Ranking the 5 most iconic Manchester City players before the ADUG takeover
Manchester City are a modern day footballing juggernaut. A torrid spell across the nineties and aughts saw them drop as far as the third division of English football.
However, they've since rewritten their history to become the most successful English club over the last decade. The credit for a large part of that success can be attributed to the substantial investment in the club by the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG).
Since then, players such as Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne and Vincent Kompany have established themselves as legends at the Etihad.
The times at the old Maine Road stadium, however, were considerably different, with mid-table mediocrity and relegation battles being the club's identity as the "noisy neighbors."
Nevertheless, they produced several endearing players who were loved and still remembered by the City faithful. Here's a look at five iconic Manchester City players before the ADUG takeover:
#5 Richard Dunne
Irishman Richard Dunne was the team captain at the time of the ADUG takeover and was at the heart and soul of the blue collar club. The centre-back was Manchester City's official Player of the Year for four consecutive seasons and an indispensable figure between 2004 and 2008.
During his nine-year spell with the Cityzens, Dunne notched up 351 appearances. He was also a fan favorite for his grit and commanding physical ability. Despite his role as club captain, his player profile did not suit the "superclub" project, with the new management reluctant to build the club around the Irishman. He was let go in 2009.
#4 Shaun Goater
Shaun Goater was an unlikely deadline-day signing in 1998 who went on to become one of the most prolific Manchester City goalscorers of the modern era.
The Bermudian forward had to undergo great adversity in his youth to carve a professional career in football. He got off to a shaky start at Manchester City but quickly turned things around. Goater soon became their talisman for the new millennium, netting a remarkable 105 goals in five years in just 186 appearances.
For four seasons in a row, he was the club's top goalscorer as they ping-ponged between the top three divisions of English football. Powered by Goater's goals, the Sky Blues found themselves back in the Premier League in 2002-03.
Goater's 100th goal for the club came in the 2001-02 derby against Manchester United. Following his tireless effort to hunt down Gary Neville, he was rewarded with an Eyal Berkovic pass which he chipped over Fabian Barthez, as City went on to shock their bitter rivals.