Newsletter #13

Disaster strikes on the goalie front! This particular issue has been on-going as our US subscribers might say. I have thus arranged the NEWS articles chronologically so that you can get a feel of how the situation has worsened without me sending out constant dribs and drabs. Also, more Web News and how to get a good jar (pint) in Coventry!!!!

This issue goes out to 47 people

Saturday’s game is Spurs at home.

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WORLD WIDE WEB MANCHESTER CITY SUPPORTERS’ HOME PAGE

Thanks go to Svenn Hanssen who has given the page a home at the northernmost university in the World, Tromsø, Norway!

http://www.service.uit.no/mancity/homepage.html

The page is already quite substantial and is growing continually, please take a look at it and either mail Svenn (svenn@hanssen.priv.no) or MCIVTA with your thoughts and any ideas for new sections which you think may be worthwhile. We want to give a good impression on release so we need to correct any mistakes, include plenty of data etc. before we go public. Please keep the address to yourself for the time being. In my opinion it already looks much better than several other Home Pages that have been in existence for a while!

HELP NEEDED

We plan a Review section in which we (supporters) review books and videos about City. If you have a book or video and care to write it up then contact Paul Howarth (paul@wg.icl.co.uk) who is coordinating this. It should consist of your views and include title, author, publishers, price, ISBN number etc so that anybody wanting to buy them can do so quite easily.

Ashley

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GOSSIP! and other waffles…

According to the Daily Mirror (18/10/94), Brian Horton is considering sending a goalkeeping SOS to, of all people, Les Sealey. Tony Coton has aggravated his shoulder injury and Andy Dibble faces a ban after his controversial sending off in Saturday’s game at QPR. Reading other people’s reaction, I now realise the ref’s decision may not be as stupid as it first seemed; if Dibble was sent off for a two-footed challenge, regardless of whether he won the ball or not, the new rules may dictate that it was a correct decision and he must face a ban. If the ref sent him off for a professional foul, it must be challenged.

I’m not too sure how City fans will react to an ex-RAG (Sealey is currently at Blackpool) between the sticks, I guess it will be a case of “needs must when the devil drives”. At least he’s an experienced player and will be a conveniant scapegoat if City’s form takes a turn for the worse! We shall see.

I always enjoy a visit to Loftus Road – even the recent 4-0 hammering – because it’s such a friendly ground and City fans can whip up a lot of noise in the compact stadium. I was sat near to that awful kids’ enclosure but they were fairly quiet. The QPR fans I met on Saturday seemed to be taking the defeat very well considering what a steal it was, asking the way to Barnsley for next season! They were agreed on their team lacking the “killer instinct”. City could be said to have the “zombie instinct” as they can revive dead causes (opposition teams 2-0 down) very easily!

Elsewhere… some of you may already be aware that the current head of the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) is a Blue. He was at QPR, wearing his cloth cap, being interviewed for the King of the Kippax fanzine. I spoke to the KotK newshound (well, my mate Dave!) afterwards and he said the interview had gone very well; hopefully it will be in the next issue or, more likely, in the one after that.

I met another “famous” Blue on Saturday, in local pub The Bushranger, after the game. This one is the chief photographer for the weekly music magazine New Musical Express, Kevin Cummins. You may have read of him in 90 Minutes (a soccer mag this time!) as “My Sad Mate”. As part of his globe-trotting NME activities, he was due to take a connecting flight in the states until he learned which airline he was taking – United Airlines – and refused to get on the plane because of the carrier’s name! Way to go, Kevin!

Guess that’s enough name-dropping for now, folks! It was one of those weekends. 🙂

James Nash

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NEWS

So the man in black (green, purple, whatever) is only human is he, he’ll admit to mistakes will he, not if his name is G. Willard and he refereed the QPR – City game.

He’s sticking to his guns, even with overwhelming evidence that he (might have) boobed. He sent Dibble off for something like dangerous play and won’t change his decision, so that means Dib’s will definitely miss three games (Coventry, Soton, rags).

Will City still be struggling for a goalie? Well, Margetson is under intensive treatment for his back and it’s improving. City are going to give him a run in the reserves to see how he copes. TC will most probably still be unable to play for a few games yet so MM will probably deputise for Dibble in his enforced absence!

There was mention of a certain Les Sealey coming in as cover if the injuries hadn’t cleared up in time. What does everybody think of that? If he can’t get into the Blackpool first team, do City really need him? That however looks like receding now the injuries are clearing.

Martin Ford

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NEWS

I’ve just heard that Martyn Margetson was sent off in the reserves’ 6-1 defeat at Burnley. With his suspension likely to coincide with that of Andy Dibble, and TC facing a lengthy lay-off with his shoulder injury, that leaves us with no goalkeepers with first team experience for three games, including the OT derby.

I cannot confirm this story but thought you might like to know!

Paul Howarth

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NEWS

This bit of news is a couple of days old but I’ve just seen a report on the reserves and it reminded me. Fitzroy Simpson is back at the Academy; Bristol City haven’t bothered to extend his loan period and weren’t sufficiently impressed by him to sign him permanently.

And just when we thought that the goalie situation couldn’t get any worse!! Last night the reserves were beaten 6-1 by Burnley at Turf Moor. The main reason for this defeat lies in the fact that Margetson was sent off for handling outside the area.

So City will have two goalies suspended, Coton still injured and unlikely to play for a few more games so that leaves City with prospect of blooding their only other keeper David Nurse, currently playing for the youth team.

Any other clubs ever faced such a dilemma of having to sign two goalkeepers on loan, one to play the other to act as a sub!!!

You just have to laugh, otherwise you’d be driven to distraction!!

Martin Ford

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NEWS

Whilst coming to work this morning I was talking to the ticket guy at Belvedere station (who is a jubilant gooner), and he told me that he heard that Simon Tracy (Sheff. Utd., a local lad) was approached by Brian Horton to help us out in the goalkeeper crisis. I thought it might just be a rumour but he did hear the info from a good source, he was out last night with Simon Tracy’s father. Who knows………..

Paul Johnson

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NEWS

Horton is definitely getting rid of McMahon. There was a big piece in the MEN this week about it. He may go on a free transfer. I think the decision’s been made amicably… McMahon obviously doesn’t need reserve team footie at his age. So, as a result, there have been mutterings from City fans about imminent midfield buys… I’ve heard a number of rumours but they’re probably more from the Kippax shopping list than from inside the club. There’s talk of some Scandinavian geezer and Mike Marsh (Hammers), but I can’t see a scouser coming to a M/C club, can you?

Mike (A Red mate of mine Ashley)

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NEWS

From The Sun 21/10/94 (so it must be true!):

Brian Horton is desperately trying to sign a goalkeeper on loan to cover for Coton (injured) and Dibble and Margetson (both suspended). Les Sealey of Blackpool (and ex Utd.) has been mentioned. Horton said he didn’t want to rush Coton back too soon in case he aggravates his injury. He may be forced into using untried rookie David Nurse, 17.

Mike Carr

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NEWS

Here’s the team for the Spurs game:

Dibble, Edghill, Curle, Brightwell, Phelan, Summerbee, Flitcroft, Lomas, Beagrie, Walsh, Quinn
Subs: Rösler :-)) Hill, Margetson

So Rösler has recovered enough to get a place on the bench :-))) At last the cult figure has returned.

A bit of news about TC; his injury nothing more serious than a muscle tear and this doesn’t need a operation to recover, just time. He’s set himself the target date of Nov 5th for a comeback.

Martin Ford

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BEER & COVENTRY!

I’m not the most regular attendee at games, especially this season, but I try to make it at least once a month. Travelling to Manchester from Leamington Spa is a pain and it’s a slow train journey or hitch a ride with a friend. For those of you coming to the Coventry game on 29/10, I can recommend a one-year-old pub called The Spittlemoor which is the only free house in Coventry city centre, a haven for ale lovers. It’s literally 10 minutes walk from the ground, even less from where I work. Doesn’t get too packed and you’ll be welcome as long as you don’t drink lager! It’s very easy to find if you’re coming off the ring road onto Sky Blue Way (which leads up to the ground). Take the first left at the roundabout as you come off the 4-lane slip road and you are there. Follow the road round to the left and you will find parking but don’t go off into the back streets behind the pub as vehicles have a tendency to vanish in the Hillfields district.

James Nash

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CEASEFIRE?

I’ve seen very little discussion here about either the Official or the Independent Supporters Clubs. A letter written by Bernard Halford in the current KotK seems to indicate the two are at least trying to settle their differences (if the Irish can do it…). An independent club has just started up in Leamington and I’m tempted to join but does anyone know the latest of this battle between the Clubs?

James Nash

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PUBLICISING MCIVTA

Finally, do we want this mailing list publicised in the fanzines? I’m certain there are Blues out there with e-mail access who would want to join but don’t get rec.sport.soccer or have rather sensibly unsubscribed due to the high noise/rag ratio. I could write a standard “what’s the Internet, duh?” article with the emphasis on football. Or send bare details; or whatever. Though you might be required to put a standard disclaimer in each MCIVTA for legal reasons? Just a thought – let me know and I can do the rest. Maybe even get it in the matchday programme!

James Nash

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This sounds like a sensible idea to me and I have already discussed it with James and Paul. As James has the contacts he will take it further. I will keep you updated on what he writes and what reaction we get. I shouldn’t think the fanzines will be a problem and hopefully the Programme will also take us seriously; after all we are probably the only means of disseminating up-to date information to fans around the UK and the World.

Ashley

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QUESTION

A few weeks ago Alan Arenson asked if anyone knew what several former players are doing nowadays. As no one has answered I am going to stick my head above the parapet and probably get it shot off!

I believe Colin Bell is something like Youth Team coach i.e. still at the club, Denis Law is a TV commentator/panelist/expert (football), but I’m afraid I have no idea what Joe Corrigan is doing. What exactly will be Mike Summerbee’s rôle now? I saw in the Leeds WWW (forgive me please!) that they have a ‘Where are they now?’ section, albeit with nothing in it. This seems like a nice idea which we could also explore, we probably would need club help though.

Ashley

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USA ‘LIVE’

Great news! City ‘live’ Saturday morning in Santa Monica.

City v Spurs at 7.00am at the Cock and Bull.

For a cover of five bucks, plus having to rise at 6am, I will get to see City score as it happens. Three will do fine.

Do they use numbers as in FAQ?………. [Should be correct, yes (ASH)]

Roll On Saturday.

Trevor Roper

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Thanks to James, Martin, Paul (x2), Trevor and Mike.

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Ashley Birch

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Editor: