Manchester City have deserved FA Cup success which is tangible reward for club's expensive vision

Manchester City have deserved FA Cup success which is tangible reward for club’s expensive vision

Amid all the cash-fuelled changes flowing through Manchester City since they struck oil in Abu Dhabi, it can easily be overlooked that the club have always had a heartbeat, a sense of identity kept alive during the dark times by loyal staff, old players and long-suffering supporters. Saturday’s triumph was for those who kept the faith.

Anguish is over: Manchester City celebrate their FA Cup victory over Stoke at Wembley Photo: PA

By Henry Winter 11:00PM BST 14 May 2011

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City players wore specially-printed T-shirts, proclaiming the figure “O”, a reminder that the 35 years of hurt were over. City supporters had that number ingrained in their psyche, written into their chants. No longer. They can open the trophy-cabinet, release some ancient moths and place the FA Cup on display.

At the end of an average game but majestic occasion, the eye was drawn briefly to the magnificent Stoke fans, who sportingly stayed on to applaud the victors, but the attention was swiftly drawn to the swaying light-blue masses. City fans did the Poznan, they sang Blue Moon and held up their cameras and phones as Carlos Tévez climbed the steps to collect the Cup.

City fans revelled in this moment. They have waited so long, endured so much pain. They hardly needed reminding that Saturday was the 30th anniversary of their Cup final defeat to Ricky Villa’s Spurs, although most days probably herald a chastening landmark for City.

The past two decades have been particularly riddled with anguish. City’s fans have spent so much time in the shadow of United yet they kept the faith.

This season they have kept chanting “35 years and we’re still here”, signalling a devotion that has bordered on masochism at times.

As if their summer was not full of enough joys after this, City fans also have a feisty-looking fixture with United here in the Community Shield. That should start the season with a bang.

The hysteria can wait. History clung to this final like ivy to a stately home. Great names from yesteryear looked on benignly as City’s present finally matched some of the deeds of the past. Mike Summerbee, Franny Lee and Tony Book smiled away as their club became reacquainted with excellence.

City officials even urged their life president, Bernard Halford, a hugely popular figure at the club, to follow Roberto Mancini up the stairs to receive a winner’s medal. Lovely touch. It showed that the world’s wealthiest club has not lost touch with its roots. Halford, who has been involved with City for half a century, flew up the steps. It meant everything.

City invited many members of their footballing family to this date with destiny. Bert Trautmann received a letter from their chief executive officer, Garry Cook, but sadly did not realise it was an invitation. The widow of the late, great Joe Mercer was present. So was the widow of Neil Young, the scorer of their Cup final winner in 1969. When Young passed away from cancer in February, Book urged the City players to go and win the Cup as a fitting tribute to the former player. Mancini’s chosen ones delivered on that promise.

For the likes of Cook, Brian Marwood and Khaldoon al Mubarak, Saturday’s big day out, following on from qualification for the Champions League, vindicated their vision. Huge sums have been invested but there is tangible reward.

For Mancini, the Cup was a personal triumph for his assertive tactics, his decision to start Mario Balotelli and a second-half tweak that allowed Yaya Toure the opportunity to make unmarked runs as the one that brought his 74th-minute winner.

So this is why Coronation Street is in Manchester. United’s record-breaking title success had heaped pressure on City. Vincent Kompany and company emerged into the Wembley sunshine with news filtering through from Ewood.

City knew that the intense crowing from the new champions would be unbearable if they slipped up.

City had certainly started confidently enough, unleashing their threats. Mancini is often accused of cautious tactics but the front four he selected at Wembley brimmed with movement and menace.

The spearhead of Mancini’s 4-2-3-1 system, Tévez, buzzed around like a hornet on overtime, bringing a magnificent save from Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.

David Silva darted around promisingly but missed badly after 34 minutes, shooting down into the ground and up over the crossbar when well placed.

Balotelli was often involved, withstanding Robert Huth’s elbow but then being frustrated by Sorensen’s right hand. Toure, operating in the hole behind Tévez, shot wide but took his second-half chance brilliantly.

If City’s attackers impressed, it was still a surprise that Balotelli was named man of the match. Nigel de Jong was comfortably the best player on view, demonstrating his qualities in a final. Just as the City fans relished this, so De Jong must have felt deep, deep satisfaction.

The Dutchman had returned from the World Cup final with a kitbag full of controversy, following that studs-up challenge on Xabi Alonso. Mischievous souls in the City dressing-room pinned a photograph of the incident on the wall of the training ground at Carrington. De Jong took it well, knuckling down and enjoying a good season, culminating here, particularly with one sliding dispossession of Jermaine Pennant.

City fans adored a commitment to the cause that echoed theirs.

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