On this day - City beat the rags for the last time at Maine Road

[Cellarite]

I've been going to football for 27 years and I don't think a crowd has ever been so intent on destroying a player's game like Maine Road was for Gary Neville that day. Pure hatred. We could have lost 5-1 that day but if a Neville own goal had gone our way we'd have gone home happy. We were that committed to ruining his afternoon.

Wasn't Ratboy on the back of the papers that morning saying that he'd never lost a derby at any level and would be embarrassed to do so?

 

[youngbob]

Wasn't Ratboy on the back of the papers that morning saying that he'd never lost a derby at any level and would be embarrassed to do so?

Think this is pretty sure what kicked it off yes.

MEN uploaded the story to their site in 2013.

Derby Day: Losing is unacceptable - Gary Neville

GARY Neville has a career ambition to never suffer a Manchester derby defeat.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

 

[pride in battle]

I maintain to this day that - apart from Aguero vs QPR, obviously - the cheer for Anelka's opening goal is the loudest a City goal has ever been cheered. As soon as it dropped to Anelka six yards out it was already absolute pandemonium and when the ball hit the back of the net Maine Road fucking exploded.

Looking back, what made this win more special than anything was how much of our XI that day had been with us since we were in League One and the Championship. United had won the treble just before while we'd gone to York City and back - in 24/25, the equivalent would be, say, Ipswich beating us 3-1 at Portman Road this season.

We had some Premier League experience with Schmeichel, Foe, Berkovic, and Anelka down the spine of the team, but we'd had really bad injuries to key players like Distin and Howey, which meant players like Wiekens, Dunne (who wasn't PL quality at the time), Jensen, Tiatto, and Goater had to come in and do the job of their lives to get the game over the line.

And let's not forget Lucien Mettomo, who played precisely four top flight games for City and this just happened to be one of them. My heart dropped out my arse when he slid in late on Van Nistelrooy but then we all saw the replays that showed he got the ball. He stood up tall that day and is remembered precisely because of this performance on this day.

But man of the match by far was Shaun Goater. Last year, I put together a video of all his goals for City. He scores against everyone from Northampton Town and Colchester United all the way through to Liverpool and Manchester United. He sums up the club's turnaround between 1999 and 2002 better than anyone, in my opinion.

I think you could tell Keegan had pulled Shaun to one side in the week before the derby and told him, "I need two goals from you, lad - go out there and get your ton" and stuck him out there. It was only his fourth start of the season in the league but Keegan knew he'd have a role to play on the big day, and fair play to them both for getting it spot on.

Berkovic's delicate first touch assist and Goater's little dinked finish to make it 3-1 is probably the classiest goal I'd ever seen us score until Sven came in years later and we started importing loads of technical foreign players like Elano and Petrov. The entire ground carried the lads for 40 minutes after that goal - they were out on their feet and it was Schmeichel and the 12th man who stopped United coming back.

Our first win over United in 13 years at the time, and the first time we'd scored three or more in a derby in 13 years as well. Our first win over United in the Premier League era. And the point we got at Old Trafford later that season (Goater's last goal for City) meant it was the first time since 1992 that we'd played United in a league season and avoided defeat in both games.

After the game Keegan said the atmosphere was incredible, a throw back to the 70's

 

[pride in battle]

different players, owners, staff, training ground, stadium. other than playing in the same colour what connection is there to the old club?

football is now about tourist fans and overseas tv rights. the old fans (us) are marginalised

Yawn...

 

[ONTHERUNWITHTHAKSIN]

Someone in work gave me this signed by the players years ago

 

[supercity88]

Someone in work gave me this signed by the players years ago
View attachment 137921

I would imagine quite a few of us have got that!

 

[supercity88]

I maintain to this day that - apart from Aguero vs QPR, obviously - the cheer for Anelka's opening goal is the loudest a City goal has ever been cheered. As soon as it dropped to Anelka six yards out it was already absolute pandemonium and when the ball hit the back of the net Maine Road fucking exploded.

Looking back, what made this win more special than anything was how much of our XI that day had been with us since we were in League One and the Championship. United had won the treble just before while we'd gone to York City and back - in 24/25, the equivalent would be, say, Ipswich beating us 3-1 at Portman Road this season.

We had some Premier League experience with Schmeichel, Foe, Berkovic, and Anelka down the spine of the team, but we'd had really bad injuries to key players like Distin and Howey, which meant players like Wiekens, Dunne (who wasn't PL quality at the time), Jensen, Tiatto, and Goater had to come in and do the job of their lives to get the game over the line.

And let's not forget Lucien Mettomo, who played precisely four top flight games for City and this just happened to be one of them. My heart dropped out my arse when he slid in late on Van Nistelrooy but then we all saw the replays that showed he got the ball. He stood up tall that day and is remembered precisely because of this performance on this day.

But man of the match by far was Shaun Goater. Last year, I put together a video of all his goals for City. He scores against everyone from Northampton Town and Colchester United all the way through to Liverpool and Manchester United. He sums up the club's turnaround between 1999 and 2002 better than anyone, in my opinion.

I think you could tell Keegan had pulled Shaun to one side in the week before the derby and told him, "I need two goals from you, lad - go out there and get your ton" and stuck him out there. It was only his fourth start of the season in the league but Keegan knew he'd have a role to play on the big day, and fair play to them both for getting it spot on.

Berkovic's delicate first touch assist and Goater's little dinked finish to make it 3-1 is probably the classiest goal I'd ever seen us score until Sven came in years later and we started importing loads of technical foreign players like Elano and Petrov. The entire ground carried the lads for 40 minutes after that goal - they were out on their feet and it was Schmeichel and the 12th man who stopped United coming back.

Our first win over United in 13 years at the time, and the first time we'd scored three or more in a derby in 13 years as well. Our first win over United in the Premier League era. And the point we got at Old Trafford later that season (Goater's last goal for City) meant it was the first time since 1992 that we'd played United in a league season and avoided defeat in both games.

Excellent post.

Caicedo's goal to put us 2-1 up against Hamburg was electric. Still believe that was one of the best atmosphere's City have produced. We were bang up for it from the start and even when we went one nil down or when Dunne got sent off we pushed the team forwards and to be honest should have got the goal to take it to ET at least.

Call it fate, but we managed to have our moment in Istanbul a few years later at least!

 

[xgorton]

I cried. Most unlike me but it was then that I felt we were back. I loved the Goat.

I was at the game great day,but for me being emotional was the 2011 semi final it was a long long wait and I could feel myself going but I kept it in just.