Pride of City prevails on an emotional day

As the players of Manchester City left the field with a totally unexpected victory behind them, they were afforded an ovation from the supporters of their neighbours and rivals in the Stretford End.

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There are some things in football that will happen only once in a lifetime. This was certainly one of them.

Having witnessed a minute's silence observed impeccably by those supporters in sky blue before kick-off it appeared that this gesture, as painful as it must have been, was meant as some kind of thank you. And how appropriate.

This really could have been a dreadful day, one that had been approached with a certain trepidation by both clubs. Thrown together by the fixture planners four days after the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster, United and, in particular, City found themselves at the mercy of their supporters as they endeavoured to mark the occasion with a period of silence.

On this occasion — for once — decency prevailed. It was difficult not to be fearful as the sound of a lone piper leading both teams on to the field was soon drowned out by the chanting of 3,000 City supporters squeezed into one corner of Old Trafford.

Despite the efforts of both clubs to promote a feeling of solidarity, perhaps we were asking a little too much. But once referee Howard Webb's whistle signalled a period of remembrance for the 23 victims of the disaster, this small corner of Manchester fell beautifully silent.

On a stunning late winter's day, the sun shone on Sir Matt Busby's fallen sons, in more ways than one.

For once, a rivalry as fierce as any was placed to one side as a proud public recognised that any dissent yesterday would reflect not just on their footb all clubs, but on their city.

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What must be clear is that the seeds of yesterday's triumph — for that is what it was — had been sown by staff at City as long as two years ago.

Tired of the damage that persistent 'Munich' chants were doing to the club's reputation and aware that the anniversary was looming, City opened a dialogue with their supporters' associations with a view to eradicating this ugly habit.

Yesterday, a rare piece of forward thinking bore fruit and few can really begrudge the manner in which City's supporters were rewarded by what happened on the field.

The signs were encouraging outside the ground before the game as City fans arrived a little earlier than usual and then filed relatively peacefully inside to find commemorative blue and white scarves on their seats.

Some had gone to extra trouble themselves, however, and one lady took her seat with the number 23 and the words 'Never Forget' on the back of her blue shirt. A tribute to a former City player, the late Marc Vivien-Foe who wore that squad number, or to those who died at Munich? On this occasion it didn't really matter.

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Whether yesterday's display of unity sets the tone for the future remains to be seen. United chief executive David Gill suggested in the run-up to the game that whatever happened that is perhaps a little too much to ask.

But is it? Manchester is a proud city, one that is happier cocking a snook at Liverpool, for its perceived lack of sophistication, or London, for its apparent conceit, than it is turning its ire in on itself. Surely football rivalries in this part of the world can be fierce, deep and bitter without being indecent as well.

Whatever the future holds, if sport really does imitate life, Manchester was a pretty decent place to be yesterday.