But as fans pick over the wreckage of their side's continuing failure to master Middlesbrough in the Premiership, they would do well not to dwell on the negatives.
Eighth place in the Premiership, having spent only '100,000 this season, is a decent enough conclusion to the campaign and there is much to look forward to when hostilities resume next August.
This game will be remembered for Robbie Fowler's missed injury-time penalty and Rob Styles inept, heavy-handed refereeing, but both are mere stitches in a tapestry that is the bigger Blue picture.
A draw didn't get City into Europe but it extended to eight games their unbeaten run under boss Stuart Pearce - the best in the top flight for 15 years - dragged them to their best Premiership finish and set down important markers for the next campaign.
The improvement in the Blues has been nothing short of startling since Pearce took over and if the manager buys some attacking pace in the summer there is no reason why City cannot do an Everton next season and by-pass the delights of the UEFA Cup and instead head straight for the Champions League.
Vital
As for Fowler, the most sensitive soul in the Blues dressing room, rehabilitation should be swift - after all he has the right man in charge of him to talk through the footballing agony of missing a vital penalty.
Pearce, of course, famously missed one in a World Cup semi-final shoot-out and managed to do the same for City in the last game of the First Division championship-winning campaign when he only needed one goal for his 100.
It was Pearce, too, who helped talk former England teammate Gareth Southgate through the agony of not scoring from the spot when the pressure was at its greatest and, in any case, judging by the reception afforded to Fowler as he did his lap of recognition with his three children, his injury-time miss is already forgiven and forgotten.
`Join the club' was Pearce's personal way of declaring that no blame should be attached to the striker who stuck his effort well enough but at a nice height for the giant Mark Schwarzer to assume the hero's mantle.
As they had done in their previous two outings, City leapt from the traps greyhounds with their tails on fire, though, unlike the wins over Portsmouth and Villa, they didn't find the opposition defence in such generous mood.
The closest the Blues - decked out in their new away kit - came to a goal in the opening exchanges came in the first minute when Kiki Musampa's fiercely driven cross was touched for a corner as it sped past Schwarzer and across the six-yard box.
Antoine Sibierski threatened something similar from the other side of the area but this time no-one got a touch on the centre.
Shaun Wright-Phillips ought to have put the Blues into the lead in the 16th minute, but after accomplishing all the hard work in the middle of the pitch and striding on to a wonderfully timed pass from Fowler, the impish England man flicked the ball over the Aussie custodian but it flew wide of the far post.
There was no such radar failure in the 24th minute when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink found the top corner from 30-yards.
Fowler, for whom this was a day to forget, was harshly judged to have fouled the enigmatic Dutchman who had dithered over a free-kick just seconds earlier.
David James had a reasonable sight of Hasselbaink's scorcher as it rose past Danny Mills' right ear, but even a flying dive and a full extension of the right arm were not enough to prevent the ball almost breaking the bar in two and bouncing down into the net.
City found themselves behind for the first time in their record-equalling seven-match unbeaten run and they were also frustrated by the two ranks of four zealously guarding the Boro goal. The Teessiders, who have never tasted defeat against the Blues since the Premiership's inception, had come for a draw - hence the demotion of England winger Stuart Downing to the bench.
Joey Barton and Sylvain Distin both received cautions from fussy referee Styles as the frustration grew, though to even things up the official also took the names of four Middlesbrough players. If there was a Champions League for yellow cards then ton-up kid Styles would make the latter stages with something to spare.
But even the card-sharp couldn't spoil a rip-roaring, full-blooded encounter that exploded into life in the first minute of the second period when Kiki Musampa - possibly in his last game for the Blues, though hopefully not - nipped on to Barton's pass, held off Ugo Ehiogu and drilled a shot through the keeper.
Extend
It was the Dutchman's third goal of his stay since agreeing a short-term loan from Atletico Madrid. Now Pearce will be hoping to extend that by another 12 months.
City remained the better side for the rest of the contest but couldn't find a way past Schwarzer again and Pearce showed his gambler's instincts by sending James up front.
It unsettled Boro but didn't pay off in terms of a goal though it did give Nick Weaver a first Premiership appearance of the season and he showed he has not lost his sharpness by saving well with his feet from substitute Downing.
All then rested on the penalty, awarded for a clear handball by Queudrue, and Fowler's first miss from the spot for the club. However, when the dust settled it will be clear that the Blues missed out on Europe because of five home defeats and five draws on their own patch previous to this contest.
One senses it will be different next term. Tweet
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ha ha ha ha ha trust old man Fowler to miss that penalty ha ha ha B#40,000 a week and he cant hit a decent shot from 12 yards, thank you for the laugh Fowler you are PAST IT ha ha ha oh if Nistelrooy gets a penalty in the FA CUP FINAL YES he will stick it away ha ha ha ha 29 YEARS ha ha ha
Spot on Chris Bailey (no pun intended) and if we fans feel bad, just imagine how Robbie Fowler must have felt.
I can't wait for August (Well July if you count the friendlies)
However, I understand that we may still qualify for a UEFA Cup place should Liverpool win the Champions League, as they may still be given entry into the Champions League next season.
Has anyone else heard this?
Hell yes! Next spell.
All SP needs (in my opinion ofcourse) to do is get that young Icelander, another 1 or 2 young foreign strikers, kull some old donkeys, capitalise on playing through our youth program (Ismael, SWP, Croft....) and loan Kiki.
NOT BIG SPENDING. oops, off track there - 05/06 is high times!!!
Fred the Red
The teacher will be mad that you missed school today to come in here with your childish remarks.
Think we,ll do well with a much fitter Kiki & a pacey striker,anyone see Camara take the mick outta 'the worlds greatest center half'again,quality!
Fred. Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha. Glazier. Ha. Should be passing you on our way up as you start moving down.Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Hang on, looks like I'm becoming as much of a literary genius as Fred. Better stop this before it becomes habit forming and everyone just mistakes me for a prat, eh Fred? Well done City, turned round our season. Fairplay to SP. Head up Robbie. Looking forward to next season. Full of pride. CTID.
Fred the Red - another reason to be cheerful next season will be watching you lot sink under the weight of your debts. Read the next bit carefully: YOUR INTEREST PAYMENTS EACH YEAR WILL BE ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO OUR TOTAL DEBT. At that rate, if RvN steps up to take a penalty he will be in his bare feet and underpants cos you'll have sold everything else and won't even be able to afford the paint for the penalty spot.
Fred The Rag I would have thought you'd have more important things to worry about than Fowler's poor pen with your team (er, sorry, business concern) being sold down the ship canal. Hope you enjoy watching your 'soccer' in the Nike Arena next term while being charged 60 quid a game for the honour. Prawn sandwiches? More like chilli dogs.
Nice one Fred! Love to see you just pop one through my oz mate Schwarzer! Fowler is the man and next season, hopefully(?) with the aid of a quick little out-and-out striker, will be very successful next spell. Well done Robbie for the season....you nugget.
Good performance and definately the makings of a good team but again showed our lacking of a good striker. 60% posession but only one goal. This game should have been well won before the penalty. If SWP / defence stays and we sign a good striker i'll look forward to next season even more.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Malcolm Glazier ha ha er D'OH!
Fred the Red your club is now in the hands of Glazer (he now has more than 75% of the shares) and only time will tell what will happen to the club as a business let alone the soul of the club. One issue that is not in doubt is Glazer's intention to move debt to the business and secure this against the assets. I understand that the debt level will be anywhere between B#250m and B#500m. There is little chance that he has managed to get this debt for less than 10% per annum. I understand that the loans are interest bearing for the first five years after which repayments will start. The interest payments will be between B#25m and B#50m a year before the capital repayments start! You've got increasing prices right across the board and commercalism to the extreme to look forward to and the name of the ground will be sold to the highest bidder! It's the beginning of the end...I've been laughing my socks off for over a week now and can't see when it's going to stop! Anyone else feel the same?
Whoever made the decision to wear that awful strip should be shot. I was looking forward to cheering on the SKY BLUES & felt sick to see us play a silly commercial prank like that. I know many fellow BLUES agreed & some didn't but the fact is a large section of the crowd were unhappy about it before we have even kicked a ball in such an important game. No complaints, Boro were well organised & we gave it a good go but that strip is shocking. One observer told me afterwards that SWP actually passed the ball to the ref in one instance. Come on you (sky) blues!
Fred...I'm about 16000miles away from you and still hear your fear! Glazer D'oh alright! Poor bugger!
Fred - look at the comments on our site - most of us are so philosophical about yesterday 'cos we know it bodes very well for us next season as opposed to the big black cloud that looms on your horizon. So pack up yer laughing policeman gear and get back to your crisis club whilst we look forward to becoming the biggest club in Manchester, oops, we already are, Manchester and Trafford then.
Fred - You'd better learn to spell your saviour's name properly (it's G-L-A-Z-E-R) or he may not let you pay B#100 per year for the privilege of being able to even apply for a ticket. On the other hand you don't even seem to know where you live so I appreciate spelling might not be your strong point.
Number 6 please correct me if I'm wrong but round 85-87' we had that 'dark blue' thing happening? Just checking
In all honesty I think it's for the best we didn't get in Europe. Last time we got there unprepared it cost us our league form. Couple that with a new manager and I doubt we need it on our plate. Building on our last 8 games is paramount. Aim for top 6 next season if the form continues.
As for Fred the Red, why not just ignore his comments? He's talking nonsense anyway, the last pen Ruud took against Arsenal was missed, so who says he wuld score if they get one in the final? Like most United fans he's just attempting to making himself feel better about united's fortunes (on and off the pitch - got to be their weakest season end for years) by focusing on us. Let him have his fun, it doesn't make up for his own team's failings.
Sandy from Dublin makes me laugh he writes about Fowler being fresh for next season etc ha ha ha he'll be older and slower next season and I suggest he practices taking penalties as well cos the one he BADLY missed on Sundat has cost City a million quid ha ha ha oh and by the way fred the red is spot laughing at you bitters cos YOU ARE SO FUNNY and your delusions of a Eufa cup place went up in smoke against a very average team ha ha ha
...and by the way I take no pleasure in the Glazer situation. It's bad for football as a whole.
I do enjoy the fact the only joy United get this season (once again) is to try and laugh at us because their own team have massively under-acheived yet again.
How can they make fun of a team who has just got it's best ever Premiership finish and was unbeaten for the last 8 games of the season.
Now everyone, don't be harsh on Fred the Rag, for someone from Singapore his English isn't THAT bad (or is he from Norway?), thick red muppet!!
WE have every reason to look forward to next season, we are a team on the up, whilst the band of mercaneries from Salford Quay Buccaneers will be on the phone to their agents as we speak, demanding a move away from Stretford. After all, Rio can't POSSIBLY play for only B#100,000 per week...you can hear the cries from the dressing rooms now "I'm an overpaid poncy footballer....GET ME OUT OF HERE" (great idea for a tv programme?)
"Blue Moon..you saw me standing alone"
Great performance by all and a great end to the season (they're never dull at City!). I'm really feeling optimistic about next season under SP. Mr. Wardle needs to release some of this seasons prize money to SP to strengthen though.
===
On another note, the marketing genius that forced City to play a crucial last game of the season in an unfamiliar 2nd strip, should be shot. We can't use it as an excuse, but I am sure it didn't help. Hopefully the unpopularity of this move (and strip) will result in the afore mentioned genius being forced to service wash the reserve and youth team kits for the whole of next season by way of an apology to the entire club.
Gerry - I like a man with a sense of humour. Coming from Brentford (the only place that makes Feltham look sophisticated) you would need one.
The reds had better keep it shut for a little bit longer because if Liverpool win their 5th European title (something that will really upset them) then UEFA will have to look at allowing them into the Champs league next year therefore freeing up their UEFA cup spot! There is then the possibility of that being handed to the team that finished 8th in the Prem . . . The most significant result of them all, from City's perspective yesterday, could prove to be Spurs failure to beat Blackburn that meant that we claimed that all important 8th spot! It aint over yet folks!
Does the fact Glazer has piled his debt on to Man U's books, mean that city are more secure than them ??? Richer ??? I think so