Our Belgian winger explains how his first real interest in football came out of disappointment…

One of Jeremy Doku’s first memories of football was being told he couldn’t take part in a game because he was ‘too small’.

That sparked something inside him, even at the age of six, that would eventually lead to joining the champions of Europe 15 years later.

The fact he’d been denied the chance to play with his older brother in that game during a family holiday, seems to have been the catalyst that first set him on his journey.

“My dad played football when he was in Ghana growing up, and he was good, but he couldn’t play on the street where you can learn a lot of skills and didn’t get the kind of support I got when he was younger,” says Doku.

“He was good, though. On one occasion, when I was six, we went to Ghana on a family break.

“While we were there, my brother, who is three years older than me, was invited by some other boys we didn’t know, to play in a game as they were one short.

“Of course, I wanted to join in – but the other boys said I was too little and wouldn’t let me.

“I was too small, and I think they thought I might get hurt or that they maybe couldn’t tackle me because of my age, but at that time, you don’t understand why.

“So, I said to my father that when we returned to Belgium, I wanted to play football and that was probably the first time I’d really taken an interest in the game – and it had all been because those boys hadn’t let me join in that game with my brother.

"Would I have started playing when I was a bit older without that experience? Probably – but who knows? Maybe I wouldn’t."

“My father soon found me a local junior side to start training and playing games with - kids my own age - and then, when I was eight, I went to a team with 10-year-olds and from then until I was 18, I was with Anderlecht.

“During that time, me and my brother would play on the street whenever we could – he was a really good player – but he had some injuries.”

One thing people often comment about Doku is his lightning pace.

Thierry Henry once said that if a defender found themselves in a one v one situation with Jeremy, they should do one thing – pray!

But it his dribbling ability that has set him apart from his contemporaries.

His 6.8 per game ratio while with Rennes was the most of any player in Europe’s top five leagues.

Quite a stat.

And while his speed is an incredible asset, Doku says it is over short bursts that it is most effective – a standing start – rather than having the speed of a sprinter.

Our new feature sees us pay homage to players who flew under the radar of the football world outside of loyal City fans. The third edition, coinciding with Black History Month in October, focuses on Sylvain Distin.

Competition for places in the French national squad has always been high. Even so, there was many a City fan in the noughties who couldn’t have imagined a national team would have the luxury of leaving out Sylvain Distin.

The broad shouldered centre-back was voted our 2002/03 Player of the Season in his first year with the Club – our high point under Kevin Keegan that saw us finish ninth in the Premier League.

He would remain a rock at the back until his departure in 2007, with City’s top-flight status often reliant on the superb partnership formed between Distin and Richard Dunne.

Given our struggles at the top end of the pitch for much of our early years solidifying ourselves as a Premier League outfit, a defence worthy of a top half side was required to steer us well clear of relegation.

Lightning quick, incredibly athletic and endlessly durable in an unforgiving position, Distin was essential as Kevin Keegan and Stuart Pearce manoeuvred us from Maine Road to the Etihad and ensured our long-term return to the top-flight.

Unfortunately for Distin, that never crystallised into trophies or international caps but there was no doubting City fans understood how lucky we were to have a player of such quality during that period.

When he eventually retired from the game – after further Premier League stints with Portsmouth, Everton and Bournemouth – he had played 469 Premier League games. That tally still stands as the most for any foreign outfielder in the league’s history.

While clearly respected at league level, why Distin never received the call from his nation remains a mystery.

He had to earn his crust the hard way right from the start, playing a season each with lower league clubs Joue-les-Tours, Tours FC and FC Gueugnon before getting his move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2000.

Not quite the club we know today, PSG finished ninth in Ligue 1 in 2000/01.

Distin was sent out on loan to Newcastle United that summer, where he played 40 times and immediately adapted to life in England.

Those performances prompted Keegan to make the move, promising Distin a role at the heart of the defence rather than at left-back, where his natural left foot had seen him stationed for much of his time in the north east.

After setting his standards high with that award-winning first campaign, Distin was an ever-reliable presence in our first year at the new stadium.

He played 50 of our 51 games in a disappointing campaign that included a short UEFA Cup run, seeing us face TNS of Wales, Lokeren of Belgium and Groclin of Poland.

That made him by far our most used player of the season, with compatriot Nicolas Anelka next on 43.

He backed that up in 2004/05 by playing all 41 games at the back for the Blues as we returned to form and pushed for a UEFA Cup spot, cruelly missing out on the final day.

2005/06 was the first full season under the stewardship of Stuart Pearce but it didn’t mean Distin was any less busy, still playing 36 times across all competitions.

The defender’s final season saw him turn out 43 times, only one fewer than long term partner Dunne. With City scoring just 29 goals all season, it was down to the pair and goalkeeper Nicky Weaver to preserve our Premier League status.

The 44 goals we did let in was the eighth best across the division, more than making up for the joint worst attack out of the 20 teams.

Although not a natural attacker, Distin’s athleticism did sporadically see him venture forward. His giant stride and wide shoulders proved an intimidating sight for those that dare stand in his way.

By far the most striking example came against Aston Villa in his final year. Winning the ball off Villa’s Gavin McCann on the edge of his own box, Distin exchanged a delightful one-two with striker Georgios Samaras who had peeled to the left.

The return saw Distin progress into Villa’s half with acres of space in front of him. Seemingly with no other option, he powered beyond covering defender Liam Ridgewell and gave goalkeeper Stuart Taylor no chance with a curling finish from the edge of the area.

He celebrated with the fierce roar of a man who knew he had done something completely out of the ordinary.

Other than that, the bulk of his six goals came in the usual fashion for central defenders, a towering header from a set piece or a scrappy finish in a crowded area.

In the end, he moved to Portsmouth where Harry Redknapp was forming a side that would go on to lift the FA Cup.

While City fans were obviously disappointed and initially hurt, no one could doubt the dedication the defender had shown during his time in Manchester.

As time has passed, the efforts of the likes of Distin and Dunne in particular to ensure there was a Club that would be primed for investment in 2008 have only become more appreciated.

Words: Jack Wilson-Mumford

When Pep Guardiola said that City legend Vincent Kompany would take charge at the Etihad Stadium one day, it doesn’t come as a surprise to many.

The Burnley boss showed his leadership qualities from his very first season as a 22-year-old to his final campaign 11 years later when he guided the club to another Premier League title.

His former City team-mate Kolo Toure has also gone into coaching after working with Brendan Rodgers at Celtic and Leicester City and a spell in charge at Wigan Athletic.

We caught up with the ex-City defender and asked him about some of the leaders in the dressing room during his time at the club and those that influenced him.

Here’s his thoughts on some of those players…

Vincent Kompany
He’s on his way up. I know Vinny and he’ll go step by step. He knows that to get a big club you have to go through some levels. He started in the Championship doing unbelievable there. He also helped and supported me a lot, giving me advice when I had my time at Wigan. I’m really happy that he’s doing well because he’s an intelligent guy, a hard worker and learning from Pep as well as having his own identity. He’s a really good manager so why not [be a City manager] one day?

Roberto Mancini
Roberto was demanding. He’s a nice guy but when he goes to the players he’s not scared of confrontation. I took that from him.

Mark Hughes
He’s someone who gives ownership to the players. He trusts the players to find the solution on the pitch.

Carlos Tevez
Carlos is a ruthless player. When he’s playing there’s no joke there. He’s a fighter. Every time is committed, he wants to win everything, every ball and he wants to score. He doesn’t let people bully him. He’s someone you want in the dressing room because he’s a strong personality, he’s not scared. He’s not scared of a challenge.

Nigel De Jong
De Jong is a pitbull! He’s short but very aggressive. He’s got a dirty walk as we say, he goes for every ball. He’s a lovely guy. A guy who sacrifices himself for the team and I like that. I love players like that, I want them in the team. There are players who go get the ball and players who make the final pass and both of them are important.

Gareth Barry
A classy man. He’s a gentleman, very clear on his game. But he has a strong mentality. He never gives up on his game. He just keeps going. He will do everything to keep the game nice and tidy.

Shaun Wright-Phillips
Wow, electric! Shaun is unpredictable I would say. He can do anything. He can dribble past two or three players, he can run in the spaces, he can score unbelievable goals. An unpredictable player.

Yaya Toure
The magician! Yaya is creative. Yaya is ruthless. Yaya is a winner. Yaya has a big passion for football. And Yaya will do everything to win!

Kolo Toure
My way is simply I’m enthusiastic and I like to have a good connection with people. Anyone who knows me knows that when there’s time to be friendly I can be friendly, but when it’s time to work then we work. I like to create a good environment but when it’s time to be serious and work then we go to work and that’s what I’m like.

Interview: Jonathan Smith

“Who’d be a goalkeeper?”: A rhetorical question which has often been used as a double-edged sword to both defend and deride ‘keepers throughout the years.

To play between the sticks requires immense focus, discipline and adaptability, regardless of the level at which they operate. Those demands, however, are particularly heightened at a club like Manchester City, where building play from the back is valued so highly.

It’s an extremely pressurised and coldly unforgiving role, which almost inevitably leads to a goal if a mistake, however, minor, is made.

But that’s what makes Khiara Keating – still just 19 – and her ability to roll with the punches that being a goalkeeper at the elite level can often provide, so impressive.

Indeed, she found out she was making her senior debut for City during the warmup after Karima Taieb was forced to withdraw through injury.

Eleven days later – still just 17 at the time - she was facing then-WSL leaders Arsenal, with a late equaliser a cruel ending to what had been an assured performance.

Keating once again stepped up to the plate in April 2023 during an injury crisis, making a phenomenal reaction save in an emphatic victory over West Ham United.

One month later, she played almost 50 minutes in a highly-charged Manchester derby after Ellie Roebuck was shown a straight red just before the break and once again showed a maturity that belies her tender years.

It was an afternoon to forget for City, with a late goal for United all but ending our hopes of European football, but Keating more than held her own in that high stakes setting.

It certainly hasn’t been straightforward for the youngster so far in her City career, but whenever the opportunity has arisen, she’s grasped it with both hands (as any ‘keeper worth their salt should!).

Now a regular in the first team fold, Keating is excited to hit the ground running in 2023/24. After a prolonged pre-season, she’s confident that a tight-knit City squad can go the distance.

“I think [the mood in camp is] really good. Obviously, with minimal changes, the team spirit has always been there but I’m obviously looking forward to the start of the season and starting it well,” she explains.

“There were only a few of us who were back because of the World Cup, and obviously they were all big personalities, but I think with everyone back it just feels like home.

“You can get stronger and work on more things you wouldn’t normally work on in the season because you don’t really have time to, like specific things for me or Sandy [MacIver] because we’ve done pre-season together.

“I think when there’s two of you and one goes with the team and the other can have one to ones with Chris [Williams] and work on your left foot or right hand, it’s really beneficial.

“The programmes here make sure everyone stays fit and who needs to be doing what and whenever. Pre-season games have helped a lot and people are starting to come back now so I feel like we’re going to be prepared.”

That preparation will be key for City to turn that promising pre-season, which saw us claim victories over Bristol City, Liverpool and Everton, into a strong start to the new WSL campaign.

First, Gareth Taylor’s side travel down to London to face West Ham United, a fixture which saw us pushed to our limits in January 2023 en route to a 1-0 win.

Seven days later and Chelsea, the reigning WSL champions, are in town in front of a sell-out crowd at the Academy Stadium.

While too early to be described as season defining, positive results in each of those matches would provide the perfect platform for City to build another sustained push for the league crown.

It’s certainly not a fact which has been lost on Keating, but she masks that well when she nonchalantly shrugs after those initial fixtures are mentioned.

“You’re going to have to play them all at one point,” she answers with a smile. “But I think we will get a good start to the season, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

“Especially against Chelsea with our home crowd, I think it’ll be good.

“The girls have been working hard in pre-season, so I think we’re all ready and raring to go.”

City ultimately came up short in last season’s WSL title race but were in the thick of a thrilling four-way battle for the top prize until the final weeks of the campaign.

With another year’s experience under our collective belts, Gareth Taylor’s side are likely to be even better equipped for the cut and thrust that a pursuit of top spot has to offer.

Crucially, there has been little upheaval this summer, with winger Hayley Raso the only departure.

Dutch international Jill Roord also stands as City’s solitary new recruit, having helped VfL Wolfsburg to last season’s Champions League final before grabbing a Dutch record four goals in five matches at this summer’s World Cup.

For Keating, our new midfielder has been a fine addition to the squad, both on and off the pitch, but she’s been equally excited by the return of several loanees to the City Football Academy.

That familiarity could prove vital.

Keating explains: “Last season was really good, because the team spirit was there. [Now] it’s the same group of girls we know each other we know how each other plays and it should [work] really well.

“And Jill [Roord] just slots right into our team. She does bring a lot on and off the pitch.

“She’s such a big character she brings a lot to that No.10 role that I don’t think we’ve had since probably someone like Caz [Caroline Weir] has left.

“Having Ruby [Mace] back has lifted me up and Jess [Park] and Julie [Blakstad] are great additions to the team.

“I think they bring a lot to the group. Jess can play everywhere like in the front three and midfield. She’s such a versatile player. It's all good!”

Interview: George Kellsey

Times were different back in 2006.

Manager Stuart Pearce had to rely on a lot of Academy talent with a minimal transfer budget to work with.

That meant signing players who were decent, but - with the greatest respect - were nowhere near the calibre of players of the current squad.

Pearce had been keen to boost his attacking options and when the opportunity to bring in USA winger DaMarcus Beasley in on a season-long loan, the City boss was more than happy to sanction the deal.

Beasley arrived from PSV Eindhoven, but injuries halted his early progress.

We finally sat down to interview him in late September, and he was an intelligent, nice guy – very articulate and eager to do well – and boy, he was fast on he pitch.

Beasley was blessed with electric pace, and as we figured out what the cover blurb should be, ‘American Express’ leapt out for obvious reasons.

We went for a simple white backdrop with Beasley in a white tracksuit top – simple and clean, the shot worked really well and came together well with our designer adopting the same font used by the American Express credit card company.

As for Beasley, he would make 22 appearances and score four goals during his one season with City – unfortunately for him, it coincided with our worst ever home goals tally of 10!

In a better City side, he might have flourished, but instead he moved to Rangers on a permanent deal in June 2007.

Words: David Clayton

Rising British rapper Tays, a lifelong City fan and regular attendee at the Etihad, answers our latest City Magazine Q&A…

City Mag: For anyone new to your music, how would you best describe your work?

Tays: I’d say my music is just laid back, good vibes with some tongue in cheek lyrics but I can switch it up and sing you a love song.

Who are your musical influences?
My favourite musician of all time is Biggie Smalls – his was the first album I ever listened to, but a big inspiration for me was Aitch, who I’ve grown up with and seen first-hand which made me believe it’s possible.

How and when did you become a City fan?
I’ve been a City fan since I was a baby! My grandad was a City fan and I look up to him a lot. I had a lot of family trying to put United shirts on me, but I stayed on the blue side of Manchester - the right side.

What made you fall in love with the Club?
I always loved underdogs and although that’s not the case now, back in the day we were always the underdogs. I also loved the togetherness of the fans who still turned up every week whilst everything was tough.

Do you get to many games?
I try go to as many as I can, my little brother’s a massive fan so I try and take him to as many games as possible so he can have the same experiences as I had.

What’s your favourite City memory so far?
It’s got to be the AGUEROOOOOOO moment to win the Premier League - I don’t think anything will top that, although that first Champions League title was nice…

Your all-time favourite player?
I think my favourite player of all time would have to be Vincent Kompany… what a player  

Which current City player – in your opinion – would make the best rapper?
I’d have to say Haaland - I’ve seen a video of him dropping a few bars when he was younger, but I’d stick to football if I was him - it wasn’t the best!

Can City fans listen to your music?
I’d love City fans to listen to my music, I’m one of those ‘we stick together you’ve got to support your own’ sort of person…

Career ambition?
I want to sell-out the Etihad one day and be the biggest act to come out of my country, inspiring younger generations to make something of themselves, especially kids from my area in Moston.

Your dream for City?
Keep winning and overtake United in trophies!

Follow Tays on TikTok: @taysmcr

As City extended our 100% start to the league season so far in September, Fantasy Premier League managers would’ve been delighted by the output from those in Pep Guardiola’s squad.

In our final assignment before the international break, we recorded an emphatic 5-1 victory over Fulham before returning from the pause in domestic action with a fine 3-1 win over West Ham in the capital.

After beginning the defence of the Club’s Champions League crown with a 3-1 success against Red Star Belgrade at home, we then maintained our winning Premier League run with a battling win over Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium.

Across the past three league fixtures, Erling Haaland has proved to be our most profitable player in FPL.

The Norwegian ace has registered a total of 32 points across the past 270 minutes of league action after scoring five goals and registering one assist.

A tremendous start to the month came when the prolific hitman netted a hat-trick in the victory over Marco Silva’s side while also providing the assist to Julian Alvarez’s strike against the Cottagers.

He then added the gloss to our win at the London Stadium by bagging our third of the afternoon as we came from a goal down to collect three points against David Moyes’ side.

Haaland then repeated the trick against Nottingham Forest when he impressively headed home Matheus Nunes’ cross from the right.

In total, he has amassed 51 points in FPL this season which makes him the current highest scoring player in the game – seven points clear of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka who sits in the second place.

*All stats and figures correct as of Thursday 28 September.

Words: Sam Cox

This season I’m taking you on an A-to-Z tour of Manchester and possibly taking a few liberties with the alphabet. Expect lots of musicians, an occasional session with a footballer and whatever else I can find in my archive.

This issue we’re already up to the letter B.

For City fans there can only be one person to feature – and that’s Colin Bell.

In 1973 when I was studying photography, I shot a day at Maine Road for a magazine project.

Imaginatively entitled, Saturday Afternoon Blues, I got a lovely photo of Colin as he arrived at the ground and was surrounded by fans wanting his autograph. I love how focused he is despite all the distractions. If he was playing today, he’d have a pair of Beats headphones on and be swatting people away who were demanding selfies. I wonder what King Colin would have had on his playlist back in '73. A bit of Rod Stewart and maybe Bowie’s Aladdin Sane, which had recently been released. I like to think so anyway.

I’ve included a photo from Colin’s testimonial – a truly sad day for all City fans – a magnificent career cut short by a terrible injury.

When I was shooting my final season at Maine Road book, I wanted to feature my favourite former players, Colin was obviously high on the list.

I took a few photos whenever I saw him at Maine Road, and I then spent a highly enjoyable day with him at home and photographed him with his ECWC medal from 1970.

I also got loads of gossip, which I swore never to tell anyone...

When we were in Istanbul for the final of ‘some competition’ recently, I caught up with Colin’s widow, Marie, and son Jon, and we shared a few celebratory sherbets and toasted Colin the King (the King, the King). How he’d have enjoyed that night, too.

Oh, and I’d obviously choose David Bowie for my musician ‘B’. This photo of ‘the Dame’ was taken just a few months before the early Colin Bell pic – in Leeds in June ’73.

In fact, I have a Bowie book coming out in late October, and it’s a very lovely item indeed. If you’re a fan, you absolutely need to put it on your Xmas list. Now to worry about who I’m going to feature for ‘C’ next month.

Kevin Cummins