Owing to the wildly contrasting fortunes that the Blues have experienced over the past 127 years, City fans have experienced things that many will never understand. Of course, fans of 99% of football clubs know this - as fans of a club that now regularly competes for silverware, we are in an incredibly privileged position. Offer City fans a glittering superstar or the little man who tries his best, and they'll take the latter every time. Rival fans often question why bananas - the answer is the same for most things City fans do: why not? But City fans are different to supporters of other top teams; we know what false hope, failure and disappointment feels like.

Midway through proceedings, the 7,500-strong contingent of Poznan fans turned their backs on the game, linked arms and started bouncing up and down. The Brazilian defender joined the Blues in 2008 as a new era beckoned, but as the season progressed, it became clear that he would not be sticking around for long. One of the most unused substitutes ever became a punchline among Blues, but when he finally made a ten-minute cameo on the final day of the 2008/09 season, the Etihad Stadium welcomed him onto the pitch with rapturous applause.The friend who had sadly passed was not actually a football fan, but a meeting of the Prestwich and Whitefield City supporters branch in 1994 saw a reprieve of the song, before it became a terrace favourite from 1996 onwards.

Friends of mine who support other clubs often ask whether I get bored of seeing City score endless goals. Manchester City is no ordinary football club, which means that being a City fan is no ordinary pastime. Manchester United fans think they've got it bad at the moment, when in reality they will still end the season as at least the sixth-best side in the country, with maybe even a cup to boot.

Cue boos in the stands, quick-witted social media posts and tongue-in-cheek chants towards the away fans ('you fat b*******, you ate all our chips!