Manchester City fans put rivalry aside for awesome Sir Alex Ferguson 'get well' banner

Henry Bushnell
·Senior soccer reporter

Manchester City threw its Premier League title party on Sunday at the Etihad. Despite a 0-0 draw with Huddersfield, fans stormed the field after the game; players received their winners medals, then sprayed one another with champagne, then shared the fun with the fans; Vincent Kompany lifted the trophy.

But the best postgame moment might have been during the pitch storming.

The whole of English football was stunned Saturday night by the news that legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had been hospitalized, and had undergone surgery for a brain hemorrhage. A couple of City fans had Ferguson on their minds the morning of the match, and made a banner to wish him well. They carried it onto the field and held it up for TV cameras:

Man City as a club, and a few of its players, had also sent messages of support to Sir Alex in the aftermath of the news on Saturday night:

City’s entire trophy celebration the following day was excellently scripted and executed, with kids from the club’s amputee and Down syndrome youth teams carrying the trophy onto the field for the ceremony. But this (presumably) unscripted moment might have been the best part.

Manchester City fans held up a batter to support Sir Alex Ferguson in the wake of the legendary Manchester United manager’s emergency surgery on Saturday. (Screenshot: NBC Sports Network)
Manchester City fans held up a batter to support Sir Alex Ferguson in the wake of the legendary Manchester United manager’s emergency surgery on Saturday. (Screenshot: NBC Sports Network)

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Henry Bushnell covers global soccer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Question? Comment? Email him at henrydbushnell@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter @HenryBushnell, and on Facebook.