Brian Kidd's Unique Manchester Derby History

Everything about Brian Kidd screams Mancunian. Collyhurst native, Manchester United youngster turned  superstar under Matt Busby, to standout Manchester City striker after the departure of Rodney Marsh to Tampa Bay in his playing career. Kidd scored eight goals in the derby the fifth most in history while joining perhaps the immortal Billy Meredith and his former teammate Denis Law as the only players to make a playing impact on both sides of the Red/Blue divide.

I watched Kidd as a youngster here in south Florida when he starred for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers when I was a ball boy for the club. His 33 goals in just 44 games while he was in his mid 30's  with the Strikers may speak to low standard of the North American Soccer League (NASL) at the time, but also loudly to his enduring quality.

But Kidd's experience is even more unique. After returning from the states he became a coach. A good one and was instrumental in Sir Alex Ferguson's first four Premier League titles. Kidd had a failed stint as the top man at another club in the area, Blackburn Rovers in 1999 and 2000, and after a health scare while assisting England and some other coaching stops he came home to Manchester in 2009 to assist the Blues resurgence.

Kidd has played for both clubs in the derby scoring 8 goals and been a coach for both clubs in the derby winning seven Premier League titles between the two. Nobody has a resume like that and it is even more unique because Kidd is a Mancunian.