They think it's all over .......... it is now!
Immortal words as England defeated Germany in '66.
At the sound of the final whistle at The Stadium of Light the Manchester United players thought it was all over at The Etihad and they were Champions.
Two minutes of extra time later and it was all over and City had edged the Premiership for the first time since 1968, the same year that I was married, the year of the summer of love when revolution was in the air.
Now revolution is in the air again.
When I grew up in Manchester, United were still perceived as the 'Catholic' team and City the 'Loyalist' team. The loyalties and rivalries were no longer intense and are even less so now unlike the religious differences between a Celtic and a Rangers team in Glasgow, but they were there.
So who knows maybe in this year of Jubilees and Olympics loyalists can make hay until the rivalry is resumed in August when the football season begins again.
Meanwhile Roberto Mancini plans to 'strengthen' his team and Sir Alex plans to continue to invest in talented younger players whilst relying on former graduates of the academy such as Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.
If you read the headlines of course it is all over and United's hegemony has been brought to an end but their death has been forecast once too often for anyone to seriously believe the obituaries.
Liverpool, Blackburn, Arsenal and Chelsea have all claimed the title and all have been shown to be pretenders as United have come back even more strongly, once famously fielding a team of 'kids' with which, the commentariat sneered, you win nothing.
Now of course the other sport, politics, is also being subjected to the commentariats view that the next election is Millibands to lose.
Maybe, but as the Leveson Inquiry is demonstrating, whether in Politics or in Football, you are nothing without the press behind you.
Historically this is demonstrably true:
In Spain Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez, toppled in the 23rd February 1981 coup, had established his power base when he ran Radiotelevision Espanola from which position he could influence the King in the immediate post-Franco years and lead the movement towards democracy in Spain.
In Italy it was Berlusconi's powerful position as a Media magnate that provided the platform for his political victory and his maintaining of his position as Prime Minister until the pressure on the Euro and dramatic fall out after the banking crisis.
In the UK it was the power of the Press which both led and followed the public appetite for change, that led to the emergence of New Labour and an unprecedented triple run of election victories by the then young, and how young he looked, Tony Blair, proving of course that you can win with Kids.
Now Leveson is demonstrating in the televised coverage of his inquiries proceedings just how closely entwined the Chipping Norton nexus of politicians and press folk was.
Emails, dinners, more emails, sleepovers and brunches and kitchen suppers in the grace and favour apartments and country houses where senior members of oppositions and governments, clinked glasses and enjoyed each others company.
Whether United lost the title or City won it is in some sense irrelevant because in practise the title was actually won in the headlines and commentaries that preceded and followed each match.
Whether Ed Milliband can win enough seats to allow him to form a Government in 2015, or before if the coalition falls apart, will in probability depend on how he is represented in the newspapers over the next three years.
Is the press too powerful? Are journalists too influential?
Or are they simply the voice of everyman making itself known in print for everyone to agree or disagree with as they see fit?
On Sunday the two games ended in a series of marvellous non-sequitors as the commentator declared:
I am quite independent, I don't mind who wins but I think United are champions for the twentieth time ..........
NOOOOO!
Diego Maradona's Son in Law, Aguerro has scored in the final minute of extra time ..........
City are Champions for the first time since 1968 and Liam Gallagher of Oasis is on the pitch celebrating ................
Immortal words as England defeated Germany in '66.
At the sound of the final whistle at The Stadium of Light the Manchester United players thought it was all over at The Etihad and they were Champions.
Two minutes of extra time later and it was all over and City had edged the Premiership for the first time since 1968, the same year that I was married, the year of the summer of love when revolution was in the air.
Now revolution is in the air again.
When I grew up in Manchester, United were still perceived as the 'Catholic' team and City the 'Loyalist' team. The loyalties and rivalries were no longer intense and are even less so now unlike the religious differences between a Celtic and a Rangers team in Glasgow, but they were there.
So who knows maybe in this year of Jubilees and Olympics loyalists can make hay until the rivalry is resumed in August when the football season begins again.
Meanwhile Roberto Mancini plans to 'strengthen' his team and Sir Alex plans to continue to invest in talented younger players whilst relying on former graduates of the academy such as Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.
If you read the headlines of course it is all over and United's hegemony has been brought to an end but their death has been forecast once too often for anyone to seriously believe the obituaries.
Liverpool, Blackburn, Arsenal and Chelsea have all claimed the title and all have been shown to be pretenders as United have come back even more strongly, once famously fielding a team of 'kids' with which, the commentariat sneered, you win nothing.
Now of course the other sport, politics, is also being subjected to the commentariats view that the next election is Millibands to lose.
Maybe, but as the Leveson Inquiry is demonstrating, whether in Politics or in Football, you are nothing without the press behind you.
Historically this is demonstrably true:
In Spain Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez, toppled in the 23rd February 1981 coup, had established his power base when he ran Radiotelevision Espanola from which position he could influence the King in the immediate post-Franco years and lead the movement towards democracy in Spain.
In Italy it was Berlusconi's powerful position as a Media magnate that provided the platform for his political victory and his maintaining of his position as Prime Minister until the pressure on the Euro and dramatic fall out after the banking crisis.
In the UK it was the power of the Press which both led and followed the public appetite for change, that led to the emergence of New Labour and an unprecedented triple run of election victories by the then young, and how young he looked, Tony Blair, proving of course that you can win with Kids.
Now Leveson is demonstrating in the televised coverage of his inquiries proceedings just how closely entwined the Chipping Norton nexus of politicians and press folk was.
Emails, dinners, more emails, sleepovers and brunches and kitchen suppers in the grace and favour apartments and country houses where senior members of oppositions and governments, clinked glasses and enjoyed each others company.
Whether United lost the title or City won it is in some sense irrelevant because in practise the title was actually won in the headlines and commentaries that preceded and followed each match.
Whether Ed Milliband can win enough seats to allow him to form a Government in 2015, or before if the coalition falls apart, will in probability depend on how he is represented in the newspapers over the next three years.
Is the press too powerful? Are journalists too influential?
Or are they simply the voice of everyman making itself known in print for everyone to agree or disagree with as they see fit?
On Sunday the two games ended in a series of marvellous non-sequitors as the commentator declared:
I am quite independent, I don't mind who wins but I think United are champions for the twentieth time ..........
NOOOOO!
Diego Maradona's Son in Law, Aguerro has scored in the final minute of extra time ..........
City are Champions for the first time since 1968 and Liam Gallagher of Oasis is on the pitch celebrating ................
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