Man City USA – We’re Not Really Here
2020 was a difficult year. At the start of March 2020, governments around the world took measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Shopping malls, restaurants, and bars were shut down, and sporting events were temporarily suspended. Citizens were required to quarantine, and no one was certain when the pandemic would end. To date, the coronavirus has taken the lives of nearly four million worldwide.
More from Man City News
- Rodri believes City can have even more success this season
- Grealish, Stones, and Kovacic will NOT play tomorrow
- After Injury Guardiola is back in Etihad
- Humble Haaland Maintains Low Profile Leading Up to Ballon d’Or 2023
- Khadija Shaw and Erling Haaland nominated for NWF’s player of the season
International governments have worked tirelessly to ensure that coronavirus testing would be available for all, and that citizens obeyed the various restrictions that were put in place to prevent the spread of the virus. These practices eventually led to the return of sporting events in the summer of 2020, although these competitions were held behind closed doors (meaning fans could not attend these games in person).
One of the sports that returned during the summer months was football (soccer). Various leagues, such as the English Premier League, took extreme caution to ensure that the staff and players at each club were regularly tested and monitored for the virus. If any of these participants tested positive, he or she would quarantine for a two-week period before returning to their team. These precautions helped limit the spread of the virus, and helped save thousands of lives.
While the matches returned, fans were not allowed to sit in the stands. These supporters were not forgotten, and some clubs invented slogans to pay tribute to their supporters. For example, Manchester City adopted the “We’re Not Really Here” phrase. As Manchester City played their home matches, banners with the saying were placed throughout the Etihad Stadium as a way of paying homage to the supporters who continued to follow the club despite the hardships endured by the pandemic.
The slogan was then carried over into the 2020/21 season, and Manchester City played tribute to their fans during their remarkable season. Throughout the course of this period, manager Pep Guardiola and his men won a fourth consecutive EFL “Carabao” Cup, and they won their third English Premier League title in four seasons. City also advanced to the FA Cup’s Semi-finals for a second consecutive season, and they advanced to their first UEFA Champions League Final. While the Sky Blues did not win the latter two trophies, this was still a successful season and surely one to remember.
Manchester City have dedicated their successful season to their supporters as they have endured unprecedented challenges during the ongoing pandemic.
But who are some of these supporters? Where do they come from, and why do they support Manchester City?
Sticking to the “We’re Not Really Here” theme, Man City Square will be interviewing various Supporter Groups throughout the United States to learn more about these Manchester City fans. When were these Supporter Groups founded? How were these groups formed? Man City Square would like to hear from you.
Interested in participating in this exclusive article series? Please contact Man City Square contributor Mark Temnycky on Twitter at @mtemnycky.