Man City are bigger than ever yet remains steadfast to the local community

Man City are bigger than ever but staying loyal to local community

Manchester City may not get everything right with their loyal supporters but there are enough people at the club who still put them first

The signings of Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland have given them superstars that young kids dream of growing up to be, and Champions League success sent their global popularity soaring to another level after a decade of Premier League domination. A 4-0 win over Fluminense in Saudi Arabia on Friday night ensured that Pep Guardiola's side are winning more fans in every corner of the world.

One of the perils of success that City are still trying to balance is how to accommodate the local community that have been loyal to the club for years alongside the new supporters from around the world that are being chased. Like any club, City aren't perfect and don't get everything right; the ticketing system this season, the stadium expansion and the attitude towards the local foodbank group are all examples.

However, where City excel is remembering their roots when they are most at risk of being detached from them. It was a wonderful touch that 12 hours after all five trophies were in the Blues changing room in Jeddah, they were crammed into the conservatory of a family of four from Dukinfield who now have positive memories of Christmas after last year turned into a nightmare that would drag on for six months.

Some may wish to dismiss that as a token gesture, but not only does it make a real difference to that family it is part of a much wider scheme from City in the Community that has involved first team stars visiting the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and £10,000 in donations to organisations in Manchester who provide free Christmas Day meals for families who need it most.

After flying home from Istanbul on a Sunday in June after completing the Treble, the first people who saw the three trophies together in Manchester were a bunch of schoolchildren from Newton Heath. Like this Christmas, City could have set up their trophies at the Etihad and charged fans to see them but instead their first thought was for their local community.

City CEO Ferran Soriano said: “Manchester City fans and our community are at the heart of everything we do as a club, they have been behind us every step of the way, sharing many special moments. Securing our fifth big trophy of the year on Friday is an extraordinary occasion and gave as chance to surprise two deserving fans with all five trophies. As 2023 comes to an end, there will be more for all of us to celebrate together in the year of the big five.”

That tells you that as big as City have become, there are still many people at the football club who haven't forgotten where they came from. As long as that remains the case, Blues can be proud of their club off the pitch as well as firmly in love with Pep Guardiola's team.