Roberto Mancini dedicates FA Cup win to Man City fans

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini said he was happy to give the club's fans a trophy to celebrate after his team beat Stoke in the FA Cup final.

The 1-0 victory courtesy of Yaya Toure's 74th-minute strike earned them their first major trophy since 1976.

"I am happy for the fans, they deserved to win this Cup. For a long time they didn't win," said Mancini, who has also guided City into the Champions League.

"My feeling is good, but it's important that they feel good [too]."

Toure also scored the goal which beat Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final and the victory over Stoke gave City supporters reason to celebrate on the same day that United sealed a record 19th top-flight title.

"I just love Wembley. To score the all-important goal against a strong team like Stoke is very special," said Toure. "We deserved to win this game because we created a lot of chances and played so well. This win is fantastic for us.

"Our target was to go to the Champions League and win something and my dream has come true. I am so happy for the club and the fans as they have waited a long time for a trophy."

Toure dedicated his goal to brother and team-mate Kolo Toure, who is suspended pending investigation for taking a specified substance in March.

"I am a little bit sad for my brother because I could see it in his eyes he wanted to be part of the team," Toure added.

"I dedicate my goal to him because this season he has had a lot of problems. He will be joining us at the hotel and I am very pleased about that."

David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez had chances in the first half to make the win more comfortable but although Kenwyne Jones went close for Stoke, Manchester City were on top for large periods of the game at Wembley.

Eastlands coach David Platt said the victory was important for the players as it would give them a mentality to win further honours.

And while he accepted that qualifying for the Champions League next season was vital for the club's future, he said securing the FA Cup would be important for the team's belief and the supporters.

"Champions League qualification was for the business end of the club, it makes the club more attractive to players that we might want to bring in and that was important, but for the dressing room we had to win something," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"You ask Roberto which of the trophies was the best while he was at Inter and he will say it was the first Italian Cup because that is what gave the dressing room that winning mentality. What nobody can take away from the players is that they have won something.

"Getting to the FA Cup final was terrific after beating Manchester United in the semi-final, but now there are a lot of people going back up the motorway very happy because having won something for the first time in 35 years, it is a major trophy.

"What's important for Robbie is that he wins for the supporters and he wins for the owners but he will put that away now and concentrate on the next one."

Platt also said he was pleased in the way the team approached the game.

"We knew that if we were going to win we had to make sure we kept the ball, that we had a lot of movement, that we were patient, and when we went in at half-time that was the message to the players: to continue what we were doing and not chase the game," stated Platt.

"In the second half Stoke stepped up their rhythm, they stepped up a little bit higher, which led to us changing our formation and as soon as we did we reaped the benefit, we got more men in the box and Yaya Toure finished it off again.

"Keeping a clean sheet against Stoke is not an easy thing and the players defended to a man."