City have become one of the dominant clubs in English football since being purchased by the Abu Dhabi United Group back in 2008 and the Oasis rocker is astonished at the turnaround after the club went a long time without winning silverware beforehand.

Gallagher - a lifelong City fan - told TNT Sports: "I remember Joleon Lescott saying to me after the first FA Cup win (in 2011), ‘Your club are going to be in finals and semi-finals from now', and we were like, 'One cup will do us'. He was right.

"Every year the standards went up. They had this vision of what this club could be, and nobody else did.

"The people my age who kept this club going, followed them everywhere in the third division - there wouldn't be a club if it wasn't for people like me, of my generation.

"We just wanted a new kit. It was awful. I was like, ‘If we get a new kit and win the League Cup' - clubs like Middlesbrough had won it - that would be enough in my lifetime.

"Nobody knew it was going to be like this. Nobody had this vision. They did thankfully, and I've thought it through, and now we're one of the powerhouses. It's funny to think, me and the lads were jibbing the train to Macclesfield on Friday nights. Crazy."

Gallagher has become close friends with City manager Pep Guardiola and is honoured to be pals with the Spanish coach - who has won 19 trophies since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016.

The Wonderwall rocker said: "I was talking to him last night. He's a fan and a romantic, and he's hardcore, a winner, and a bad loser, all the things you would want your football manager to be. He's funny.

"He gets that team to do things that no one else can do. I have to say it's one of life's great pleasures to have known him."