On days when Manchester celebrated titles in Salford, that is, at Old Trafford stadium, on the other side of the city, at City's ground, a banner was hung in the stands with a snippet of an Oasis song: “Some might say we will find a brighter day” (some might say we will find a brighter day). City was already owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, but things weren't taking off. Until things worked. And yes, much brighter days arrived.