Pinch-blogger Matthew Cobb, a professor at The University of Manchester, is a huge Man City football fan. He was obviously elated, then, when Man City won the Premier League championship yesterday—the first time in 44 years! And they did it in a heart-stopping overtime, with Manchester United set to cop the championship in a separate game. Man City’s final goal came after a wonderful series of passes (see video below).
Here’s Matthew’s excited email to me this morning:
City won the championship on goal difference from United
90 mins down, United winning 1-0, City were losing 2-1 —> United going to win championship
90 mins + 2, United win, City score so drawing 2-2 —> United think they have won championship, but
90 mins + 4, City score again with nearly the last shot of the match, so equal on points with United but have better goal difference… Cue mayhem.
Incredibly exciting and tense. Plus most neutrals happy to see City win for the first time in 44 years, while United had a crap team this year… (but still only just lost out, which says something about them)
. . . Got to remember, we had to win. Full time was at 90:00. There was five minutes of extra time because a QPR player was sent off. Crowd shots are the best. And Mancini going mental.
And of course, here’s the video showing all the goals, with an excited commenter speaking in (I think) Portuguese Turkish. The GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL thing is getting a bit tired. .
A bit calmer, Matthew added this a few minutes ago:
The last five minutes were excrutiating, as we thought we’d lost. I nearly turned the radio off, but decided I had to go through with the pain. My brother Pete said he went off to have a shave, resigned to being second. Micah Richards, a City substitute, nipped to the toilet, convinced it was all over. United fans, meanwhile, thought for two minutes that they had won the championship…
Here’s the reaction of both the Man United and Man City players after the news came through. Neither team knew how they fared until the other game was completed:
And the Man City fans celebrate, bedecked in their sky blue colors:
I had this ready to go, hoping we would actually win on goal difference:
http://youtu.be/D3lisILvpVo
I’m a United fan, but I can accept that it must have been an amazing moment for the neutral viewer!
United didn’t deserve to win the league – we were lacklustre all season both domestically and in Europe. Hopefully we’ll bring in a couple of world-class players for next season.
Something amusing: some (many?) City fans left the stadium before the end in protest at the fact that they were going to lose. They’ve now missed not only possibly the best moment in the club’s history but the ceremonial lifting of the Premier League trophy by the players! I can’t imagine how they must be feeling!
It was indeed amazing for the neutral fan! (I say neutral, I marginally wanted United to win to a) have more league titles than Liverpool, b) avoid City effectively buying the title & c) avoid seeing my friends who avidly support United be disappointed! (I only know 1 City fan despite living in Manchester) ).
Such a great last day of the season though, everything good about football in one day! (minus Joey Barton).
I really cannot understand leaving BEFORE the final whistle. If I have paid, & I know what sport is like – unpredictable – I would never do that. Why bother going otherwise? They got their just deserts.
I recall watching Tromsø in the second round against NK Zagreb in 1997. We were 3-0 down in the first away leg, came back back to 3-2. At home, we were –
1 – 0 Jasenko Sabitović 13. / own goal
1 – 1 Darko Vukić 53.
1 – 2 Nino Bule 57.
2 – 2 Ole Årst 74.
Lots of people were leaving, we were going out then we scored –
3 – 2 Svein Johansen 90.
Ninetieth minute! Surprise, all those fans started coming back in.
4 – 2 Rune Lange 115.
Winning goal to set up the game in the snow against Chelsea.
Indeed congratulations to Manchester City. As a United fan myself, this season has been full of heartbreak. The red devils failed to acquire even a single piece of silverware. However, I for one am thankful that Manchester City provided keen competition for United. Perhaps it will serve to light a fire under us for the next season. Congrats to City.
The Glazers have ruined the Tampa Bay Bucs now they are doing the same to United. The don’t give a shit about the sport, it’s all about the money.
Seyram,
Far be it from a blue to brighten your day, but you did beat us in the Community Shield.
Yes, the billionaires beat the multi-millionaires; as a neutral, and Villa fan – woe is me – I actually found myself wanting Man U. to win the title, even though they didn’t deserve it. Here’s the poem/doggerel at the start of ‘Got, Not Got’, the footie book co-written by Derek Hammond, who also has a humourous page in the Man City programme; so Derek’s quids in. The fourth verse refers to Man City’s oil-rich owners.
Can I have my ball back, Mister?
I want to stand, not sit,
Nor advertise some oligarch,
On my redesigned replica kit.
Can I have my ball back, Mister,
And rise above the tripe,
Of multi-national money-men,
And dodgy agents’ hype?
Can I have my ball back, Mister,
And suffer no more wags,
Nor read of sordid episodes,
Of strikers’ tawdry shags?
Can I have my ball back, Mister?
And I’ll re-brand the sport,
To substitute the sheikhs and fakes,
Who count but don’t support.
Can I have my ball back, Mister?
I’ll launder their ordure,
To launch it in the hellish pit,
Of Lucifer’s manure.
Can I have my ball back, Mister?
What arrogance, what shame,
What cynic stole such innocence?
I want another game.
An absolutely crazy match and phenomenal conclusion to the season for a neutral! As an Everton fan, I know United must rue giving up the three points, being up 3-1 then 4-2 with Everton a few weeks back only to draw 4-4.
My stinking Comcast cable and internet were out yesterday morning as well (US Eastern Time); and as if by divine intervention, came back on for the last 20 minutes of both matches! 😉
Woohoo, another Blue! 😀
Another Everton fan here, (my moniker is a celebration of Duncan Ferguson), and what’s more, one who has developed a typically irrational dislike of Newcastle United.
Manchester City fans, in my estimation, will miss the extremes of elation and despair which we toffees thrive upon. I don’t envy them.
Glad to hear from you guys!
Once a Blue, always a Blue!
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum!
“Manchester City fans, in my estimation, will miss the extremes of elation and despair which we toffees thrive upon”
Im sorry, but i know city fans, i listened to the game and you cant get more of an extreme of elation and despair, although it was reversed, than that finale.
I was in Albert square yesterday, possibly the only Middlesbrough fan,(through thin and thinner) and it was fantastic
It was a joke, a self-deprecating one.
When did the fans of Man City start using the ending refrain of “Hey Jude” as their cheer?
Back in the 60’s, not long after its release. I thought I remember singing it in the 67/68 season, but it was released in Aug 68 so I must be mistaken about that. I do have vague memories of it at the FA cup final the following year.
It was probably the most dramatic end to a league season I’ve witnessed. As a Brit who has just moved to the US I miss football being part of the culture, and I’ve had to make do with watching games on internet streams, it’s not the same but I’m making do. I actually scared my wife when Aguero scored that goal as I was so excited (I’m not a city fan, I support Oxford United, but wanted them to win).
Oxford?! You know what it is like to go from the heights to the depths then. (Tey were in the top division in the late 80s & went all the way down to non-league…) That is what being a true fan is all about, as Man City know (to a lesser extent) not like those who only like to follow a winner. I suppose you don’t read the Mirror?!
Oops, I appear to have made two comments by mistake, I usually just read 🙂
Have certainly experienced plenty of ups and downs! The first game I saw we beat West Ham 1-0, maybe one day we’ll be up there again but it’s just nice to have owners that care about the club after years of mismanagement and indifference. Seeing your team relegated out of the football league is not something I’d wish on anyone.
It was an amazing end to the season, I’m not a city fan (I support my local team, Oxford United) but wanted them to win.
As a Brit who has just moved to the US, I miss real football being part of the culture here, and have been getting by watching live streams on the internet (which isn’t nearly the same, especially at 10am!). When Aguero scored that goal I scared my wife as I was so loud and animated!
“an excited commenter speaking in (I think) Portuguese. ”
“xxxx.tr” might be a clue
Indeed, it’s in Turkish.
My daughter works in NYC, not far from the Mad Hatters bar, but was on a weekend break in Miami. Managed to find a bar, with a lone City supporter, a Canadian.
“an excited commenter speaking in (I think) Portuguese. ”
xxxx.tr is a bit of a clue
Here’s something for the philosophers:
If it’s not a blog, how can you have a pinch-blogger?
Poor Matthew – he is a professor after all! By the way, I think the city should change its name to Personchester!
As you would know if you had been following your philosophy, having a pinch-blogger is indeed logically consistent with this being a website. Indeed, this being a website say nothing (in more technical terms, is “silent” about) the bloggerness (pinch or otherwise) of out host and of Prof Cobb.
Well, how about the records Real Madrid set this season…?? Points achieved and goals scored?
The best soccer to be viewed is in the Spanish Liga – Real and Barcelona particularly – that’s why Spain are European and Woprld Champions. I’ve followed Real for 50 odd years now.
Anybody think differently?
Spanish league? Yawn. Just a sunnier version of Scotland. A two-horse race, year after year.
At least the English premiership is opening up a bit with the rise of Citteh, the relative decline of ManU and Liverpool, and Spurs and Newcastle becoming decent teams again.
Haha! I can already hear a rendition of “You’re just Celtic with a tan” being sung at the Bernabeu by some plucky English fans!
While the Spanish sides (more than just the top 2, to be fair) play some beautiful football, the Champions League semi-finals saw the 2 favourites knocked out by teams playing a completely different style of football against them.
I wonder if Jerry regrets inviting such discourse on his site yet 😛
Is this the same Barca that was beaten in the semis by an EPL team that will not even finish in the top 4?
Man United were beaten twice (5-3 aggregate) by Athletic Bilbao, who only just finished in the top half of the table…
chrisquartly
I’m a missed placed english guy now living in Florida. I played at Oxford United for 2 years before I moved to Kettering Town in 1972. Ron Atkinson was my manager untill 1975 when I quit and Ron moved to Cambridge Unitd
Small world! How the world of football has changed since then, hope you are living well in Florida. Was Roy Burton really that good? My father talks about him like he was the best goalkeeper of all time.
Best. Season. Ever.
I don’t remember Roy Burton very well.He was short 5/9 for a goal keeper but very agile.
I played for Northamptonshire schools under 16s and played many times against Peter Shilton who played for Leicestershire schools, he was a great keeper and a nice person.
I love it in Florida and would not want to return to England.
Blue Moon Cat
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72969088@N04/7201697376/