Manchester City fans revive yellow inflatable bananas amid financial‑fair‑play fallout

What Happened

Manchester City supporters waved yellow inflatable bananas at the Etihad during the weekend win over Ipswich Town, and even star midfielder Phil Foden carried one into his post‑match interview. The same prop appeared at the away fixture in Liverpool, where City fans used the bananas to taunt Anfield supporters after the Premier League found the club guilty of 114 financial‑rule breaches dating from the 2009‑10 to 2017‑18 seasons. A BBC Sport report said the club entered sham contracts that inflated sponsorship deals by about £830 million to dodge financial‑fair‑play limits.

Reaction

Foden told the BBC, "I always had one of these [bananas] when I was in the stadium. Quite clutch," after the Ipswich victory. In the pre‑match press conference, new manager Enzo Maresca said he wants to see "many bananas" in the stands, a wish the fans promptly fulfilled.

Context

The banana gimmick dates back to the late 1980s when City, then bouncing between the top two divisions, honored striker Imre Varadi, nicknamed “Imre Banana,” by bringing large inflatable bananas to Maine Road to lift spirits after relegation in the 1987‑88 season. Fans have resurrected the tradition as a nostalgic reminder during the club’s present financial challenges.