Supporters of Manchester United, part of fan group The Red Army, are gearing up for a loud and jarring display aimed at Manchester City during the upcoming home match against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
This match will mark the Red Devils' first outing after the international break and, more importantly, their first since the damning verdict from an independent commission that found the Citizens guilty of 114 breaches of financial fair play rules between 2009 and 2018.
With the footballing world buzzing over the potential stripping of City’s titles or even relegation, United fans have decided to strike at the heart of the matter — the legitimacy of their rivals’ successes over the last decade and a half.
According to respected insider Andy Mitten, the iconic Ticker banner will once again grace the Stretford End, the long-time source of nightmares for City supporters.
The history of this banner dates back to 2000 when United fans first unfurled a cloth at Old Trafford emblazoned with the words “24 years.” The counter displayed the number of years Manchester City went without a single trophy — specifically since their League Cup win in 1976. This number was updated yearly, reaching a staggering 35 years in 2011 when City finally broke their drought by winning the FA Cup, at which point the historic banner was taken down. Since then, with City’s overflow of trophies, it had been largely forgotten.
However, with the recent allegations undermining City’s title legitimacy since 2009, United fans have resolved to “cancel” the entire modern history of their rivals.
The revamped banner, set to be unfurled, will display a massive “51 YEARS.” The rationale from the ultras is clear; as all of City’s successes during the Sheikh era are supposedly achieved through unscrupulous means, they shouldn’t be recognised. Thus, the countdown of their trophy-less period continues from that fateful year of 1976.
This initiative promises to be one of the most resonant and creative performances on British terraces in recent years, reintroducing a vintage yet even sharper irony into the Manchester derby.
