In the late 60's and early seventies we used to beat them very regularly home and away but in more recent
times we had a woeful record against them (when we were even in the same division as they were!).
They used dish out some severe beatings to us every season and they actually enjoyed
humiliating us as they did it. If we somehow managed to scrape a draw we were genuinely ecstatic!
The only time we did the opposite was on the 23rd September 1989 at Maine Road. Alex Ferguson had
assembled at United what at the time was the most expensive squad in the history of British football.
We had 5 players in our team that day who had come through our youth team squad. It was lambs to the slaughter...
Nobody knows how, but on that day a miracle occured and we gave them an absolute pasting and hammered
them 5-1. It was genuinely, one of the happiest days of my life. It was such a big deal to actually beat them
at the time the club produced a souvenir video of the match (which I still have - picture attached)
and it ended up being one of the biggest selling club videos of all time. That's how desperate we were as a
club and as a fanbase. We brought out and issued a video because we had won a game.
It all changed when Mancini arrived and he turned the tables on them completely.
The ultimate being when we absolutely destroyed them and rubbed their noses in it at Old Trafford
with 1-6 hammering in 2011. Now you guys have got that monkey off your back they will never have
that power or fear over you ever again and that is a nice feeling to have. Smash them at your place next
season in front of your fans and a whole new era begins. Can you just imagine your derby day at your
new ground? No fear, no trepidation and a genuine belief that you will win the game. Infact you KNOW
you will win the game before it starts. That what Mancini did for us and Ancelotti can do for you.
Enjoy the journey...
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