Its part in the Champions League draw.
On this occasion it materialised in the form of Sir Bobby Charlton pulling Benfica from the glass bowl for Manchester United's group when only moments earlier the great man had been reflecting on the meeting between the two sides in the 1968 final.
But then came the appearance of the Champions League new boys. Then came the appearance of the club who can no longer be dismissed as the other Manchester club - United's noisy neighbours.
Manchester City did not quite get the glamour group their supporters might have hoped for. It was Villarreal rather than Barcelona or Real Madrid; Napoli rather than AC Milan.
But they did get Bayern Munich and, for the three officials who took their place in the auditorium at the Grimaldi Forum on Thursday night, there was this sense their football club had finally arrived.
When United completed their European and domestic Treble in 1999 by beating Bayern at the Nou Camp, City were preparing to meet Gillingham at Wembley for a Division Two play-off final.
When United lifted the European Cup for a third time in Moscow in 2008, Bon Jovi were playing at Eastlands. Now City stand among European football's elite.
Now they are rubbing shoulders with Lionel Messi, Xavi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the three of them appearing on the stage for Messi's coronation as European Footballer of the Year.
'The football club are making history,' said City's football executive Brian Marwood. 'It's the first time we've competed at this level and it's such an exciting time for everyone connected with the club; to be sat in a room with some of the best teams in Europe and the world. It's a fantastic moment for the club.
'I'd have loved some of our fans to have sat there. Fans who have experienced those wet horrible nights at some dark and dank grounds over the last 15 years.'
That is behind them now because this is what they have been building towards. This is why Samir Nasri has just arrived from Arsenal and why Sergio Aguero is at the Etihad Stadium too, with the Argentina striker no doubt excited to be meeting his father-in-law's former club.
Anyone related to Maradona can surely expect a hero's welcome at Napoli's Stadio San Paolo. As Marwood was the first to acknowledge, it is probably the toughest of the groups involving the four English representatives.
'It's ironic the first two teams that came out who were seeded actually had to pre-qualify and the second two teams got there through their league positions, so I think it's a tough group,' he said.
Bayern Munich director Karl Hopfner did not disagree. 'There are four teams from the four best leagues in the world,' he said. 'It's the hardest group of all.'
Not that Marwood and chief executive Garry Cook seemed to mind. They were far too excited for that. 'Everybody knows the history of the club,' said Marwood.
'It's been inconsistent for a number of years and everybody is aware of what the club have done over the last three years. For us it's another step forward and, hopefully, it's a step we can complete.
'And yes, absolutely, we now hope to be involved every year. That was the ambition, for the club to compete at the very top, and that's something we hope we can substantiate with our performances domestically and in Europe.'
Judging by the [/quote]squad Roberto Mancini has assembled and the start they have made to the season, City will be a force to be reckoned with. There is great quality, real strength in depth and a team who are benefiting from a first taste of success in the FA Cup and some stability.
'We're very pleased with the players we've brought in,' said Marwood and so City should be. Arsenal seem to be pleased with a group that includes Marseille, Olympiakos and Borussia Dortmund.
Robin van Persie responded to the draw by tweeting a smiley face. But Arsene Wenger will envisage some difficult away trips, not just to his arch enemies when he was the manager of Monaco but to the reigning German champions.
For United, there are two familiar names in Benfica and Basle but a lesser known one in Otelul Galati, the champions of Romania who will play their home games at Steaua Bucharest as their own ground holds just 13,500.
That said, they did once beat Juventus, albeit in 1988, and are managed by a former Romania midfielder capped 134 times, Dorinel Munteanu.
For Chelsea, a group containing Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen and Genk should not present too many problems, even if Valencia might be keen to repay them for luring Juan Mata away this summer.
Last night, though, that felt like a side issue, because there was a new team in town - a fabulously rich club starting out on what promises to be a fascinating, and quite possibly fruitful, adventure.
Bellamy on brink of Liverpool return
Craig Bellamy has taken a step closer to making a dramatic return to Liverpool after Manchester City agreed to let him leave for nothing.
City are prepared to negotiate a settlement with Bellamy, covering the remaining 10 months of his £95,000-a-week contract, to get him off their wage bill.
This will clear the way for the Wales striker to return to Anfield on a free transfer, four years after he was sold following a fall-out with manager Rafa Benitez.
Reds boss Kenny Dalglish is interested in signing Bellamy, but is not prepared to pay a fee for the much-travelled striker, who was dubbed the ‘Nutter with the Putter’ after allegedly hitting team-mate John Arne Riise with a golf club during a row.
A few days later, Bellamy celebrated scoring in a Champions League win over Barcelona in the Nou Camp by mimicking a golf swing.
City are prepared to waive a transfer fee for Bellamy, because boss Roberto Mancini has made it clear he wants rid of him - declaring last week that he would never play for him again.
The Liverpool manager believes Bellamy could provide ideal cover for Luis Suarez, with David Ngog set to join Bolton.
The Reds face competition from Tottenham for the player, but the 32-year-old, who has also been linked with QPR, is understood to prefer a move to Liverpool.
He has already knocked back offers from two of his other former clubs, Celtic and Cardiff, in favour of the Reds.
Liverpool, who have agreed a £7million deal with Uruguayan side Nacional for Uruguay international defender Sebastian Coates, will now wait for Bellamy to agree his pay-off with City before offering him a lucrative one-year deal, with the option of an extension.
Wales manager Gary Speed claims Liverpool would be a great move for Bellamy, who spent last season on loan at Cardiff.
“It’s only natural Craig is going to be linked with top clubs because he is a top player,” he said.
“Liverpool are a fantastic club and if that’s true and it comes off, that would be great. Hopefully by the end of the transfer window things will be sorted out.”
Meanwhile, Alberto Aquilani has passed his medical at AC Milan and completed his season-long loan move to the San Siro.
The Italian midfielder will trigger a clause in the loan deal to join Milan permanently for £7million next summer if he plays 25 games for the Rossoneri.
“I’m delighted to have arrived here,’’ he said. “This is a leap in my career. I have come to Milan to do well.”
Vidal targets top-flight return
Former Manchester City man in talks with Hibs
Former Manchester City defender Javan Vidal has set his sights on returning to the Premier League, as he continues talks with several clubs.
The 22-year-old is looking for new employers after leaving City at the end of his contract this summer and he is currently in discussions with SPL outfit Hibernian, Turkish side Denizlispor and several unnamed League One teams.
Vidal never made a first-team appearance for City in the Premier League, with his only outing coming in last season's Carling Cup.
However, after impressing during loan spells with Grimsby, Aberdeen, Derby and Chesterfield, he told skysports.com he hopes to play Premier League football in the future.
He said: "Manchester City was always a big club, but it has changed a lot over the past couple of seasons.
"Not playing regularly there has given me that extra drive to find a new club and show what I can do when given the chance to play regular football.
"Hopefully I can do just that and one day get back into the Premier League because that is where everyone wants to play during their career."
Baggies join long list of Premier League clubs keen to capture City defender Onuoha
West Bromwich Albion want to beat Queens Park Rangers and Everton to Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha after missing out on his team-mate Dedryck Boyata, who has opted to join Bolton.
[spoiler]
[/img][/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has tabled an offer of only £6m, plus extras, for England international defender Gary Cahill, roughly a third of Bolton's valuation of the player. Daily Mirror
Arsenal could be dealt a further setback in their aim to rebuild their side, as Tomas Rosicky is reportedly thinking of moving away from the Emirates amid interest from Wolfsburg. Metro
But the Gunners have entered the race to sign France's latest teenage sensation M'Baye Niang. The 16-year-old striker is already in Caen's first team and has attracted interest from Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Real Madrid. Daily Mail
Blackburn will sign Hoffenheim's Vedad Ibisevic on Friday for £6m - provided the striker proves his fitness. Daily Mirror
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez claims Liverpool have left it too late to sign striker Hugo Rodallega, even though the Colombian can leave the DW Stadium for nothing at the end of the season.Daily Mirror
Darron Gibson's proposed departure from Manchester United has been placed in doubt after the midfielder damaged ankle ligaments in training, an injury that could sideline him for at least four weeks.
the Guardian
The England and Ghana football associations are battling to land Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong. The 19-year-old - called up to England's Under-21 squad - has played for England Under 16 and 17s but was born in the Ghanaian capital Accra. Daily Mail
Joey Barton's agent Willie McKay could receive more than £600,000 if his client signs the three-year deal that he has been offered at QPR. Daily Telegraph
Rod Stewart paid homage to his beloved Celtic by sporting a club tracksuit at the launch of his two-year residency at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Metro
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