My City XI: Keith Curle | OneFootball

Happy birthday to former City skipper, Keith Curle!

To celebrate Keith's 61st birthday, we take a look back at his ultimate City XI.

Curle, once the Club's record signing and costliest defender in British football when he joined from Wimbledon in 1991, made 204 appearances for City, scoring 13 goals.

After leaving for Wolves in 1996, he continued his career for a further nine years before moving into management. More latterly Keith has also become one of our regular special guests on Matchday Live.

Here's his City XI, plus why...

Take it away, Keith...

"This is a team I'd pay to watch! Starting at the back, I'd go for Tony Coton - one of the best goalkeepers I ever played in front of. Next, Tony Book at right-back and my old former Wimbledon team-mate Terry Phelan at left-back - a mixture of solidity and speed.

"I make no apologies for naming myself as part of the central defence alongside Vincent Kompany - I would have enjoyed playing as Vincent's partner and I think we would have complemented each other well.

"My holding midfielder would be Fernandinho - one of the best in Europe at what he did in my opinion - and he would shore up my quartet and with the three ahead of him that I've chosen, I'd need someone as dependable as him.

"So the remainder of the midfield would comprise of David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Georgi Kinkladze. They would cause plenty of problems!

"Silva was magnificent for City and I rate De Bruyne as one of the best in the world, but Kinkladze needed players of that calibre around him to reach his full potential. I would have loved to have seen Georgi in a team like this.

"My forward line is Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero - no explanation needed.

"I'd choose Pep as the manager, but I'd want the player coach role!

"On the bench, I'd have a mixture of former team-mates and legends, with plenty of attacking flair as and when needed.

"My formation would be 4-4-2 as an attacking diamond."