Ultimate Barclaysmen: Elano was Manchester City's superstar before the superstars arrived

'The Barclays'. While the Premier League was technically sponsored by the aforementioned bank between 2001-16, the period which is so wistfully looked back upon by fans of a certain vintage is the first decade of the 2000s.

After its initial emergence in 1992, the English top-flight enjoyed a secondary boom in popularity following the turn of the millennium, as overseas television deals and a secondary influx of foreign stars gave the league a truly global appeal. It played host to a number of the games modern icons, too, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Didier Drogba among those who lit up the Premier League on a weekly basis.

When fans refer to 'The Barclays', though, it is not those household names they are referring to. Instead it is the players who were largely in the background when it came to being headline-grabbing, but were seen as key cogs in the Premier League machine by die-hard fans, while still able to produce moments of magic on occasion.

These players have come to be known as the 'Barclaysmen', but what made them so beloved, and what became of them once their Barclays life was over? Here at GOAL, we will endeavour to find out with our latest series, 'Ultimate Barclaysmen'.

Back in the 'Barclays' era, Manchester City were not the club they are today. Pre-Abu Dhabi takeover, City had recently worked their way back into the top-flight having fallen as low as the third tier during the 1990s. But having re-established themselves at the top table, in 2007 they sought out a Brazilian midfielder by the name of Elano who would go onto spark life back into a club that was struggling for a 21st Century identity...