Manchester City Football Club: Introduction

Manchester City Football Club (MCFC), commonly known as Man City, is one of the most prominent and successful football clubs in the world. Man City currently plays football in the English Premier League. The staff at the Fanbase here hope the club and supporters see even more success.

Here’s an in-depth overview of the club:

Before we continue, here’s a link to the club’s official website.

Basic Information

• Founded: 1880 (as St. Mark’s, became Manchester City in 1894)
• Stadium: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
• Capacity: 53,000+
• Owner: City Football Group, with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the primary stakeholder.
• Manager: Pep Guardiola (as of 2024)
• Nickname: The Citizens, City, Sky Blues
• Colours: Sky Blue and White

Manchester City Football Club: History

Early Years:

• The club was founded in 1880 as St. Mark’s (West Gorton) by members of the church in the Gorton area of Manchester. It became Ardwick AFC in 1887 and then Manchester City in 1894.
• City won their first major trophy, the FA Cup, in 1904.

Mid-20th Century:

• City experienced fluctuating fortunes throughout the early and mid-20th century, winning the FA Cup again in 1934 and the league title in 1937. However, they were relegated the following season, becoming the first team to be relegated as champions.
• In the late 1960s and early 1970s, under the management of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison, City enjoyed one of their most successful periods. They won the league title in 1968, the FA Cup in 1969, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1970.

Struggles and Decline:

• The club struggled through the 1980s and 1990s, experiencing relegation to the second and even the third tier of English football.
• In 1999, City made a dramatic comeback to the Premier League under manager Joe Royle with a famous playoff win over Gillingham.

The Sheikh Mansour Era:

• The Abu Dhabi United Group, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, purchased the club in 2008. This marked a turning point, with massive investments in players, infrastructure, and global branding.
• City won their first Premier League title in 2012 under Roberto Mancini in dramatic fashion, with Sergio Agüero scoring a last-minute goal against Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the season.
• They have since become one of the dominant forces in English and European football, winning multiple Premier League titles, FA Cups, and League Cups.

Recent Success (2016-Present):

• Under Pep Guardiola, who joined in 2016, City reached new heights. They won the Premier League in 2017-18 with a record 100 points, becoming the first team in English top-flight history to reach this milestone.
• City won the domestic treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and EFL Cup) in 2018-19.
• In 2020-21, City reached their first UEFA Champions League final, but Chelsea won them.
• In 2022-23, City completed a historic treble by winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and their first UEFA Champions League title, defeating Inter Milan in the final.

Their trophy cabinet has many other minor trophies because of their spells outside the top flight.

Manchester City Football Club: Rivalries

• Manchester United: The Manchester Derby is one of the fiercest rivalries in world football. City and United compete not just for city supremacy but for titles at the national and international levels.
• Liverpool: In recent years, City and Liverpool have developed a significant rivalry, often battling each other for the Premier League title. Indeed, one poll suggests that Liverpool is a bigger rival than Manchester United!
• Other Rivalries: City also has local rivalries with clubs like Bolton Wanderers and Oldham Athletic, though these are less intense due to the differences in league status.

Manchester City Football Club: Late Arrivals To The Party!

Younger football supporters think of Manchester City as a club that has always been there or thereabouts. However, this is not the case. The club’s success is a relatively recent thing. For example, in 1999 they only managed to scrape back into the Championship via the play-offs.

Man City held the title of the highest average crowd in the third tier—around 28,000—until the once mighty Sunderland dropped from the Championship League with their fanatical supporters (32,000).

All in all, Manchester City has only relatively recently broken into the top six. Having been in the wilderness for decades, somehow the money finally came to project the club forward. Who said money doesn’t talk?

Notable Players

• Sergio Agüero: City’s all-time leading goalscorer and a key figure in their rise to prominence.
• David Silva: A midfield maestro who was central to City’s success in the 2010s.
• Vincent Kompany: The club’s legendary captain who led them to multiple titles.
• Kevin De Bruyne: One of the best midfielders in the world, pivotal in City’s recent successes.
• Yaya Touré: His powerful midfield presence was crucial in the early years of City’s success under Sheikh Mansour.

Manchester City Football Club: Stadium and Facilities

• Etihad Stadium: Originally known as the City of Manchester Stadium, it was built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. After the games, it was converted into a football stadium and has been the home of Manchester City since 2003. It is located in the Etihad Campus, which also includes the City Football Academy, one of the most advanced football training facilities in the world.
• Maine Road: The club moved from Maine Road to the Etihad Stadium in 2003. However, the club played at the Hyde Road Football Stadium for 36 years before this. But Main Road still holds the record for the largest club-level crowd at 84,569. This is not surprising since its nickname was Wembley of the North.

Global Impact and Commercial Success

• City Football Group: Manchester City is the flagship club of the City Football Group, which owns or has stakes in multiple football clubs around the world, including New York City FC (USA), Melbourne City FC (Australia), and Yokohama F. Marinos (Japan).
• Branding and Sponsorship: City has become a global brand, with significant sponsorship deals, including a long-term partnership with Etihad Airways, which also has naming rights to the stadium.

Philosophy and Style of Play

• Tiki-Taka: Under Pep Guardiola, City has become known for its possession-based, attacking style of play, often described as “tiki-taka.” This approach emphasizes short passing, movement, and maintaining possession to dominate opponents.

Community and Charity

• Manchester City is heavily involved in the local community through initiatives like “City in the Community,” which focuses on using football to promote health, education, and inclusion in Manchester.

Manchester City Football Club: Future Prospects

• With a world-class manager, state-of-the-art facilities, and substantial financial backing, Manchester City is expected to remain at the forefront of European football for the foreseeable future. They are continually investing in their squad, youth development, and global outreach, aiming to maintain and expand their dominance on and off the pitch.

Manchester City is more than just a football club; it is a symbol of modern football’s transformation, blending tradition with cutting-edge innovation and global ambition.

Promoting Manchester City Football Club!

If you are just looking here to compare certain teams, the City of Manchester has many football teams, of course. However, you can have the final say on which is the best team! So, which team is the best, Manchester City or Manchester United?

Of course, the Football Fan Base here allows Manchester City supporters to have their say on their beloved club. Indeed, there are many ways in which to promote your favourite football club here.

Generally speaking, Manchester City is a global team now. However, you can still promote your beloved Sky Blues here on the Football Fan Base. This is because we provide the medium in which to do this.

Firstly, we have the main blog here. Secondly, you can discuss Manchester City in the massive Football Forum. Thirdly, you can even create a Manchester City website on the Football Fan Base. If you choose this route, we provide all you need to do this.

So, join in today and help promote Manchester City FC today!

Once you finish here at the Football Blogs, pop over to our huge bulletin boards and start the banter!

** Information updated on the 4th of December, 2017.