I was in there and I’d say the OP is being conservative with his figures. I reckon there were easily 200-300 of us in that group.
I’d been in the Stretford Paddock the year before for the first time in a smaller group of blues (the 1-0 Hendry OG game) but was further along towards the away end that day. In the intervening 12 months, I think United had seated that part of the Paddock so that’s why we were nearer the Stretford End this time round. I got a ticket for me and a mate off a United season ticket holder at work. Remember paying £25 each which was about 3 times face value. As we were further along the Paddock this time, I wasn’t sure where the City fans would be gathered. I was guessing near the front again but wasn’t sure. Anyway, straight after we got in and were stood at the back of the stand sussing things out a copper said to us “Your lot are at the front”. To this day, I’ve no idea how he knew we were blues as we weren’t wearing colours. We made our way to the front and I was surprised at the numbers. There seemed to be a bit of a no mans land behind us with the United fans gathered beyond that but when Giggs scored they naturally surged forwards and there was the briefest of stand offs. Me and my mate were close to it as we were towards the back of the group but to be honest, it was something and nothing and I didn’t feel particularly threatened. Maybe that’s when the police threw a bit of a cordon round us. I remember the players coming out at the start of the second half and us singing “England’s No.1” to Coton and we were that loud that he acknowledged us. The poster who said we were kept in at the end was spot on. Afterwards a load of us jumped on the bus into town. It was virtually all blues on it as most of the Rags had already gone. Somewhat amusingly, a load of City fans who had been in the away end walked past the bus and started banging on it and chanting to us “You couldn’t beat ten men”!