Newsletter #1854

Sad news this week with the passing of former Blues boss John Bond. He was aged 79 and his side provided some fond memories for us all in the early 1980s, most notably reaching the Centenary Cup Final in 1981. One particularly fond memory was him leaping/falling out of the Directors’ Box to console his son Kevin after he was part of the Norwich team drubbed 6-0 on that Cup run. He also brought in some great players such as Trevor Francis, Tommy Hutchison, Gerry Gow and Bobby McDonald. Phil B has provided a nice piece on JB which features as today’s ‘And Finally’.

Sad news too seeing a former and a current Blue in court this week. SWP was in front of a jury at Manchester Crown Court following trouble at Panacea and Michael Johnson was banned for three years and fined £5,500 by Manchester magistrates after he was caught drink-driving twice in three months. Oh dear!

A bumper issue today, which includes the announcement of King of the Kippax’s 200th edition. Fantastic work from the KOTK team; as ever it will be a great edition I’m sure.

MATCHVIEW: MANCHESTER CITY 2 ASTON VILLA 4 (AFTER EXTRA TIME)

So that’s one less trophy to play for as City meekly crashed out of the League Cup to a limited but spirited Aston Villa side. The defeat, I am very sorry to say, was deserved as Villa showed greater desire and because too many City players didn’t try hard enough.

We took the lead through an easy finish for Balotelli but tried to coast our way through the match. That Roberto Mancini had made 9 changes should not matter. There was plenty of experience and quality out there. We had the players to win this game, but they either didn’t try hard enough, which is inexcusable, or underperformed.

Barry’s 42nd goal for Villa was forgiveable, as he gave his all for us in this game, and he was unfortunate to put though his own net. He was trying to get back into the box after Razak had lost the ball and the ball had been fed out to the Villa right. The trouble was that Barry was running back a little too fast. The Villa fans (who for once weren’t booing this great servant to their club in this game) chanted “There’s only one Gareth Barry”. Gareth could be forgiven if he’d wanted the ground to swallow him up, but he never hid, which put too many of his team mates to shame. Kolarov quickly regained the lead for City with a superbly-struck free kick, but buoyed by their goal, Villa came straight back at us.

For all our torpor (with the exception of Barry, Milner and a couple of kids), we didn’t heed the warning, and Agbonlahor sent Pantilimon the wrong way as our defence parted compliantly.

The rain was falling constantly throughout the game on a miserable night that sapped the soul. You’d think the City players would at least put in the full effort if only to keep warm.

Thereafter Villa were the better side. they were hungrier and first to the ball more often than not, which is a credit to them and a disgrace for us. They deserved their win because they passed the ball better and showed greater desire. N’Zogbia tapped in after Kolo was easily beaten to a header and Nastasic left too much space, then Agbonlahor wrapped it up as Villa dominated extra time and ran out deserved winners.

Only Barry, Milner and a couple of kids can say they truly gave their all here, which is a disgrace. In games like this you expect the senior players to take the lead, but Carlos Tévez didn’t look bothered for much of the time, which was very disappointing. Mario Balotelli wants to enjoy all the trappings of a top footballer but complains when he is not in the team and doesn’t bother to try when he is given a chance like that. It is not enough to score a goal. He has to work, work and work again. He should be scoring hat tricks in games like this.

When you travel to the match you are entitled to effort from all the players, whatever the weather, but particularly on a rotten, soaking night like this.

We need to stop messing about with 3-5-2 now. There have been enough upheavals in the club with 5 new players coming in on deadline day. We need to settle into a formation and pattern of play, find our rhythm and start winning matches.

Pantilimon: Handling was good and couldn’t do much about the goals bar the second where he went down rather too quickly and was sent the wrong way by Agbonlahor. His kicking was erratic: 5
Kolo Touré: Very poor indeed. Easily beaten in the air for Villa’s third goal. It is difficult to see a future for him here: 4
Lescott: Tried to hold it together but was fighting a losing battle. Even he struggled, but he was less deserving of being subbed than others (maybe Roberto Mancini had an eye on the weekend). 5
Nastasic: Some good blocks and interceptions that suggest he is a real prospect, but is making some mistakes and was too far away from Kolo Touré for Villa’s third goal: 5
Milner: Set up Balotelli’s goal with an astute pass. Never stopped running and trying to do something but his passing was wayward at times. It would have been better if he’d played in central midfield where he could influence the game more, and allow us to play at a higher tempo: 6
Razak: Fought hard but he gave the ball away near our own box, which led to Villa’s 2nd goal. Was a yellow card waiting to happen. Not ready to step up: 5
Suarez: Some nice touches, tried to create something, but needs time to develop: 6
Barry: Can’t be faulted for his constant effort and his goal for Villa was unfortunate: 6
Kolarov: Scored a great free kick. We didn’t bring him into the game anywhere near enough, but when he did get on the ball he looked like he might create something: 6
Balotelli: His goal aside, he showed little interest in proceedings. If he is going to have a future here then he will have to work much harder than this and repay the faith shown in him by Roberto Mancini particularly. Going out late at night and smoking are not conducive to being a top class footballer, especially in this day and age. His lack of effort here was a total disgrace: 5
Tévez: Largely disinterested. We are entitled to expect far more effort than this. We needed him to lead by example. The trouble was that on this occasion his example was indifference: 5
Subs:
Sinclair (for Suarez 60): Put one lovely cross over and tried to create. Irked Roberto Mancini when he didn’t jump for one loose ball, though: 6
Dzeko (for Lescott 74): At least he tried to make things happen but was starved of any service: 6
Helan (For Razak 105): Looked assured: 6

Goals:
City: Balotelli 27, Kolarov 64
Villa: Barry (og) 59, Agbonlahor, 70, 113, N’Zogbia 96

Att: 28,015

Best Oppo: Agbonlahor: pacy powerful and always a menace: 8

Refwatch: P Dowd: Job done without fuss: 7

KING OF THE KIPPAX 200

We’ve finally made it – limped over the line, as daft journo Andy Dunn (manumirror) described City’s title win. King of The Kippax number 200 should hit the outlets at Aleef and Urbis on Friday plus Fulham on Saturday and subsequent games. It’s a 48 page special A4 size, has a colour front cover of KK friends in Major square in Madrid, and is titled as ‘From Barnsley (Sept 88) to the Bernabeu’

This issue includes an interview with Gary James on his fantastic new book, plus City games recent and future; Uncle Ryan; City World; Burfield; Coincidences, 200 issue reflections; Concannon, eight page reflection in cartoon form of the past 200 issues; Tony Petrie, GSO; Colin Savage’s financial revues; Albert Rusnak; the 33 club and much more on City and recent events.

You can also get it from 25, Holdenbrook Close, Leigh, Lancs, WN7 2HL for £4 including P&P (cheque to King of The Kippax).

Can we just take this opportunity to thank everyone who’s contributed, sold and bought the ‘zine over the past 24 years, we are indebted to you all, a big thanks.

ARTICLE: SILVA’S RATING

I enjoy Phil’s match reports and, generally, I agree with his comments and player scoring. However, I have to disagree with his assessment and scoring of the performance of David Silva against Arsenal at the Etihad in MCIVTA 1853.

Dzeko was excellent and, like most City fans I have discussed the game with, I was disappointed that he was brought off as I thought he was our best player by far.

Compare this to David Silva who had a nightmare and could not pass the ball to save his life for most of the game and consistently gave the ball away in promising positions. I am, therefore, at a loss to understand how Phil can rate Silva’s performance as “Industrious in attack and defence, his passing was incisive and Arsenal’s defenders had to be at their very best to intercept some of his clever work: 7” The same score as Dzeko?

Sorry Phil but you must have been at a different game, Silva was woefully bad and I would even go as far as to say it’s possibly the worse game he’s had since joining us, if Edin rated a 7 then David Silva must have been a 5 at the most.

ARTICLE: THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT…

We could all moan over being kicked out of the Capital One League Cup by Villa, but in truth there will be more time given to more important trophies. Not to say that Capital One Cup is not important for it does claim a Euro place for the winning team.

The major trophy this season is the Euro Champions’ League, and City have a massive game next versus Dortmund; we have to qualify for the knock out stages, or be out.

Winning the Premier League is going to be a tough mission, with every club in the League gunning for City’s scalp. It is a long season, and is far too early to make predictions, other than City have a great chance with the squad to repeat.

The FA Cup has more prestige to it with its long history; City must not take this competition lightly, we all would love to win it again!

For City it is possible to have a double trip to Wembley: Champions’ League and FA Cup. It truly will be a fantastic thing to do, but a very tough one; maybe I’m dreaming a bit here, but dreams can come true!

Right now it appears that City are searching for the right combination from all the star players. David Silva has not been on form as of yet; he has just signed a new five year deal – keep the faith, he will come good.

With new players joining the club as late signings for City on the last day of the transfer window, it made it difficult for everyone has to settle in at their new team.

Roberto Mancini’s job was not made any easier by bringing in players late; he has to find a positive way to help all his players. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle, they all have to fit into his plans.

All City players have got to accept that they might play in one game and not the next. I feel play your best team, and let players fight for the position, but be rested when times are appropriate.

Stay Blue: a lot more to come from City!

In Mancini I trust!

ARTICLE: SHAME

In contrast to previous years, where the spirit between the City and Arsenal fans on match day has been good, there was a definite air of tension as we walked back to Piccadilly Station last Sunday. Banter is banter (and that is what seemed to go on during the match), and most people as usual were walking back to town peacefully, but what went on during that walk back to Piccadilly was neither funny nor banter. There were too many silly teenagers and early twenty-somethings from London and the Home Counties (Mockneys?) posturing and trying to provoke a reaction with stupid chants. At one point younger, gobby Arsenal fans in their garish red and white shirts were standing less than a couple of yards from some posturing City lads, before both lots decided against a scrap. There are unconfirmed reports of pockets of trouble elsewhere, but nothing major.

We’ve all heard other fans and some Blues who have chanted “I wanna go home, <insert place name>’s s***hole, I wanna go home”. Even before the game Piccadilly Station was awash with vile little oiks in red and white chanting this nonsense. I hate this chant with a passion, whether it is other fans or Blues chanting it. It lacks charm and wit, and if someone hates a town or City so much, what are they doing there (at great expense)? I find myself thinking “Go home then, and think of a better chant!” (well, that’s the polite version).

On the walk back to Piccadilly we heard some young Arsenal goon arrogantly ranting to his two mates: “They shouldn’t even be talking to az, the c***s. I’ve had enaff”. His mate tried to calm him down, saying “We’re outnumbered here”. Alarmingly the goon blustered back “I’ll stab ’em with my keys. I’ve had enaff”. His mates tried to calm him down. This was overheard by a rather tough looking lad wearing no colours, whom I presume was a City fan, and he muttered in no uncertain terms to the Arsenal fans that they should keep their mouths shut. The goon who boasted about stabbing, hid behind his mates. Pathetic. Ok, he was all talk, or I’d like to think so, but the very thought of stabbing someone really is shocking.

Judging by other Blues’ accounts, that the pattern of silly little Arsenal boys gobbing off and then shutting up when confronted was a recurring theme. I’m glad it didn’t escalate further on this occasion, but isn’t it a shame? We have had such good relations with Arsenal fans over the years (I don’t know of any trouble since at least the 80s), and taken their 4-0 and worse hammerings of us with good grace. Why can’t they show similar grace? Maybe the demographic of their support has changed and there are too many horrible little oiks with too much money on their hands.

What is it with so many Arsenal fans? As one Blue put it last week, too many of them think they are football royalty. Their childish hatred of City for daring to buy their best players is truly pathetic. Their lack of self-awareness and/or hypocrisy (call it what you like) matches that. Do they realise that they buy players from smaller clubs than them? Do they seriously think that Southampton are as bothered about Arsenal, as Gooners are about City? Big fish and smaller fish (and Arsenal’s board is behaving like your average trout) have always existed, and the bigger ones often buy the best players from the smaller one. That’s the way football has always gone. It is time that Arsenal fans grew up and realised that. What a bunch of spoiled brats.

Arsenal benefited from a huge investment from their Director Danny Fiszman who financed their double winning sides of 1998 and 2002 at a time when most clubs could only dream about that sort of money. I’ll quote one of their greatest players Tony Adams who said: “I think that a significant factor, 90 per cent, in why we achieved so much is that Danny Fiszman invested £50 million in the club and we were able to go to the next level.”

Did we complain? No, we stood back and admired them, and rightly so. I loved watching that great Arsenal side of Henry, Adams, Bergkamp and Vieira, except when they were tearing us apart. Yet far too many Arsenal fans conveniently forget this huge investment and they self-righteously and hypocritically say they are run like a business, whilst telling us that our model is “unsustainable”!

It wasn’t so long ago that they were shouting and chanting “Spend some f***ing money!” Doubtless they would have been happy for their club to spend big money that would have exceeded their income. Of course it is ok when they are the ones spending the money!

Their profit making club sell their best players every year. If they were strong enough they could say “no” when we or anyone else go in with a bid for one of their players.

Arsenal fans should be asking questions of their own board and manager rather than being so bitter about City. They should ask them why they have the most expensive season tickets in the world, literally, and yet lose their best player every year. They might question so-called Financial Fair Play, which is pushing the price of season tickets and match tickets up as their club looks to maximise income, and some might say, profit at their expense.

I don’t relish the fact that Arsenal fans are so bitter towards us because it makes for a nasty atmosphere at times. I really hope this enmity subsides because we don’t need trouble to return.

REQUEST: NEW ZEALAND BLUES

Calling all Blues in NZ and, specifically, Christchurch.

As a regular reader of the newsletter, I have in the recent years noted that we have one or two of the Faithful living in NZ. My wife (a Kiwi), young son and I (me a Blue of 40 years) are heading off down to Christchurch NZ to settle permanently and wondered if there still some of the Faithful living in CHCH and, if so, do you hold regular gatherings?

I would be interested in hearing from not only CHCH or Canterbury based Blues, but also other areas of NZ as well.

If you can let me know details of any regular gatherings either in CHCH or via online using Skype, can you please drop me a line at the address below or Skype on peter.godkin3 (for reference we will be based in CHCH from the 11th October).

This will be very much appreciated.

For the moment thank you in advance, and look forward to meeting up.

AND FINALLY… JOHN BOND 1932-2012

I am very sad to hear of the death of John Bond. He was the manager of Manchester City when I attended my first game in 1980 (City 1 [Power] Norwich 0). He inherited a team in the autumn of 1980 that was at the bottom of the old First Division and were looking like certainties for relegation, due to the disastrous transfer activity of Malcolm Allison and Peter Swales. Bond set to work and made three very good buys in Tommy Hutchison, Bobby MacDonald and Gerry Gow and he took us to mid-table safety, a League Cup Final (it should have been a Final if it had not been for an appalling refereeing decision), and most famously, the 1981 FA Cup Final against Tottenham. We were ten minutes from glory after Tommy Hutchinson’s header, when misfortune struck and Hoddle’s free kick hit poor Hutch’s shoulder and wrong footed Joe Corrigan, taking the game to a replay that Tottenham won.

Nevertheless, it was a fantastic journey and there some terrific, memorable days along the way. The next season Bond signed the brilliant Trevor Francis, we beat the mighty Liverpool at Anfield and topped the League just after Christmas. We were playing some great football. The second half of the season saw our challenge fade away but we were a decent side under Bond, even after Swales sold Francis the following summer, much to Bond’s dismay.

At worst we were a mid-table side in 82/83, when after a shock FA Cup 4-0 hammering at Brighton, Bond suddenly resigned, but his departure was not about results because he had performed well. Bond went to his grave saying that he had been blackmailed by a City Director (Ed – allegedly!) who threatened to make revelations about his private life. There is no reason to doubt Bond, especially given the machinations at Maine Road at that time. Bond was also frustrated with the situation at City, but he should not have been forced out.

As a result, and without a proper manager, the club was in turmoil and as so many of you know, we plummeted from a safe mid-table position into the bottom three after the very last game of the season: the infamous Luton game where Raddy Antic scored their winner four minutes from time. Had Bond been at the helm, it is very unlikely that City would have been anywhere near relegation that year, if at all. One can’t help wonder what he would have achieved here if he’d had the transfer budget that Peter Swales and Malcolm Allison had squandered. We’ll never know.

John Bond was a very good manager for Manchester City and provided us with many happy memories. He’d previously got Norwich promoted and established in the First Division in his seven year spell there. As a player he’d played 444 games for West Ham and won the FA Cup in 1964.

I remember waiting for the bus on Parkside radio, radio in hand, after a game against West Brom, and Stuart Hall in his match report describing “John Bond, complete with Lady Di hairdo”. He was actually very stylish in his manner and the way he dressed, with or without his sheepskin coat. The crowd would sing “Johnny Bond, Johnny Bond, Johnny Bond” to the tune of “‘ere we go…”. (We’ll forget “John Bond we love you, John Bond we do…” because the St Winifred’s Choir tune was awful, even if the sentiment was wonderful).

He was loved by the fans, and many who have been lucky enough to meet him say what a gentlemen he was. Mike Summerbee says “He was such a lovely man and it’s a very sad day. He was a football man. He knew the game inside out. As a person outside of football he was a wonderful man”. Bond’s City captain Paul Power says he was a “good man manager” who, whilst he didn’t suffer fools, never told any player off in front of anyone else; Alex Williams is grateful for to him saying, “John was a great man and a great for me when I made my début in 1981 and he will be missed by the Football world”. So true.

I have so many happy memories of his time at City in my youth. Johnny Bond, you and your team brought cheer to me at an unhappy time (parents divorcing, lousy time at school). With his passing, a big part of my adolescence has died too.

Our thoughts are with Kevin and his family. Thanks Johnny Bond. You did us proud. God Bless you. Rest in peace.

RESULTS AND TABLE

23 September 2012

Liverpool             1 - 2  Manchester United     44,263
Newcastle United      1 - 0  Norwich City          49,402
Manchester City       1 - 1  Arsenal               47,318
Tottenham Hotspur     2 - 1  Queens Park Rangers   36,052

22 September 2012

Swansea City          0 - 3  Everton               20,464
Chelsea               1 - 0  Stoke City            41,112
Southampton           4 - 1  Aston Villa           30,713
West Bromwich Albion  1 - 0  Reading               23,854
West Ham United       1 - 1  Sunderland            33,052
Wigan Athletic        1 - 2  Fulham                19,284

League table as at 27 September 2012

                    P  GD Pts
 1 Chelsea          5   7  13
 2 Manchester Utd   5   6  12
 3 Everton          5   4  10
 4 West Brom A.     5   3  10
-----------------------------
 5 Arsenal          5   7   9
-----------------------------
 6 Fulham           5   5   9
 7 Manchester City  5   3   9
 8 Tottenham H.     5   2   8
 9 West Ham Utd     5   1   8
10 Newcastle Utd    5   0   8
11 Swansea City     5   3   7
12 Sunderland       4   0   4
13 Stoke City       5  -1   4
14 Aston Villa      5  -4   4
15 Wigan Athletic   5  -5   4
16 Southampton      5  -6   3
17 Norwich City     5  -6   3
-----------------------------
18 Liverpool        5  -6   2
19 QPR              5  -8   2
20 Reading          4  -5   1

MCIVTA FAQ [v1112.01]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

Articles (Philip Alcock)         : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org
News/rumour                      : news@mcivta.city-fan.org
Subscriptions (Madeleine Hawkins): subscriptions@mcivta.city-fan.org
Technical problems (Paul)        : paul@city-fan.org
FAQ (David Warburton)            : faq@mcivta.city-fan.org

[2] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?

Deadlines for issues are nominally 6pm, Monday and Thursday evenings by email. Unfortunately we cannot accept email attachments.

[3] MCIVTA Back Issues and Manchester City Supporters’ home page/Twitter

http://www.mcivta.com/ is the unofficial Manchester City Supporters’ home page. Created in 1994, it is the longest running of the Manchester City related web sites. Back issues of MCIVTA are also hosted on the site. You can also follow on www.twitter.com/mcivta to get the latest updates.

[4] What is the club’s official web site?

The official club web site can be found at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/ and the official club Twitter page at www.twitter.com/mcfc. The club also has a facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mcfcofficial

[5] What supporters’ clubs are there?

The Official Supporters’ Club and the Centenary Supporters’ Association have merged to become the Manchester City Supporters’ Club (http://www.mcfcsupportersclub.com/). The club also recognise the Manchester City Disabled Supporters’ Association (http://www.mcdsa.co.uk/).

[6] Where can I find out about Points of Blue?

The committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. Points of Blue appears on the club website under the “Fans” heading (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/Fans).

[7] What match day broadcasts are available on the web?

Live match commentary can be found on the club website. The Radio Manchester pre- and post-match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/manchester/.

[8] Where can I find out if City are live on satellite TV?

http://www.satfootball.com/ provides a listing of Premier League games being shown on UK domestic and foreign satellite channels. A useful site for North American viewers is http://msn.foxsports.com/.

[9] Do we have a Usenet newsgroup?

Yes we do: uk.sport.football.clubs.man-city is our home on usenet. If you are not familiar with Usenet, a basic explanation is available here: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/Usenet

[10] Do any squad members have their own web pages?

There are a number available and direct links can be found at http://www.mcivta.com/players/

[11] Do any squad members have their own Twitter accounts?

A list of genuine player accounts is maintained at http://twitter.com/#!/MCFC/players

[12] Where can I find match statistics?

Statistics for the current season are available from the club site, but for a more in-depth historical analysis try http://www.mcfcstats.com/.

DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in MCIVTA are entirely those of the subscribersand there is no intention to represent these opinions as being thoseof Manchester City Football Club, nor of any of the companies anduniversities by whom the subscribers are employed. It is not inany way whatsoever connected to the club or any other relatedorganisation and is simply a group of supporters using this mediumas a means of disseminating news and exchanging opinions.

Philip Alcock, editor@mcivta.city-fan.org

Editor: