Just before I moved to Manchester three years ago, i read or heard a media report saying that in some statistic or other, Manchester (the city) had overtaken Birmingham as the second city. What people also forget is that Manchester is greater (no pun intended) than the city itself. Manchester is made up of 10 districts/councils (as many will know)
Manchester City
Stockport
Tameside
Oldham
Rochdale
Bury
Bolton
Salford
Trafford
Wigan
Not a Manc myself but i believe Manchester has everything. Regardless of whether it is second or third or whatever, after London it probably has the biggest profile
Commonwealth Games
Manchester United
Manchester Airport
Coronation Street (i'll be lynched for that one, but its true, corrie is shown in several other countries)
If it's not second/third city....it should be! lol