Manchester “Cityzens”

Football fans are a close-knit community. Often for these communities, a common name is pivotal to bringing them under one umbrella. This gives the fan the feeling of being a part of something much bigger than them. In football history, there have been many iconic fandom names, like Red Devils (Manchester United), Gunners (Arsenal), Los Cules (FC Barcelona), and much more.

Manchester City fans were called “Sky Blues” too. However, “Cityzens” stuck. Part of it was due to its catchy play on the word “Citizen”, and part of it was due to the implied swipe at Manchester United, their local rivals.

Here’s a look at the story behind why Manchester City fans are called “Cityzens”.

Why are Man City fans called “Cityzens”?

If a person joins Manchester City’s official free membership, they become a “Cityzen”.

The word “Cityzen” is a play on the word “Citizen”, with the “City” in Manchester City changing the spelling of the original word.

Moreover, it implies the feeling of being a part of a movement, as citizens are the heart and soul of a country.

While this is the basic and simple explanation, over the years, another one has developed.

“Cityzens” has also been construed as a swipe at Manchester United. Before the takeover, when Manchester City were just Manchester United’s “noisy neighbours”, they often took pride in the fact that United’s fanbase was not even in Manchester. Instead, their success had led them to gain “plastic” fans who were in it for just glory.

Also read: Why are Arsenal fans called “Gunners or Gooners”?

On the other hand, Manchester City was the more down-to-earth and grounded club with support at the grassroots level. Therefore, their fanbase had more Manchester “citizens”. Although the picture has altered now, with Manchester City also enjoying plenty of overseas fans owing to their success, the swipe at Manchester United for having more non-local fans has remained through this name.