For Ricky Hatton there was only ever one choice. The former two-weight world champion is almost as famous for being a die-hard Blue as he is for being one of the best pound-for-pound boxers Britain has ever produced.
A City fan virtually from the moment he could talk, the 32-year-old Hyde Hitman has never made a secret of where his loyalties lie.
But it is a measure of his unique appeal outside of the ring that his football leanings never affected his widespread popularity among his fans.
Hatton’s allegiance is easy to understand. His father, Ray, played for City’s reserves in the 1960s and his grandfather was a B team player before the War.
Hatton even harboured dreams of running out at Maine Road himself when he played for the club’s school of excellence as a boy before focusing his attentions on the ring.
This member of boxing royalty always had blue blood in his veins.
Hatton says: “As long as I can remember I’ve always supported City. It runs in the family.
“From the minute I was old enough to understand football, I was a City fan.
“I think my brother, Matthew, is the only one in the family who’s a Red and I don’t know how that happened.
“I was always going to follow them. My dad was a reserve player, my granddad played for their B team and I was at their school of excellence as a boy, so it was pretty certain that I was going to go down the City route.
“There has always been a very strong connection with the Hatton family.
“My own son, Campbell, has been brainwashed and my girlfriend is expecting a daughter and she will be brainwashed as well.”
Hatton was unable to head to Wembley in April for City’s epic FA Cup semi final win against United.
He revealed he was heartbroken when learning the match would clash with Amir Khan’s Manchester homecoming at the MEN Arena, which his company, Hatton Promotions, was staging.
But he does remember another famous win against Sir Alex Ferguson – a match that cemented his love for City and helped numb the pain of United’s dominance during the Premier League era.
It was September 23, 1989, when a 10-year-old Hatton headed to Maine Road for the derby, which would prove one of the true highlights of his life as a blue.
David Oldfield scored twice in a 5-1 win, with Trevor Morley, Ian Bishop and Andy Hinchcliffe also on the score sheet.
Hatton said: “As a youngster, to see City thrash United – if ever there was any doubt who I would support, my decision was made there and then.
“It’s without doubt my favourite memory.
“It was the first City game I ever went to and that was it for me.”
So who would make up Hatton’s all-time dream XI in blue?
“I think it makes sense for me to pick players I’ve actually seen,” he said.
“But how can you pick a City dream team and leave out Mike Summerbee, Colin Bell and Franny Lee? I’ve seen plenty of videos of them so I’m going to have to include them.”
Even still, Hatton’s XI may surprise a few fans.
The only members of Roberto Mancini’s FA Cup-winning heroes to make it into his team are Micah Richards, Vincent Kompany and Nigel de Jong.
Hatton said: “Kompany is probably the best centre back in the Premier League at the moment. And every team needs a player like De Jong to do the dirty work.”
So that means no room for Carlos Tevez, David Silva or Yaya Toure.
“I can’t pick everyone,” added Hatton, who goes for a classic little and large combination up front.
“You’ve got to have Franny Lee in the side and I think he and Niall Quinn would have worked really well together. Quinn winning everything in the air and Lee finishing.”
Hinchcliffe and Paul Lake are the only members from the 5-1 win. Hatton explained: “What happened to Paul Lake was just heart-breaking for him and City fans.
“He should have been an England international for years to come, so to have his career ended so early by injury is the cruellest thing to happen to a professional athlete.”
One of the most difficult omissions for Hatton was the name of magical Georgian, Georgi Kinkladze.
Hatton said: “As a footballer, he did exactly what I tried to do in boxing.
“He was just pure entertainment and absolute value for money.
“Whenever he got the ball, he was one of those players who would immediately have the crowd leaning forward, waiting to see what he’d do.
“He had his quiet games as well, but when he was on form, you couldn’t wait to see what he’d do next.”
Ricky Hatton's City XI
GK: Tony Coton
RB: Micah Richards
CB: Vincent Kompany
CB: Keith Curle
LB: Andy Hinchclifee
CM: Nigel de Jong
CM: Colin Bell
CM: Paul Lake
WINGER: Mike Summerbee
CF: Francis Lee
CF: Niall Quinn
What do you think of Ricky's team? Have your say.
Ricky Hatton's Blue belters: Former boxing world champion picks his best ever Manchester City XI
June 14, 2011
Comments
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No bad, Ricky. But I think this oozes class:
GK: Bert Trautman
Defence:
CB: Tommy Booth
CB: Vincent Kompany
CB: Mike Doyle
Midfield:
CM: Colin Bell
CM: Nigel de Jong
CM: Dennis Tueart
LM: Georgi Kinkladze
RM: Mike Summerbee
Forwards:
ST: Francis Lee
ST: Carlos Tevez
Not very good. Micah Richars cant defend, Tony Book was far better. Dave Watson better than Curle, Silva better than Lake, Summerbee and Lee overrated.
what about
dave watson peter barnes dennis tueart carlos tevez joe corrigan willie donachie
gary owen uwe rossler DAVID SILVA mike doyle bert trautman neil young asa hartford
swp mike channon etc etc etc
Just Ok, he was too young to see Johnney Crossan, he could play keep ball all day.
Don't like that line up and when i see Ricky in Hyde again he better watch out for me !!
Change Paul Lake for Kinkladze
Change Mike Summerbee for Silva
Change Niall Quinn for Tevez
Tommy booth for Curle, Goater for Quinn n Kinky for De jong, even though de jong is a god.
If we're going to get into best ever team selections, it has to be:
Mulhearn
Book, Pardoe
Doyle, Heslop, Oakes
Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Young, Coleman.
sub:David Connor
They did win the 1st division, FA Cup, League Cup, Cup Winner's Cup and Charity Shield within three years. Beat that!
stick to boxing ricky.
Wheres Jo?
“But how can you pick a City dream team and leave out Mike Summerbee, Colin Bell and Franny Lee? Good point - but how can anyone then leave out Bert Trautmann? I doubt, to be honest, that Coton would figure in most people's top five City , keepers. I also think Silva, Ya Ya and Tevez are better than some of his selections... And of course no-one from the great sides of the '30s or the 1903-4 side!
Who cares?
Ricky stick to boxing, Keith Curle, one of the worst signings we ever made? And Quinn, I dont think so my son.
Ricky, why not ask City to send you on as a sub after 88 minutes when we are winning 4-0?
How could you leave out our greatest-ever full backs, Messrs See Us and Leave Us?
To say nothing of our then chaplain, Father Down?
From an old timer, allez! These are wonderful times.
FRE, spot on with Bert.
My all time city X1
Joe Corrigan
Tony Book Glynn Pardoe
Mike Doyle Dave Watson
Summerbee Bell De Jong Dennis Tueart
Crossan Lee
Subs Hart,Richards,Booth,Kompany,Barnes,Young,Marsh
dont agree with some selections,
mine are as follows:
Bert or weaver....to hard to call but based on my age, and the importance of that promotion, Nicky Weaver scrapes it.
Book, Kompany, Dunne, summerbee
Young, Bell, Kinky, Lake.
Quinny, Lee
Paul Lake goes in on potential alone, he was mr City and is still the only player that ive seen that may have rivalled king colins status at our club. Lakey had it all, could play anywhere from defence to attack, brilliant in midfield and would make the likes of lampard today look average players
Kinky goes in for pure joy he brought to us at a time when joy was thin on the ground
Quinn goes in not for goals scored but for his all round attributes, not least being a true gent and city legend
Dunne because his time was cut short at city in his prime and he was a brave leader who deserved 4 times player of the year.
The new boys like silva, tevez and toure have a long way to go to get in my team....maybe in 3 seasons when weve dominated europe and won the league
Ricky, you are too young to pick the Best Manchester City team but from a long time fan of City let me add a couple of other names that should be included;
Not in order of merit==
Frank Swift, Eric Brooke, Freddie Tilson, Sam Barkas,Don Revie, Peter Doherty, Alex Herd,, Denis Law, and Mat Busby and I am sure there are others that I cannot recall for the moment..
So as a ten year old he had doubts and only chose city cause they beat United 5-1?
Typical of the bitters, everything they do is defined by United
Not my "best" city team but "Favourite" team since 1987 (first game)
GK:
Weaver
Def:
Dunne
Kompany
Morrison
Mid:
SWP
Horlock
Kinky
Ali B
David White
CF:
The Goat
Uwe Rosler
Sub:
Hart
Edgehill
Hinchcliffe
McMahon
Silva
De Jong
Niall Quinn
Manager:
Brian Horton
Didn't see enough of Paul Lake, Horlock gave hope that anyone could be a professional footballer regardless of talent. I stand by Edgehill!!!
Who was the best player I ever saw live ie discounting tv viewing, sorry blues has to be George Best but the most entertaining player I ever saw was Rodney Marsh so therefore Rodney would have to be in my team. Although you could argue he wasn´t a team player. I´ll shut up!
I picked six different teams,from Bert, cliff sear to Roy Paul, Bobby Johnstone,Johnny Crossan,and then Bell,Lee, Summerbee, Peter Doherty, Joe Hayes, Tevez and so on and got carried away,swapping and changing,great being a Blue.
Hart
Lake Kompany Watson Donachie
Lee Bell Kinkladze Tueart
Marsh Tevez
LOL - Stick to boxing Ricky
Who gives a Flying what Hatton thinks! Just because he milked the city fan angle to build himself a fan base then betrays it by getting that foul mouthed yob and apparent best mate Rooney to parade his belt. He`s nothing to do with the club, nothing to do with football so why even ask him? May as well ask the opinion of random people in the street. Must be a slow day for news.