Which is England’s football capital? Diehard football fans in Manchester, London and Liverpool all claim these bragging rights. It is easy to see why Mancunians think their city is the greatest. They have two of the most successful football clubs in the world. The Manchester derby attracts tens of millions in viewers across the world. Apparently, a scientific study in 2015 backed up the claim that Manchester is the top footballing city.
Global Brand Fan Base
Which other city can claim to have two of the most valuable football clubs in the world? Manchester United ranks third, while Manchester City ranks fifth. The two teams’ worth combined is more than £1 billion.
These two teams are global brands, with hundreds of millions of eager fans following their games every weekend. Manchester City claims a worldwide fanbase of about 38 million. But Manchester United makes the Manchester brand truly global with an amazing 1.1 billion fans.
A good number of these global fans prove their allegiance by coming to Manchester to see their favourite clubs play. About 130,000 foreign football fans from different countries come to Old Trafford and Etihad Stadium to see their stars in action. Find the best betting sites discovered at newbettingoffers.co.uk where you can place bets on all of these teams, games and players.
The friendly rivalry between the two teams has ensured Manchester remains in the spotlight every weekend. Which between the two teams is faring better? How many points difference is there between them? Which team is closer to taking the Premier League title? The spotlight on Manchester continues to shine when these debates rage.
Top-Flight Titles
As of 2020, Manchester had an impressive 68 top-flight trophies. These trophies are combined League Cups, FA cups, and international trophies on the European stage. Only London fared better, with 85 trophies. These trophies date as far back as 1872.
The biggest share of these trophies has been in the Premier League. The two teams have had 17 Premier League trophies. This tally surpasses that of Lindon teams that have collected 8 trophies since the debut of EPL. The 2020/2021 football season is looking like another contest between the two top Manchester teams.
Great Football History
Manchester is a great sporting city, but football has the biggest following in the city. The city has a rich footballing history. Both United and City were founded in 1878. United started as a railway workers’ football club called Newton Heath FC. The club first played for the FA Cup in 1886. It changed its name to Manchester United in 1902. Manchester City started as a church sponsored club in 1878 and became known as Manchester City FC in 1894. The club won the FA Cup in 1904.
Bolton Wanderers FC is not in the city proper, but it is also in the greater Manchester area. The team is playing in the League Two during the 2020/2021 football season. It is also one of the oldest football clubs in England, going back to 1874.
Manchester has hosted almost all the prestigious football events. These include the FA Cup finals in 1893, 1911, 1915 and 1970, the Football League Cup Final in 1977, 1978 and 1984. It also hosted the UEFA Cup Final in 2008, the UEFA Champions League Final in 2003, and European Championship in 1996. It hosted Olympic football games during the 2012 Olympics. The city was one of the playing grounds during the World Cup in 1966.
Top Class Sporting Facilities
For football fans, the two biggest sporting facilities would be Old Trafford and the City of Manchester Stadium. Both stadiums change their names from time to time, depending on sponsorship agreements. Old Trafford is now Emirates Old Trafford, while the City of Manchester Stadium changed its name to Etihad Stadium after it was acquired by new owners.
Manchester is also home to the National Football Museum. Football fans can trace the culture and history of football in this facility. It shows how football has interacted with daily culture in England. There are all kinds of intriguing football mementoes here. The jersey that Diego Maradona wore during the ‘Hand of God’ game is on display. Football fans can also try out their footballing tricks, including penalty kicks. Prospective football commentators can also try their skills commentating famous football games.
There is little doubt that Manchester is a football powerhouse in England and indeed the entire world. The dominance of Manchester teams will keep the spotlight on this great city and continue being the pride of Mancunians.
