Victory parade: Manchester City players praise supporters
Last updated on .From the section Football
Manchester City's players and manager praised the club's supporters as they celebrated their Premier League title at a packed victory parade.
Manager Roberto Mancini told the crowd: "We should be proud of these players because they did everything for you."
Captain Vincent Kompany added: "It's great to see everybody, to have this trophy and celebration. It's amazing."
Tens of thousands of fans lined the streets as the squad travelled across the city centre in an open-top bus.
Before the convoy set off members of the first team squad, plus manager Mancini, addressed the crowd on a stage outside Manchester Town Hall.
The Italian boss took the reins at Etihad Stadium in 2009 and oversaw the Blues winning the FA Cup in 2011, which preceded this year's table-topping success.
Wearing his trademark blue and white scarf, Mancini joked to the fans: "It's cold! It's May, but it's cold!
Referring to the nailbiting 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers that clinched the title, he added: "We had the best and worst five minutes of our lives"It was an incredible moment after we scored that third goal, but before it was very hard."
Captain Kompany, who scored the winner in April's crucial Manchester derby, added: "We behaved ourselves last night… just about!
"We got these [medals] around our necks and we got the trophy."
Goalkeeper Joe Hart, an almost ever-present performer for City throughout the victorious campaign, celebrated wildly on the Etihad pitch at the final whistle.
On Monday he was more reflective: "I was like the fans yesterday. I had nothing to do with game; I had a privileged seat on the pitch.
"It was hard and frustrating and I didn't think it was going to happen at one point, if I'm honest. I'm really proud of the lads and of everyone here.
"You can't help but feel [the emotion]. Look at the people here today. The place was shaking [on Sunday], and I was shaking. You lose control in situations like that.
"It was one of the most dramatic days of my life, and probably one of the best as well."
Sergio Aguero, the Argentine striker who scored the injury-time winner on Sunday, has little English. Instead he smiled and said: "Thank you very much! I cried a little [when I scored that goal]."
Fellow Argentina international and team-mate Pablo Zabaleta was more effusive: "I had 100% confidence in Sergio [Aguero] at that moment. I knew he was going to score.
"I'm very proud for the team. Thanks so much to the fans, because they are brilliant, fantastic. Thank you."
Edin Dzeko, the Bosnia striker who came on as a substitute and scored City's equaliser against QPR, remarked that the Sunday success was the highlight of his career thus far.
"That was the greatest game I ever played in, that's for sure," he said. "We were down 2-1 and I got 25 minutes. I tried to do my best to change the game. In the end we did it. I think we fully deserve to be champions."
England defender Joleon Lescott, whose weak header towards his own goal allowed QPR in to score their first, suffered from a lost voice on Monday.
However, he was able to tell the crowd of fans: "I doesn't matter what happened with my header. We won."
Fellow England international and unused substitute on Sunday, James Milner, claimed it was agony to watch the game unfold from the sidelines.
"To come through at the end was unbelievable. The scenes on the bench… I was falling down the steps to get near the lads.
"It was an incredible 10 minutes, and an unbelievable finish to a great season."
Milner also pledged to try to ensure that 2011/12 is the start of a sustained run of success for Manchester City.
"We'd like to hope this is the first of many. We came here to win the title and we've done that.
"We'll enjoy these next few days, but it's about retaining it and then winning it again and again, and we've got the squad and the club and the fans to do that."
Winger Adam Johnson praised City's support this season and thanked the crowds for their months of backing.
"Everything we've done has been for the fans. We've won a couple of trophies in the last couple of years.
"It's good to repay the fans with trophies. They've waited a long time."
