Pep Guardiola will rightly depart Manchester City secure in his place both as the greatest-ever manager in the Club’s history as well one of the football’s truly iconic figures...

A staggering haul of 20 major trophies accumulated across the course of that magical decade serves as the eye-catching headline testament to Guardiola’s unique brand of managerial genius.

A roll call of six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League, three FA Cup triumphs, five Carabao Cup successes, three Community Shields, a FIFA Club World Cup and a UEFA Super Cup illustrates the scale and depth of Pep and City’s achievements.

That relentless collection of trophies shoehorned into such a relatively short space of time is unlikely to be ever bettered in the history of English football.

Given the fiercely competitive nature of our domestic schedule – not least a Premier League recognised as the world’s most demanding and gruelling competition – it conveys both the class and consistency that underscored Pep’s remarkable reign.

They are mind blowing statistics that simply beggar belief.

However, there’s a compelling argument to be made that Pep’s Etihad reign – one that was also accompanied by an avalanche of record-breaking achievements - ran much, much deeper than that collection of silverware alone, incredible though his City’s haul has proved.

In the course of that decade for the ages, the Catalan became one of the very few managers to have fundamentally transformed the way football – the people’s sport – is both played and thought about.

Everywhere you look - both locally here in Manchester as well as across the length and breadth of these islands - the Guardiola blueprint is now firmly embedded into English and British football culture.

From goalkeepers who are encouraged to use their feet, through inverted full-backs equally adept at operating higher up the field as they are in defence to the transformative role of defenders turned hybrid midfielders, Pep’s innovative fingerprints are everywhere you look.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

And from rivals at the elite level of the game through to grassroots football and even further down the football food chain at junior and school level, a new generation has grown up talking their cue from the revolutionary blueprint overseen by Guardiola.

At the heart of everything though has been Pep’s enduring genius as a coach.

Time and again his supreme football intelligence, passion and amazing man-management skills coalesced to help him take already supremely talented players and make them even better.

Mentoring and moulding a succession of quite brilliant individuals into a beguiling whole, Pep served as City’s master conductor, helping orchestrate a succession of beautiful Rhapsodies in Blue.

Along the way, Pep assembled a series of outstanding City sides demonstrating time and again, his ability to also conjure up a winning formula in a variety of ways.

With Pep at the helm, City became accustomed to realising that the unimaginable had suddenly become possible.

However, from the moment he was formally introduced to the adoring City fans in the summer of 2016, the Guardiola era was one of evolution rather than revolution.

After an initial campaign that saw him digest, analyse and fully ascertain the unique demands of English football, the Pep era then truly took flight.

City’s 2017/18 Centurions outfit still stands alone as the only English side to ever assemble the magical – and what was thought impossible – 100 points tally in a season.

Many thought that an impossibly high bar to ever follow.

Instead, Guardiola’s men simply regrouped and returned the following season by delivering English football’s first-ever domestic quadruple – another feat once thought for the birds in the sky.

In the wake of a 2019/20 season interrupted by the devasting worldwide impact of the COVID-19, Pep and City regrouped and went on to embark on an even greater era of success.

The 2020/21 campaign saw City regain the Premier League title in formidable fashion as well as reaching a first-ever Champions League final – and record a fourth successive Carabao Cup success.

It was also a period of transformation.

With a succession of legendary names such as David Silva, Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero all bidding a fond farewell in that period, Pep’s Midas touch was illustrated once more as he refined and remoulded his City squad.

A stunning 2021/22 title triumph was achieved with the Blues effectively largely operating without a recognised striker.

Instead, Guardiola fashioned another brilliant iteration of his City side - one that was predominantly deployed with a false number nine rather than an out and out recognised centre forward.

The subsequent capture of Erling Haaland in the summer of 2022 ushered in another refined City tactical approach and one that prefaced the most extraordinary season in the Club’s history.

With the Norwegian plundering a record-breaking haul of goals, Guardiola’s City carved our names into football immortality thanks to the capture of the Treble of Premier League, FA Cup (achieved against Manchester United no less) and a first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy.

That glorious night in Istanbul not only saw us defeat a fine Internazionale 1-0 to become European and Treble champions but also saw Pep once more deploy John Stones as a hybrid midfielder – this time as an effective number eight to quite magnificent effect.

By the time 2023 was over City had also added the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup to the bulging Etihad trophy cabinet, in the process becoming the first-ever English side to attain the Big Five all in a calendar year.

Yet another first for Guardiola’s City.

Having climbed the ultimate mountain, the inevitable question was how on earth do you follow that?

The answer was to rewrite the record books once again as a titanic 2023/24 title race saw the Blues overhaul Arsenal to become the first ever English men’s side to claim four successive Premier League titles.

Once again, it serves as a towering testament to how Guardiola’s was able to inspire the very best out of his players time and time again.

If the 2024/25 campaign proved one of transformation as another generation of True-Blue greats including Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan prepared to take their leave, Pep was already laying the foundations to equip City for the next challenges.

In what was to prove Guardiola’s final season at the helm, a new-look squad bolstered by sublime talent in the form of Marc Guéhi, Antoine Semenyo, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Abdukodir Khusanov alongside prodigious homegrown talent such as Nico O’Reilly swept to a domestic cup double and pushed Arsenal all the way to the title.

Those twin successes also served to illustrate that though Pep may have called time on his Etihad tenure, he has helped craft yet another supremely talented squad ready to kick on once more.

It’s also worth stressing that across Guardiola’s decade in charge, City’s brand of beguiling, bewitching football was underpinned by the timeless principles of sacrifice, dedication and hard work.

Pep’s legendary work ethic and dedication to the task in hand meant he was more often than not the first to arrive and amongst the last to leave the CFA.

It also feels only apt and fitting that Pep’s City tenure concluded on the day he chalked up his 593^rd game in charge at the Etihad.

That a remarkable tally that saw him overtake Les McDowall to become the man to have overseen more City games than any other manager.

Yet another astonishing entry for the record books.

So yes, there is inevitable sadness and deep emotion as we bid farewell to a man who has brought so much joy to so many.

But there is much - so much – to be grateful for as together we reflect, celebrate and remember a period unlike any other in City’s glorious history and the man who made it all possible.

Muchas gracias Pep!

Feature: Neil Leigh

Our brilliant young England keeper looks back over his first season back at City…

It’s fair to say there was plenty of excitement when James Trafford rejoined City last summer.

Having impressed and progressed through our Academy, Trafford was loaned out to Accrington Stanley and then Bolton Wanderers as he learned his craft, gaining valuable - and enjoyable - experience as he went.

That eventually led to a permanent move to Burnley where he continued to excel for club and, at Under-21 level, before earning a move back to City to continue his journey.

Trafford has had to battle with Gianluigi Donnarumma for the No.1 spot, but his appearance in the final day clash with Aston Villa took him to 17 appearances this campaign and aged 23, he is already closing in on 200 career starts.

An outstanding prospect, Trafford is also hugely popular among the City fans – something he admits he is well aware of.

“I do feel the love from the fans and obviously feel great about that,” he says.

“I get great love from the City fans - the core kind of support of the Club and very normal Mancunians.

“I believe somehow I maybe resonate with them a bit. I’m relatable, calm, honest northern lad and I think they see that.

“So yeah, I do feel a lot of love, whether it's on social media, whether when I’m seeing them out and about or whether it's during the games. It's really nice.”

Trafford has been City’s ‘cup keeper’ this season and while he makes no bones about wanting more, Pep Guardiola wouldn’t have wanted him to be any other way.

And while he hasn’t perhaps made the Premier League appearances he would have liked, he ended the season having played in two major Wembley finals, as well as a semi-final at the national stadium - winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in what was a rare English feat.

His brilliance throughout the Carabao Cup campaign – culminating in an outstanding triple save against Arsenal in the final with the score at 0-0 – undoubtedly was a major factor in the Blues lifting the first silverware of the season.

And he has repeated that form throughout our FA Cup run, which saw the Blues reach an unprecedented fourth successive final in the world’s oldest knockout competition.

Yet, his heroics in specific games apart, asked what his highlight of the year has been, he shuns his own efforts and instead points to that of a team-mate.

“My highlight?” he says. “I’d have to say Nico [O’Reilly] scoring the second goal against Arsenal.

“Yeah, I’d go for that because of the belief we had after the first goal went in, and then after his second, we had a two-goal lead  to defend.

“I think everyone in the stadium felt it too. As soon as that second hit the back of the net, we felt the game was done. Yeah.

“It was such a good moment for us, because Arsenal are such a great team and we had a bit of a rocky week or two weeks before we played the final.

“In a major final, it could have been one of the first times City weren't the favourites going into the game."

"It'll be something that I’ll probably really appreciate more when I’m older"

Playing in any cup final is huge for any player. Playing in two is more than most footballers will achieve in their entire career, but James Trafford has managed that feat twice in his first year back at City.

Is it really the stuff of boyhood dreams?

“Yeah, I think I've achieved a lot in this season, and you look at it, two trophies… some people aren't lucky enough to ever win a trophy in their career," he admits.

“it'll be something that I’ll probably really appreciate more when I’m older.”

And let’s not forget his senior England debut against Uruguay last March…

The big question of whether he would be included in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad was revealed late last month - with a resounding yes.

Trafford was calm about his chances, and Tuchel agreed not taking the nation’s most outstanding young keeper to this summer’s tournament would have been a mistake.

“I wasn't nervous [about hearing if I was in the squad],” he says.

“Obviously, I wanted to go. I believe I should go, but it is something where I couldn't do anything to influence the decision.

“[Thomas Tuchel] obviously has a really good relationship with all the players. He's a really good guy, really good manager.

“I’ll only have a week off and in that time I have to go to John Egan's wedding, and then, I don't know, me and my girlfriend might try and go away somewhere - somewhere nice and warm!”

Of course, given James’ upbringing, no interview would be complete without a question of how his family’s farm is going back in Cumbria.

The farm, in Greysouthen near Cockermouth, was where he grew up, genuinely hit balls at barn doors and learned to muck in with the rest of the family in all weather.

It’s where he gets his well-grounded, down to earth attitude from and perhaps why James Trafford will always say things like they are – what you see is what you get”

“Dad’s been ploughing,” he says matter-of-factly. “He'll have me trying to do something when I go back but he’s had to it so far. I’ll go back in my week off and I don't know, we'll see.”

Could there be a possibility of a Clarkson’s Farm reality show. Trafford’s Farm, maybe?

“I’ve watched bits of it,” he smiles. “My dad really enjoys it, but there's too many cameras for my dad., I think!”

“[Clarkson] does fight the rights of the farmers, but he’ll be writing off a lot of tax buying that farm.”

Back to Manchester City and whether he feels he’s learned and improved since his return to the Club.

“It’s hard to say, because a goalkeeper’s prime is probably 28 or 29,” he says.

“It's one of those positions where you always get better with age. And I believe I always develop naturally.

“I've obviously got better. But... I don't know – is that I have got better, or is it just because you are performing for a better team?

“So, who knows? But, yeah, I'd like to say, I've got better, but I'm not comfortable. I always want to improve.”

He ends the season as a Carabao Cup winner, FA Cup winner, Premier League runner-up and with his first England cap – and a place on the plane to the United States this summer,.

Not bad in his first year back at Manchester City - pretty decent, in fact, for a goalkeeper who can go on to become one of the best in the world…

Interview: David Clayton

As the City midfielder calls time on an incredible 19-year career, we look back on Laura Coombs’ illustrious period with the Club.

It has been quite some ride, and one that would have been unimaginable when she first kicked a ball in Gravesend.

Until ten years old Coombs didn’t even know there were girls’ teams and at the time, she couldn’t have foreseen the changes that were set to transform the women’s game in this country.

Like most players from her generation, she never thought she’d be a professional football player, coming from a place where football was for boys and she was often the only girl.

And not only did she have to overcome gender dynamics as a young aspiring player, when she was 16 and 18, she ruptured both her Anterior Crucial Ligaments.

“At a time when I always think that my career could have been really different because at that stage, I was really lucky I got the support, but many of us my age didn't have support in terms of surgery and physio, rehab,” Laura Coombs said.

“So I think I'm really thankful that I had people around me that helped me.

“But sometimes now I think it's even more amazing to me that I got to 35 playing and my knees are still in full working order.

“Every minute on the pitch this year I've really just tried to take it all in and enjoy it as much as I can because you never know if you're going to be getting on or not,”

“So that's why I always have such credit to players that can do it for so long because you get bashed around as well.”

Coombs, who earned seven caps for England, began her senior career at Arsenal in 2007 and represented some of the country's biggest clubs.

She was part of the Chelsea squad that won their first WSL title in 2015 and an FA Cup trophy.

Later, following a successful season on loan at Liverpool, she signed permanently and made a total of 74 appearances for the club.

Coombs has spent the last seven years at Manchester City, winning the FA Cup and League Cup in 2020 and 2022 respectively.

Having scored 27 goals in 147 appearances, her spell at the club was tied off with a goal in our final Barclays Women’s Super League game of the 2025/26 season against West Ham.

“Every minute on the pitch this year I've really just tried to take it all in and enjoy it as much as I can because you never know if you're going to be getting on or not,” Coombs began.

“So when I went on, I just thought I need to soak up every last minute of this.

“And then obviously the goal, I think I was super happy and a little bit emotional.

“It was a very me goal, I think.

“Just not one that you have to think about too much just touch and hit. And yeah, I've described it as a fairy tale, and it's really felt like that fairy tale ending part one.”

Laura has undoubtably paved the way for the future and her contribution not only as a servant to Manchester City but also to the game has been significant.

The game has come on exponentially in that time in an incredible meteoric rise which sees it create record growth year on year, both in the stands and at grassroots level.

But it’s still very much the beginning. A beautiful stadium. A sell-out crowd. Smiling faces. Anticipation growing as kick-off approaches was not always how it used to be and certainly wasn’t when Coombs first burst onto the scene.

“It's come on so much. It's hard to put into words,” she said commenting on the Women’s game.

“I think when I was younger it literally wasn't a career to now little girls live near me that I see them going in their kits to training and it's such an amazing feeling knowing that that's the way the future is going and there's just opportunity for everyone now.

“And I'm happy about my journey but I'm also just happy to see where it can go from here.

“Because I think it's, I spoke about before, it's nowhere near where it can go.”

But after a career of incredible moments and milestones, Laura has now decided it’s time to close this chapter in her story.

“I did think about it [retiring] at the end of last year, but there was just something in me that kind of felt there was still more to get from the game,” she explained.

“It was definitely the correct decision to stay on.

“And I think of moments like against West Ham, obviously lifting the trophy and scoring, I just think I would have missed out on that.

“So I'm just so happy that I did do another year. And going forwards, I'm just going to take some time for myself and then see what happens.”

"My final game being at Wembley. Again, is like fairy tale part 2,” Laura Coombs said."

The 35-year-old bows out after helping City win our first Women's Super League title in a decade and leaves with a lasting legacy on the Club both on and off the pitch, having played an important role in some design elements of our new Women’s First Team Building.

And for the final page of an incredible story, she completed a domestic double when we beat Brighton 4-0 the Women's FA Cup final .

“My final game being at Wembley. Again, it was like fairy tale part 2,” Laura Coombs said.

“I was so looking forward to it and to get another trophy this season after a drought, is incredible.

“It's such an iconic trophy.

“I think that's the cup in domestic football that everyone wants. So yeah, it was amazing.

“I think the league and the FA Cup, if you'd have said to us at the start, we'd be competing for both those at the end I’d have bitten your hand off.”

And she inevitably led the celebrations at Wembley as we completed that domestic double performing the full dance to Beat It by Michael Jackson as she bows out in style.

Thank you Laura Coombs for your service to Women’s Football, you will forever be etched into the history books for years to come - and will certainly not be forgotten.

Interview: Alice Wright

This season I have been working round the calendar to bring you a session I’ve taken on a specific month of the year. Now we’re in June, and with the football season over. I always had more time to do my job, which of course was photographing bands for the NME.

I’d been to see Warsaw, a new band, play their first gig at the end of May '77 at The Electric Circus in Collyhurst. They had energy but not much direction.

I saw them another four times around Manchester within a few weeks, then decided to take some photos of them when they supported Generation X at Rafters on Oxford Road on 30 June.

It’s fair to say they hadn’t quite got their image sorted out. I wasn’t sure about the ‘pleather’, leather and ‘taches, at all, but they had something that many other emerging bands didn’t have, they just hadn’t really worked out how to channel it.

By the start of 1978, they’d sorted themselves out a bit and changed their name to Joy Division. We all wondered how that’d work out for them…

Kevin Cummins

Sverre Nypan’s childhood was a world away from youngsters raised on the streets of Manchester…

Imagine. Heading up a mountain to ski, swimming in a fjord later in the day, playing football and then watching the Northern Lights when darkness falls.

OK, that’s not exactly what every day was like for Sverre Nypan, but there were elements of it on a fairly regular basis.

Born and raised in Trondheim in central Norway, where the summer days can last up to 20 hours and in the winter, days are short with maybe only four or five hours before darkness.

In the summer, the residents of Trondheim make the most of the long days and Sverre was no different.

“Yeah, it was really good,” he smiles, “An amazing childhood, in a really nice place. I grew up with football and skiing at the weekend, and we had a cabin we would stay at. I think it’s normal for Norwegians. Yeah, just swimming in the day, skiing by night!

“I have seen the Northern Lights on some occasions, but you know, it's not too often where I come from, but yeah, so it's every now and then in the winter times, you see it, and it's really nice.”

He’s probably too modest to admit it but had he not shown ability as a youngster with football, he might have been have taken his love of skiing much further.

Of course, for any footballer, skiing is one sport to avoid! And as his fledgling football career flourished, it spelled the end of his slaloming and downhill racing.

“Oh, yeah we can't ski!” he says. “That's the worst and I miss it, but that's how it is. You have to - how do you say? - go with it. You have to sacrifice things.”

And it’s no wonder Sverre was so good, given the genes he’s inherited.

“Yeah, my mum and dad are both really active,” he says. “My mum was Alpine skier, like professional. She was one of the best women skiers in Norway, but at that time, there wasn't a national team. So it was really expensive.

“Skiing is expensive full stop - and if you don't have any sponsors and no national team backup and stuff, it's tough so she didn't do that for a long time, but she was pretty good. And then she went over to play handball, or maybe she did when he was younger also, but not like not the highest level, but that was the thing she loved the most.

“And then my father has been a cyclist mostly, like semi-pro, I would say, not anything serious, but at a good level. So it’s in the genes, I guess. You can say that there’s been a lot of activities when I was growing up.

And if he hadn't been a footballer, would he have gone down the skiing route?

“Yeah, as a skier. I was thinking. I don't know, it's difficult to say. I believe that I can be almost anything, as long as you do it, train it, live it, you know? So it's difficult to say. But yeah, I think so. I loved both cross country and also downhill skiing.

“And I did also a lot of different sports. It’s good to do so many because – especially with skiing - you get to feel different movements. I think that can help you on the pitch also. with the balance and strength and different kind of things.”

Norway’s love of the Premier League is well-documented, and Sverre grew up watching it regularly because his father did. Now, he sees a lot of young City fans across the nation and says, “It's growing really rapidly and it's nice to see. I watched football all the time and Cristiano Ronaldo was my favourite, especially when he was a Real Madrid player. because that was my childhood.  I watched football. every big game since I was 10, and I really liked Antoine Griezmann also.

“The Premier League was on the most and we see most of the games on the TV in Norway, so that’s what we watch. My father's generation, they grew up with the Premier League, and I think because they loved it, it's natural that you also watch it.”

This month will mark a year since Sverre joined City from Rosenborg.

When he joined, there were two Norwegians already at the club – one in particular being a superstar back home.

“[That Erling was here] helped a lot and I got to meet him," he says. "I got to meet his family, watch a game here. That also helps, you know, because I got a feeling that I was welcome. But ultimately I had to make my own decision and at the end of the day, it was me and City.

“I thought was that Oscar Bob was going to be here also, but unfortunately, he went away before I got to play with him, but  it's nice to have a fellow Norwegian here.

“Erling and I have a good relationship, but he's obvious older than me and he has a kid now, too, so we are not in the same time of our life, but we're colleagues and yeah, he takes care of me when I'm here and I appreciate that.”

Sverre spent the first five months of his time in England on loan with Middlesbrough.

He played 20 times for the Teessiders and was hoping they could have come up to the Premier League before they were eliminated by Southampton, reinstated and then beaten by Hull City in the play-off final.

“I had one eye on them in the playoffs, and I was rooting for them," he smiled. "I had a good time there and really enjoyed it, many great players and good people and it felt like a family It was really nice. So nothing bad to say against them.”

He returned to City in January to further his education with the Club and train with some of the best players in the Premier League. And he is enjoying the journey so far...

“Yeah, it's been good, obviously, you learn from the best in the world,” he said. “You try to take small things here and there, and learn, and training with them, you get to train against the best players and obviously it's really difficult! But that's when you learn the most. Yeah, I enjoy it a lot.”

And though he has won one cap for his national team, the 2026 World Cup has come too soon for Sverre – but he will be cheering on Norway and his friends and team-mates.

“I think we will do really well,” he says. “I can't really see how we could not, to be honest, it is a really good team. They play really well together. Obviously, it's a good group they're in and everything can happen. And as long as they go through the group stage, then you never know. I really hope we will do well. That will be amazing for the country.”

Interview: David Clayton

check out the New manchester city Women's Facility!

On Wednesday 13 May, Manchester City official opened our new Women’s First Team facility.

Purpose-built for Andrée Jeglertz’s side, it includes state-of-the-art performance facilities, a stunning breakout space for players and staff to eat and relax, a circular dressing room designed to support team connection and much more.

It signals the start of an exciting new era for our Women’s First Team, so it therefore feels rather appropriate that one of the first opportunities for our players to experience the facility came as we were crowned Barclays Women’s Super League champions.

The team gathered to watch Arsenal’s clash with Brighton in early May knowing confirm top spot if the Gunners failed to win.

The 1-1 draw that followed, unsurprisingly, sparked some memorable celebrations. A new facility to mirror the equally exciting future of this team!

Words: George Kelsey

Johnny, johnny Stones! career gallery

As we say farewell to another Club legend, here's some of John Stones' many wonderful moments in sky blue in our Manchester City career gallery overview. Captions not needed - each picture tells its own colourful story of a legend our fans loved and will never forget...

For the final time this season, one of City’s Academy players was asked to build a 5-a-side team.

And for the June edition of the magazine, midfielder Floyd Samba was tasked with selecting one goalkeeper, one defender, two midfielders and one striker from a list of players his featured alongside during his tenure in the Academy thus far.

Let’s see who he picked…

GOALKEEPER:
Oliver Whatmuff – he can distribute with both feet and his shot stopping is very good!

DEFENDER:
Stephen Mfuni - he is so versatile and can do everything and anything you need from a defender.

MIDFIELDER:
Divine Mukasa – He plays like he's already had loads of senior experience and he's a good leader on the pitch. He takes responsibility and plays with no fear.

MIDFIELDER:
Tyrone Samba - he's established himself this season and has shown why he should earn a spot in the team. And he has been one of the best players for the U18s this season too.

FORWARD:
Reigan Heskey and Ryan McAidoo - they are both such a threat. Every time they get the ball they are looking to get forward and that's what you want from a winger, you want them to beat their man every time. And they both do it so I can't pick between either of them so I guess we are making a hybrid striker.

Interview: Holly Percival

Trials, teaching and trophy lifts are the first things that come to mind when looking to summarise another incredible campaign for Oliver Reiss and the Under-18s.

The season began with City looking to pick up where they left off as we set off to retain the Under-18 Premier League North title. Five successive league wins, which included a 4-2 comeback win over our cross-city rivals Manchester United a real highlight of 2025/26, was the ideal start.

A slight bump in the road saw us fall to our first defeat of the term, a 3-2 loss at home to Liverpool, but it provided the perfect learning opportunity and test to see how the young Blues could bounce back.

A seven-game winning streak, sprinkled with FA Youth Cup victories over Fulham, Arsenal and Chelsea across the festive period and into 2026 had Reiss’ side flying high at the league summit, the perfect response to a tricky encounter with the Reds.

However, a more difficult spell followed.

City dropped points to Manchester United, Derby County, Leeds and Burnley. And once again, Reiss’ side showed maturity, togetherness and desire to succeed as we continue to fight for the North title which was now in the balance.

Convincing victories over Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough teed up Derby County as a potential title-winning moment.

Following a 5-3 win over the Rams and after United dropped points to Newcastle, City secured back-to-back North titles.

“I’m very happy and very very proud of the lads,” said Reiss after our title-winning triumph over Derby County.

“I also want to mention that when you win a title as Manchester City sometimes it feels a bit like ‘yeah, okay this is what we can expect from United or City’ but it isn’t like this.

“It was a tough season for us, there were tough phases, draws, losing games, how to come back mentality.

“There were games we won at the end, but also we were down one or two goals, so there were very tough moments and that’s why I think it is not just what we should expect, but it is more, it’s a well deserved win at the end.”

It gave the team the extra boost we needed as we then prepared for our FA Youth Cup final with United.

A first all-Manchester final since 1986, in which City also ran out winners, the Thursday evening clash in front of 7,000 fans was a night to remember for the team.

Floyd Samba’s free-kick put City ahead before Godwill Kukonki quickly replied for the visitors.

Reigan Heskey’s strike moments before full-time secured FA Youth Cup glory for the Blues and a moment to cherish as we lifted our second trophy of the campaign with the fans.

Whilst the campaign might not have ended how the squad would have wanted, falling to a 5-1 defeat to South title winners Chelsea in the Under-18 Premier League National Final in the final outing of 2025/26, Reiss believes it will be a key learning point and stepping stone for the players en route to senior football.

“We need games like this,” said Reiss.

“These challenges, this pressure, these crowds, the stadiums to develop the players. I’m not just thinking about playing the games and winning the games but also, no one wants it, but even losing these games can give you a lot in terms of what you need for future. 

“How to deal with it now, the resilience, having the respect after the game to deal with the emotions. No one wants to lose but it’s the next opportunity to improve.”

Feature: Holly Percival