The Makings of the Manchester Derby

The rivalry between Manchester United and Manchester City is more than 100 years in the making, but even now it's reaching new levels of white-hot fury.

Fierce competition has always existed between Manchester's top two. But when Sheikh Mansour bought City in 2008 it heightened the relationship to a state of hissing, spitting hatred, especially between the younger sets of supporters.

Once United fans could treat City, who bounced around the leagues in the 1990s and 2000s, with the condescending derision afforded to an annoying little brother.

But now they aren't just city rivals, but rivals for trophies and titles.

The derby, which will be contested on Sunday for the 166th time, has always had its villains. And it's usually the ones who have played away with the neighbours.

Like any bitter divorce, it’s worse when a lost love gets comfy next door. 

Players have moved between Manchester’s top two clubs even before United were playing City. Robert Milarvie was the first, moving from Newton Heath to Ardwick in 1891. He wasn’t the last.

After winning the FA Cup for the first time in 1904, City became embroiled in a corruption scandal. 

Manager Tom Maley, who had also led the Blues to a second-place finish in the First Division the same season, was suspended for life by the FA and 17 of his players were banned.

City were forced to auction their best players at the Queen’s Hotel in Manchester and four—Sandy Turnbull, Billy Meredith, Herbert Burgess and Jimmy Bannister—moved to United.

To rub salt into the wound, Turnbull and Meredith went on to win the FA Cup and two league titles at Old Trafford.

Since Milarvie’s transfer 121 years ago, 23 others have followed in his footsteps. 

Some are well known like Denis Law, Brian Kidd and Carlos Tevez. Others less so, like Horace Blew or Wyn Davies. 

There are those who played for one and managed the other like Sir Matt Busby, Steve Coppell and Mark Hughes. 

Or the only man to manage both clubs, Ernest Mangnall.

There has always been a rivalry, even from the first game between West Gorton and Newton Heath in 1881. But it has gradually got more tribal and now all that exists between the two sets of fans is hatred and fear. Hatred of the opposing fans and players. Fear that the neighbours will win trophies at their expense.

It might have been different. Instead of competing for trophies, the two halves of Manchester might have been celebrated success together. 

The idea of merging United and City was mooted during the 1963-64 season.

With City stranded in Division Two, firmly in United's shadow, City vice-chairman Frank Johnson floated the idea of joining forces with United.

It was only after a group of City shareholders joined the board to secure the club's future that the idea was dropped. 

And only four years later in 1968—after United had won the European Cup and City the First Division title—Manchester became the first British city to boast two teams in the Europe's top club competition.

When City struck oil in 2008, it brought them back to the top table. 

Where once the derby was about bragging rights, it now decides Premier League titles, as it did in 2012.

Neither United or City are going away anytime soon. And what's at stake, as well as the disgust for one another, is going to keep getting greater and greater.