When Jose Mourinho last visited the Etihad Stadium, things were very different in the world of football, with Chelsea dominating on all fronts.
Mourinho last visited the home of the Citizens in the March of 2007, with Chelsea aspiring for a fading League title, meanwhile City were fighting an increasing relegation battle.
Stuart Pearce’s side cost just £13 million seven years ago, a stark contrast to City’s squad cost now, with City splashing the cash on several of the World’s elite, since the arrival of their Arab Emirates based owners, who have transformed the squad.
The West Londoners ran out 1-0 winners, thanks to Frank Lampard’s first half penalty.
City have one sole surviving member of the team who is still currently at the club, with a young Micah Richards starting at full back that night.
City’s squad that night consisted of several decent Premiership players, with most of them either retired, playing abroad or in the lower leagues of English Football.
Andres Isaksson
The Swedish keeper was signed from French side CF Rennes in 2006, spending two seasons at City before losing his place to Kasper Schmeichal, then Joe Hart, which saw the experinced keeper move onto PSV Eindhoven, he now plays in Turkey for Kasimpasa.
Sun Jihai
The Chinese full back signed from Chinese side Dalian Shide in 2002, becoming a popular member of the City fold, before joining Sheffield United siz years later, he now plays for Chinese Super League club Guizho Renhe at the grand age of 36.
Michah Richards
Richards was born in Birmingham and graduated from the successful City academy, he is still a consistant member of the side, however, following City’s overhaul of players, he will presumably find himself on the bench tonight, after returning from a long injury lay-off.
Richard Dunne.
Dunne was signed for a fee of £3 million from Everton in 2000, and became a real stalwart at City, captaining the side on a regular basis, before losing his place to Vincent Kompany after nine years with the Sky Blues, he spent four years at Aston Villa, before signing for recently relegated Queens Park Rangers this summer, in the Championship.
Slyvain Distin
Distin signed for the club in 2002, in a £4 Million deal from Paris Saint Germain, spending five years at City before leaving for the South Coast to play for a then upwardly moving Portsmouth side, he won an FA Cup with Pompy, before a transfer to Everton, becoming a consistant member of the Toffees back four.
Michael Ball.
Ball was signed from Dutch side PSV in the January of that year, enjoying a prolonged spell in the first team fold, he was released in 2009, and retired in 2012 after an unsuccessful spell at Leicester City.
Stephen Ireland
Midfielder Ireland signed for City as a teenager in 2001, becoming a regular feature in a strong City midfield, Ireland spent nine years at Eastlands, bbefore signing for Aston Villa in 2010, he is now playing in the potteries for Stoke City.
Dietmar Hamann.
Hamaan signed in acramonious circumstances from Liverpool via Bolton Wanderers in 2006, having origianally joined Bolton, Hamann changed his mind and signed for City, spending three years, and playing 54 games.
He now works for the BBC as a Television pundit.
Joey Barton
Barton was another product of City’s successful youth structure, and despite off the field problems, the feisty Liverpudlian was a hit at The Etihad stadium, he joined Newcastle in 2007 for a £6 million fee, spending five years at the club, before signing for Queens Park Rangers, Barton has also had a spell in France with Olympic Marseille.
Emile Mpenza.
Mpenza joined City as a feee agent in the March of 2007, however he failed to make an impact at City and now plays in the Belgian lower leagues.
Darius Vassell.
Vassell signed from Aston Villa in the summer of 2005, enjoying four years at the club before the financial revolution, he retired with Leicester City in 2012, after playing in Turkey for Ankaragucu.
By Ben Reardon
@BenReardon1
