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The music world erupted this week when it was revealed that legendary band Oasis would reunite for a tour in 2025 across the UK and Ireland.
The Gallagher brothers, who split in 2009 amid a very public feud, teased the announcement over the weekend before the news was made public on Tuesday.
Excitement has been rife, although this was slightly tempered after Mail Sport revealed that the band won’t play at Man City’s Etihad Stadium on the tour next summer due to the ground’s ongoing expansion.
Their X account shared the tweet announcing the news of the reunion, accompanied by a clip of Ilkay Gundogan’s match-winning goal on the final day of the 2021-22 season that secured City the Premier League title after they came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against Aston Villa.
Liam and Noel Gallagher announced Oasis will reunite for a tour of the UK and Ireland in 2025
The brothers are both diehard Manchester City fans and have several links to the club
They both (pictured Noel in 2023) regularly attend City games and speak on club matters
They added the caption: ‘We love a great comeback! @Oasis,’ and this is the latest chapter of the links between the band and the reigning English champions.
Liam 51, is younger than Noel, 57, but when they both started supporting City in the 1970s it was a promising time for the club who were challenging at the top of the old First Division.
City were arguably even better than Man United, with the Red Devils dropping down to the Second Division in 1974.
However, things soon turned around dramatically as City tumbled down the divisions to Division Two (now League One) just before the turn of the century.
Throughout it all, the brothers remained loyal and were well-known for their support.
Speaking to The Athletic earlier this year, Noel opened up on following City during the difficult period.
‘I’ve seen City get relegated so many times,’ he said. ‘The worst season was going down from the First to the Second Division. I was sitting watching the game with [Primal Scream singer] Bobby Gillespie: City had to beat Stoke and somebody else had to lose.
‘Afterwards he turned round and said, “You’re in the Second Division,” and I said, “We’re in the Third,” because that’s what it is really, the old Third! I couldn’t believe it.’
In 1995, Noel even hinted that he wanted to take over the club, shortly before the band performed at Maine Road, City’s old stadium.
‘I’m hoping they’ll get relegated to the third division so I can buy the club for about a million quid or something like that,’ Noel told a reporter.
When pushed on whether he would be interested in buying shares, he added: ‘I’m not sure. It is the easiest way to waste a lot of money to put it into a football club, especially Manchester City.
‘Hopefully they’ll win something while I’m alive but I wouldn’t put money on it.’
Yet, almost 30 years later, a revolutionary takeover of the club has led to City winning eight Premier League titles, nine domestic cups and the Champions League.
During City’s rise over the past decade, both brothers have regularly been seen supporting City, although Noel has perhaps had a larger profile.
The most pertinent example of their close links is the fact that Oasis’ most iconic hit ‘Wonderwall’ is usually played at the Etihad after the conclusion of City matches.
When they have performed on their own since the Oasis split, Noel has regularly been seen with a Pep Guardiola cutout on stage alongside him and is known to be good friends with the Spaniard.
They have supported City through thick and thin and Noel is regularly seen among travelling supporters for City away games (pictured at Nottingham Forest vs City in April 2024)
Liam is also vocal in his support, although he perhaps has a lower profile than brother Noel
Noel is known to be close with City boss Pep Guardiola and revealed the pair regularly text
Speaking in that same Athletic interview, Noel opened up on their relationship and discussed Guardiola’s future ahead of his contract expiring next summer.
‘I speak to him quite a bit and he’s never given me any inkling that he’s not 1,000 per cent happy living in Manchester.
‘I can play you messages where you’d go, “That doesn’t sound like anyone is retiring from football soon”. He sends me texts and leaves voice notes about how much he loves the club. He’s one of us, believe me.’
Along with Noel revealing the private messages he shares with Guardiola, the Brit-Pop star has also joined the Spaniard at several after parties to celebrate City’s triumphs in recent years.
Noel and Liam have also regularly acted as quasi-experts for the club in the media.
Liam once claimed former City boss Roberto Mancini was ‘nearly as cool as me’, while Noel spoke candidly about his sadness at seeing the Italian leave the club when he was sacked in 2013.
His love for City has also been exemplified in several statements he’s made too, with Noel admitting he ‘cried like a baby’ when they won their first Premier League title in 2011-2.
Meanwhile, he famously took part in the FA Cup third round draw in 2011 alongside Kasabian’s lead guitarist Sergio Pizzorno, who is a Leicester City fan.
Remarkably, the pair drew their teams against each other, with City eventually winning a replay 4-2 against the Foxes.
Noel also took part in the City kit unveiling ahead of the 2012-13 season, while then-City star Vincent Kompany had the honour of introducing him ahead of the Rock Werchter music festival in Belgium to 80,000 fans.
Noel is known to be close with several players (pictured after City won the title back in 2019)
Noel with Erling Haaland in his y-fronts after a game against Arsenal in April 2023
He previously revealed his favourite all-time City player was Colin Bell and the 57-year-old has had several memorable moments in recent years celebrating various triumphs.
However, in 2022, Noel was forced to leave the celebrations early after that aforementioned astonishing comeback to seal the title against Villa.
Speaking on talkSPORT in the aftermath of the triumph, he explained how he collided with Joao Dias, father of City defender Ruben, resulting in him suffering two black eyes and stitches in his lip.
‘So as the third goal goes in, right, there is absolute bedlam,’ he recounted. ‘As you can imagine, in the stadium where we sit, Ruben Dias’ family are in the box, a couple of boxes up.
‘So I’m jumping around like an idiot, passing my 11-year-old son around like the Premier League trophy, everyone is lifting him up, and I turn around and Ruben Dias’ dad runs straight into me, headbutts me while I’m on the floor covered in blood.
‘I don’t see the last two minutes I’ve got to get taken down by the St John Ambulance and had to get stitched up.
‘I’ve got stitches in my top lip, I’ve got two black eyes as I’m going down the corridor Pep’s running up crying and we kind of hug each other and he says “what’s up with your face?” And I was like, “go see the players, nothing to do with me”.
Liam performed a ‘homecoming gig’ at the Etihad in 2022, with City labelling it as ‘very special’
Noel, 57, previously revealed his favourite all-time player from the club was Colin Bell
‘(There was) not a mark on him (Joao Dias). He’s a big bear of a man – he almost knocked my teeth out. But as days go at The Etihad that’s got to be up there with the best.’
That same summer Liam performed a ‘homecoming’ gig at the Etihad, which was hailed by City as a ‘very special’ night.
Noel is also known to be friendly with many players and staff, once posing with Erling Haaland in his y-fronts after a game against Arsenal in April 2023, while the 57-year-old is regularly among the travelling City fans at away games.
Despite the disappointment that Oasis won’t be returning to the Etihad, the brothers will always be intrinsically linked with the club, and don’t be surprised to see some sort of City associations during what promises to be a memorable tour next year.
