Eight years after he left Old Trafford, David Beckham still knows how to get people talking in Manchester. The former United midfielder’s put-downs directed at City have sent fans of both clubs flocking to the M.E.N. website, the blogs, Twitter and the fans’ messageboards to have their say.
Beckham insisted that while the Blues have more money to spend on star names, they cannot match the Reds’ history.
But City boss Roberto Mancini responded by stating that he wants to make history in the Blue half of Manchester by collecting a few more trophies to add to last season’s FA Cup.
As the battle to be top dog in the city hots up, Beckham will get the chance to see for himself how the Blues and Reds compare over the coming days.
His LA Galaxy side take on City tomorrow night (9pm, UK time) at the Home Depot Stadium in Los Angeles.
Then he will cross from west coast to east to be part of an MLS All-Stars team that face United at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey (2am Thursday, UK time).
Ahead of those two games, M.E.N. Sport asked United hero Alex Stepney and City legend Tony Book for their thoughts on Beckham’s comments.
Alex Stepney
You shouldn’t need to ask me which of the two Manchester clubs I think will finish higher in the league next season!
City may have forced their way into the top four now, but I still think United have too much for them.
David Beckham says United are the best team in England, and I’d agree with that. It looks as if Sir Alex Ferguson is trying to make one more really big signing this summer to give the squad that little extra edge – and then take them to the top again.
Everybody acknowledges that City are a threat now, though.
They’ve qualified for the Champions League and, as the richest club in the world, they can go out and compete for the top players.
What they don’t have yet is the experience of balancing the demands of the Premier League with the Champions League. Is their squad good enough to rest certain players at different times?
Sir Alex Ferguson has proved himself a master at rotating the squad to ensure everyone stays fresh. It’s the real test of a manager’s mettle. Roberto Mancini has proved himself by winning Serie A titles in Italy, but he has never won the Champions League, so he is facing a big challenge now.
Beckham was right to point out that United have been far more successful than City over the past 20 years. Although, because of his Old Trafford connections, I think there might have been a part of him that said it just to wind up City’s fans as well!
It’s certainly going to be fascinating to see how the two clubs get on next season. It takes me back to the rivalry the two clubs had in the late 1960s, when we were competing against each other for trophies.
That period, from around 1966 to 1970, was a great time for both clubs, and I think we’ve got that happening again now.
You’ll certainly see both teams fighting it out at the top of the Premier League this season. It’s effectively two leagues in one now, with a top six of United, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool, and all the rest battling to make sure they don’t get sucked into the relegation scrap.
It’s great for Manchester that both teams are serious title contenders again. But I’ll be a lot happier if the team in Red have their hands on the big trophies come May. And I think there’s every chance they will.
Tony Book
David Beckham needs to go back a little further if he wants to talk about history. City may not have been winning trophies when he was growing up, but they’ve had some very successful times.
I suspect that Beckham is looking back to the 1990s, when he was making his way into the United side and they were starting to win things on a regular basis. It’s true that City went an awful long time without winning a trophy, and perhaps that’s what was on his mind when he made his comments.
There are City fans in their 30s who had gone their whole lives without the club winning anything until last season.
But the fact is that there have been long periods in the past when City have been the top side in Manchester. I remember in the 1960s and 70s, City were not only
winning trophies, they were beating United on a regular basis. When I played, we always used to enjoy those derby games.
They weren’t always the best matches, because there was so much at stake, but we got the right result more often than not.
And more to the point, we won the trophies to go with it. We beat United to the league title in 1968, won the FA Cup in 1969 and both the League Cup and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1970.
In addition to that, we qualified for Europe more times during the 1970s than United did. So City have got the history, and now they’ve got everything in place to build for a new era of success. All of us who follow the club are hoping that winning the FA Cup is just the start.
City are certainly capable of competing with United now, and of surpassing them too.
They have proved that they deserve to stand with the best in the Premier League. And having finished third last season, I believe the platform is there for them to make a challenge for the title. I’d also have to take issue with Beckham’s knock about the amount of money City have spent on players. The best players do not come cheaply in the modern game, and the fact is that is you want to compete at the top, you have to be prepared to spend.
If you look back over the years, the most successful teams in the Premier League have always paid big fees for players. United have done it in the past, so have Chelsea. I’d have thought Beckham would remember that. Perhaps he needs a history lesson!
What do you think? Have your say.
Two legends tell Mike Whalley the Reds and Blues could compete for trophies like they did in the 60s and 70s
July 23, 2011
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poor dave thinks football only started in the 90's
never been known for being clever has mr beckham.seeems he failed geography and history,maybe his maths is better as he must have had a lot of practice counting the american dollars he went chasing rather than playing football at a decent level.
Give Hull 400 million and they could buy a trophy too. L.U.H.C................................
How far back do we have to go ?
60 years for example, which equates to 58 seasons. United finished 48 times above City.
United have won the FA cup 9 times City 3 times, League Cup 4 times City 2 times, Euro/Champs Lge United 3 City 0 ,
I wont embarrass the Blues with League titles
Add to that the superior attendance records, that go back further than 60 years, even the most ardent City fan will agree, MUFC have dominated football, between the 2 clubs. ps all my stats are facts and can easily be verified on the 2 clubs websites.
Come on, who's is really interested in what he thinks? He is hardly one of the game's great thinkers. Its just a publicity stunt to keep brand "Beckham" in the headlines. Lets see how many posts we get on this theme.
Can't really take a guy seriously after he calls his newborn seven. To be fair to David though, I never did take him seriously any time.
Between 1968 to 1978, City were the best team in Manchester even if we weren't the bigger club. We won more trophies,more derbies and usually finished higher in the league. Fact!
The trouble with modern day players is that when they refer to "history", they usually mean only as far back as THEY can remember.
No one can argue with the difference in level of success of both clubs over the last 25 years, but history is just that - the past.
The only thing that is relevant now is the present and the future. We have our first success under our belts now with our first trophy for 35 years (grudging acceptance by media & pundits) and now we have a great chance to build our own dynasty which all our detractors in the game can't or won't accept
To be fair to Beckham, I heard the interview and it wasn't quite as vitriolic as the paper articles make out. He's an ex-rag, still a fan, so of course his views are going to be totally biased and predictable.
Everything goes in cycles including football success, and I believe we are at the start of a great new one for our club. Sorry rags,bin dippers etc , but that's just life - get over it
No Silva socks football re.United and trophies started in 1908 ,and carried on to date with 40 major pieces of silverware,and no I am not counting Community/Charity Shields,or FA Youth Cups!
I am one of the so called rags who would love the challenge. MANCHESTER..... FOOTBALL CAPITAL OF BRITAIN !!!! Home of the title winners and cup holders.....must be mellowing !!!!!.Stick that in your pie+mash.
Well thought out response from "Sir" Tony Book. Beckham was a young cockney, like most of today's United fans history for them began in the 1990s.
It is obvious that OUR CITY is being feared in many corners. Why would Beckham and Fergie offer their opinions; fear and envy occupy their thoughts.
BLUE MOON RISING!
60s Citys best time ever, but outshone by United who won more trophies and also won THE TROPHY.
70s Not much to write about when it comes to winning for both clubs. But ok, from two mediocre teams, City were the best over all in this period. Should be noted that United had a higher average attendence when in the 2. tier. Not to mention at most times in history.
80s Still mediocre. But United won most and had some high profile players + beeing among the top 4 more often than not.
90s No comment needed. SAF.
00s No comment needed SAF.
And to all you City fans that keep on using the argument that United went more years than City without winning a trophy: PLEASE deduct the years of war = no football and you will see its only 26 years versus your 35 years.
sick and tired of golden balls and yerni'ed. Is he the stupidest man on the planet? have yerni'ed spent millions over the years buying players? did bacon face start the trend of buying big in one hit( look back to when he bought Pallister, Bruce, Ince, Webb, Keane, Ferdinand, Cantona,etc...all of which raised eyebrows for their fees.
Have City spent more than those scouse door knobs over the years...NO! when is the journalism going to improve????
Well dressed up tony,"But the fact is that there have been long periods in the past when City have been the top side in Manchester. I remember in the 1960s and 70s, City were not only
winning trophies, they were beating United on a regular basis. When I played, we always used to enjoy those derby games. I think you mean after the mid 1960s, your fans had dwindled away steadily after 1949 plummeting to an all time low in 1965 ... Manchester deserters clubs finest hour not even 15 thousand weekly gate . Although as city put together a fine team and the chance of silverware loomed their glory hunting fans came rolling back . Manchester city did indeed had a great and formidable side and gained just rewards . They continued to have a very good team until just after the mid seventies to late seventies. You can actually match this pattern with good sides with city's weekly attendances. Their weekly gate rose steadily from their ghost town 1965 climbing into the 30 thousands in the 1970s jumping a couple of thousand in their last two seasons after their league cup win and in 1978 city's highest weekly gate 41 thousand 7 hundred their highest since 1949 . But guess what happened next?.....yep their team went into decline..( ie slim chance of silverware ) and so did their weekly gates. The Manchester deserters football club's fans rewarded their club golden period with their blue class ....disappearing by the thousands , plummeting weekly gates into the 20 thousand pluses for the ..the next TWO DECADES! ( 19888..not even 20 thousand weekly gate and 1995 22 thousand weekly gate.....TRULY SHAMEFUL! ) . After the news that city would be moving to a new stadium because they were broke and couldn't modernise maine road...guess what Manchester deserters club's fans were back in business. Obviously thinking their may be some cash to build a better team....ie some silverware possibility....the weekly gate began to rise in 2000 it finally rose above 30 thousand. In 2004 it actually rose above their 1978 weekly gate , only a mere twenty five years later! Of course the gates started to drop again mid noughties as there didn't seem to be any silverware on the horizon down to 36 thousand as the blue glory hunters showed their class. But just as the deserters had started their mass exodus again, hope arrived, ie money and the chance of silverware ? City's weekly gates were saved...hurrah! The glory hunting fans of Manchester deserters club were back in force. No offence is meant toward the 20 plus thousand true blues who stuck it out in the 80s,90s they will not be tainted by the blue glory hunters shame. One last thing yes city did have a great team , no one said they hadn't back then, although even if they did qualify more times for Europe ..Manchester united managed to win the title and then the holy grail of club football ...the European cup ..and transcended into football gods in that time ...not too shabby! So blues enjoy your history , but the world moves on . our own ancient history in the 1960s and earlier is remembered fondly but we are also preoccupied with our RECENT and CURRENT HISTORY MAKING ACHIEVEMENTS......ps the blues fans will never be like reds fans...too true! united fans would never betray and desert their club the way the blue glory hunters did in the 60s,,80s,90s
Well said Tony, spot on.
Deluded bitters again he only stated the obvious!! you lot will go thinking youre bigger than Everton and Villa etc now you bought your first trophy in 35 years.
Revenge is a dish best served cold
23 October 2011
28 April 2012
Can't wait!
Well dressed up tony,"But the fact is that there have been long periods in the past when City have been the top side in Manchester. I remember in the 1960s and 70s, City were not only
winning trophies, they were beating United on a regular basis. When I played, we always used to enjoy those derby games. I think you mean after the mid 1960s, your fans had dwindled away steadily after 1949 plummeting to an all time low in 1965 ... Manchester deserters clubs finest hour not even 15 thousand weekly gate . Although as city put together a fine team and the chance of silverware loomed their glory hunting fans came rolling back . Manchester city did indeed had a great and formidable side and gained just rewards . They continued to have a very good team until just after the mid seventies to late seventies. You can actually match this pattern with good sides with city's weekly attendances. Their weekly gate rose steadily from their ghost town 1965 climbing into the 30 thousands in the 1970s jumping a couple of thousand in their last two seasons after their league cup win and in 1978 city's highest weekly gate 41 thousand 7 hundred their highest since 1949 . But guess what happened next?.....yep their team went into decline..( ie slim chance of silverware ) and so did their weekly gates. The Manchester deserters football club's fans rewarded their club golden period with their blue class ....disappearing by the thousands , plummeting weekly gates into the 20 thousand pluses for the ..the next TWO DECADES! ( 19888..not even 20 thousand weekly gate and 1995 22 thousand weekly gate.....TRULY SHAMEFUL! ) . After the news that city would be moving to a new stadium because they were broke and couldn't modernise maine road...guess what Manchester deserters club's fans were back in business. Obviously thinking their may be some cash to build a better team....ie some silverware possibility....the weekly gate began to rise in 2000 it finally rose above 30 thousand. In 2004 it actually rose above their 1978 weekly gate , only a mere twenty five years later! Of course the gates started to drop again mid noughties as there didn't seem to be any silverware on the horizon down to 36 thousand as the blue glory hunters showed their class. But just as the deserters had started their mass exodus again, hope arrived, ie money and the chance of silverware ? City's weekly gates were saved...hurrah! The glory hunting fans of Manchester deserters club were back in force. No offence is meant toward the 20 plus thousand true blues who stuck it out in the 80s,90s they will not be tainted by the blue glory hunters shame. One last thing yes city did have a great team , no one said they hadn't back then, although even if they did qualify more times for Europe ..Manchester united managed to win the title and then the holy grail of club football ...the European cup ..and transcended into football gods in that time ...not too shabby! So blues enjoy your history , but the world moves on . our own ancient history in the 1960s and earlier is remembered fondly but we are also preoccupied with our RECENT and CURRENT HISTORY MAKING ACHIEVEMENTS......ps the blues fans will never be like reds fans...too true! united fans would never betray and desert their club the way the blue glory hunters did in the 60s,,80s,90s
more than a history lesson, an education would help!!
I cannot believe that the berties are so bitter that they don't mind thorwing mud at a person who has done so much for England just because the guy was negative about their club. The guy is a United fan, what did they expect him to say?
Banter is all right, but a line has to be drawn, The bertie response, as always, shows a complete lack of class. In their attempts to prove Beckham wrong, they have simply added weight to his argument. City will never trump United because City fans cannot get rid of their infantile obsession with United/
The CURRENT REIGNING CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND will be ready for business at the start of the season . Why bother to reason with the new glory hunting fans of Manchester deserters football club. I've already explained in another post they deal in BLUE FICTION! When reality doesn't fit they simply invent their own version. More blues than reds eh! Ask them to explain their appalling weekly gates in the 1960s ,1980s,1990s when half their fans deserted and there is ...SILENCE! You can't change black and white statistics ,the truth, so therefore not a single reply. The blues rely on propaganda and myth due to ..the facts don't fit the fiction. To enter into reasoned debate with the harold camping brigade of city fans is a pointless exercise , after all the have been predicting " this is our season for the last two! .....one last thing......European Cup and UEFA Champions League records and statistics...England is the only country with teams who have won the Cup from four different cities:
Liverpool, Liverpool
Manchester, Manchester United
Nottingham, Nottingham Forest
Birmingham, Aston Villa............. of course the rest of the world is wrong!.....blue fiction is right!
david embarrassing himself again i see!!!! United bought many many many trophies over the past 20 years, at the time no one could afford the likes of andy cole, yorke, ruud, rio, wayne rooney, the list goes on and on.....
The thing people like Beckham have to realise is that starting next season, the slate is clean again & the past doesn't matter.
The League Title & FA Cup are statistics and the better club will be the one that finishes highest in the league.
What makes next season really interesting is that City started to show some real consistency at the end of last season and win when they needed to to get that 3rd spot.
City fans are all to well aware that past City teams would have been undone by the usual City in consistency.
And I think what probably spurred Fergie into the transfer market more than anything was the realisation that in the last 2 Derby games that City were clearly the better team.
The question this season is can City carry on the end of season consistency and continue to win games week in, week out with the rigours of Chumps League.
And be able to rotate NDJ when we need to - I think City could well have been in the mix with a fit De Jong through our lean periods in Jan & Feb when his protective services were taken from us through injury.
3 big signings could well make City a different proposition altogether by allowing player rotation, creativity, goals and ability to rotate defensive players through the season:
# Nasri / Mata / Pastore - take your pick
# Aguero
# De Rossi
As a United fan i would like to tell Beckham to shut up.The most overhyped,overrated footballer of the last twenty years with the brain power of a tennis racket.I live in the states and have watched his performances for LA Galaxy and believe me he has been a massive failure.I go back to the night he received an award from the BBC for his contribution to English football from Gary Lineker,a man that did more for the countrys team than that clown ever did.Hes a fraud and the papers that actually print his drivel are even worse.
Kippax i am not mocking the loyal blues but there was only 20 plus thousand of them . Check my statistics ...they're accurate . I believe the blues started all the " more blues than reds " fiction. I just point to the the inescapable evidence of your weekly gates that it's complete rubbish , a myth using the old adage... if you keep repeating it enough some people will start to believe it. Just yesterday i was on the train returning home when a couple of seats up there was a young lad aged about 11ish. His mum ( i think ) and dad had bought him a Manchester city shirt . He took it out of the bag and held it up to light proudly. He then excitedly began telling the lady about city etc . After a time he said " there's more blues than reds isn't there dad " to which his dad replied " Yes there is son " . Tears yes tears welled up in my eyes , as i thought to myself .....how can he lie to child like this , to his son of all people , perpetuating a barefaced lie ! I consoled myself , thinking he's obviously one of the new blue glory hunters ...because if he had been going to maine road through the years he would have known it 's a downright lie with their truly appalling weekly attendances ...not one or two bad years but decades of desertion! As i got up to leave the train i thought to myself " Hey kid , look up your clubs weekly gates for the last 50 years or so ,and see all those true blues who weren't there and the small group of real supporters who were.But i didn't have the heart to crush his dream , i reasoned ......he'll get that all time at the etihad stadium! .......by the way you say you were at maine road and those abysmal weekly gates of that season were due to rebuilding ...then can you explain the fact that your maximum capacity was in fact 32 thousand at that time ( look it up, it's true ) and your ridiculous gates were in fact just plain desertion of the loyalist fans in the land ( your fans term for themselves by the way ) look at the pattern through the decades it is a repeating cycle of desertion in the bad times.If these fans are not glory hunters , then what are they and why did around half your fans stop attending over years upon years and decade after decade. The evidence is cast iron and undeniable which can only prove this conclusion....1 city has a following of twenty odd thousand real fans ......the rest are glory hunters who desert in the bad times.......2 there is and always has been more united fans in Manchester than Manchester city fans ...how else do you explain our weekly gates through the decades ,when as you blues like to point out in the 70s, 80s we couldn't get near the title and only picked up fa cups here and there. Where were your vast legions of supporters , because they weren't at your ground watching city...the city myth is totally debunked.
Great article in, of all places, the Express on-line:
http://www.express.co.uk/ourcomments/view/260728/Jim-Holden