Thousands of Man City fans "gathered in the city's Albert Square to celebrate the club winning the Premier League," according to the BBC. The celebrations "saw highlights from the season screened before the team showed off the trophy to fans." An open top bus "then took the players through Peter Street, Deansgate and Exchange Square." Before the team appeared, comedian Jason Manford "took to the stage and held his mobile phone aloft, leading the crowd in a Manchester City song to be left on fellow comedian and Liverpool fan John Bishop's voicemail" (BBC, 5/12). The crowd was estimated at more than 100,000 fans (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 5/12). The AP reported fans "climbed bus stands, road signs and store fronts for a view of the players as the bus, flanked by a vast escort of security guards, wound its way through the city on a mile-long trip." Looking down through his sunglasses "on flag-waving, horn-blowing supporters lining the streets," Man City captain Vincent Kompany said, "Manchester is blue today -- and it's a pretty sight." (AP, 5/12). In London, Pidd & Lloyd reported many cities "would struggle if given just 24 hours to organise a victory parade which involved the deployment of two helicopters, countless police officers, a small army of undercover security experts and the closure not just of the main square but also a key thoroughfare, in the middle of the rush hour." But Manchester "has had 20 years of practice at this sort of thing" (GUARDIAN, 5/12).
CONTINUED CRITICISM: In London, Chris Wheeler wrote on the day that England’s provisional World Cup squad was announced, it "was notable that the Premier League champions were celebrating their success with a distinct lack of Englishmen aboard an open-top bus." FA Chair Greg Dyke has described Man City’s title triumph as "pretty depressing" and one look at their teamsheet for Sunday’s final game at home to West Ham "told you why." Goalkeeper Joe Hart "was the only English player in their line-up at the Etihad before he was joined by James Milner 14 minutes from the end." However, Milner insisted that "it was unfair to single out City and countered Dyke’s comments by claiming that England are benefitting from their internationals playing alongside the likes of David Silva and Sergio Aguero every week" (DAILY MAIL, 5/12). MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, on Man City winning the EPL and spending lavishly: "At some point, they're going to start policing (the spending). I thought Europe was going to stop this from happening but they have bought two championships" ("Morning Joe," MSNBC, 5/12).
