2011 has been an incredible year for Manchester sport. Not only are City and United dominating the domestic football scene, but Lancashire lifted the County Championship outright for the first time in 77 years, while Salford Reds and Sale Sharks saw major shake-ups.
Here we take a look back at the memorable moments of the year.
January
January 27 - FOOTBALL - Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar announced he would retire from football at the end of the season. He joined the Reds from Fulham in the 2005/06 season and became one of the club's greatest stoppers. Click
here for more.
February
February 1 - RUGBY UNION - Sale Sharks announced that former player and coach Steve Diamond would join the club as Executive Director of Sport. Click
here to read an exclusive interview with the supremo as he looks back on 2011.
February 2 - FOOTBALL - The end of an era... Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville
announced his retirement from football with immediate effect.
February 3 - FOOTBALL - Former City ace
Neil Young lost his battle with cancer.
Februrary 12 - FOOTBALL - Wayne Rooney scored the winner in last season's Manchester derby at Old Trafford with a
stunning overhead kick to give United a 2-1 win.
March
March 3 - FOOTBALL - Manchester City defender Kolo Toure was suspended from playing after testing positive for a "specified substance". The ban was later set at six months, backdated to March 2. Read how Kolo contemplated quitting the game
here.
March 31 - RUGBY LEAGUE - Widnes Vikings were handed a three-year Super League licence for 2012-14.
April
April 3 - GOLF - David Horsey wins his second title in less than 10 months with a
win in Morocco.
April 16 - BOXING - Amir Khan
retained the WBA light-welterweight title with a points win over Paul McCloskey in Manchester after the European champion suffered a sixth-round cut.
May
May 14 - FOOTBALL - Manchester City won a major trophy - the FA Cup after a 35 year wait. Goalkeeper Joe Hart's words spoke eloquently of a black cloud finally lifted. "Getting a trophy that shut everyone up is important for the fans and for us," he said. "It was what we wanted to do, but it's easier said than done and we've gone out and done it. I'm sure there are a few people who didn't want us to do it and we've done it - so who cares?" Click
here to read Stuart Brennan's match report.
May 22 - FOOTBALL - Manchester United sealed a record 19th league title, finally knocking Liverpool off their perch. Click
here for more.
May 31 - FOOTBALL - Manchester United legend Paul Scholes
announces his retirement from the game.
June
June 29 - FOOTBALL - Manchester United
sign goalkeeper David de Gea.
July
July 24 - BOXING - Amir Khan put on a
boxing masterclass to knock out Zab Judah in five rounds in their light-welterweight unification fight in Las Vegas.
July 28 - FOOTBALL - Manchester City seal
£38m signing of Sergio Aguero.
August
August 2 - SWIMMING - Stockport Metros swimmer
Keri-Anne Payne wins gold at the World Championships in China.
August 14 - RUGBY LEAGUE - Swinton Lions are
promoted to the Championship.
September
September 15 - CRICKET - Lancashire
win the County Championship outright for the first time since 1934.
September 27 - FOOTBALL - Manchester City suffer a blow in their maiden Champions League campaign, losing 2 - 0 to Bayern Munich. The real story was brewing on the bench though as Carlos Tevez failed to get onto the pitch.
October
October 8 - Rugby League - Leeds win the
Grand Final.
October 23 - FOOTBALL - Manchester City defeat United by
the incredible margin of 6-1 at Old Trafford.
November
November 17 - RUGBY LEAGUE - Salford Reds head coach
Matt Parish quits six months into the job.
December
December 10 - BOXING - Amir Khan suffers a
shock defeat against Lamont Peterson.
December 21 - FOOTBALL - Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs helped the Reds keep up the pressure on thier table-topping noisy neighbours with a convincing
5-0 win at Fulham. He opened his goal-scoring account for the term and now has the record of having scored in all 20 Premier League seasons. Team mate Rio Ferdinand tweeted: "Giggs only player to score in every PL season...WOW! #legend".
What are your highlights? Have your say.
Comments
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Seems a little strange that there's no mention of the Champions league final. For me it ranked alongside any of the other games included in the article, can't think why it would be glossed over!
All sporting achievements for 2011 have been soiled by the crass reaction of Liverpool Football Club to the Suarez punishment. I am not going to say all words spoken in the heat of a football match are racist although if said ten times, one must wonder if not abusive, why repeat it so often. The reaction by the club in allowing all players to wear those T shirts at Wigan and the TELEVISED abusive mimIcking by Suarez and the players during the warm up was a blartant two fingered salute to the FA. Until LFC come out with a public apology, they wil "FOREVER WALK ALONE"
Forget Manchester Phoenix winning the first silverwear for a Manchester ice hockey team and not include the basketball shakeup with return of a professional BBL team. Yet include swimming...?