The thrilling final denouement of this year’s Premiership race meant a long night for Manchester Evening News staff.

The MEN marked Manchester City’s first league title for 44 years by increasing its print run by 45,000 – more than 50pc of its average daily sale – and publishing a 20-page souvenir supplement.

City’s triumph over rivals United, which was sealed in the dying seconds of Sunday’s final game against QPR, also caused some hasty re-writing on the paper’s sports desk.

Sports reporter Richard Partington revealed that sports editor Peter Spencer was forced to switch between his ‘Plan A’ – a City win – and ‘Plan B’ – a United triumph – as the drama on the pitch unfolded.

Describing how the paper covered the day he wrote:  “4.50pm.  90 minutes up at the Etihad. City 2-1 down and United dead-set to win. It’s time to put Plan B in place.

“The sports editor is asking the picture desk for forlorn images of desperate Blues and directing our United man to write ‘Fergie: His Greatest Ever Achievement’.

“The panic button pressed, Plan B is in operation. Then Edin Dzeko scores. Mind you, there’s only two minutes left and a draw is not enough…”

Then Richard went on:  “4.54pm.  We can’t believe what we are seeing as Sergio Aguero scores the goal which captures the Premier League crown!”

MEN editor Rob Irvine added: “It is occasions like these that you realise why you became a journalist and how much you love the job.”

The paper also provided live coverage of last night’s victory parade.

Meanwhile lifelong United fan and former Bristol Evening Post editor Mike Lowe took to Twitter yesterday to air his feelings on the outcome of the Premiership battle.

“I think today is the first day in my adult life when I haven’t bought a newspaper of some kind. Just couldn’t face it. Grumpy loser,” he wrote.