In a sense it is a difficult one to answer. What is it that defines a football club? What is it that makes it what it is?
Is it the players? Well it can't be, as there's no real connection between the players and the fans now, not in any real sense.
Is it the kit? I don't think so, at least up to a point. Although I feel a great connection to the sky blue, did I feel any less love for the club when they sported the abortion that was 'laser blue'? No. And anyway the kit is merely an extension of the marketing machine now, for better or worse.
Is it the ground? Clearly not. Ditto the badge.
Is it the owners? I suspect not. They can define a club to a certain extent, but no-one loves a club because of the owners (although they may love what the owners do with the club).
Is it the fans? To some extent, but that cannot be the end of it.
I think that being as fan a football club (and especially City) involves an emotional connection that runs so deep that it would be impossible to shake off. I must confess that I did lose a bit of that connection myself when Stuart Pearce was in charge, but the thought of not supporting City never entered my head for a second. It just became much harder to become enthusiastic about the club, which is why the last two years has been such a breath of fresh air.
So I suspect any notions that you, or any other true City fan, has of stopping supporting City are in the realms of fantasy, because when push comes to shove it would prove impossible for any fan to walk away whatever form the club took in the future.
Foam hands are wank though.
