This post is not intended as any sort of doom and gloom, but a genuine concern from a life-long City fan. I also realise that I am presuming that we will have long-term success as a club. And although most people say 'one game at a time', I simply want to highlight what could, and probably will (if we are not careful), happen to our fanbase and it's perception to the outside world, should we have the type of success that is being predicted.
As fans, we have always been the 'what the hell' types. Lyrics in our chants such as 'We never win at home and we never win away' have become synonomous with the general attitude of the Citizens over the years. This is not to say that we do not cheer, shout, scream and strain every sinew in the hope that we can grab that winning goal. It is just that we know that if that goal doesnt come and the tag of 'typical City' is thrust in our faces... again... we have the armoury to brush it off and come back week after week with the same amount of passion and excitment.
Now compare this to the typical Rag! A self-absorbed, closed book with an 'only cheer when were winning' mentality who plagues the footballing world with their stories of success and delight and bragging about 'global brand' or their 'Eastern fan base'. Not an ounce of depth to them. But I dont blame this on the person. In fact I think this type of fan is simply a by-product of such a long lasting success as a club. The large majority of the United fan-base have only ever known United as a successfull club. They dont know what it is like to have prolonged underachievement forced upon them (until now of course but that is for another thread (#SOD)). Because of this, they have, in general, become ignorant.
And this is where my worry is born...
As a club, our beloved Manchester City is now on the up. And if the commitment that the Sheikh has shown is anything to go by, we are here for the long-haul. And as this success grows, the tag of 'Typical City' will become a thing of the past. My worry is that along with this, so will the 'What the hell' attitude. The songs we sing may remain, but the real feeling behind them will dissipate and become lost in history.
So how do we stop our fanbase from becoming the same by-product of success?
How do we keep the same mentality we have become known and admired for?
