As the Premier League title run hots up in Manchester, one of the Lancashire clubs' former managers is running a race of a different kind.
Brian Horton spent two years in charge of the Blues from 1993, long before Sheikh Mansour decided to lavish his immense wealth at the club.
The 63-year-old remains a popular figure at City though and was a regular at games following his departure from Preston, where he had been assistant to long-time friend Phil Brown until his sacking in December. However, when the call came in March to try to repeat a previous escapology act by hauling Macclesfield away from relegation trouble in League Two, Horton jumped straight in.
And he has no regrets even though the job has proved more tricky than he had hoped. Horton said: "What is life without a challenge?
"The players are genuine lads and the spirit within the group is excellent. But the mentality is not a winning one. When things don't go right, that is when it becomes obvious.
"It is frustrating but I never forget when I was a player at Brighton, we had to win our last four games to stay up and we did it. It can be done."
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