A "Kinky" Comeback

In 2002, Manchester City moved to the City of Manchester Stadium leaving behind Maine Road which had been their home for 80 years. The City of Manchester Stadium had been transformed from the athletics Stadium that hosted the 2002 Commonwealth Games to a state-of-the-art football Stadium and City would call this their new home. City now find themselves in a much better position than in 2002 and in a bid to become the biggest Club in the World they know the 47,000 seater Etihad Stadium isn’t big enough, so this summer will move to the 63,000 seater Al Mubarak Arena.

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When City moved to the new ground no-one could have predicted what was going to happen in the 13 years they would spend there, from a 4-1 victory over rivals United to Aguero’s last minute winner to win the League in 2012, City will always have fond memories of the Eastland’s ground.

Times haven’t always been great at City since 2002, with them failing to sell out the ground most weeks and a reported lack of atmosphere that led to the Club playing crowd noises to try and create a better atmosphere in the ground, resulted in them receiving plenty of stick from the other side of Manchester. City seemed to be stuck in a hole of mediocrity and mid-table finishes but no-one in the footballing World could have predicted how times were about to change.

The change began at the City of Manchester Stadium in 2007, when former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra purchased the Club and set about bringing in former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson and giving him a transfer kitty that the World would take note of. Sven set about trying to make City challengers for the title by bringing in a whole range of new players but despite Errikson doing the double of United for the first time since the 1969-70 season, an 8-1 defeat on the final day would be the last time Sven took charge of City as he was sacked on June 2nd.

Two days later, Shinawatra would appoint former Manchester United player Mark Hughes as manager causing uproar amongst City fans, but Hughes was determined to take City to glory. During his first two months there was growing concerns about Shinawatra’s millions and his assets were frozen in his homeland leading to much speculation about the future of City but on the 1st September 2008 all of City’s dreams came true as the Abu Dhabi Group, lead by Sheikh Mansour, would purchase City and make them the richest Club in the World, and Hughes must have been delighted when their takeover lead to City breaking the English transfer record by signing Robinho for £32.5m.

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In Hughes’ first season City finished a disappointing 10th in the League but a strong run in the UEFA Cup led to many calling for Hughes to be given more time at the helm and City’s owners agreed, but a disappointing run of 2 wins in 9 games starting in October led to Hughes being sacked in controversial circumstances, as he was replaced the same day by Roberto Mancini.

Mancini then set about creating history, that season he led City to 11 victories but failed to qualify for the Champions League, and then a summer of spending saw him mould his own team. That year City finished 5th, just behind Spurs in the running for a Champions League spot after Peter Crouch scored a vital goal in a game between the sides.

The next season City were stronger, the squad were better and managed to finish 3rd in the Premier League, this time a Peter Crouch own goal gave City a 1-0 win that guaranteed them a place in Europe's elite competition, but more importantly to City fans he ended their 35 year wait for a trophy by guiding the team to a 1-0 victory over Stoke in the FA Cup final.

The 2011/12 season at the newly named Etihad Stadium would be the greatest of all time, the Premier League’s 20th season and City made sure it was memorable. City were scoring goals for fun, and a 6-1 victory at Old Trafford was a very special day for City fans. The lead in the League changed hands several times, with City at one stage leading by 8 points but being caught and it all looked over as United lead by 8 points with 6 games to go but the unthinkable happened, United lost it. A Monday night Derby victory at the Etihad put City level on points with United with two games to go and with a better goal difference.

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Both City and United won their next game and it all came down to the final game, City faced QPR at the Etihad and United were away to Sunderland. United led from early on and it was all down to City, who had seen a 1-0 lead slip away and were losing 2-1 against 10 man QPR. In the 91st minute, Edin Dzeko rose above everyone and made it 2-2, could City complete an improbable comeback, yes they could! The greatest finish to a match in history, not just at the Etihad Stadium, Aguero passed the ball to Balotelli, he somehow got it back to Aguero, he skipped past the QPR defender and smashed the ball home, City were Champions of England, 44 years of hurt had disappeared and Mancini was automatically a City legend.

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Following the season, Roberto Mancini resigned as City manager stating he could never match his achievement and to take a break from the game and was replaced by City 90’s icon, Georgi Kinkladze. Kinkladze joined with no managerial experience and despite this he was welcomed at the Etihad with open arms, even more so when he won the Community Shield 6-0 against Chelsea. The season was a bit more of a disappointed as City finished 2nd behind United but did make the Champions League Semi-Final’s for the first time.

Kinkladze kept his job and made up for his mistakes the previous year by leading City to an emphatic Premier League win, breaking the League record for points in the process. The title returned to the Etihad for the final time and Kinkladze was etched into City’s history properly this time. City also enjoyed a brilliant run to the Final of the Champions League, where some memorable nights took place at the Etihad, including a 3-0 win over Real Madrid, unfortunately the Champions League trophy didn’t return to the Blue side of Manchester, but instead to the Red, as they defeated City 1-0 in Lisbon.

And now we are here, the end of the final season at the City of Manchester Stadium, or the Etihad Stadium as it is now, City haven’t quite lived up to expectation this season and they are a long way away from the leaders and new Champions Manchester United. Kinkladze will definitely be disappointed not to have challenged more for the title in their final year at their ground but they will leave with a few other memories of the final season. The 1-0 Derby victory, a 7-0 Champions League win and, of course, that amazing day in November when City put 12 past Aston Villa to break both City’s and the Premier Leagues biggest win record. Despite the poor performance in the League, Kinkladze completed his domestic competition medal collection by winning both the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup this season and both will be paraded on the final day at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.

City’s 13 year stay at the Etihad Stadium will be remembered by all their fans forever and not only has it given them moments they will never forget it has also given us all some ever-lasting memories. There was once a time where Robbie Fowler missed a penalty in the last minute that would have sent City into Europe, after Stuart Pearce had sent David James up-front for the final few minutes in a bid to win the game. Shaun Wright-Phillips bursting down the right and then firing an unstoppable shot past a stranded United ‘keeper to give City a memorable 4-1 Derby victory. And there was the 13th May 2012, a day no City fan could ever forget, and I’m sure when the doors are being locked for the final time, all that person will hear is “AGUEROOOOOOOOOOOO....I swear you will never see anything like this ever again!” And I can guarantee you won’t, in any Stadium around the World.

Now though City will enter a new chapter in their Club’s history, a move to a new Stadium which promises to be just as exciting and for their fans will hopefully lead to more success, but for the final time this Sunday City fans will stand together and sing that famous City anthem, Blue Moon, and wave farewell to this beautiful Stadium.