The name of that craze: the Poznan.
On the night of 21 October 2010, savouring the return of European football to the Etihad Stadium, City welcomed Lech Poznan in the Europa League group stage - but the night is fondly remembered for the joyous events which occurred off the pitch rather than on it.
Armed with a star-studded squad, gleaned with a sensational summer transfer window of activity, City bounced to a 3-1 triumph, courtesy of an Emmanuel Adebayor hat-trick... and the atmosphere was jumping in the stands!
GET EXCLUSIVE CITY CONTENT WITH A CITY+ SUBSCRIPTION
But the lively leaping actually originated from the away end: the 6,000 staunch Poznan supporters, who unleashed their signature show of support.
Turning their back on the pitch, spreading their arms and grabbing the person next to them, the away following created wave after wave of royal blue chains, bouncing up and down on the spot.
It was quite an incredible sight, enjoyed by all corners of the ground, and in light-hearted jest, the City fans adopted it after Adebayor’s strikes.
From then on, it stuck and quickly became a new part of the matchday ritual - an added celebration after a goal and a new chapter of City fandom.
Quite how this crazy dance became part of City folklore is difficult to explain... unless you’re a City fan!
Ten years on, we asked our supporters to try and tell the story of how ‘the Poznan’ turned sky blue and played a special role in the on-pitch success, which saw our 35-year-long wait for a trophy finally end.
Introducing: The Poznan...
