightest and they're overtly proud of their own...."
• Chris Rann runs the excellent George Weah's Cousin and is Saints ESPN writer
• "Right. People hark on about harsh sackings, but with the money at his disposal and the squad of players he had, a complete blank on the trophy front a horrendous champion's league campaign completely justifies it for me. He should have done better, simple as that and I think he lost the dressing room. No going back from there, and as someone who comes across rather dislikeable for me, I can see why...."

  

  Pulis without hat

• James Whittaker, ESPN's Stoke reporter
• "Wrong – though that is an outside opinion most probably with few of the facts available to me.(some outsiders thought Pulis should have stayed!)..."
• Chris Dottie is an Evertonian child of the Kendall era and resident of the city of Gaudi and Messi
• "Right. You pay an employee millions based on the future not the past and there was no feeling that City were any better placed to challenge next year than this...."
• Phil Mison has been reporting on Fulham affairs across all media since the late 80s 
• "I personally found him amusing but his obvious lack of chemistry with owners and big names went against him..."
•  Dave Glenn is a regular visitor to Old Trafford in his leapord print jumpsuit and gold espadrilles.
• He deserved another European campaign therefore should have stayed till at least Xmas..."

  
  

SEASON REVIEW: THROUGH OPPONENTS' EYES

PART ONE

1. Why did City fail to hold on to the title? What was your impression of us last season?

We all have an opinion on what went right and what went wrong last season. Ideas shared over a few pints and a badly barbecued sausage this summer will soon have us ready for the next instalment of the Manchester City Story..
Less clear is what exactly other people think about City. Those Delilah-singng Stoke fans, the Evertonians making odd hand signals in our direction, the masses blowing bubbles across Upton Park. Deep inside these groups of apparently City-baiting folk, live individuals just like us! With the ability to think freely and lucidly with out the aid of Talksport or the Daily Mail! With a sense of humour! With rationality (well, mostly) and without the need for a single exclamation mark.This is what they made of City's season.

• Phil Lythell Chelsea ESPN correspondent, season ticket holder, writes at Shouty and Spitty 
• "A bit limp, to be honest. Lacked the spark and relentless drive of the title winning campaign. A bit too predictable in their approach and a lack of pace failed to cut teams open often enough. That said, second place and an FA Cup final is not to be sniffed at. Problem is that expectations have been raised which, as a CFC fan, I know about all too well!"
• Luke O'Farrell writes for ESPN, EPL Index and blogs on all things Everton.
• "Summer signings. Needing to strengthen after winning the league, the new arrivals were more befitting a side lower down the table. Aside from the brilliant Matija Nastasic, the rest were either too old, too slow, too injured or too bad..." 
  
  
• Pete Sixsmith 's chosen dish is Sunderland (gristle and all). He writes at Salut Sunderland
• "Poor recruitment in the summer; Scott Sinclair or Robin van Persie - not the most difficult question to answer. I also thought that the sheer intensity of the Premier League caught out very good players like Silva and Aguero. Having said that, it was certainly better than watching Sunderland; we would settle for 12th. never mind second...."                                         
• 
  
• Peter Thorne aka Billy Blagg has been writing on all things West Ham for ESPN for many years 
• 
  I didn't feel it was much more than a kickback from having won the title in such an astonishing way the season before. That ability to go 'OK we've won that but now let's look at next season' is a skill developed over many years and it just seemed that City hadn't got it yet. I think they probably needed to invest a bit over the close season but there wasn't that much wrong, was there?
  
  
• Matthew Evans is a West Brom season ticket holder and ESPN correspondent
• I think City failed to hold on to the title because of some poor/underwhelming signings in the summer and because the form of the core players(Hart, Kompany, Silva and Aguero) wasn't as good as the title-winning season. On a whole, they just seem to lack that killer touch they had the previous season. 
• 
  
• Marc Duffy follows Newcastle through thin and thinner and writes for ESPN
• I honestly think this was the lowest quality PL we've seen in over a decade. City failed to hold on to the title for several reasons (in my humble) - Mancini's insistence on 'own player knocking' was one. The football you played was another (often too 'safe') and many of your big ones signings are nowhere near their price tag - Milner, Barry, Nasri, Clichy, K Toure - consistent league winners? No. Consistent even weekly looked to be a struggle
   
• Chris Rann runs (ran? runs) the excellent George Weah's Cousin and is Saints ESPN writer
• Too many individuals and a loss of respect for the manager I would speculate. Individually it is hard to pick a better team, but often it looked to me like they weren't working as a unit.
   
• James Whittaker, ESPN's Stoke reporter
• I think they were so fired up to win the title the first time around, much of the urgency dissipated as soon as they did. Last season didn’t seem to have any momentum or purpose, which is odd given that they were defending their title.
•  
• Chris Dottie is an Evertonian child of the Kendall era and resident of the city of Gaudi and Messi
• Mentality. They seemed a lot less motivated to win a second league than a first, and there seemed to be a definite mercenary attitude this year. Too few Kompanys and Harts who actually care about the club and too many players who don't have any passion for their employer. The manager seemed to get wrapped up in his own psyche and intra-club battles and was unable to develop a more useful spirit and mentality.
•  
• Phil Mison has been reporting on Fulham affairs across all media since the late 80s 
• Sum of the parts did not add up to the whole
•  
• Dave Glenn is a regular visitor to Old Trafford in his yellow polo shirt and cut off denims
• Too complacent, typical season after winning title with not enough players fired up with the same fight and desire that won it last year. RM weakened the squad with sales and purchases in the Summer.

MEET ME IN ST LOUIS

With City completing an incredibly successful post-season trip to the United States, where the club succeeded in raising its profile on numerous levels, this is the third and final part of our reports from the US which reveals the efforts fans make to follow the club

This is what it's like to be City, Stateside

_______________________________________________________

by Pete Wright

Chairman/President

MCFC Denver

Last week, I had the privilege of driving to St. Louis with my good friend Erick French, also of MCFC Denver. The 15 hour drive was split up between a stop to visit my parents in tiny Rossville KS, which is just outside of Topeka. My parents recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, so originally I just wanted to go see them. Then the news came out that City was going to visit St. Louis. It seemed as if the stars had been aligned perfectly. My wife had to work that weekend and Erick wanted to go, so it became a complete guys' trip.

On the Wednesday morning before the match we set off through Kansas, through 8 1/2 hours we drove what is one of the most boring drives in America, I-70 through Kansas. We spent the night at my parents' place and set off again early Thursday morning for St. Louis. The 5 hour drive seemed to take forever. The eagerness to see City and to meet people from the other supporters' clubs was eating away at me. There had been so many people that I knew from emails and Facebook that it was finally time to enjoy some pints and cheer on the Blues.

We arrived in St. Louis, checked into the hotel and then it was off to the pub. Finding Patty O's was a bit of a trek but in the end we ran into Vic Gregory from the Chicago MCFC group with none other than the great Mike Summerbee with her.Meeting Mike Summerbee was definitely among the greatest things I have ever experienced as a City supporter. I have supported City since 1997 and have always held Summerbee in high regard as a legend not only for City but in all of football. Summerbee stayed at the pub for some drinks, called me "tone deaf" when I led the rendition of "Blue Moon" and posed for pictures with anyone who requested it. He was incredibly gracious and classy, even bringing one person to tears with his words of praise and his own humility. After he left we all remained at the pub for a while longer to increase our blood/alcohol levels and then it was off to Busch Stadium. Any United fans in our path were shamed as they should be and the songs of Yaya Toure and Blue Moon were belted out. 

We made it into the stadium and to our section where we continued our singing, even when we fell behind 3-0. We grabbed more beers and a bit of grub and continued to sing. One warning for those who'd like to visit Busch Stadium, the stadium is brilliant, the food on the other hand, not so much.  $29 got 2 beers and a crappy hot dog. For less you can get 2 beers and a foot-long dog at Coors Field.

The turning point of the match came when a few Chelsea fans wanted to come to our section and hurl abuse. It seemed to be a bad move, because at City, We score when we want!  When the 3rd goal went in they began to disappear, then Micah Richards drilled the 4th and they were gone.

After the match it was back to the pub for more beverages, singing and more pictures (some very incriminating pictures with an inflatable banana).The next day was spent recovering, spending a bit more time with the Chicago group then setting off back to Denver. It was an amazing trip and an experience I'll never forget. We City supporters may have been outnumbered, but that will always be in numbers, never in heart and passion. We showed City how much we love our club on that night and it was a tremendous experience.

-----------------------

Peter Wright

Chairman/President

MCFC Denver.

Follow them on Twitter here 

DENVER CITY BLUES

With City completing an incredibly successful post-season trip to the United States, where the club succeeded in raising its profile on numerous levels, this is Part Two of our reports from the US and reveals the efforts fans make to follow the club

This is what it's like to be City, Stateside

 

Joe Beauprez – Treasurer, MCFC Denver

Denver, Colorado USA

 ___________________________________________________

Being a passionate City Supporter in the USA has never been the easy road; the list of ‘lovable losers’ here is comprised of very few teams, all of them in ‘American Sports’ (Cubs and Browns fans, take a bow) and one’s affection for them almost always down to having been born in their respective cities.  Choosing a team (not to mention an English Football team) outside of one’s hometown is generally an exercise in taking the safe road.  I originally came to support City through my love of Manchester’s music; what was good enough for Ian Curtis was good enough for me.  What shocked me was how quickly and deeply the connection took hold. I’m every bit as emotionally invested in City as I am the Denver Broncos, my hometown NFL team (meaning, terribly, irrevocably and, if you ask my wife, maddeningly invested). 

Being a City supporter in Denver has always meant embracing a willingness to endure the sticks, stones & harsh stares from ‘them.’ As recently as a few years ago, it wasn’t unusual for there to be only a few of us Blue shirts at the pub, even on Derby Day. Surrounded by a sea of red, but safely insulated by our commitment, love and unexplainable passion for City, come what may. The reds don’t understand why we love our club, but it doesn’t matter. We’re secure enough to not care that the misguided hordes think a trophy case full of silverware means they’re better than us. Silly them; truth will out. 

I’ve been thinking/talking/tweeting the last few weeks about our dear club. Some of the true believers may have felt cause to question the direction of the club, the motives of the board, and if not their own willingness to carry on, at least to once again undertake the internal discussion as to why self-torture makes any sense at all. 

Few can question the Ambition of those in charge. Personally, I’ve been viewing everything through a filter of Authenticity. Does the Club remember who it is? Does it really care who supports them? Does it value the communities, not only where it currently resides, but where it seeks to gain traction (read: USA)? Can I still be proud of my Club? Does City still feel….like City? 

Pete Wright, DenverMCFC Chairman with unknown City fan before the game

The tragicomedy of the timing of the Mancini rumors followed by the FA cup disaster certainly felt to all who remember like the City of old, as most negative events do. The difference, to me, are the events that have followed on. City have lined up a manager who, by all appearances, can take the foundation of success and the winning attitude that Mancini created, almost from nothing, and build a lasting modus operandi into the team DNA, one that mirrors and even exceeds those of ‘old guard’ English & European clubs. City has also come to America, not (only) with money and splashy PR-ready events but with grass-roots, community focused camps and football activity to ensure generations of support, rooted in a deep and Authentic love of club. 

Was there a certain brutality to the treatment of Mancini? It’s hard to argue otherwise. But is the City board now sincerely doing its best to do what we never thought possible – win at every level, every year? Also hard to argue otherwise. 

My love for Manchester City will not waver if I never live to see another trophy. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like to win. That said, I’d never want my club to feel like something other than City. I will defer to the ‘old-timers’ whose memories bear the scars of decades of heartbreak and to whom the success of the last few years must still feel as strange as inhabiting another person’s reality. This ‘new City’ is all well and good as long as it’s still City – Authentically City. True Blue. We support the shirt, we support our club. Winning is alright by me……but no matter what, I’m City Till I Die, I’m City Till I Die, I know I am, I’m sure I am, I’m City Till I Die. 

What was for some time only a few blue shirts in Denver has grown to, by our count, 20 to 30 committed supporters, including a couple guys from Manchester. Hard to say when we’ll finally have a ‘sea of blue’ here but we’re on our way. We have grown by being Authentic. It is said that you don’t find a club to support, the club finds you. To the extent we can, we are drawing new supporters for the club through pride and devotion, and those who are drawn to that are finding us, and finding Manchester City. Just as we can feel good things coming for the Club, we feel good things coming for our special group of Blues here in Denver, and for our fellow OSC chapters in the US, many of whom we were able to meet in St Louis. We have a wonderful home pub at The Armoury in Denver, which has been as supportive a pub as any Supporters Group could possibly ask for. During the last Derby, for the first time, we dramatically outnumbered the reds in attendance. That’s something I never expected to experience, not this soon at least. 

Such is the life of a City Supporter in 2013 that the offseason still carries with it the continued weight of hope and anticipation, albeit of a decidedly more positive nature. In years past, those emotions would be needed to get through the inevitable internal discussion, wondering why we’d subject ourselves to another year of this. Now they focus on thoughts of more silverware and another year of bragging rights. It used to be enough to hope for a quiet morning in the pub without constant taunts from the Red Menace; 3 wins out of 4 in the league over 2 seasons, along with an FA Cup Semifinal victory, have turned the volume down on that a bit. No group talks smack from ahead like United fans however, and #20 has brought the trolls out from under the bridges once again. They never learn - we can’t be bothered by their taunts; everything that happens for us lately still feels like so much gravy. 

City’s move towards the annual expectation of silverware has taken some getting used to for all but its most recent supporters. The desire of those from outside the Blue Circles seems to be to paint the team (and the supporters) with the same broad brush as other big, Nouveau Riche “Pretenders” and their fans; heartless glory hunters who wouldn’t know tradition if it rose up from League One to hit them across the back of the head. 

What they still haven’t realized is that being a true City Supporter is in and of itself a glorious tradition, one that no sane person would willingly choose for himself (save those who’ve taken it up in the last couple years). Our tradition binds us together, gives us a common language; our suffering makes us a proud family, Authentically Blue.  

You can follow the Denver Blues on Twitter