Home and away

HOW CITY'S EXIT AFFECTED THEIR OLD NEIGHBOURHOOD

- SHIKHAR TALWAR

MAINE Road football stadium, situated in the heart of Rusholme, was the place Manchester City called home for 80 years.

City left the iconic ground 20 years ago following a fairly successful 2002/03 campaign. They won the derby for the first time in 13 years and qualified for the UEFA Cup, their first European venture since the 1978/79 season.

"That was a euphoric season," said Ali, a resident of Rusholme for the past 25 years.

"We had just been promoted, so hopes were low but at the very start of the season we won 3-1 against Manchester United.

"That day, you could hear roars of Manchester City through all of Rusholme. It was crazy" The club, however, had already decided that this was to be their last season at Maine Road. They were to leave Rusholme and move to the City of Manchester Stadium, built for the Commonwealth Games the year prior.

Rusholme Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar explained the move came about because the iconic ground did not have the space to expand. "They were trapped by the surrounding houses in the area and their aspirations were to grow the club," he said. "So it was logical for them to move into the new stadium where they could do so." Plenty has changed at both Manchester City Football Club and the site of their former home since they went their separate ways in 2003.

In 2008, City got a huge boost as the Abu Dhabi United Group arrived, bringing in Eithad as their main sponsor. The new owners invested £200million into the area to create the Etihad Campus. The campus today boasts 21 pitches, auditoriums, fourstar accommodation and a 7,000-seater women's and academy football arena.