Well Bonnyville, it's been a while since I updated you all on the comings and goings involved with my beloved Manchester City Football Club, but with the team securing its second Premier League trophy in three years to go along with a Capital One Cup triumph, I feel like this is as good a time as any to fill you all in.
Since replacing former manager Roberto Mancini last summer, new boss Manuel Pellegrini has been working hard to change the attitude, mentality and overall atmosphere at the club.
Having taken in spells at such European giants as Real Madrid and Villareal on top of a trophy laden stint at River Plate in Argentina, Pellegrini arrived at the Etihad Stadium with plenty of pedigree and ambition as he hoped to reclaim a Premier League trophy surrendered so meekly to the red half of Manchester last season.
With the addition of such players as Alvaro Negredo, Jesus Navas, Stevan Jovetic and Fernandinho, City started the season brightly, securing 4-1, 6-0 and 6-3 victories over rivals Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal respectively on their way to a commanding early season run for the title.
That run went through a bit of a sticky patch as we approached the winter months, with City losing four of its first 11 games on the road, while the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool started to pull away from the pack. Playing catch-up for the majority of the second half of the season, City found themselves in a position where five straight victories at the end of the season would secure them a second league title in years – and that's just what they did.
Sweeping aside the likes of West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace, City traveled to Merseyside on May 3 for a do or die showdown with Liverpool's bitter cross-city rivals Everton, eventually coming out on top after an entertaining back and forth game. A resounding 4-0 victory over Aston Villa was to follow, setting up this past Sunday's championship decider with West Ham United.
All City had to do was ensure they did not lose to a team that essentially had nothing to play for, but after what transpired two seasons ago at the same location in a similar game against Queens Park Rangers, I don't think any City fan was taking too much for granted this time around.
As I sat nervously on my couch at the start of the game alongside fellow reporter Andrew Mendler, I could barely stand the tension as minutes ticked by without a goal. Roughly 30 minutes in and that tension was lifted as Liverpool – City's only championship rival, fell behind in a must win game against Newcastle United to lift the mood of millions of blues across the world.
Goals from City's Samir Nasri and Vincent Kompany soon followed and it was well and truly party time – both in Manchester and at the Pickford residence.
Watching your team win a league title is something special, especially for a club like Manchester City. Before Sheikh Mansour purchased the club in 2008, we were very much amongst the Premier League's bottom feeders, casting envious eyes towards our “great” rivals Manchester United as they secured championship after championship.
I suppose the good that comes along with that is that I will appreciate and celebrate every single championship win the same way, because I remember exactly where we came from. Those involved with the club – players and management alike, have been talking about how this is the start of something special. Fans like myself can only hope that is the case, watching a new dynasty form on the blue side of Manchester would be very sweet indeed.
