Manchester City Supporters Trust Welcomes Carlos Tevez

Carlos Tevez was today confirmed as a Manchester City player, with the striker being unveiled before a press conference by manager Mark Hughes at Eastlands.

Tevez moves, of course, from City's local rivals Manchester United, amidst claims from the player that Red Devils' manager Alex Ferguson did not treat him in a manner conducive to making him want to stay. Many might have expected City fans to be sceptical about the acquisition of a red from Salford way, but Kevin Parker, general secretary of the Manchester City Supporters' Trust, has enthusiastically welcomed the player to Eastlands.

"We've been waiting for it for quite some while, but now it's happened we're ecstatic," he told Sky Sports News.

"We're delighted at the news, and you could see by the reaction of the fans here today when he turned up that every City fan is going to be behind him, definitely."

Parker went on to acknowledge that even he had been taken aback slightly by the enthusiasm with which the player had been received by the faithful gathered outside Eastlands today, adding, "I was [surprised]. I was looking forward to him making his debut and seeing him in a blue shirt for his first home game, but I'd not really thought he'd get that reaction today.

"When I saw that I was pleased, but very, very surprised. It's an indication of the depth of feeling the City fans have for him. Particularly, of course, with him turning down Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid supposedly, and coming here to City.

Parker also confirmed that the move felt sweeter because the Argentine had moved from United, adding, "I think United always had this feeling that Tevez was going to sign anyhow, with this talk about them being the biggest club in England and Europe, and that it was just a case of him signing on the line.

"I think if anything he [Tevez] has shown his true passion for the game. He wanted to be appreciated for what he is, which is a great footballer, and he thought United didn't do that."

Tevez joins a select band of players who have represented both halves of the divide in Manchester, Denis Law prominent amongst them. Law, of course, scored the goal in 1974 that he believed had confirmed the relegation of the Red Devils. City fans would surely settle for a repeat of that little piece of history.

Zack Wilson, Goal.com