Manchester UK: The Economic Center of World Football?

Manchester, England has always been known for its football.  Over the past 3 decades the city has been synonymous with Championships, Cups, great players and global enthusiasm.  However, it was one club that was receiving the acclaim; Manchester United, the Red Devils have been the center of the football world and the most recognisable club in the world. 

With players like Mark Hughes, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Paul Ince, David Beckham, Christiano Ronaldo and the list goes on, Man United have accumulated enough silverware to fill Buckingham Palace.  Manchester City, in the same period of time, were relegated twice in 2 consecutive years.  

In 1999 Manchester City were toiling after to successive relagations, they slipped to the 3rd tier of English football.  A miracle at Wembley saved them and they were later promoted to the Premier League permenantly in 2002 under Kevin Keegan. 

Manchester City had seen its glory days in the late 60's and early 70's with players like Mike Summerbee and Colin Bell.  From 2003 until 2007 City toiled on the brink of relegation, finishing outside of european competition and failing to crack the top 10 in 2004, 2006 and in 2007. 

John Wardle the chairman at the time knew it was time to sell.  He had stablized the club, moved it into a new stadium, and kept it in the top flight but knew he couldn't take it further.

In June and July of 2007, Thaksin Shinawatra burst onto the scene.  After being deposed as Thailand's Prime Minister in a bloodless coup, he began to look into buying an English Premier League Club.  He bought City and immediately embarked on his "10 year plan".  He hired Sven-Goran Ericksson and spent nearly 45m GBP in the summer transfer season. 

City started off brilliantly but failed to keep the momentum and despite a historic Derby Double over Manchester United, Sven was sacked at the end of the season.

Manchester City immediately hired Mark Hughes and seemed to be a club with a mission when they embarked on the ill-fated attempt to sign Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho.  The joy didn't last for Thaksin as it became apparent that the corruption charges against him were not going to be dropped. 

After the coup that deposed Thaksin, Thailand's government seized close to 1bn GBP in assets.  He returned to Thailand in February thinking he would be cleared of the charges and regain his fortune.  He was wrong.

When it became clear to Thaksin that he would be convicted he fled to England to seek asylum.  With the cash flow problems being known to the world he began looking into possible investors for the club.  He wanted to keep control of the club but, the Premier League's "Fit and Proper" persons test was sure to doom his ownership of the club.

On August 31st he found his investor; The Abu Dhabi United Group.  The Arab group bought the club for an estimated $300m (pending the process of due diligence) and immediately  placed their stamp on the club.  City confirmed a bid for United target Dimitar Berbatov and also tabled a bid for David Villa.  When it was clear that Berbatov would sign with United, City turned their sites on a Chelsea target; Robinho.

In a shock 32.5m GBP move, City swooped in and stole Robinho from Chelsea immediately signaling their rise as an economic power in football.  The move smashed the UK's and the clubs transfer records and also showed the club's intent to break into the top 4.

The Abu Dhabi group, worth an estimated 500bn GBP have pledged their support to Mark Hughes and have pledged their devotion to doing the unthinkable, bringing City back to the forefront of English football.  They have expressed that the goal this season is the top 4, then the EPL Championship next season. 

Whether City will reach the top 4 goal this season remains to be seen, but what has been proven is that City are now a force on the Football market and plan to stay that way.

With summer signings Jo, Vincent Kompany, Tal Ben Haim, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Pablo Zabeleta.  Plus the players already on the squad like Martin Petrov, Elano and rising star Daniel Sturridge City now have a formidable squad ready to compete with the Premier League's elite.

City won't be in action until 13 September when they take on none other than the club they have victimized in the transfer market, Chelsea.  Expect an incredible atmosphere at Eastlands as the Citizens welcome back their old friend the aforementioned Shaun Wright-Phillips and will welcome in their new owners.

With this sale Manchester City now rival Manchester United in wealth.  It is quite possible that Manchester is now the wealthiest football city in the world.  Expect the battles for top players and money to increase in bitterness and ferver. 

Manchester is now quite possibly the center of the football world, not just because of United, but now City are staking their claim.  Glazers vs. Arabs, Ferguson vs. Hughes, get ready for some fun times in both sides of Manchester.