Ian Cheeseman: Forever Blue

As you read this, I’ll be in Saudi Arabia following Manchester City in the World Club Cup.

If they win the trophy, they’ll have won the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup plus the Super Cup and World Club Cup in the same calendar year. Even if they don’t it’s been an amazing year to be a Blue.

Has 2023 been the best year in City’s history? It’s hard to argue against that opinion, but such is the expectation at the club these days that winning trophies is now seen as normal, indeed essential, as the owners continue their aim of becoming the biggest club in the World.

The first half of the year included the sudden announcement that the Premier League were investigating 115 charges against City, which the Blues strenuously denied. It’s expected that proceedings will start in earnest in Autumn next year with the conclusion of all the cases due in the summer of 2025, though with something as complicated as that and with the stakes high on all sides, the outcome and the timetable can certainly not be guaranteed. I believe that City will prove their innocence, either in the first instance or on appeal. The case could profoundly change football. It feels like a storm is on the horizon, but for now we’ll have to wait for now. Enjoy the sunshine for now is my philosophy.

On the pitch City won the Premier League for the third year in a row, beating their arch rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup Final with my player of the season Ilkay Gundogan striking within seconds at Wembley to break Red hearts.

Although City played magnificent Pep Guardiola football throughout the campaign, the Champions League Final in Istanbul wasn’t a classic, but the always impressive Rodri struck the all-important winner against Inter Milan and I cried tears of happiness when that final whistle went. I’ve followed City all my life, home and away, making family sacrifices and taking a financial hit along the way. I saw their games in the third tier of English football. The lowest point came in the 2-1 defeat at Maine Road against Mansfield Town in the AutoWindscreens Shield in front of a crowd of just 3,007.

I never dreamed City could win the European Cup during those dark days but during that amazing night in Turkey it happened.

Maybe Gungogan and Mahrez decided to leave City after that glorious treble because they too had achieved their goals and there was now nothing left to achieve. Pep Guardiola is a very special coach though. He’s lost none of his hunger and he wants to do it again and again. He’s admitted that keeping up the intensity and quality needed to keep on winning at the top level is not easy, but if any coach can achieve it then Pep can.

During the second part of 2023, City had to manage without Kevin De Bruyne who is probably the team’s best player. Hopefully he’ll play his full part in 2024. City lost in the League Cup to Newcastle, clearly prioritising on the bigger trophies. They also lost at Wolves, Arsenal and Aston Villa in the Premier League and drew a few too. They probably won’t be top of the table as we enter the new year but they have progressed to the knockout stage of the Champions League as comfortable group winners so maybe they’ll achieve back to back Champions Leagues at Wembley.

As we look ahead to the next year, I can certainly say that 2023 was very special indeed and the Blues will have to go some to beat or even equal that, but whatever way the story goes, it’s Great to be a Blue! I’ll be back next year with my Forever Blue column, so until then I wish you and those you love a very happy Christmas and a happy Blue year!