Manchester City chairman Garry Cook to apologise over United name gaffe

More ammunition for Red Devils

Manchester City executive chairman Garry Cook has offended the club’s supporters after referring to the club as “Manchester United” at a supporters’ club gala evening. Cook was announcing the evening’s special guest when he said: “I’d like to welcome Uwe Rosler into the Manchester United Hall of Fame.”

The blunder will be of great embarrassment to both Cook and City’s supporters following Sir Alex Ferguson’s comments earlier this season that the club had developed a bit of complex as United’s smaller rivals.

Cook was still being booed as Rosler attempted to deliver an acceptance speech. He left the ceremony shortly afterwards.

He will now write to more than 70 branches of the supporters’ club to say sorry and explain that it was an innocent mistake. And he will be hoping none of those present choose to take issue over the error.