Club Profile:Manchester City

Manchester City
Overview
Manchester City have spent 10 years in the Premier League since its inception in 1992. In the 2002/03 season, they became one of only two English teams to have qualified for the UEFA Cup through the 'Fair Play ranking'. This meant that the plush new City of Manchester Stadium was treated to European football just weeks after opening for the start of the following campaign.

Kevin Keegan and then Stuart Pearce, established the club in the Premier League, and under the latter, they finished in 14th place in the 2006/07 season. He was replaced by Sven-Goran Eriksson who guided the club to a ninth place finish in the 2007/08 campaign. City also secured UEFA Cup football via the 'Fair Play ranking' for a second time.

However, Eriksson was replaced by Mark Hughes in June and the Welshman will be looking to improve on the club's league position last season as well as overseeing a strong European campaign.

In September 2008, a takeover by the Abu Dhabi United group suddenly made City one of the richest clubs in the world. On deadline day, they smashed the British transfer record with a surprise £32.5m swoop for Real Madrid's Brazilian striker Robinho. However they failed in a £100m bid to sign Kaka from AC Milan in January 2009.

Club Heritage
In 1880, St Mark's Church established Manchester City FC which moved to Hyde Road seven years later and was renamed Ardwick AFC to reflect its new location. The club joined the Football League as founding members of the Second Division in 1892, and after experiencing financial difficulties in the 1893/94 campaign, were reformed as Manchester City FC.


The first major honour arrived in April 1904 when a 1-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers secured the FA Cup. A fire in 1920 destroyed the Main Stand at Hyde Road and in 1923, the club moved to Maine Road in Moss Side, where they played in front of crowds of more than 70,000.

After winning the FA Cup again in 1934, the club won the league title for the first time three years later. Manchester City were relegated from the First Division in 1938 despite scoring more goals than any other team.

City have won the FA Cup four times, with the 1956 triumph over Birmingham City notable for goalkeeper Bert Trautmann continuing to play on despite unknowingly breaking his neck. A second title was claimed under the joint management of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison in 1968, with a dramatic 4-3 win at Newcastle United.

Premier League History
1993/94 - Brian Horton replaces Peter Reid as manager
1994/95 - Chairman Peter Swailes replaced by club legend Francis Lee
1995/96 - Alan Ball replaces Horton
1995/96 - Relegated from FA Carling Premiership
1996/97 - Steve Coppell replaces Ball
1996/97 - Frank Clark replaces Coppell
1997/98 - Joe Royle replaces Clark
1997/98 - Relegated to Second Division
1998/99 - Promoted to First Division via play-offs
1999/00 - John Wardle and David Makin become the club's major shareholders
1999/00 - Promoted to FA Carling Premiership
2000/01 - Relegated from FA Carling Premiership
2000/01 - Kevin Keegan replaces Royle
2001/02 - Promoted to Barclaycard Premiership
2002/03 - Nicolas Anelka joins from PSG for £13million
2002/03 - David Bernstein resigns
2002/03 - John Wardle becames temporary chairman
2003/04 - Club moves to City of Manchester Stadium
2004/05 - Stuart Pearce replaces Keegan in March 2005
2006/07 - Thaksin Shinawatra acquires a 75 per cent share in the club
2007/08 - Sven-Goran Eriksson replaces Pearce
2007/08 - Eriksson leaves the club in June to be replaced by Mark Hughes
2008/09 - Takeover by the Abu Dhabi United group makes City one of the richest clubs in the world and they smash the British transfer record to sign Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5m.