Four days later, City's bus stopped at the designated spot.
When O'Neill and his coaching staff led the players out, they were surprised to see that the crowd surrounding them was filled with City fans—wearing blue jerseys.
Despite only being allocated around two thousand tickets for the match, they had shown up in force to support their team. All around them, chants rang out: "We're not really here! We're not really here!"
The chant symbolized Manchester City's struggle in the lower leagues over the past six years—and it continued to echo even now. O'Neill had already come to understand its deeper meaning.
"We're Not Really Here"—a chant loosely based on the spiritual We Shall Not Be Moved, which was famously used during the Civil Rights Movement in America—had become a unique anthem for City fans.
It had likely gained traction due to the club's ongoing struggles in the lower leagues, becoming a symbol of hope and resilience.