andyox
Full Member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2018
- Messages
- 478
- Supports
- Manchester City
From my own perspective as a City fan (first game 1990), my early memories were obviously of United dominance. What happened at the top of the table was largely irrelevant to me as a City fan, except I hated United so was happy for anyone to challenge them. I had absolutely no issue when Abramovich took over Chelsea and starting splashing the cash, again it was absolutely irrelevant to me, except that it provided another challenger to United. United's organic cash vs Chelsea's Roman cash didn't resonate with me. Cash was cash. I think of two of my biggest City heroes that we were forced to sell: Kinkladze to Ajax and SWP to Chelsea. I was upset that both were sold, didn't matter which type of cash bought them, the fact is we lost a player both times. I doubt Southampton fans have consoled themselves over the years with "well at least Liverpool's cash was organic" when they were raided by them for another player.He trips over himself trying to set City and Chelsea apart.
Does he really think fans of non-top 6 clubs see Manchester United and Manchester City as different case studies in terms of how they've managed to maintain their dominance over the years? Does he or anyone else think money wasn't a major factor? It's something that's baffled me ever since I started following the sport.
For the most part, I think football fans are tribal and relatively self-interested, and that's mostly reflected anecdotally in conversations I have with friends who are football fans. Friends who support United, Liverpool, etc. are always sticking the boot in on FFP/financial doping etc. Friends who support "non-top 6 clubs" (god that's an awful phrase) don't seem nearly as bothered. That makes sense to me, in the same way I wasn't bothered by Roman's arrival at Chelsea. As football fans, we're most passionate about things that directly affect us.
Was United's organic dominance more impressive than Chelsea's and City's as a case study in building an elite club? Sure. Is that distinction important to United fans? Sure, and understandably so. But ultimately I'm not sure it means much beyond the asterisk that United fans like to imagine next to City's trophies.