Mancini takes aim at Manchester United banner ...

Rood

Roberto Mancini takes aim at Manchester United banner mocking trophyless rivals | Manchester City - Times Online

Roberto Mancini has told of his desire to tear down a banner displayed at Old Trafford mocking the trophy drought that Manchester City have endured since 1976.

The so-called City Ticker banner was positioned beneath the top tier of United’s Stretford End stand by the Stretford End Flags supporters’ organisation in collaboration with the club and has been a thorn in the side of City’s long-suffering fans since it was first unfurled more than a decade ago.

Should City fail to win a trophy by February 28 — the anniversary of their League Cup win in 1976 and by coincidence the date of this year’s Carling Cup final, which the blue half of Manchester hope to reach at the expense of their city rivals — then the counter will go from 33 to 34 years, a milestone that Mancini is hell-bent on avoiding.

“When we go to Old Trafford, we will take that banner down,” Mancini said with a steely determination. “This is the last year [it will be displayed] because we will win.”

The Stretford End Flags group has other ideas, however. “The City barren years continue to tick on and the banner will continue to remind them of this,” an entry on their website reads. “If only Robinson Crusoe had such a visible reminder whilst stuck on his desert island, or Noah whilst floating about in his Ark, all lengthy spells that didn’t last as long as City’s massive hunt for a trophy!

“The City ticker banner is designed to progress as each trophyless year passes, with a series of numbers installed inside the banner’s design, that get rotated a couple of times a season, showing the full year on February 28.”

If the forthcoming Carling Cup semi-final between the Manchester clubs needed any extra spice, then little more than a fortnight into his tenure as City manager, Mancini has added it. If anything, yesterday’s postponement of the first leg has served only to intensify the expectation surrounding the tie.

The rivalry in Manchester is never anything less than intense, but it has been made even more powerful after the takeover of City by Sheikh Mansour, one of the world’s richest men, who has raised the profile and expectations of the club to such a degree that they feel ready to challenge United’s status as Britain’s predominant club.

The most vivid illustration of their growing boldness came after the signing of Carlos Tévez last summer. The striker had become a darling of the United fans during a loan spell at Old Trafford, but rejected the chance to remain with the club, instead signing a permanent deal with their local rivals. City duly celebrated the coup by unfurling a sky-blue poster of the Argentinian complete with a “Welcome to Manchester” message.

The poster, situated on the edge of the city boundary next to Salford and the borough of Trafford, the area in which the United ground is situated, played on the claim by many City followers that they alone support a club from Manchester proper. Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, dismissed it as “arrogance” and “cockiness”.

At least relations between the managers appear cordial. Mancini refused to retaliate after Ferguson’s recent assertion that he will see off 20 City managers, with the former Inter Milan coach being the fourteenth incumbent in the City hot seat since Ferguson took over at Old Trafford in 1986.

“I hope I stay for a long time, but I’m sure Alex was having a joke,” Mancini said, with a laugh. “I met Sir Alex two years ago in a friendly match at Old Trafford when I was coach of Inter — that is the only time. I also played against United for Lazio in the 1999 European Super Cup when Marcelo Salas scored the winning goal for us, so I have a winning record against Sir Alex. He has not been in touch with me since I came here to take over at City. He doesn’t have my telephone number, but I have a big bottle of wine waiting for him after the match at Eastlands.”

RonaldoVII

Mancini in "this is our year" claim

Crumpsall Red

Hate to say it but I like the way Mancini is approaching the job!


That banner's staying put though!

Adzzz

He doesn't seem to realise that the years count for the last time they won a trophy, not the last time they came to Old Trafford and won.

Sc40les

Beat me to it.

What an idiot

phelans shorts

If we were in there position i would love how he talks so the mocking is a joke

comlag

Mancini just knows that he is in a position to say these things with a little bit of confidence and try to wind up United and get the Shitty fans to bum him even more than they do already.

It's a bit like Fergie's 'knocking liverpool off their fucking perch' quote. We had just better do everything we possibly can to avoid anything like that happening.

The banner must stay!

surf

What happens to the counter in 2076? Another Y2K type of problem looming.

HsJ

This is just putting pressure on himself.

Good job Mancini...

Utd heap

They'd only lose to Villa or Blackburn anyhow.

Blue cunts.

Epic

Just jinxed himself with that right there.

ralphie88

Point of order - the current ticker is not the original that "was unfurled more than a decade ago". I believe that is at FC.

adexkola

Loving the banter

Rood

Do you remember when exactly the counter started? I was trying to remember but havent got a clue to be honest.

Utd heap

The song "...fuck all', was first sung at Crewe away and was 17 years after Citeh last won a trophy.

Or so my old man remembers.
Feel free to rubbish that if anyone knows any better...

As for the banner, i'm not sure.

Raven Blade

He's adding more spice to our upcoming matches.

I admire the optimism but we will do everything in our power to make sure that banner stays. For a long time it's been in Man City's nature to ruin any good fortune that comes their way. It shouldnt be so easy for them to rectify that.

Rood

Well in the absence of any better sources, Im happy to go with Old Man Heap's recollection of events - this is just like how all history books are written !

Canuckred64

Is Mancini going to personally go into the Stretford End to tear down the banner?

I would pay to see the hiding he would get if he actually tried that. lol

hungrywing

Not sure how you meant that, but his words strike me as a fairly good roundabout attempt at getting the City players salivating for the match following our FA cup performance/forfeit (not that anyone directly involved with the club would call it that within earshot of a reporter).