• Premier League

City fans angry at Mancini sacking

Manchester City supporters have expressed their disappointment following Roberto Mancini's sacking, but the Italian's departure was welcomed by a former City kit man, who described the manager as "arrogant, vain, self-centred" on Twitter.

After months of speculation, City finally axed Mancini following Saturday's FA Cup defeat to Wigan, announcing the news a year to the day after he had guided the club to their first Premier League title.

Some City fans took their protest to the Etihad Stadium when it became clear that Mancini was about to be ushered out of the club on Monday, with Kevin Parker, general secretary of the Manchester City Supporters Club, among those expressing his frustration.

"This is probably my lowest point as a City fan and I've seen them relegated numerous times," Parker told Sky Sports News. "I do accept that as fans we don't know what goes on behind the scenes, but we have a dream our team can win trophies and with 'Bobby Manc' we managed to achieve that.

"After the weekend, I think we were all expecting it to happen, but I think we are all a bit disappointed it happened yesterday of all days, the anniversary of when we won the Premier League.

"All those fantastic memories we have of May 13, 2012... that date is a special date for City fans and that's been a little bit tarnished. We're definitely all disappointed."

He described Mancini as "a massive success" and said the decision was reminiscent of Joe Mercer's dismissal in 1971, after he had led the club to the league title, FA Cup, League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup.

"Somebody in a higher authority decided the club needed to take a new direction," Parker added. "Joe Mercer was replaced and we had 35 barren years apart from one trophy. I'm not saying that will happen this time, but sometimes people make strange decisions."

However, ex-City kit man Stephen Aziz, who lost his job with the club last summer, suggested there was good reason for Mancini's dismissal on his Twitter account.

"Not my style to come on here and start to bad mouth someone but this guy was really a piece of work," Aziz wrote. "The fans don't get to see what really goes on and day to day running. Two years there seeing him every day, it was hard work getting a 'good morning.'

"Arrogant, vain, self-centred no manners, ignorant were just some of the daily traits that really made going into work a daily grind! #karma."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.