Manchester City superfan Vera Cohen dies, aged 104

Manchester City have led the tributes to superfan Vera Cohen, who has died, aged 104.

A season ticket holder for almost 90 years, Mrs Cohen and her younger sister Olga were regulars at City games.

To celebrate her centenary, the club held a lunch in her honour. “They gave me a City shirt with 100 on the back,” she later told the JC. “All the players signed it. I wore it once for Purim, though I didn’t wear shorts with it!”

Then City skipper Vincent Kompany paid a surprise visit to the sisters to thank them for their longstanding support and at the age of 102, Mrs Cohen became the Premier League’s oldest mascot, leading the team onto the pitch with David Silva for the game against Fulham at the Etihad in 2018.

Most would have settled for a kiss from the midfield star but Mrs Cohen also requested that he score a goal for her. Silva duly obliged in a 3-0 victory.

She held City boss Pep Guardiola in high regard, saying: “There’s something about him that brings the best out of the players. He’s fantastic. I hope he stays forever.”

In a statement, the club expressed sadness at the death of the lifelong fan “famed for her baking skills and raising money for the Christie Hospital, Vera was visited by [Vincent] Kompany, who popped over to her house for a cup of tea and a slice of her homemade cake.

“Everyone at Manchester City would like to send love and best wishes to Vera’s family at this difficult time.”

Others took to social media to share memories of Mrs Cohen, who was a member of  the Shaare Hayim Sephardi community in Didsbury.

One City fan who sat in the same row as her wrote: “Oh no. Such a lovely lady. She always had a twinkle in her eye as she pretended to trip me with her walking stick — a nailed on yellow card every time.”

Another tweeted: “Inspirational pillar of the community. Legendary baker of delicious cakes for charitable causes. Esteemed season ticket holder.”

A fellow supporter noted: “Some say City has no history but they’d be wrong — Vera witnessed most of it!”