Former Manchester City forward Paul Dickov has praised the club's supporters for sticking by the time in recent decades, with the Blues reaping the rewards in the past few years.
Dickov made 157 appearances for the Blues during his time with the club, registering 28 goals and three assists. The Scotsman played in the old first and second divisions for City, before returning to the club and featuring in the Premier League. He scored one of the most famous goals in the Blues' history – the dramatic injury-time leveller in the 1999 Division Two play-off against Gillingham at Wembley.
After retiring from playing he moved into coaching, but now works as a television pundit, namely for City TV. Dickov has remained associated with City and often represents the club as an ambassador at events round the globe. He was a fan-favourite while playing - and has maintained his strong bond with the supporters.
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Prior to City's Premier League clash with Arsenal on Wednesday night, Dickov defended the fans amid consistent 'Emptyhad' jibes from rival supporters. The Scot insisted that the Blues fans have been behind the team for decades, and deserve to enjoy the success of recent years.
"I have arguments with people to this day that are like, 'Man City fans, they don’t fill the stadium. Emptyhad, they’re quiet'," he said to Amazon Prime Video Sport.
"I remember when we averaged 33,000 fans in League One that season. Proper fans. I will argue all day long about the Man City fans because, for me, they backed us through thick and thin. They could have chucked in the towel with us because, at times, we were dreadful as a team. There was no confidence, no nothing. But they gave us that thing to go back up and I just thought, “Wow”.
"So I had a special affinity with them because, you know what? As a player, I wouldn’t say I was average, but I worked hard, you know, and the Man City fans are hardworking people as well, you know, from the North."
He continued: "I had a special relationship with them, but that season alone I just thought that these fans are special, for where the club were, and where we were at the time, for them to back us the way we did.
"I say all the time that I’m buzzing for the Man City fans now. Because winning the leagues and everything else, because I remember how good they were to us back then."
Pep Guardiola's men will be backed by a strong travelling contingent when they visit the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, with City aiming to leapfrog their opponents in the Premier League table.
Prime Video sat down with Paul Dickov, as Arsenal prepare to face Manchester City in a top of the table clash, live on Prime Video on the 15th February.
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