‘Big up the Sheikh’, ‘the best owner’ – Man City fans react as club chairman reflect on ‘special’ year

Khaldoon Al Mubarak have looked back on Manchester City’s 2021 after the club released its annual report.

The club announced that their annual revenue has increased over the last year by 19 per cent to £569.8million, with a profit of £2.4m being made.

The Man City chairman believes the reigning Premier League champions have now fulfilled the vision that owner Sheikh Mansour set out for the club in 2008.

Reflecting on the 2020/21 season – where Manchester City won the Premier League title, their fourth consecutive Carabao Cup, and reached a club-first Champions League final, Khaldoon said:

“Ten seasons before this one, Manchester City won its first major trophy in 35 years and qualified for the Champions League for the very first time. A decade on, and our men’s team is distinguished in England by having qualified for the competition every year since.”

“And so, while disappointment at the defeat in the final in Porto ran undeniably deep, we were incredibly proud to have reached it in the first place. We look ahead with the knowledge that we are going to come back stronger and more experienced, knowing that we have reached not only that benchmark but also a level of consistency which gives us great confidence for the future.

“The success of our men’s first team – this year’s trophies represent our fifth Premier League title and sixth League Cup of the last decade – is our story today. Our story tomorrow will be written by the next generation, who made history this year when the EDS and U18 teams won their respective leagues, meaning Manchester City hold the titles at all three levels of the men’s game.

“His Highness Sheikh Mansour’s vision, set in 2008, is the reality we are living thirteen years later – we are a sustainable and socially responsible organisation, finding and developing talent and competing for trophies on both the domestic and European stage.

“It is the results of that vision that gave us the confidence a year ago to state an intended return to profitability in our second season impacted by COVID-19, even in a season played without fans.

“Despite the many unknowns in the evolving global pandemic, we knew then that was a realistic objective, thanks in large part to the impact of our long-term strategy to diversify and globalise our revenues; our ability to depend on excellent football performance; and the support of our partners and shareholders.

“We have been able to continue our forward momentum across City Football Group, last year celebrating the acquisition of new clubs, and this year enjoying on-field success throughout the group, as our teams in India, Australia and France won their respective leagues.”

These Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s comments were shared on Twitter by City Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters.

Oh yeah! pic.twitter.com/Znssv5hR0N

— Invisible Man (@SheikhManCity08) January 13, 2022

Love this club we have the best owner

— Jack 🇦🇷🇧🇪 (@futstar24) January 12, 2022

Big up the Sheik, top top bloke

— Joe Benoit (@JBENOIT_WL) January 12, 2022

This, THIS is the mentality of how a club should be run.

— stockport (@stockport) January 12, 2022

City are not only the best team in the land, and all the world, but the best run football club in the land, and all the world. I think we all appreciate the work of our chairman, but we count our lucky stars to have a great owner in his highness Sheik Mansour. Thank you.

— Tony Harney (@THarney1) January 12, 2022