Longtime lurker here from the States. As I have previously mentioned in one of my few prior posts, I began following City in 2000 shortly after their promotion to the PL (they were, of course, relegated one year later). Beginning in the mid-90’s U.S. papers began to publish the league table once or twice a week as interest in football over here began to grow. At that time, English football still seemed exotic to me with sides named “Sheffield Wednesday” and “Wimbledon”. Even then, the established big boys – the Rags, the Scouse and the Arse (I was obviously not familiar with those well-earned derogatory references at the time) – were unknown to me. Realizing I could not jump on the bandwagon of any of those sides, I chose City over Villa, Newcastle and Everton (my poor older brother chose Everton a year or two later). In the coming years, I began to understand that the PL was effectively a “closed league” so much more so than American sports leagues are alleged to be. Being a non-English overseas City fan did not provide much pleasure.
That being said, I want to extend my congratulations to all the longtime Blues here on the forum. Every time I tell myself that it’s just sport, I think of all the regular Mancunian posters here who endured 10, 20 or even 30 years of eating Rag shit from their co-workers, neighbors, classmates and even family members. Superbia in Proelio!