Given finds City life is still full of surprises

AFTER 12 years at Newcastle United, serving eight different managers, Shay Given thought nothing could surprise him in football – until Saturday.

Yet the hasty sacking of the man who brought him to Eastlands and even hastier replacement by Roberto Mancini left the Ireland goalkeeper stunned.

So much so that Given is reported to have been part of a delegation of players that confronted Gary Cook, Manchester City’s chief executive, after Hughes made an emotional dressing room speech telling the team he was being replaced by the former Inter Milan coach.