This morning I saw another report of the idea of completing our domestic season abroad. The fact this could even be touted, however remote, shows we really are in danger of this pandemic legitimising, what the money men have always wanted for some time, the chance of taking the OUR football teams away from us forever.
Who'd have thought we'd see World Championship Boxing in Saudi or World Cups in Qatar. Remember the idea of the 39th game? If we for one moment let one single game, that should have been played at the Etihad, be played anywhere else, let alone without fans, then we are ploughing down the road to and existential crisis as fans of our club.
If our club, regardless of short term loss of TV money allows this to happen, then a bigger sign of contempt for our supporters I cannot imagine. Who can recall the early days of the takeover and Khaldoon learning all about the club's history from Gary James. Well I can assure those who may think different, all our home games have always been played in Manchester and always in front of our supporters. Our owners initial interest in upholding the best traditions of our fans and club (they are one and the same) could soon begin to look, like it probably always was, some placating publicity stunt.
In short, unless Manchester City play home games in Manchester in front of Manchester City fans then Manchester City should not play. If our owners allow anything other than this to happen, for whatever reason, then our owners are putting other's interests before those of our own, and frankly regardless of any success the have previously brought, I for one would rather be watching us play in League 2 than not at all, or worse still have our club potentially play home games abroad in front of overseas' fans as some money grabbing gimmick.
There will be many lessons learnt after Covid has gone. There may even be some beneficiaries such as nature and community spirit. What is startlingly evident however, is that this was the moment when we as fans realised we count for nothing.
