Just in case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, Oasis are back. The Manchester City-supporting Gallagher brothers have buried the hatchet and will play a string of huge gigs next summer, with most of you readers still probably in online queue trying to get your hands on tickets.
Seamlessly riding this wave of publicity, Manchester City have today launched a new fourth kit for the 2024/25 season that has been co-designed by Noel Gallagher and takes inspiration from the the band’s debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’, which has just turned 30 years old. The kit features a colour scheme inspired by the album’s iconic cover, with colours such as ‘light straw’ and ‘poppy pink’ alongside a sky blue. But just as eye-catching as the new kit is, it’s the photoshoot that has really captured our attention.
That’s because the club have recreated the 'Definitely Maybe' cover, swapping in Pep Guardiola and City players in place of the band, with a fair few easter eggs in there, which we’re going to walk you through now…
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Manchester City's 'Definitely Maybe' easter eggs
First up is the personnel. Getting the band’s original line-up that featured a Manchester United fan, plus an exiled drummer, was never going to happen, so we now have an all-star City cast.
Pep Guardiola has taken the place of Noel Gallagher sat on the sofa strumming a guitar while lying on the middle of the floor in Liam Gallagher’s very rock and roll star pose is Kyle Walker.
Mateo Kovacic is sat by the bay window in place of Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs, whose house in West Didsbury was the scene of the iconic cover shoot. Next to him is Ederson, in for Paul ‘Guigsy’ McGuigan, while Jess Park has probably drawn the short straw, as she plays the role of Tony McCarroll, the drummer who was pushed out before the band recorded ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’.
On the mantelpiece, you’ll see a Puma emblem now, with the manufacturer’s logo also present on a City ball next to the television.
The biggest easter egg comes with a refreshing of three images that were scattered around the room on the original cover shoot.
The Burt Bacharach gatefold album that was propped up next to the sofa is now a picture of City legend Colin Bell, while the framed Rodney Marsh photo next to the fireplace is now a picture of Sergio Aguero celebrating that 2011/12 title winner against QPR.
Finally, the picture of George Best on the mantelpiece has been replaced with a photo of the Etihad Stadium.
Many City fans will wonder why Manchester United legend Best was on the cover in the first place, but Bonehead is a Red Devils fan, while Noel told us back in 2003 that he couldn’t argue with Best’s inclusion.
“George Best is the greatest footballer of all time!” the older Gallagher brother said. “I was going to Liverpool to watch City play last season and I was standing at Manchester airport and there was George Best. He threw his arms around me and gave me a big hug.
“I was with Gem from the band and he said, ‘Shouldn’t you hate him?’ How can you hate Georgie? He was the first superstar; he’s on the cover of my first album – everybody loves George. The United fans love him because he was such a great player but City fans love him too because he liked to have a good time.”
Liam, meanwhile had a soft spot for Marsh, telling NME in 2000 that: “He’s f***ing amazing. That programme on Sky Sports where he slags everyone off? Top. He is the geezer. I’d love to have a beer with him.”
If you’re after some more trivia, a third footballer features in the original ‘Definitely Maybe’ artwork, as the inner sleeve has a picture of Liam reading the Daily Mirror featuring a picture of Steve Walsh celebrating his 1994 play-off final winner for Leicester City against Derby County.
A final difference between the two pictures is the lack of cigarettes and alcohol littered about the room on City’s do-over. Fact fans will be interested to know that the glass of red wine on the original cover is in fact Ribena, with photographer Michael Spencer Jones previously dispelling the urban myth that Oasis were too poor to afford win, by confirming that red wine tends to come out black on photographs.
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