Newsletter #151

A bad result on Saturday but by no means a poor performance by the Blues. How things have changed since a few weeks back; a defeat and we’re still optimistic about the future. Our biggest problem now is the mounting bookings crisis; we’d just got the midfield into great shape, we lose Flipper and now Lomas will be banned as well. This really exposes the paper-thin squad; as soon as one of the quality players goes then we’re having to draft a youngster in like Brown. Furthermore, the full back positions look woefully exposed; Brightwell is out of position here and Ingram looks like he has a lot to do before he should be playing first team football. Let’s hope that either Vonk signs soon or that money can be found to buy a quality full back.

This issue should be reaching Nick Leeson, so a welcome to you and I hope news from the Academy will help you over the grim days ahead. Thanks to Nizam for doing the footwork.

Next game, Nottingham Forest at home, Monday 18th December 1995.

MATCH REPORT `LIVE’

MIDDLESBROUGH vs. MANCHESTER CITY, Saturday 9th December 1995

“‘Cause maybe you’re gonna be the one that saves me,
And after all, you’re my Alan Ball…”

I’d been looking forward to this one for a few weeks now, getting a new ground in, seeing the Juninho/Kinkladze battle and above all, hoping that we’d get a good result to shut up a couple of particularly irksome Boro-supporting colleagues at work. Sadly it was not to be, though we gave them a good run for their money, particularly in the first half.

It was an uneventful journey up to Teeside with the improvements to the A1(M) now virtually complete, so we arrived in good time to have a look around Middlesbrough’s new Riverside Stadium. The ground has a capacity of just about 30,000, with three single-tier sides all joined together plus a separate two-tier main stand. The two remaining corners are due to be added in soon, as are a few executive boxes at the back of the stand opposite the main stand. The ground is tidy and functional but is unlikely to win any prizes for creative architecture. The main stand is a bit more plush, with what appears to be a restaurant overlooking the main forecourt. Inside, there were bars, televisions showing previous meetings between the clubs (which didn’t make for compulsive viewing given our recent record against Boro) and decent toilets, though there weren’t enough of them. The view from the seats (all of them I’d guess) was excellent, the P.A. system was clear and the facilities for disabled fans were very good, giving them a raised platform from which they’d still be able to see when everybody else stood up. From an away fan’s viewpoint, I’d say the ground was really good but Blackburn’s still the best IMHO.

There were three changes to the side from the Leeds match, Rae Ingram replacing the injured Richard Edghill, Michael Brown replacing the suspended Garry Flitcroft and Gerry Creaney replacing the flu-struck Uwe Rösler. To complete a youthful line-up, Buster Phillips and Lee Crooks joined Tony Coton on the bench.

Given the new look to the side and that Boro, having won the last 5 meetings between the clubs are clearly our bogey team, I thought we might have trouble maintaining our recent good run. Such thoughts were dispelled after an exhilarating opening 15 minutes though, in which City gave a fantastic exhibition of flowing, on the deck football filled with inventive touches, better in my opinion than the first half at Leeds last week, better in fact than I can remember from any City side in many years. Such was the Blues’ dominance in this opening period you’d have thought we were the home side. To cap it all, Kinky hit the first salvo in his personal battle for the limelight against Juninho with a quite outstanding goal. Receiving the ball from an Ian Brightwell throw-in just inside the Boro half, he wandered into the centre of the field, turned sharply towards goal leaving two Boro midfielders behind him, jinked past another challenge 25 yards out, sold a dummy to two defenders just inside the box and then placed a shot accurately in at the far post with his left foot, just out of the reach of Gary Walsh in the Boro goal. If he carries on improving with each game as he has been doing, Tony Yeboah will become an also-ran in the Goal of the Month stakes.

The goal roused Boro out of their slumbers and they bagan to haul themselves back into the game. Theirs is also a flowing, passing style of play and it made for a superb spectacle. Juninho made a few runs which ended in most cases with a tumble to the ground and a free kick. I’m not saying they weren’t fouls but I felt that Kinky (same height but clearly more powerfully built) would have ridden most of these challenges; as somebody said on the way back, it seemed the Brazilian would go over on a gust of wind. A couple of these free kicks were perilously close to the edge of our area which caused some consternation but neither of them troubled Immel. However, a clearance from the second of these free kicks was pumped back towards the City goal and deflected off Michael Brown’s leg into the 6-yard box. Whilst Ian Brightwell stood watching, Nick Barmby nipped in behind him and buried it past Immel for the equaliser.

Both sides continued to play neat, attractive football for the rest of the half and would each have been confident of wrapping up the points in the second half. As it was, Boro came out and played the better football in the second half, frequently seeming to have a man over during their quick breaks forward. If their first goal had been scored with the aid of a defensive blunder, the same certainly couldn’t be said of the second. Teenager Phil Stamp collected the ball about 30 yards out and charged through two pairs of City defenders before flicking the ball over Immel and into the net. A brilliant goal; if Juninho had scored it the hype machine would have gone into overdrive but his moment would have to wait. City poured forward in search of the equaliser but only a minute after going behind, Lomas was caught in possession in the Boro half, the ball was played out wide to Fjørtoft and his cross was headed in from 6 yards by a totally unmarked Nick Barmby at the far post. Where was Rae Ingram?

That goal knocked the stuffing out of the Blues somewhat but although Boro now looked to be well in charge, Walsh still had to make two or three outstanding saves, including one from a towering header from Symons which looked a goal all the way. However, on 75 minutes the game was sealed by a fourth Boro goal; Immel failed to hold a rasping 30-yard drive from the impressive Stamp and Juninho rammed the ball home just before the ‘keeper reached it. Not surprisingly the home fans went wild but we kept up the backing for the Blues as best we could. One new song given an airing was a variation on Oasis’ “Wonderwall” featuring Alan Ball, though it clearly needs more practice from the Blue choir yet. Another appropriate chant was “Where’s your bandwagon?” …

The remaining 15 minutes were goalless but overall it was a cracking match and a great advertisment for the English game. Middlesbrough deserved their win but I thought that the three goal margin flattered them somewhat. I wrote last week that we’d not conceded a goal after taking the lead this season; that record was well and truly ended today but I wasn’t too disheartened and feel that our record of not scoring more than one goal in a league match will soon be ending too. Unlike earlier in the season, we’re creating chances now and I feel it’s only a matter of time before we give somebody a right pasting.

P.S. I wonder if Ian Brightwell will be credited with an “assist” for throwing the ball to Kinky?

MATCH REPORT `LIVE’

MIDDLESBROUGH vs. MANCHESTER CITY, Saturday 9th December 1995

We lost!!!! But who cares, we saw one of the best solo goals ever scored by a City player. However, even without my rose tinted spectacles I have to say I wasn’t too disappointed with the result.

From the outset it was obvious that we had come for all three points, and for the first twenty minutes it looked like we might get them. There was no doubt that City were in control, and then it happened. Christmas came early! Kinky got the ball just past the half way line, twisted and turned to evade 4 players and then cooly slotted the ball past Walsh. There was a second’s delay as the City fans rubbed their eyes and realised what had happened. It was better than sex (and yes I am doing it right!). Then the hangover came! The equaliser came from a free kick just outside the area, which Vickers crossed. The ball took a nasty deflection and Barmby popped up to bury the ball in the back of the net. This took the wind out of our sails for the rest of the half, with the only chance being a shot by Brown, after another superb pass from Kinky.

After half time came Boro killed City off in the space of a minute. Both goals were down to nothing more than crap defending. The first came when Stamp simply ran through the middle of the defence, unchallenged, and put the ball past Immel. Then Fjørtoft crossed the ball to find Barmby unmarked, who duly finished City off! At this point, however, we didn’t give up (makes a change from the beginning of the season) with Quinn keeping Walsh by far the busier keeper. On several occasions he pulled off what can only be described as superb reflex saves. Boro’s final goal came when Stamp sent a shot whistling at Immel who failed to hold onto the ball, and Junhino put it away.

So those are the facts. I have to say the scoreline is slighlty flattering to Boro, but there was no doubt that they deserved to win. After City’s initial surge, they commanded the midfield and took full advantage of our lack of full backs. One for the future is definitely Boro’s Vickers! The problem City had was that they were playing one of the in-form clubs minus four first team members. It is a testament to Flitcroft’s improvement this season that we missed him so much in midfield. Although Brown gave his all the problem was that he gave it all in the first thirty minutes. His naïvety was blatently obvious, chasing the ball all over the park instead of positioning himself. So it was no suprise when he simply slipped out of the game. As for Lomas I honestly can’t remember him getting involved in the game, and Summerbee was kept out of the game after Boro took control of the midfield. Kinky was brilliant with numerous impressive runs and telling passes, but without a decent strike force it was all in vain. The defence was the most stretched of all, with Ingram and Brightwell both having nightmares at full back. Ingram looked out of his depth and Brightwell was definitely having a bad day (one of many this season). This meant that the centre backs were stretched a little too far. Then comes the attack. Quinn was playing well, with his usual holding game and had some good shots saved by Walsh. However, the problem was that he didn’t have a partner, he had a shadow called Creaney. What possessed Ball to give Portsmouth money as well as Walsh for Creaney is beyond me. He might be good at heading in good crosses but that’s where it ends, and we already have a good header of the ball who is better in every department…. Quinn. On several occasions, when Creaney decided to get involved in the game, it looked like they were standing on the same blade of grass.

So why I am I not disappointed? Because Kinky was excellent, we played well, and the vast majority of the team battled even when we were three down. The change in attitude from the players has been nothing short of a miracle. However, this game was a painful reminder that even though we have one of the biggest playing staffs in the country, we have a painfully thin squad. It now looks like we will be without both Foster and Edghill for the rest of the season, and in midfield we lack a good backup for Flitcroft (or replacement for Lomas?). To throw youngsters into the present situation would be counter-productive. I’m afraid it’s time Franny got his cheque book out to strengthen what has become a promising team!!!!!!

NEWS – EDGHILL OUT I

Exploratory surgery has revealed that Richard Edghill has severe ligament damage in his knee and will be out for the rest of the season. He will have an operation in the next 10 days.

NEWS – EDGHILL OUT II

MEN reports on Edghill’s injury;

Extensive tests have revealed that RE has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. This is a similar injury to the one Paul Lake suffered 5 years ago, and from which he has still not recovered. Niall Quinn, however, recovered from the same injury in a season.

Roy Bailey; “He will obviously need an operation as soon as possible and we will be guided by his wishes. He needs a lot of support and reassurance that his carreer is not over.” Alan Ball has a selection headache at right back as Foster will also be sidelined until well into the new year following an operation to repair his dislocation. “We will try to get by with the players we have at the club, but one more injury to the back four would leave me badly short. At the moment my thoughts are with young Edghill. It is a shocking injury but we will give him and his family all the support they need and everything will be done to get him back on his feet and playing once again.”

AB was elsewhere in the paper optimistic despite the 4-1 setback at Boro. He praised the team for being ‘open and entertaining’ and said that the scoreline reflected the fact that he was playing a lot of young players who were much too keen on attacking and getting stuck in to bother with defending. Boro’s man of the match was Gary Walsh, which perhaps reflects this.

And to finish with, the news that Terry Phelan apparently played a blinder for Chelsea. Oh well.

NEWS – MORE BANS ON THE WAY!

Steve Lomas’ booking on Saturday means he now faces an automatic two-match ban. Ian Brightwell is now only one booking away from a suspension too. We’re now beginning to pay for some of those ludicrous bookings early in the season.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH POLL – NOVEMBER

The Player of the Month vote has been delayed slightly as Ken (Foster) is temporarily internet-less. Paul has agreed to take over for this month. The games played during November were Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday, Wimbledon & Aston Villa not Leeds and MiddlesBrough.

Send votes in the usual 1,2,3, format to Paul at paul@wg.icl.co.uk by Wednesday 20th December.

KINKY SHINES

I assume most of our UK based subscribers will have seen the press, but for the benefit of those overseas it seems early optimism is bearing fruit. We do have a genuine world class player on our hands and the rest of the country is starting to take notice. I can’t think of a situation where we lost so heavily, yet reading the press reports set the pulse racing to such a degree. All talk was of Kinkladze:

“that Juninho was overshadowed by Georgi Kinkladze was undeniable”

“the deftest left foot in the land”

“Kinkladze, who was born on a different continent but, on Saturday might have hailed from another planet. The Georgian stood on his right foot, weaved magic with his left, and conjured a memorable goal as well as several opportunities spurned by others.”

And this wasn’t Paul ‘makes me wince’ Hince, this was the quality football writers. What a pity Flitcroft was, (and is) suspended therefore upsetting the balance. As the Times said, we controlled the game for 88 out of 90 minutes (thus putting to rest that old adage that it only takes a minute to score a goal!). I am long enough in the tooth to remember another great Messiah from the Eastern Bloc, the late Kazimera (?) Deyna, who similarly seemed to have so much more time on the ball than those around him. However, there’s a difference. Great player though Kazi was, he was at the end of his career. Kinky is just getting started. Here’s to the future.

MERCHANDISING

I saw Dave Bradbury’s comment in MCIVTA 150 about getting a Georgia shirt; I thought this would be a good seller for the souvenir shop so I mentioned it to them when I was down there last Saturday before the Leeds game. I think it went in one ear and out the other unfortunately. I also went to the new JJB Sports superstore in Manchester and they couldn’t get me one either. There’s a killing to be made for some entrepreneur here, I’m sure.

On the subject of the souvenir shop, it seems that they won’t have a catalogue available until the new year. Bearing in mind the volume of sales of club merchandise in the run-up to Christmas, isn’t this an alarming oversight? I realise that there was lots of work involved in the takeover of the Maine Road souvenir shop but surely it wouldn’t have been too hard to get a catalogue together whilst waiting for Mr. Phillips to leave? After all, most Christmas catalogues are designed and printed in the early part of the year. Last season for instance, there was a catalogue included in the programme for the Spurs game in early October.

Things are definitely improving on the merchandising front but there’s still a long way to go yet.

REVIEW – BIG ISSUE

Further proof that you can sell twice as much of anything in Manchester if you put football on the front of it… This is highlights (slightly edited) of a 2 page interview about UR in the Big Issue (magazine sold by homeless and a very worthy institution). The article opens with a quick comparison of MC and MUFC, making the usual points about merchandise sellers vs. hideously under-achieving football team, and continues;

Apart from the natural desire to escape German Pop music, what brought him here?

I’d been injured for six months, and my contract was about to end. After I’d got back to fitness Dynamo Dresden told me that if another club showed me any interest then I could go, and it was at this time that MCFC invited me over on loan. I played a couple of games, scored some goals and after this I was given a contract by them. I was very, very happy with the situation right from the beginning. The people were very friendly towards me and as the games got better and better I felt at home here. When I arrived here, there weren’t the high-profile foreign players that there are now, like Klinsmann, Yeboah, Gullit and Bergkamp and it wasn’t the usual thing to do.

We certainly do things differently here. How difficult was it to adjust to your new environment?

Well, I have my Norwegian girlfriend here who is also happy in Manchester and we’ve made friends outside the football business.

Uwe’s form still seems to reflect a lack of confidence. How tempting is it for him to pack it all in and return home?

Well we’re struggling and we’ve had a bad start but we can only help ourselves. I don’t feel the need to go home – I do about twice a year and that suits me.

Can you see an international future for yourself?

Two years on, we’re in a worse position than we were when I arrived. As a player I want success now because there are only 5 or 6 years of playing at this level. I can’t afford to wait for success. I’m now out of the reckoning for the national team – we must start winning and I must start scoring and then I’ll be in a better position to speak.

LEESON I

Well Nick, if you are going to get MCIVTA on a regular basis I’m sure that all itinerant Blues around the World would want to wish you well. Let’s hope that you can perhaps become a regular contributor.

LEESON II

Having returned from holiday on Thursday 7 Decemeber after 3 weeks imagine my surprise/astonishment/excitement at seeing how City had gone during my time away.

I had been to California and given City’s form before my departure I deliberately avoided any football results for the duration of my holiday. A mixture of complete shock and delirious happiness was how I felt when I returned to find City out of the relegation zone and Ball a manager of the month. I am thinking of going away again soon so that City can continue their excellent run. If we start losing again then you know who to blame!

I also have a comment regarding Mr Nick Leeson and efforts to get MCIVTA to him. My girlfriend works for Barings here in London and I remember clearly the evening he took his Bank down. We had been out for an evening and were driving home – I turned on the radio and heard the news headlines as follows; “British merchant bank crashes and two boxers end up in hospital”

Being a big boxing fan my attention was drawn to the boxing part of this news and the detail came very quickly; “British merchant bank Barings, bankers to the Queen, has crashed this weekend in sensational circumstances and Nigel Benn and his opponent Mclennan are in hospital after a sensational 10 round battle from which Benn emerged victorious” My reaction was immediate anger at having heard the result of a bout that I was looking forward to watching as I had taped it whilst I was out. So I was in the car swearing away – I was very surprised to hear my girlfriend also swearing – she is not a boxing fan – until I realised why – her job was clearly on the line. Now that Barings has been rescued by ING and my girlfriend’s job has been saved my feeling towards Nick Leeson have mellowed – slightly.

Perhaps he will contribute to MCIVTA and explain to me exactly what he thought he was up to when he executed his unbelievably stupid trades. Perhaps a “Why Blue and why I did what I did.”?

If Nick does get to see MCIVTA I hope it cheers him up and gets him through dark times.

Blues – continue this excellent form – I still think that it is going to be a very tough season but now we have the evidence to support all of our beliefs that City are too good to go down.

OPINION – OFFICIALDOM I

Who has come up with this idea of MCIVTA going official?

IMHO there would be very few benefits for MCIVTA and certainly none worth surrendering editorial independence for. The club has enough official channels of communication; if I wanted to read a bland and sanitised view of City I would subscribe to one of them.

Apart from the (adverse) impact on the content of MCIVTA I think that going official would inevitably lead to MCIVTA going commercial. A time may come when you have to charge a subscription fee to cover your costs, but if the club got involved the subscription fee would inevitably be higher as MCIVTA would be run for profit.

What possible value could the club’s endorsement add that would justify inferior content for a higher charge?

My views on the notion of having a president are similar. What’s the point?

Reading your comments in the last issue I think you share these views. You’ve put a lot of hard work into getting MCIVTA to where it is today and if you do disagree with the suggestions I think you should tell whoever has suggested this to go take a running jump. If they want an official version of MCIVTA they should set one up themselves and not try hijacking yours.

A few people have suggested it as an idea; something to be considered, maybe I inadvertantly gave the wrong impression, apologies for that. I certainly don’t think that anyone has a personal agenda to get MCIVTA official; I think it’s more of a passing sentiment that it would be nice to be seen as being formally associated with the club. I was just bringing the discussion to the attention of everyone to see how people felt, obviously I don’t think it’s such a great idea but maybe lots of subscribers do. As far as MCIVTA is concerned, I don’t think of it as my property but the property of all the subscribers. Clearly, if I thought someone was out to hijack it for their own ends then I could certainly exert myself to prevent it but I consider it more of a natural forum. I disagree with many of the views in MCIVTA but they go in nevertheless, unless utterly daft (waste of space) or offensive.

OPINION – OFFICIALDOM II

My opinion on making MCVTA “official”. Leave it as is. No question of split loyalties, or questionable affiliations. Just a bunch of guys saying what they really think.

OPINION – OFFICIALDOM III

In response to the idea of going official I say no, mainly because that would inhibit the free flow of comment and ideas, which I greatly appreciate. Perhaps somebody from the club could become an official correspondent to MCIVTA?

OPINION – OFFICIALDOM IV

As someone who suggested we take on board Nick Leeson as Honorary President (with Paul Calf as his deputy and minder), I’d just like to say that tongue was rooted firmly in cheek. Apart from the jury still being out on exactly what ol’ Nick was up to could we afford Steve Coogan’s fee?

It’s okay adopting a celebrity City fan as some sort of cult hero, after all he did rip off a bank and make the establishment look like a right load of tossers, but I agree with Ashley in that the very nature of MCIVTA is the lack of formal structure, just like the Internet itself etc. etc.

As for going official no way!! But, if anyone knows Steve Coogan and could get to do a freebie on the 23rd December, well that’s different.

OPINION – TRANSFERS

I agree wholeheartedly with David Bradbury’s comments on transfers. It’s not easy to find gems in the transfer market, but some of the moves that City have made in the past (and most recently the Walsh/Creaney swap) are more like shuffling the deck than whipping out aces. I think ‘Boro (cringe) have proved a few things in getting Juninho. While we don’t have the money at the moment, I think the club should resist splurging on el cheapo donkeys like Clough.

While Kinky and Symons are great buys, I’m surprised that people are laying all the credit at Ball’s feet. If my memory serves me well, it was Franny that lined up Kinky and, therefore, Ball can be credited with signing Symons and Creaney. Symons is obviously a bargain but unless Creaney does something amazing pretty soon he’ll just be another wage packet.

And while I’m on my soapbox, does anybody else feel we might have got more for Phelan? I’m not saying he shouldn’t have gone, but that we probably should have wrung a bit more dough out of Chelsea for him. At least the sale won’t come back to haunt us like Hendry’s did!

Pass on my best wishes to Nick Leeson. I actually had a half-hearted attempt at finding an attorney’s-general page for Singapore, but their pages were more informational with no contact addresses. At least he didn’t get whacked accross the arse with a cane like that poor American kid last year.

Just read the soccernet report on the ‘Boro game. Not a good result but it did sound like we had some chances.

OPINION – THE FULL BACKS

Apart from our dismal day against Boro on Saturday, the weekend also revealed a lot more about City than we would have imagined. I am referring to the full back positions which in my opinion are not being filled at all these days. We sold Terry Phelan who many of us rated highly; he certainly showed his worth playing for Chelsea against the league leaders Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.

I know this is water under the bridge but why the hell did we sell the lad? I would not mind if we had a suitable replacement but we don’t especially now Edghill is out for a while. Phelan is still a very good player and caused all sorts of problems for Newcastle and he is rumoured not to be nearly 100% fit at present. I’m afraid to say Chelsea got the bargain of the season and I don’t care if he was on big wages at City; he would have been worth keeping at least until the end of the season.

I hope the management at City learn their lesson from that sale and don’t make the same mistake again. Enough said about Phelan but we really do need two quality full backs; imagine if we had Lee Dixon and Tony Dorigo in the right and left back positions – what a team we would be. I know it’s wishful thinking but it shows you how badlly we are lacking when we think of players in that bracket we are missing.

Our defence is looking dodgy again and when we are only scoring one goal a game you don’t need to be a brain surgeon to work out that we can’t afford to let any goals past us.

I hopy Bally and company get their thinking caps on and come up with a solution for these problematic positions of ours.

WHY BLUE?

My first ever football match was rather special. My grandfather, a lifelong Blues fan, bought me a main stand ticket to accompany him to watch Man City vs. Huddersfield Town in the old second division. The result of course was that City won 10-1. I can’t remember many details, except that the City goals were scored by Neil McNab, Paul Stewart, Tony Adcock and DAvid White(??!) I also remember being gutted when Huddersfield scored their goal! I guess some people are never satisfied… I’ve been hooked ever since…

RESULTS

Saturday, December 9 1995

BOLTON WANDERERS      0-1    LIVERPOOL              21,042
CHELSEA               1-0    NEWCASTLE UNITED       31,098
COVENTRY CITY         5-0    BLACKBURN ROVERS       13,376
LEEDS UNITED          1-1    WIMBLEDON              27,984
MANCHESTER UNITED     2-2    SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY    41,849
MIDDLESBROUGH         4-1    MANCHESTER CITY        29,469
SOUTHAMPTON           0-0    ARSENAL                15,238
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR     1-0    QUEENS PARK RANGERS    28,851

Sunday, December 10 1995

NOTTINGHAM FOREST     1-1    ASTON VILLA            25,790

Sun 10 Dec

Team                Played   Won Drawn Lost  For  Against   Points
Newcastle United      17     12    3    2     36    15        39
Manchester United     17     10    5    2     35    17        35
Arsenal               17      8    6    3     22    11        30
Middlesbrough         17      8    6    3     19    11        30
Tottenham Hotspur     17      8    6    3     23    17        30
Aston Villa           17      8    5    4     21    13        29
Liverpool             17      8    4    5     29    15        28
Nottingham Forest     16      6    9    1     26    23        27
Leeds United          16      7    4    5     21    18        25
Chelsea               17      6    6    5     16    18        24
Blackburn Rovers      17      6    3    8     27    24        21
Everton               16      5    5    6     19    19        20
West Ham United       16      5    5    6     17    20        20
Sheffield Wednesday   17      4    6    7     20    25        18
Southampton           17      4    5    8     16    26        17
Manchester City       17      4    3   10      9    26        15
Wimbledon             17      3    5    9     23    37        14
Queens Park Rangers   17      3    3   11     12    25        12
Coventry City         17      2    6    9     22    36        12
Bolton Wanderers      17      2    3   12     15    32         9

WWW MANCHESTER CITY SUPPORTERS’ HOME PAGE:
http://www.uit.no/mancity/

MCIVTA ADDRESSES:
Contributions: mcivta@tollbar.u-net.com
Subscriptions: Adam.Houghton@sheffield.ac.uk

Thanks to Paul (x2), Daniel, Phil, Nick, Chris, Dave (x2), Andrew, Claude, The Mole, Adam & R.S.

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.

Editor: