Welcome to the July issue of our official digital monthly magazine.
On the back of a wonderful, historic season, we are looking ahead to the summer and the 2023/24 campaign is, incredibly, already on the horizon.
This issue is part-reflective, given our momentous recent achievements, while also looking ahead to the FIFA Women’s World Cup which begins soon.
With that in mind, our cover star is Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, last season’s top scorer and Jamaica’s star player.
She talks about her life so far, the first couple of years in Manchester and, of course, the World Cup.
Mary Fowler, part of the dual-World Cup hosts Australia’s squad gives us a fascinating insight into her such second tournament, along with the pressures and expectation that goes with being a host nation.
There is also a guide to when and where our players will feature during what should be a fantastic festival of football.
Elsewhere, our gifted team of photographers have provided us with some stunning imagery around the Champions League, the Depot Mayfield event and, of course, what will be forever remembered as the Rain Parade as thousands of sodden Blues lined the streets of the city centre.
Only Manchester!
Fittingly, we also feature club photo editor Declan Lloyd in Technical Area which provides a fascinating look at how we get the pictures we do into our channels so quickly and with such high quality.
The List takes in past tours, we have more Noel Gallagher – who gives his opinion on the new batch of City terrace chants – as well as a chat with Oscar Bobb and plenty more.
Enjoy!
Of all the players to potentially feature at this summer’s World Cup, Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw perhaps carries the largest weight of expectation on her shoulders.
Her nation’s record goalscorer with 56 strikes in less than 50 appearances, no player found the net more than the City forward at last year’s CONCACAF Women’s Championship; the tournament that clinched the Reggae Girlz’s qualification for Australia and New Zealand.
While several members of the squad currently ply their trade in the Barclays Women’s Super League, the bulk of the Jamaica side which will travel down under this summer will likely be plucked from Collegiate football in the United States. It’s far from hyperbolic to describe Shaw as the jewel in the crown of a team who are still relative newcomers on the world stage. World Cup.
Not that she’ll be daunted by that level of expectation.
A serial goalscorer at every level that she’s played, from the USA to Bordeaux and now in Manchester. But even for her own lofty standards, the striker has surpassed all expectations in 2022/23.
After grabbing 19 goals in her debut campaign for City, Shaw’s second full season at the Academy Stadium yielded an astonishing 31 goals in all competitions, surpassing Nikita Parris’ record for the most goals scored by a women’s player in a single season by early March. Our number 21 reached that tally in just 30 appearances.
Those strikes were complemented by nine assists – meaning she roughly averaged a goal involvement every 68 minutes across the entire season.
Impressive returns such as these, according to the forward, are the culmination of a frank evaluation that she underwent in the summer of 2022.
It’s a mentality that has served Shaw so effectively during her career to date – one where, regardless of the milestones she reaches, a desire to build on that success always lingers.
"After the back of last season, I did a self-assessment," she reflected after signing a contract extension at City in June 2023.
“I went over quite few games where I feel I could’ve given more and done better in certain actions. I went over some clips to see how I can get better or improve.
“I think coming into last year at the beginning of this season, in pre-season, I tried my best to implement what I’ve seen on where I can improve.
“Scoring goals and having that momentum and that confidence with the consistency is just showing at the moment
“I put all my effort and time on the pitch and obviously for the position I play and the quality I have around me I know I’m going to be in positions to score goals.
“At the moment I’m scoring and I’m happy.”
The next significant milestone for Shaw will be a second consecutive World Cup appearance – with Jamaica becoming the first Caribbean side to achieve the feat in the Women’s game four years prior.
In 2019, the Reggae Girlz were pitted in a group with Italy, Australia and Brazil, all placing inside the FIFA World Rankings’ top 15 at the time.
But after heavy defeats in their first two fixtures, they went into their final Group C clash with Australia knowing it would be their last until at least this summer.
Shaw and co. were under no illusions that they had a mountain to climb when they prepared to pit their wits against the Matildas in Grenoble, rather aptly regarded as the capital of the French alps.
And while they would ultimately succumb to a 4-1 loss against Australia, they came away from the clash with the significant consolation of grabbing their first and, so far, only World Cup goal.
Unsurprisingly, Shaw was heavily involved in that landmark moment, playing an incisive pass in behind the opposition defence to goalscorer, Havana Solaun.
Jamaica will have another stab at the World Cup this summer, but the build-up to the tournament hasn’t been without its challenges.
Indeed, the Reggae Girlz squad penned an open letter just over one month before their first match against France in which they expressed their frustrations around support from their national federation.
In 2008, the team were forced to withdraw from a number of tournaments due to a lack of funding but, in 2014, they were handed a new lease of life by Cedella Marley, the daughter of the legendary Bob Marley.
That increased awareness has led Jamaica to this point, four years on from becoming the first Caribbean nation to qualify for a World Cup tournament.
Irrespective of the potential obstacles that stand in Shaw and co.’s way, her pride in representing not only her country but also the region as a whole, has never diminished.
Speaking in May 2023, she said:
"For me it’s always an honour when I put on the colours of Jamaica. I feel a sense of pride and I feel I’m inspiring, not just Jamaica, but the Caribbean as a whole."
“It’s just a great feeling and we haven’t had a lot of the resources other countries have had, but like I said, we knew what we wanted before qualifying for the World Cup and we just grinded and stuck it out.
“Also, thank you to Cedella Marley and her team because if she didn’t come in and help, who knows where we’d have been?
“With all that being said, going to a second World Cup in the short space of time is great.”
While it remains a significant achievement for Jamaica to reach the World Cup this summer, Shaw is determined that she and her team-mates aren’t there to simply make up the numbers.
The Reggae Girlz have once again been handed a difficult draw four years on from their maiden appearance, coming up against France, Panama and, once again, Brazil in Group F.
But the City forward and her team-mates aren’t settling for simply reaching the tournament. In 2023, they want to make their mark.
“That’s something we’ve spoken about,” Shaw nods when asked about making an impact in Australia and New Zealand.
"The first time we went to the World Cup, a lot of us were in high school and college and the experience was fresh for us, we didn’t know what to expect.
“Going to the second, back-to-back, World Cup now where players are playing in quality leagues and in good teams, we have that experience now playing in front of thousands of people.
“We have spoken about wanting to move past what we did last time which is to get out of the group stage and we look forward to what’s next.”
Shaw is certain to be at the centre of any potential success Jamaica have this summer but, regardless of their performance, she can look back on the past 12 months with immense pride.
A record goal haul for City across a single campaign helped the forward be named the Club’s 2022/23 Player of the Season, while her impressive diving header against Arsenal in April, finishing off a fluid team move, also earned her the Goal of the Season gong.
It therefore comes as no surprise that City were so keen to extend the Jamaican’s contract at the end of the season, a sentiment that she reciprocated.
And to top off those outstanding achievements, Shaw was recognised for her stellar contributions at both Club and international level by winning the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Player of the Year award.
However, there’s a consistent response from City’s number 21 when talking to her about any individual awards she might pick up during her already storied career – an appreciation for the work of those around her to bring the best out of her obvious abilities.
The art of goalscoring is often considered a selfish craft, but being solely focused on her own performances is a generalisation that would be unfairly daubed on Shaw.
While she takes immense pride in the individual accolades she has deservedly collected over the past 12 months, those achievements weren’t just down to her own exploits.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I think 2022 was amazing for the team,” Shaw explains when discussing the CONCACAF Women’s Player of the Year award and Jamaica’s qualification for the World Cup.
“We qualified for back-to-back World Cups and I think it’s the first time a Caribbean island have ever done that. For me, I’m just fortunate to contribute with my goals.
"I think it’s a team performance and a team effort and I credit my team for me winning the CONCACAF Player of the Year."
For all of those aforementioned accolades, a strong showing at this summer’s World Cup would be the perfect epilogue to what has been a remarkable campaign for Shaw.
Jamaica have been dealt a difficult hand in Group F but, with the City forward leading the line, they have an ace up their sleeve.
With a formidable goalscoring reputation at Club and international level in tow, you wouldn’t be surprised to see Shaw deliver once again this summer.
World Cup Stadium guide
For the first time in its history, the Women’s World Cup is being held across two countries, with Australia and New Zealand sharing hosting duties.
The tournament will include ten impressive stadiums, spanning across nine major cities.
Below, you can find a quick rundown on each venue, as well as when our City stars will be playing there this summer.
Australia:
Brisbane Stadium
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Estimated Capacity: 56,851
Opened: 1934
The Brisbane Stadium will play host to several City stars across its eight matches at the World Cup.
Indeed, England’s tournament opener against Haiti will be played there, as well as Australia’s second Group B match against Nigeria.
It’s also set to host three fixtures during the knockout stages of the World Cup, which could potentially include a Round of 16 showdown between the Matildas and the Lionesses, as well as the Third-Place play-off.
Hindmarsh Stadium
Location: Hindmarsh, Adelaide, Australia
Estimated Capacity: 13,327
Opened: 1960
England’s final Group D match is set to take place in Adelaide, when they lock horns with Asian champions China.
Should Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s Jamaica fend off the challenge of France, Brazil and Panama to finish top of Group F, then they would face the runners up of Group H in the Round of 16 at the Hindmarsh Stadium.
That outcome would see the Reggae Girlz take on Germany, Morocco, Colombia or South Korea.
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Estimated Capacity: 28,870
Opened: 2010
The hotly-anticipated final Group B clash between Australia and Canada takes place in Melbourne on Monday 31 July.
It’ll also host Jamaica’s showdown with Brazil on Wednesday 3 August, as they set their sights on a first knockout stage appearance.
Should the Reggae Girlz finish second in Group F, then they will face the winners of Group H in the Round of 16 in Melbourne, while Filippa Angeldahl’s Sweden will also play at the stadium at the same stage should they top Group G.
The Swedes would potentially face the Netherlands – and Kerstin Casparij – if the latter finished as Group E runners-up.
Perth Rectangular Stadium
Location: Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Estimated Capacity: 13,932
Opened: 1910
Perth will be the setting of Jamaica’s second Group F fixture against Panama.
The clash takes place on Saturday 29 July.
Stadium Australia
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Estimated Capacity: 69,314
Opened: 1999
The largest capacity venue at the tournament, Stadium Australia will host last eight and last four clashes, as well as the World Cup final on Sunday 20 August.
Australia’s opening World Cup fixture against the Republic of Ireland will take place in Sydney exactly one month prior to that showpiece occasion, on Thursday 20 July.
After the opening day, its next involvement isn’t until the knockout stages, when it could potentially set the stage for a showdown between the Matildas and England, depending on the former topping Group B and the latter finishing as Group D runners-up.
That fixture would take place on Friday 7 August, five days before the stadium hosts a quarter-final clash between the winners of that clash once again.
The semi-final match played in Sydney is on Wednesday 16 August, four days before the final.
Sydney Football Stadium
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Estimated Capacity: 38,841
Opened: 2022
Jamaica’s curtain-raiser against France will take place at the Sydney Football Stadium, as well as England’s second Group D clash with Denmark.
It could also be the setting for a clash between Kerstin Casparij’s Netherlands and Filippa Angeldahl’s Sweden, should Holland top Group E and the Swedes finish as runners-up in Group G.
New Zealand
Dunedin Stadium
Location: Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
Estimated Capacity: 24,243
Opened: 2011
The Netherlands’ opening Group E fixture with Portugal will take place in Dunedin, while Yui Hasegawa’s Japan also lock horns with Costa Rica there three days later.
Kerstin Casparij’s Holland are also back in action at the Dunedin Stadium on Tuesday 1 August in their final group fixture against Vietnam.
Eden Park
Location: Kingsland, Auckland, New Zealand
Estimated Capacity: 40,536
Opened: 1900
The tournament’s curtain-raiser, which sees co-hosts New Zealand face Julie Blakstad’s Norway, will take place at Eden Park.
The City winger could be back in action in Auckland ten days later in the Scandinavian’s final Group A fixture with the Philippines.
Should they progress to the knockout stages in first place, then another clash at Eden Park beckons against the runners-up of Group C, which could be Yui Hasegawa’s Japan.
Quarter-final and semi-final clashes will also be played in Auckland on Friday 11 and Tuesday 15 August respectively.
Waikato Stadium
Location: Hamilton, New Zealand
Estimated Capacity: 16,271
Opened: 2002
Japan – and Yui Hasegawa’s – World Cup tournament begins in Hamilton when they face Zambia.
Norway’s second Group A fixture with Switzerland also takes place at Waikato Stadium three days later, as well as Fillipa Angeldahl and Sweden’s final Group G clash with Argentina.
Wellington Regional Stadium
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Estimated Capacity: 31,089
Opened: 2000
Sweden’s first two Group G fixtures – against South Africa and Italy respectively - are to be hosted at the Wellington Regional Stadium.
The Netherlands’ showdown with the United States will also take place there, as well as Japan’s final Group C clash with Spain.
As well as a quarter-final tie, a first-placed finish for Japan in Group C and progression as Group A runners-up for Norway could see Yui Hasegawa and Julie Blakstad face off in Wellington in the Round of 16.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup is almost upon us.
It promises to be a must-watch spectacle, with City heavily involved at the tournament.
13 different members of Gareth Taylor’s squad have been included in the various World Cup squads, spanning across seven separate nations.
Beginning on Thursday 20 July and running through until the final exactly one month later, each of our City stars will have their sights set on international glory.
There’s a long way to go before those ambitions can become a reality though, beginning with the group stages in New Zealand and Australia.
Find out when each of our players are in action via the handy guide below…
Group A
Norway: Julie Blakstad
New Zealand v Norway | Thursday 20 July | 08:00 (UK) | Switzerland v Norway | Tuesday 25 July | 09:00 (UK) | Norway v Philippines | Sunday 30 July | 08:00 (UK)
Group B
Australia: Alanna Kennedy, Mary Fowler
Australia v Rep of Ireland | Thursday 20 July | 11:00 (UK) | Australia v Nigeria | Thursday 27 July | 11:00 (UK)
Canada v Australia | Monday 31 July | 11:00 (UK)
Group C
Japan: Yui Hasegawa
Zambia v Japan | Saturday 22 July | 08:00 (UK)
Japan v Costa Rica | Wednesday 26 July | 06:00 (UK)
Japan v Spain | Monday 31 July | 08:00 (UK)
Group D
England: Ellie Roebuck, Alex Greenwood, Esme Morgan, Laura Coombs, Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp
England v Haiti | Saturday 22 July | 10:30 (UK)
England v Denmark | Friday 28 July | 09:30 (UK)
China v England | Tuesday 1 August | 12:00 (UK)
Group E
Netherlands: Kerstin Casparij
Netherlands v Portugal | Sunday 23 July | 08:30 (UK)
USA v Netherlands | Thursday 27 July | 02:00 (UK)
Vietnam v Netherlands | Tuesday 1 August | 08:00 (UK)
Group F
Jamaica: Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw
France v Jamaica | Sunday 23 July | 11:00 (UK)
Panama v Jamaica | Saturday 29 July | 13:30 (UK)
Jamaica v Brazil | Wednesday 2 August | 11:00 (UK)
Group G
Sweden: Filippa Angeldahl
Sweden v South Africa | Sunday 23 July | 06:00 (UK)
Sweden v Italy | Saturday 29 July | 08:30 (UK)
Argentina v Sweden |Wednesday 2 August | 08:00 (UK)
Mary Fowler only turned 20 in February 2023, but she’s already preparing for her second World Cup experience this summer...
It’s been a remarkable rise to the top for the Australian international, who made her Matildas debut at just 15, and before she’d even signed her first professional contract.
She’d become a key figure for her national team soon after, even scoring in a dramatic 4-3 win against Great Britain at the 2021 Olympics en route to the semi-finals. Just over 12 months later, she was shortlisted for the inaugural European Golden Girl award.
An impressive CV by all accounts but, for all those achievements so early on in her career, Fowler hasn’t let the success get to her. She remains grounded and friendly as the upcoming World Cup is discussed, but with a steely determination to continue hitting new heights.
It’s clear to see that, while she looks back with immense pride on those milestones, City’s number eight is far from resting on her laurels. She might’ve been included in the Matildas' 2019 World Cup squad at just 16 – making her the youngest player at the tournament – but, in 2023, she wants to show the rest of the world what she can really do.
What better place to do it than in front of her fellow Australians?
"Not many players get the chance to play at a home World Cup. I’m really grateful to be able to be in that position to get the opportunity to play at home," she begins...
“To have friends and family there and be in front a home crowd every game, it’s going to be special, I’m really looking forward to it.
“It’s one thing to be able to play in a World Cup but to be at home is something different altogether.
“You can feel the whole nation behind you, which gives you so much energy on the field.
“To also have the chance to play on such a big stage in front of our country and even with other teams, it’s a big opportunity for us to inspire a new generation.
“That’s something that’s really important for our national team, the legacy we leave behind, to be good role models on the pitch and fight for what we can so we can make our country proud.”
As has been demonstrated in previous World Cups, home advantage can make a huge impact on a host nation.
Fowler and her Australia team-mates, including fellow City star Alanna Kennedy, will certainly hope that’s the case this summer, as well as their counterparts in New Zealand.
However, the Matildas go into the tournament as one of the favourites in their own right, regardless of their status as co-hosts.
Claiming a second Cup of Nations title in February 2023, fending off competition from the Czech Republic, Spain and Jamaica, they’ve lost just once since September 2022.
During that sequence of results, they also became the first side to get the better of European champions England under the guidance of Sarina Wiegman, bringing a 30-match unbeaten run to an end with a 2-0 triumph in London.
Fowler was part of the side to claim a surprise victory over one of this summer’s front runners and believes the performance was a major confidence boost for her and her team-mates.
They’ve proven they can go toe to toe with the heavyweights of world football, but she’s stressed the importance of building on that result, rather than simply basking in its grandeur.
She explained: “It’s nice when we’re able to face a top-level opposition and get a good result out of it, it shows how much belief we have in ourselves as a team and how united we are.
“I think it’s a big thing to be able to beat top teams like England. They’ve had such a good run for so long and won the Euros. It builds momentum.
“But looking at previous games as well, we’ve had good results against other top opponents. It gives us so much belief as we go.
“Getting that win against England brought us even closer, but beating teams now doesn’t mean anything. It’s the World Cup that matters and we still have lots to work on.
“We have to use the time we have left to work with each other and focus on that first game.
"We need to move forward in a way where we’re able to compete but need to be humble about it. You still have to fight for a win each game."
As Fowler alludes to, it certainly will be a battle for Australia if they’re to be crowned world champions for the first time in their history.
Should they qualify from Group B, they could even face England in the Round of 16, with a quarter-final against France, Germany, or Brazil the potential reward for victory.
But before the Matildas can start thinking about the knockout stages, they need to negotiate a tough opening three matches.
While Nigeria and the Republic of Ireland will offer a stern test, it’s Canada who likely present the largest obstacle for the co-hosts.
Olympic gold medallists in 2021, their fourth-placed finish at the 2023 SheBelieves Cup belies the quality that they possess.
The two sides lock horns in their final Group B match on Monday 31 July in what could well be a decider for top spot and, subsequently, a potentially easier route through the knockout stages.
For Fowler though, the challenge that Canada, Nigeria and the Republic of Ireland will present is simply part and parcel of elite competition.
“We do have a tough group, but I think for every game in a World Cup it’s like a grand final,” the 20-year-old shrugs.
“You have to perform. Nothing is going to be easy. The best team will win the tournament, so whether we come up against them in the Group Stages or later on, we have to perform and do our best.
“Everyone is up for the challenge, we have that belief in ourselves and just focus on the first game and give our all in that. For any team in any group, getting a good results is important.
“You can’t look at the top teams and put them on a pedestal, each game you have to get a good result.”
They say a picture often paints a thousand words.
And for City, that is something our photography team take great pride in. By capturing some of the Club’s best moments on camera, our fans can feel like they are right and centre in the moments of glory.
Declan Lloyd (pictured below taking a picture of Ruben Dias) is one such member of that talented team.
He spoke to City Magazine about his role as the Club's Picture Editor, the thrill of getting to express his creative freedom and his role in creating the ‘City’ style.
CITY MAG: Photography is quite a niche area to work in, what got you into it?
DECLAN: “From an early age I was quite obsessed with cameras. I was given an old camera when I was about six or seven and whenever we used to go on family holidays we were always given a disposable camera and then we'd go and collect the pictures afterwards which was exciting.
“When I was 10, I took one to my uncle's wedding and essentially covered it by accident at 10-years old, taking a ton of behind-the-scenes type pictures.
“In high school I took art and in sixth form I took photography and went on to study it at university. My lecturer at the time was the head photographer at Huddersfield Town FC and gave me an insight into sports photography. Then I went to Wrexham to volunteer for two or three years and oversaw/covered cover the whole takeover. But it was costing too much money travelling the whole country so I left and then all of a sudden, I'm working at City!”
CITY MAG: Being part of the photography team at City must be an exciting role, what does the role entail?
DECLAN: “Since I joined in October 2021 as Picture Editor, I was brought in to help distribute photographs so the photographers taking the pictures didn't have to do it while also trying to focus on capturing what’s in front of them. I also implemented the system that we use now to help get pictures sent out almost instantly. This is done by the photographers sending their pictures into a Dropbox and then I edit and organise the pictures to then distribute them around the entire company and external platforms with the highest of quality and efficiency. And that's the same for all four teams, all competitions and for training,, Club events and City in the Community.
“I was also challenged with creating a new filter so we now have an in-house style which co-ordinates the images to have the 'City' look which I take a lot of pride in creating. And then on top of that I help with photographing various content and with the general organisation of the photography team.”
CITY MAG: Within that, what is your favourite type of photography to capture?
DECLAN: “I've been fortunate to show I'm not just a picture editor but I'm also really good at creating bespoke creative ideas. The Ruben Dias City Mag shoot for example, I like coming up with more creative ideas for portraits and trying to push the boundary of photography content is really fun. I want to help create a reputation for City of 'City do things differently' when it comes to photography so doing our magazine content allows us to do that.”
CITY MAG: During your 18 months at City, you've experienced a fair share of highs and lows, what moments have you photographed that are your favourite?
DECLAN: “I photographed the FA Cup semi-final this season and to shoot at Wembley having gone there as a child was like a bucket list tick. I also have an affinity to Everton, so photographing at Goodison Park when that's about to be knocked down and my family being in the crowd was really special to me.”
CITY MAG: On top of those exciting moments, you've also been able to photograph off-the-pitch related content, are there any that stand out to you as highlights of the season?
DECLAN: “When City took the three trophies for their first outing after Istanbul with City in the Community for sure. There were men in suits in a Manchester estate with the most iconic club trophies in the world with tower blocks in the background with the trophies it was just a surreal juxtaposition.
“And it showed the values of the Club and they were captured in those pictures. It's so City to have the first thought as taking the trophies out into the community rather than having them in a box. And it's inspiring. To have young children be inspired by seeing the Champions League, FA Cup and Premier League trophies was a really nice moment.”
CITY MAG: As a photography team you take thousands of pictures throughout the season but are you able to pick a photo that really stands out in your mind as being one of the best from the collection this season?
DECLAN: “For me, it has to be the Ruben Dias shoot. It was the first time I got total control and creative freedom to capture Ruben on camera, it was great. For my colleague Isaac Parkin, it would definitely be the Erling Haaland guard of honour against West Ham, the pictures were amazing.
“For our other team members, Tom Flathers, is a great photographer and so hard to pick just one of his best moments, but probably Haaland crying after winning the Champions League would be the one. For Lexy Ilsley it has to be her viral picture of Jack Grealish on the back of the bus. It's in the Louvre!”
Our last five pre-season tours make up this month's 'The List'...
City head out on pre-season tour at the back end of July, this time heading for Japan and South Korea. Pep Guardiola will start preparing his players for the gruelling demands expected in 2023/24 by heading for Tokyo on 20 July.
In Tokyo, we will play CFG sister club Yokohama F. Marinos and German giants Bayern Munich.
After that, we will go to South Korea’s capital Seoul to play Atletico Madrid.
For fans in Manchester, it means late nights watching our players in unfamiliar stadia and hopefully catching a glimpse of new signings and promising Academy graduates.
For the local fans, it’s a rare opportunity to get close to their heroes they normally only see on TV throughout the year.
Ahead of City’s trip at the end of this month, we look back on our last five pre-season tours…
USA 2022
After COVID had interrupted tours in 2020 and 2021, the annual pre-season camp returned ahead of the 2022/23 season.
City went to Houston first to play Mexican side Club America, winning 2-1 with Kevin De Bruyne scoring both goals.
A 1-0 win, and Erling Haaland’s first goal in City colours, came a few days later as we beat Bayern Munich in front of almost 80,000 spectators in Green Bay.
With a prolonged season on the horizon due to the winter World Cup, that brought an end to our pre-season friendlies. However, we did take on Barcelona in a charity fundraiser for ALS in August and then sister club Girona in December ahead of club football’s return.
We all know exactly how the 2022/23 season went from that point…
China 2019
The 2019/20 started brilliantly for City in terms of pre-season friendly results, with three wins and one draw in China and Japan.
We thrashed West Ham 4-1 in Nanjing before a 0-0 draw against Wolves in Shanghai that our opponents eventually won on penalties.
From there, we went to Hong Kong and cruised past local side Kitchee SC with a 6-1 victory that the likes of David Silva, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling starred in.
Finally came a 3-1 win against our sister CFG club Yokohama F. Marinos at their home stadium with Kevin De Bruyne, Sterling and Lukas Nmecha scoring.
The season that followed was one of only two of Guardiola’s seven Premier League campaigns in which we didn’t win the title. We finished second and lifted the Carabao Cup.
USA 2018
Three matches in the US started the 2018/19 campaign, with City losing two and winning one.
It began with a 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in Chicago and a 2-1 loss to Liverpool in New Jersey.
The tour ended positively in Florida with a 3-2 victory against Bayern Munich when Bernardo Silva scored twice and Lukas Nmecha the other.
With the 2018 World Cup having been played that summer, Guardiola was not able to call on several of his favoured players on tour.
However, their form could hardly have been better when they did return – City became the first English club to win all four domestic trophies in the same season.
USA and Iceland 2017
2017/18 was one of the most incredible seasons in Manchester City’s history, with Guardiola’s side taking 100 points in the Premier League.
It all began with a defeat, however. A young City side lost 2-0 to Manchester United in Houston. We were back to winning ways in the following two matches though, thrashing Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur in LA and Nashville respectively.
Nicolas Otamendi, Raheem Sterling, John Stones and Brahim Diaz scored in the 4-1 win over the Spanish giants. Stones, Sterling and Diaz all scored again to earn a 3-0 win over Spurs.
We finalised preparations against West Ham in Reykjavik, winning 3-0 thanks to Gabriel Jesus, Sergio Aguero and Sterling again.
Germany, China and Sweden 2016
Pep Guardiola’s first summer as City boss saw the Blues head off on a tour in the true sense of the word.
His team started with a trip to the Allianz Arena, home of German champions and Guardiola’s previous club Bayern Munich.
After a 1-0 defeat there, we went to China. Unfortunately, our Beijing meeting with rivals Manchester United was cancelled due to adverse weather before a 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund in Shenzhen a few days later.
After returning to Europe, we hopped over to Sweden to face Arsenal. The Gunners were 3-2 winners in Gothenburg with Sergio Aguero and Kelechi Iheanacho our scorers.
While it wasn’t an incredible pre-season on the pitch, the time together set City up for an excellent start to the Premier League season, winning the first six games.
Oscar Bobb has hailed the key role played by Elite Development Squad head coach Brian Barry-Murphy following our historic third straight Premier League 2 title.
In his second season at the helm at the Academy Stadium, Barry-Murphy once again guided the City Under-21s with great aplomb and assurance as we maintained our remarkable record of success.
Bobb was once of the driving forces in City’s successful campaign, the Norwegian’s assists, goals and creative skills coalescing to enormous effect.
But for his part, the 19-year-old says the impact, leadership and advice proffered by Barry-Murphy since he took up the role in the summer of 2021 cannot be overstated.
“Working under Brian and his staff has been great. I’ve really enjoyed it for past two seasons,” Bobb declared.
“From the get-go when he first came in, Brian was very focused on each individual and also making sure that the team spirit was right.
“And I feel like he has created a culture around the Under-21s where everyone is respected and what you do in training really matters.
“I also think he has helped developed me and a lot of others. Speaking personally, he has developed me a lot and I would not have had the season I had this year and last without him.
“The season before Brian came, I was initially playing with the Under-21s but then I actually moved back down to Under 18s as I was struggling.
“I remember on Brian’s first day in charge, I spoke to him, and he said that he really wanted me to understand that he thought I could be a very good player and throughout our time he has helped me so much.
“There is also a real bond between him and all the guys.
“I think it can sometimes be difficult at Under-21s level where some players can feel they are finished with Academy football, and some want to move, so to create the spirit we have had this year has been really special.
“All of us are good friends as well as colleagues. I can honestly say that they are all lovely guys.”
Bobb was again a towering figure in helping the City youngsters create history by securing that third straight title.
He topped the assists tally for the season with 17 and was also voted as the EDS Player of the Season by his Academy peers for the second straight campaign.
"The last two years when we won the PL2 title we were kind of expected to do so because of the big names we had going into the season."
And reflecting on the campaign, the 19-year-old said he felt this season’s triumph was the most professionally satisfying of the three.
“I think this one was more special,” the Norwegian midfielder asserted.
“The last two years when we won the PL2 title we were kind of expected to do so because of the big names we had going into the season.
“However, this year I didn’t really think that we were favourites.
"But I think we put together some great performances as a team and throughout the season I feel we were the best team and even better than last year I would say.
“But I think we put together some great performances and throughout the season I feel we were the best team and even better than last year, I would say.
“I think when we started the season that (trying to retain the title) was obviously our main objective.
“We had a meeting on July 1 and Brian said that what was needed for us to have some success was about the collective and helping one another out.
“Looking back, we had some difficult moments and had a period where we were maybe struggling and not at our best.
“But we really hit our stride after Christmas which is always the best time to do that.
“And I think though it was surprise to some, but everyone felt really happy and excited that we did it again.”
With the release of his album Council Skies hovering around the top of the UK charts, City Mag went on a nostalgic journey with everyone’s favourite Blue, Noel Gallagher…
Noel Gallagher is a happy man.
City’s Treble has left the former Oasis star on cloud nine, and though he was forced to miss the Champions League final due to a tour schedule oversight and having Pep Guardiola telling Noel “you should be here” at the parade in Manchester, he is happy with his lot.
Noel watched the final in San Diego and the lack of an Erling Haaland hat-trick against Inter meant he didn’t need to go on stage that same evening in his underpants (as he’d promised he would if the Norwegian hit his own treble).
As a lifelong Blue, he knows these are the glory days and he is just letting all sink in and is enjoying the moment.
He’s lived out of Manchester for many years, of course, but does the release of ‘Council Skies’ and City’s incredible season leave him pining for his home city?
“I certainly don’t feel nostalgic for my childhood because it was pretty brutal,” says Noel.
“And I certainly do not feel nostalgic for City growing up because we didn’t win anything!
“I guess I do feel nostalgic for those years between ‘87 and ‘94, The Hacienda, the Mondays, the Roses the raves and all that stuff.
“That is something I tend to think about, but I try to live in the present and write about the now.
“Council Skies is more reflective than nostalgic because it was all written in lockdown in that first isolation, it was a reflective time for everyone I think everyone looking back, thinking how did we get into a pandemic and, what even is a pandemic?
“So, I don’t really feel nostalgic in that sense, but I would like to experience one more night at The Hacienda. Just to see if it was as good as we remember it was.
“And I wouldn’t mind appreciating one more big game at Maine Road, too, but where we are now is me as a solo artist and as a person and as a City fan, these are the glory days.”
The Manchester of today is a long way from the Manchester of Noel’s childhood.
He will play a huge homecoming gig at Wythenshawe Park this summer and he admits he loves to return to a city that is continually evolving and is both vibrant and full of energy.
“Yeah it has changed so much and for the better I have to say,” he says.
“It was great when we were growing up, in it’s old, decaying glory and now it is like shining and brand new.
“I have to say, I come up to The Warehouse Project every now and again, and I bring some friends up from London, and ordinally there are one or two who have never been to Manchester, and they just fall in love with the city.
“And I know it's almost exclusively inhabited by young people - you won’t see middle-aged folk on the streets of Manchester. It’s all young people.
"You never see mums and dads
- where have they all gone?
It’s got a real youthful vibe."
“It’s always been a youthful, young city, it’s got a very young spirit with the music in the nightclubs.
“Even when we were growing up with football, it has got two of the biggest football teams in the country, legendary bands and it is a very, very special place.”
So, while the glories are drunk in, does Noel still allow a City set-back to upset him?
It seems so…
“It depends. When we’ve just got beaten at home against Brentford you think: ‘How?’" he says.
“But I have to say, the blight that came over me the Champions League final against Chelsea was the worst I’ve ever felt as a City fan.
“There was something in the air that day, even getting up to go to the game that morning I was like, ‘I hate all English finals, always rubbish to watch.’
“I had a bad feeling about it. It was in a half-empty stadium, and it felt, in the end – well, a few weeks later – I was thinking, ‘do we want to win it there in a half-empty stadium or you want to win it in Rome? Do you know what I mean?
"Istanbul was OK, I suppose. But when City get beat, I can’t watch Match of the Day. Or the highlights, at least until we have won the next week. I won’t read any of the papers, it is like it doesn’t exist."
“When I go to the home games, I might be in a box with the Chairman and all that, but when I go away, I go on the terraces with the lads.
“Some of the new generation of City fans are so funny. Some of the new songs are funny as hell.
“The Fleetwood Mac ‘Everywhere’ one… when I first heard it, when it gets to the ‘whoooooo’… it proves it is possible to hear 8,000 people singing individually a different note at the same time and it is unbelievable.
“Whoever comes up with these songs are geniuses – and it’s funny how John Stones gets a mention in every song!
“When we went to Chelsea away this season, me and my two lads, we were beside a guy who was about my age and from the first whistle to the last he was drunk and he was going all the way through singing, ‘Johnny, Johnny Stones!” for 90 minutes and in-between my two lads, he’s going ‘Johnny, Johnny Stones - come on Noel!’
“In the end if you can’t beat them you may as well join them! But I think there is a new generation of City fans who are coming up with great, songs that are funny and they are hardcore, man.”
And on hearing the Ederson version of the Oasis classic ‘She’s Electric’?
“There is no greater respect than respect from the terraces,” smiles Noel. “There is no greater respect. You can take your Grammys and Brit Awards your Ivor Novella’s and they mean nothing in comparison.”
Part 2 of our exclusive Noel Gallagher interview will feature next month...
OK, it's Noel again...
As we continue to look back over the City Mag covers from the past - when it was in print format - we come to a landmark moment.
Covers don't just happen, they are the most important consideration of any magazine and for its editor.
Almost always, it should be your lead interview, but occasionally it will represent a moment in time, whether that's a seasonal opportunity, tribute or trophy shot - and during the City Magazine's physical existence, the only trophy secured was the 1999 play-off final victory over Gillingham.
Today, we'd be spoiled for choice.
Back to the cover in question.
Securing Noel Gallagher was a big deal back in January 2009 (as it still is).
We'd tried for a number of years to get an interview and finally, we managed it.
The one thing we wouldn't get was our own photo shoot and those instances, you are at the mercy of the publicity shots you are sent by the subject's management.
With Noel, a pretty cool-looking guy, you can't fail so the chosen image became our New Year cover and, it was also the first time we'd a non-City player on the front (if memory serves!).
Of course, as the magazine was then produced at the Manchester Evening News, we had to get approval from the Club at the monthly meeting.
Fortunately, they were as supportive as always and a few months later, the two-man City Magazine staff became Manchester City employees as the publication went 'in-house'.
So, now you know!
For this edition of the Mixed Grilling let me introduce you to DAN BURKE. Those of you who devour the written word about MCFC or possibly run an ear over football-related Podcasts might well know of Dan.
Here are his own words to describe the Dan Burke in question...
"Dan is a Manchester-born, Berlin-based football journalist, lifelong City fan and music lover."
Brief and succinct! OK... with that - its over the the man himself…
Earliest memory of going to a football match?
My first game was a dour 0-0 draw between City and Leeds at Maine Road in the 1995/96 season. We of course went on to get relegated that year. It wasn't the best first impression I have to say.
Most peculiar or memorable thing at a football match?
When City were trailing 2-1 to QPR on that famous final day in May 2012 I got so upset and frustrated that I was actually going to leave the stadium and go home. On my way out I popped to the toilet and while I was in there I suddenly remembered back to being a kid at Wembley in May 1999 and my dad wanting to leave when we were 2-0 down to Gillingham. I begged him to stay and the rest is history. Remembering that made me decide to go back to my seat in 2012 and of course we all know what happened next. That's how close I came to missing the most iconic moment in City's history. I like to think I had some kind of epiphany at the urinal that day.
If I could go back in time?
That 3-2 defeat to United in 2018 still rankles. Of course we won the league that year anyway and we've had many brilliant days watching City since, but we might never get the chance to beat our rivals and seal the title like that again. The fact we were 2-0 up at half-time and missed loads of chances was so frustrating, but never mind.
Most memorable City goal?
Aside from the obvious ones, my favourite City goal is still Niclas Jensen's volley against Leeds in 2003. I'm still not sure I've ever seen anyone strike a ball as cleanly as that, and the way it left his boot and arced into the far corner was just beautiful. I watched it live from the North Stand at the other end of the ground and the bloke behind me jumped on my head when it went in. It was that good.
Have you ever met one of your City heroes?
At the end of last year, Shaun Wright-Phillips came over to Berlin as part of City's global trophy tour and I interviewed him for a podcast. He was super cool, funny and down to earth and he didn't laugh too hard when I confessed that I cried when he joined Chelsea in 2005 (I was 18 at the time). Later that night we also watched City play a Champions League match in a bar together with a few other people. All in all it was a dream encounter.
Memories of the last match at Maine Road?
I remember City losing in typical City fashion at the time, but nobody really cared. It was like a funeral in some ways with grown men in puddles of tears all around me, but also a celebration and the closing of a beautiful chapter in the club's history. I also remember Badly Drawn Boy telling the Southampton fans who'd stayed to watch the farewell concert to "do one". It was a very Mancunian day in all sorts of ways, I'm pretty sure it rained too.
Emotions as you left the ground?
I just remember thinking "Take it all in because you will never come back here again". It was a surreal and deeply sad feeling because I loved Maine Road and am so nostalgic for all the character-building days I spent there in my youth. I later went to sixth form college in Hulme and often on my lunch break I would wander down to Maine Road and watch it slowly being torn down from behind a fence while listening to The Smiths on my CD walkman. I also used to take the 109 bus back to Wythenshawe down Princess Parkway and I used to love that you could look down Parkside Road and see the top of the Kippax. Then one day I looked and you couldn't see it anymore. Awful.
What do you miss about Maine Road?
The sights, sounds and smells, walking down those little alleyways and dodging horse muck, and also being able to go right up to the players and ask for their autograph when they got out of their cars. Everything has changed so much, not all of it for the better.
Most disastrous away game?
I was in the United end at Old Trafford when Michael Owen scored that scandalously late winner in the derby in 2009. Later that same season I was in the home end at Old Trafford again when Wayne Rooney scored the winner in the last minute of extra time in the Carling Cup semi-final. The luck I've had could make a good man bad.
Favourite City player?
Shaun Goater. He's not the most talented player City have ever had but for his endeavour, his passion for the club and the way he played with a smile on his face, I'll always love him dearly. Pablo Zabaleta is a very close second on the list for pretty much the same reasons.
City player in a pub quiz team?
I have a feeling Rodri would be a fountain of knowledge after his university education and he'd be the coolest man in the pub if the quiz went to a tie break.
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