MIKE Doyle once scored a derby winner at the Stretford End and celebrated with a two-fingered salute.

There was no attempted pitch invasion, no missiles thrown and no stewards hurt. The only response from the howling masses of United fans behind the goal was a sea of Vs and a volley of verbal abuse - all lapped up by the City hero.

Doyle recalled the incident ahead of Sunday's derby at Old Trafford, and two days after modern-day City star Emmanuel Adebayor landed himself in hot water for running the length of the pitch in order to celebrate his goal in front of Arsenal fans.

The former City captain feels that Adebayor's reaction was possibly a little over the top, but recalls that such banter with the crowd was pretty commonplace in his day.

His taunting moment at the Stretford End came when he scored the second goal in a 2-1 league victory in 1970.

"That is my greatest derby memory," says the Reddish-born City legend, who became the man United fans loved to hate.

" I celebrated with Colin Bell in front of the Stretford End, and gave a two-fingered salute - but it was a Winston Churchill rather than anything ruder - I was just letting them know it was the second goal."

But Doyle felt there was a difference between his reaction and that of Adebayor: "I thought that was a silly thing to do, running the length of the field.

"Every single person on the Stretford End responded to me by giving me a two-fingered salute back - only their fingers were held the other way around!

"All match they had been telling me where to go, and you could have heard it in Piccadilly Gardens.

"People still hate me in Manchester because of what I said about United. I don't regret anything, not with the career I have had."

Such banter was part of the game in Doyle's era, and there was no suggestion of players being reported to stewards or the police, or needing counselling whenever a player gave them some stick back.

Teammate Mike Summerbee once enraged United fans by pretending to blow his nose on a corner flag bearing the Reds' club crest.

The Blue flame still burns steadily in Doyle's heart, even at the age of 62, and he will be on the edge of his seat when the two teams again meet to determine Manchester bragging rights on Sunday.

Doyle believes the resurgence of City means that the old derby rivalry is back with a vengeance, and not before time. And he could not resist a dig at the Reds, just for old time's sake.

"I just hope City win," he says. "I have been a Blue since I was five years of age, when my dad took me to Maine Road and then I got into the Stockport Boys team, which was when City came in for me.

"If City win 1-0 on Sunday, that will do me. It should be a fantastic occasion for Manchester and a brilliant atmosphere. It will be terrific, just like the old days. I always look forward to the derby. They are always difficult to predict. One thing I don't want to happen is for United to be relegated because I love derby games!"

His old teammate Neil Young, who scored both in the 1969 FA Cup final and the Cup Winners' Cup final the following year, says: "What has happened at City is unbelievable.

"Someone asked me whether I thought City can finish in the top four, but if you are able to afford some of the best players in the world, you should do that.

"There is no reason why, in six months' time when they have really gelled together, and have all got to know each other, we can't finish in the top four.

"If we don't win the league this year, we will definitely do it next year.

"I fancy City in the derby game, now Ronaldo and Tevez have gone from United," he said. "I don't know how United could think of letting Tevez go, because he would be first player on my teamsheet."