10 years ago. Urgh. We feel old
Do you remember 2008? A great year, it was. Donald Trump was still a glamorous reality television star, the world was coming to terms with the fact that its entire financial system was a sham and Taylor Swift was still a country music star.
Another thing that had yet to happen in 2008 was Sheikh Mansour’s takeover of Manchester City, which would eventually catapult them to the peak of English football and being coached by the best manager in the world.
Back in 2008, the idea that the Citizens would one day possibly win the Premier League with a 100-point total would have earned you a jolly good laughing out of whatever establishment you dared utter the words in.
Back in 2008, on this day no less, Manchester City were defeated 8-1 by Middlesbrough.
While the day was technically 11th May 2008, it will be forever known as The Day Afonso Alves Did Something Good In England Apart From That Time He Helped A Kitten Out Of A Drain Pipe In His House.
It was a Middlesbrough side featuring a host of players you could confidently say are Premier League players, such as Stewart Downing, George Boateng, Tuncay, Fabio Rochembach, Jeremy Aliadiere and Julio Arca. I could go on, but I won’t.
In what proved to be the final game in Sven Goran-Eriksson’s unmemorable time at the Etihad, Afonso Alves – more than anyone else – remembered that he was a footballer, and put himself on the map for something other than helping that cat.
There’s not much more to say on it, so sit back, relax and remember how bloody old you are now. Thanks.
