Eric Cantona once proclaimed that “behind the windows of Manchester, there is an insane love of football, of celebration and of music.” For almost two decades, nobody has epitomised the attitude and charisma of the city and its music more than the indefatigable Ian Brown.

And to the enduring irritation of Manchester’s blue element, not least his own family, he’s a dyed-in-the-wool Red. Appropriately, the former Stone Roses lead singer was born in 1963, the year United captured their first post-Munich trophy, with the FA Cup defeat of Leicester City. Here’s his story…

How did you get into supporting United?
My uncle went to the 1968 European Cup final and brought me back the programme. And then I remember when I was about seven years old, I had a flick-book of George Best’s goal. I can remember wondering why United played in blue. That’s my earliest memory.

I gather there’s a bit of a split between United and City fans in your family?
Well, I’m the only United fan. My father, two uncles, brother, brother-in-law and sister and my little niece, who’s 14, are all season-ticket holders at City. As a kid, me nana would always buy me a Man City money-box or something Man City and I was like: ‘No, I’m Man United.’ They were trying to force me to be City. And me nana used to have a picture of Joe Corrigan, the City goalkeeper, with all her grandchildren around it. Now, I think that’s a bit odd [he laughs]: why did she have Joe Corrigan in the middle and all us around him? Should have had Denis Law.

Of course there’s a theory that no-one in Manchester supports United…
It’s a total myth that,