Newsletter #391

Well, it seems that our date with destiny, a.k.a. Stoke City is still well and truly on. Another defeat – not unexpected – leaves us facing the unthinkable; the one saving grace was that all but Stoke’s result went our way, which means that we are still in the enviable position of having our destiny in our own hands – all we have to do is win our last two games – simple!

This issue has a couple of match reports, a City magazine review, opinion and two Why Blues.

This one reaches 2,027!

MATCH REPORT – ‘LIVE’

MIDDLESBROUGH vs. MANCHESTER CITY, Friday 17th April 1998

The weather was overcast, cold and drizzly as we filed in to the Cellnet Riverside Stadium, and I have to confess this also matched my mood, as I was fully expecting a fairly heavy defeat. It was my first visit to the Riverside and I found it fairly impressive from an engineering point of view, but lacking real character.

But at least it was full – including a few thousand Blues – and the atmosphere was electric, no doubt the 30,000 baying Teesiders also salivating at the thought of a resounding Boro’ win. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the City fans gave as good as they got in the singing stakes, responding to the predictable “Going down, going down, …” with “F* all, you’ve never won f* all.”

City kicked off in 5-3-2 formation with this team:

                                 Margetson
         Edghill    Jeff Whitley    Symons    Horlock    Vaughan
                        Brown      Pollock    Jim Whitley
                              Bradbury    Goater

Straight away it was obvious that they were 100% fired up. Tackles were hard and every ball was fiercely contested. This continued virtually for the whole 90 minutes – City have rarely shown this much determined commitment all season, in fact for several seasons if we’re totally honest, so it was a pleasant surprise.

Branca went off injured early on, a victim of some of the ferocious tackling. Pollock predictably got booked and it all boiled over into several mass brawls. Boro’ as expected were piling on the pressure but City did have chances on the break – and here’s the biggest problem.

This happened a number of times – Boro’ move breaks down just outside our penalty area, City bring the ball away, channel it out to one wing or other, eventually get into the final third, and then … nothing ever happened. Basically, City didn’t seem to have the faintest clue what to do next. Nobody ever got to the by-line, not a single decent cross was ever delivered, no defence splitting passes were made, Bradbury and Goater made no penetrating runs or showed any guile or menace.

In the middle of all this ineptitude, Boro’ scored and were also refused what I thought the video replay later proved to be a perfectly clear penalty. Just before half time, another mass brawl followed a tangle between Bradbury and Vickers. They squared up to each other, Vickers pretended to “nut” him, Bradbury went down like a sack of potatoes and Vickers was sent off. I am at a complete loss to understand how we managed to finish the game with all 11 men still on the pitch.

Could City take advantage against Boro’s 10 men? We all know the answer but can anyone honestly say they are surprised? Late in the game there were sometimes large gaps appearing in the Boro’ defence as players got tired, but somehow it seemed as if City could play till midnight against 8 men and still not score.

The highlight of the whole game: after 88 minutes we got a corner. In a corner of the Boro’ “Family Stand” I stood up and raised my arms in mock acclaim, and nearly got a kicking from half a dozen doting Boro’ dads, their faces contorted in pure hate.

Final score: 1-0

It was the first I’d seen of Goater and I wasn’t too impressed. He seemed to run out of energy early in the second half and had few ideas. When are we going to have a forward who can actually run at defences, unsettle them and get shots in on target? It can’t be that difficult a concept to teach them. The stars were mostly in defence. Kit and Martyn both had impressive games. In midfield Pollock and Brown stood out.

In summary, the biggest problems were the old old ones … chronic lack of pace and no inventiveness in attack. This led to the usual situation where we don’t score, the defence plays competently but somebody makes just one mistake and we lose 1-0. How many times has this happened? Defensively we’ve conceded either 0 or only 1 goal in 28 games this season, which is pretty good for relegation strugglers. I’ve just checked and even Arsenal have only achieved that 25 times! What we’re missing is dead simple – goals, goals, goals!

Anyway as I write this Stoke have won and we are in the bottom 3 with 2 games left. But we must keep hoping so I’ll finish with the most positive thing to come out of the Boro’ game: the positive attitude and commitment were incredible, and this more than anything kept the scoreline respectable against a rampant top of the table team.

If we show the same commitment against QPR and Stoke then we can’t be relegated – can we?

MATCHVIEW – SKY ‘LIVE’

As I sat down to watch this, it occurred to me that this might be the last time I see City on Sky TV for a long time to come. I reminded myself of the sentiments behind the post to BlueView, drawing a parallel with the game at Blackburn when we were in a similar position in the Premiership and we went and won 3-2, but I still couldn’t see us getting anything out of this one, what with them having won their last 7 home games and having the best home record in the league and we had no Jobson and Wiekens but did have “virtual wingbacks” and Edghill in the middle of the defence?

The game started in very lively fashion with 4 bookings in the first 20 minutes; at least the Blues seemed up for it and Pollock evidently felt he had something to prove to his old supporters. With Branca going off injured early in the match our luck seemed to be holding, with Margetson stopping some fierce shots and narrowly avoiding giving away a penalty, but we never looked comfortable at the back. The game looked to have settled down a bit after the fireworks in the first 20 minutes, but then we go and get caught napping just before half time. Gascoigne playing with the ball, crossed invitingly for Ricard who fluffed his chance but the ball went free to Armstrong (ex-Stockport and scored against us earlier in the season) at the far post, unmarked, bang 1-0.

Then the controversial sending off of Vickers. He tangled with Bradbury, both went down, bit of kicking on the deck, both spring up and Vickers half heartedly lunges forward head first at Bradbury, makes contact (just), Lee thinks about it then falls over. Off goes Vickers. I know we’re desperate but I’d rather not see our players resorting to acting and getting the opposition unfairly sent off. Robson was furious not surprisingly.

Second half sees Uwe on for Jeff Whitley, presumably to try to take advantage of our numerical advantage. If so the plan didn’t work as Uwe nutted the back of Townsend’s head in going for goal and looked distinctly groggy for a while before being taken off in a daze to be replaced by Bishop. When Brown was substituted by Ged B. my heart said that’s it, but in truth we never looked like scoring at all. I can’t recall Schwarzer having a save to make, though he watched one or two sail harmlessly well wide of his goal.

Defensively, and goal aside, we did OK after the scares of the first half with Kit and Tony doing most of what was asked of the them (the former getting his nose bashed once again) and Margetson couldn’t really be faulted for the goal. Pollock seemed to become conscious of his booking and more or less disappeared in the second half; though Mike Brown and Jim Whitley scurried about they never made an impression, ditto with knobs on Bishop and Brannan. Bradbury and Goater were pretty anonymous up front.

We’re well in the s**t now and relying on the teams below us to slip up again. I know playing Boro’ at the Riverside is not what anyone would have chosen at this stage of the season in our predicament, but we just didn’t try hard enough to equalise, let alone win. Perhaps the nerves are so bad and the confidence so low that they simply want the season to end whatever the outcome? I dread the prospect of Scully and Sheron coming back to Maine Road next week to haunt us, but we’ve got to hope that today’s results go our way and we at least stay out of the bottom three. We’ve still got a chance but I can’t see them taking it, so I’m trying to see the positive side of life in Division 2 – a 30-mile trip to York must be the shortest trip I can make for an away game …. other than going to Hull and Scarborough – God forbid! As Jeremy Poynton remarked, we’re not very good at playing against the type of team that we’ll be up against week in week out down there so what price a swift return to Division 1?

REVIEW – CITY MAGAZINE, APRIL 1998

Volume 3 Issue 8, £2.00

“Jamie”, says the photographer, “can you give me ‘hard-but-interesting’?” Jamie can’t oblige. “Okay then”, (hiding disappointment), “give me hard.” No. “Interesting?” Nope. “Okay”, (resignedly), “give me ‘unshaven with index finger over top lip in attempt at thoughtfulness with plenty of Kappa on view in classic City Magazine type pose’.” This Jamie obliges and thus is born your April coverstar, although unfortunately modelling talent like Jamie’s doesn’t come cheap and so up goes the cover price (by five forgiveable pence).

There’s a change of format to this month’s magazine. Instead of the usual two managers and one chairman we get two chairmen and one manager. For the Francis Lee era Mike Barnett opts for the via media and offers a narrative account. Francis is pictured, ambiguously, waving. The electric blue blazer dates the picture to happier times, for he was never able to wave us goodbye. New low/no-profile chairman, David Bernstein, may well have difficulty getting City Magazine from his local newsagents: he lives in London. “Living out of the area is actually an advantage (quite!) because once I get back home I’m away from it all and can think a bit more clearly which is more conducive to to the calmer, more strategic direction that I am planning for the club.”

His Royle Highness, harassed by the editor in transfer deadline week, provides his views on some of the club’s misfits. Gio: “If I were him, I would train like a demon, and show the manager that I am everything the hype tells me that I am.” And, confusingly, on Bradbury: “Lee has the utensils, he has the equipment to do the job.” £3 million for a sous chef? Richard Jobson, interviewed and photographed prior to the rearrangement of his dentition by Stockport County, uses the word “bollocking”. Tut, tut, must have been watching Reidy on Premier Passions. And finally, no word of a lie, Kit Symons becomes the first City player to feature in the Top 20 of the magazine’s own Fantasy Football League. Fantasy football, indeed…

GALWAY BLUES’ NIGHT OUT

It was the night that I hadn`t been looking forward to for one reason or another, away to Middlesbrough, live on Sty. The Galway branch of the O.S.C. has found it beneficial in terms of numerical support to hold its meetings when the Blues are on telly.

City lined up without Jobson, Wiekens and not a place on the bench for Gio. Boro had Gascoigne, Merson, Branca, etc. I thought we were in for a tonking.

I arrived at our watering hole “The Western” at about 7:05, Brendan Hynes and a few of the others were already there. The mood was pessimistic; hoping we could keep the score down; and everyone else lose tomorrow. The first ripple of laughter came when Jamie Pollock`s face appeared on the screen and frightened the Junior Blues members to death. The City captain looked like an extra from the Addams family, two black eyes and a busted nose. He looked like he`d been sparring a few rounds with Mike Tyson. Then Bryan Robson was shown sitting in the stands talking on the phone; someone shouted “Stop calling the sex lines ya Pervert!”; then someone else responded with “He`s ordering another Pizza for Gazza!”

As the Guinness flowed and the clock ticked towards the half time break we began to hope they could hold on. Not a chance as the fat man dribbled his way in the box, a Boro player was left unmarked on the 6 yard line, bang 0-1 to Boro. Then they had a player sent off for an attempted headbutt; he had to walk or violent conduct but Bradbury`s delayed dying swan act had us all rolling around the floor, it was nearer my head than his and I`m in Galway.

The second half we were crap, Goater tried, but we were crap. How many times have we failed to beat 10 men? Norwich, Wolves, Boro. After the game our thoughts turned to next week’s game, some of us are travelling to Manchester for the QPR game, we all vowed that no matter what happens we are City ’til we die! more drink talking? Don`t you believe it. It takes something special to be a City fan when you live in the West of Ireland, there are Rags everywhere. I think it`s safe to say that all the members of the Galway branch have been to the Academy at least once, my nephew Kyle who is 7 went over with his dad for the Sheff. United game. He was in awe of the whole atmosphere, he wears his colors all the time. We laugh at the ineptitude of the results but deep down it hurts.

If the unthinkable happens, we will still be there for the club. In the month of June (27th-28th) all the Irish Supporters’ clubs have been invited to Galway for a Festival weekend. There will be a 5 a side tournament; City Quiz, and we hope to hire a cruise boat to take a trip up the River Corrib, which includes a disco, bar, sing song then back to the Western. Next year we are going up to Belfast for the weekend in a return visit. We have to keep the interest up in the club.

Stoke have won today to push us into the bottom 3, 2 points adrift. Next week’s game is gonna be some event, See ya there!

REDMOND RISES!

Just a point of note. I was in a post office in Melbourne, Australia putting in my passport application so I could fly back for the World Cup this summer. There on the wall was a poster advertising a ‘win a World Cup package’ competition, showing two players challenging for a header. I thought, I know those players. And yes folks, for a world cup competition the photo they had was of Steve Redmond, resplendent in his City outfit, rising to challenge Mark Hughes.

Well there you go. just a little oddity.

SPOT THE CONTRADICTION

“Free the Manchester City 30,000 Update…”

FTM30K’s committee will be meeting… to set up the Manchester City Independent Supporters’ Association… we will organise things on your behalf, e.g., recent incidents like the death of a Fulham fan could happen at City – we’d be the people taking up these issues.”

“If anyone is up for some serious fun and games at either Stoke or Middlesbro’ will they please contact The Fightback’s reaction line – basically, there are certain fixtures where we need to take a mob to save face…

…Anyone who likes singing or fighting and is bored in their current seat – move to the North stand next season.”

Extracts from the current issue of City fanzine, The Fightback.

OPINION – REFEREES

Watching Talking Balls on ITV last night (16/4/98), Bruce Jones (actor and Blue) was saying that he thinks all refs hate City. I feel this is a common view amongst Blues, especially with what goes on across the City. I was amazed this morning (17/4/98) to read in the sports pages of the Daily Mail about a referee who has not reffed a Rags’ match this season.

Mr Winter refereed a game last season in which he sent off Roy Keane (good decision really!). A certain Scotsman lived upto his reputation and whinged like hell after the game. Since then Mr Winter has not been to Old Trafford to perform his duties. No Rag has been sent off this season, whereas the Albino has done his best to get several opposing players sent off. Mr Winters said that there are 19 Premiership refs and 20 teams. You would expect then that you would ref each team once during the season. He has even reffed the Rags away from home. The chief offical at the FA said there was no bias towards any club. But from what I have read I feel differently.

OPINION – ARMY BOYS

Good help us if we are ever invaded. All the opposing army has to do is to deploy a gentle headbutt and are finest troops fall to the floor. Good old sapper Bradbury.

OPINION – WHERE IS THE URGENCY?

I am a loyal Manchester City fan and have been so since the age of 6. I have never seen City in a cup final and have never been to the Twin Towers and will never go there until City get there, and there is a possibility that we could be there next season in the Auto Windscreen Cup. This frightens me that we could be playing in a cup as crap as this, what do you lot think? Looking at the game on Friday night it certainly looks as if we will be playing second division football because the way the team played on Friday night was frightening. There was no urgency in any of the players and they were playing if we had 3/4 of the season left (it must have been the snow over the week).

But the fact is that we are two games from relegation, and leaving our prize asset, Gio out, there is something wrong. City owe it to the loyal fans to see Gio play his last games in a blue shirt (it could be the red of the Gunners next season) and with JR saying he is “Not in the right frame of mind”, was he watching the crap the other night? None of the players on the park were in the right frame of mind on Friday. I am sorry to say this but things are looking grim and we need a bit of urgency from the players and sweat blood for the club the last two games. I feel we will need 4 points to be safe. I will keep my fingers crossed and hope to god the club is not ruined by relegation yet again.

OPINION – JOE ROYLE AND THE DONKEYS OF WAR

Is it just me, or am I wrong to feel angry and upset at yet another humiliation on National TV? Against Middlesbrough we were appalling – a total embarrassment; against 10 men for 45 minutes, we actually looked as though we holding on for a 1-0 defeat. I’ve made my feelings about Royle known before but he is really getting things so wrong that it is very hard for me to be quiet, even harder to give him my support. With the tactics he is employing, I actually don’t really want to see City succeed that much? Okay, so there was plenty of fight against ‘Boro, what a pity it was a football match we were involved in, not a wrestling match.

Lesson 1: Clenching your fist and getting stuck in, might work at Sunday League level, but in a professional situation, it is a capability to play football that really matters. Royle seems to prefer players whose second touch is a sliding tackle or worse, a 40-yard ball straight into touch.

Lesson 2: Creative players can win matches and represent the ‘hardest’ opponents to come up against. Was it a surprise that Gascoigne made their goal? I bet ‘Boro were glad that Gio wasn’t even on the bench – don’t you?

Lesson 3: City’s tactics for the 1997-1998 season have failed – so why continue with them? Three centre-halves at the back is a joke. Wing-backs – the flavour of the year that refuses to come good. No width or wingers whatsoever – and this is Man City for crying out loud! Our motto should be ‘Forward with Flair’; instead it’s ‘Back to Defence’

But as you can probably tell, it is the treatment meted out to our Georgian internationals that is the true embarrassment. I am not sure what kind of prejudice or discrimination is going on here but the fact that Gio cannot get into our midfield is a disgrace – no wonder he has been devalued; would you buy someone who cannot get into a side ahead of say Jamie Pollock or Wiekens? That Khakabher cannot get in ahead of Symons, Jobson, Wiekens, Vaughan is laughable – watching these four at the back is to my mind, like watching a group of tractors trundling across a ploughed field – when you’ve got a helicopter in the shed!

I’ll finish off on my final note. Joe Royle is just too out of date to cut it as a manager. The dogs (donkeys) of war approach is finished at this level – even Wimbledon now play with class. Royle versus Wenger – no contest. So whilst, Arsenal, Chelsea and dare I say it, United swashbuckle their way towards the silverware, with their assorted crew of foreigners and privateers glued together in a happy band. We watch City ‘fighting’ our way into Division Two. Next time around, let’s not go down with a fight – let’s try to play football instead; after all that’s why most of us fell in love with this club in the first place.

OPINION – BIRMINGHAM AND MIDDLESBROUGH

I was starting to believe in the Gypsy’s curse, Feng Shui stuff after the Birmingham game but in the cold light of reflection after the Middbro game it looks as though we simply don’t deserve to stay up. How many of us were yearning for a Kinkladze or Scully on Friday? The Birmingham match started off promisingly with City dominating the first 45 minutes convincingly. I thought Bradbury’s miss and Wiekens’ effort which cannoned down off the bar needed to go in to give our superiority some reward.

Alas it looked as if a point was all we were getting when our midfield lost it in the second half. Was it fatigue? Birmingham certainly looked a different side, so maybe Trevor Francis should get some of the credit. When Jobson went off after the crunching tackle from Adebola, we started to struggle defensively and their last minute goal left me a tad annoyed (this is understatement to the nth degree).

I was so upset that I couldn’t even bring myself to write a report to send to Ashley. By the way, my brother’s mate reckons that if all City’s games this season had stopped after 80 minutes, we would now be in the play off zone. I don’t know if he’s right but I certainly can’t remember seeing many games where I was happy after 80 minutes, in fact it’s been the most abject and thoroughly depressing season I can remember.

The Middlesbrough game came and went with City back to their worst. I was worried about our defence with RJ and GW missing. As it turned out the defence were the only ones to come out of the game with any credit. Brown and Pollock faded badly and Jim Whitley never got into it. Even when they had Vickers (rightly) sent off for his powder puff headbutt, I was left thinking that we would struggle even if they only had 9 men.

It’s in the lap of the Gods now and I have never been the religious type.

RELEGATION PREDICTION LEAGUE – WEEK 4

This week’s best:

42 Phil Yeomans (Crewe)         Port Vale, Stoke, Reading
42 Andy Howarth (Crewe)         Man City, Stoke, Reading
42 Steve Welch (Man City)       Port Vale, Stoke, Reading
39 Jonathan Thomson (Stockport) Port Vale, Man City, Reading
39 Barry Joynson (Man City)     Stoke, Port Vale, Reading
39 Martin Charlesworth (Stoke)  Portsmouth, Port Vale, Reading
39 Paul de Sousa (Man City)     Bury, Port Vale, Reading
39 Nigel Freestone (Ipswich)    Port Vale, Man City, Reading
36 Kevin Cummins (Birmingham)   Man City, Stoke, Reading
36 Mike Hesp (Tranmere)         Port Vale, Man City, Reading
36 Geoff Donkin (Man City)      Reading, Port Vale, Stoke
36 Steve Ryding (Man City)      QPR, Port Vale, Reading

Current Standings: Total / This week

137 42 Andy Howarth (Crewe)         Man City, Stoke, Reading
134 42 Steve Welch (Man City)       Port Vale, Stoke, Reading
128 42 Phil Yeomans (Crewe)         Port Vale, Stoke, Reading
128 39 Jonathan Thomson (Stockport) Port Vale, Man City, Reading
128 39 Paul de Sousa (Man City)     Bury, Port Vale, Reading
128 27 Nizam Idris (Man City)       Stoke, Port Vale, Reading
125 36 Geoff Donkin (Man City)      Reading, Port Vale, Stoke
125 33 Clive Schofield (Man City)   Stoke, Port Vale, Reading
125 27 Chris Loveridge (Man City)   Port Vale, Reading, Stoke
122 39 Barry Joynson (Man City)     Stoke, Port Vale, Reading
122 39 Martin Charlesworth (Stoke)  Portsmouth, Port Vale, Reading
122 39 Nigel Freestone (Ipswich)    Port Vale, Man City, Reading
122 36 Mike Hesp (Tranmere)         Port Vale, Man City, Reading
122 36 Steve Ryding (Man City)      QPR, Port Vale, Reading
122 33 Niall Fitzpatrick (Man City) Stoke, Port Vale, Reading
122 30 Jonathan Oakes (Port Vale)   Tranmere, Stoke, Reading
122 30 Adam Jones (Man City)        Bury, Port Vale, Reading
122 27 Ian Howarth (Man City)       QPR, Stoke, Reading

QUESTION

I was asked a question by a mate of mine a few weeks ago. He asked me to name three players who have played in Manchester, Glasgow and London derbies. I have managed to get two but am stuck for the third. Can anyone help.

I have a feeling this one has appeared before, but as I can’t remember myself, it’s in again!

WHY BLUE?

Good question? I can never answer that myself. Just found out the result of the Birmingham game. Disappointing, but I know that for better or for worse, I will still continue to root for the Blues. I have been supporting City since I was a kid. We used to have this program called Big League Soccer then with Brian Moore the presenter. I watched Liverpool, Man U, Aston Villa etc. For some reason, only the Blues appealed to me and I was delighted when they made it to the Cup Final against Spurs. Unfortunately they lost to an amazing Ricky Villa goal.

Over the years, I have followed City through lots of ups and downs, mainly through the BBC World Service (think they called it the Saturday Special before changing it to Sportsworld). In Singapore, we did not get much live soccer on TV until the last few years. I still remember the night I was tuning in and following the City vs. Charlton game in the old second division in 1986. I think that City needed to draw or win to get promoted as the third team to go up. They ended up scoring 5 in a 5-1 victory. Ironically now that I think about it, Paul Simpson was among the scorers then.

I never actually saw them play until this year. Made my first trip to the hallowed grounds of Maine Road on a cold wintry night in January. I emailed Paul Howarth before I got to the UK and met up with him for the first time. We watched the Charlton game and I thought that I would get to see them win. As usual, in the last few minutes we conceded a goal. Met up with Ashley Birch also. It was great to see City play for the first even though they did not win. I suppose that game was very typical City. In many ways, I think that it is more frustrating for the fans at the game than the ones receiving updates via the radio or Internet when these things happen. Anyway cheers to all the chaps I met that night and thanks again Paul for everything (the ride back to London that night was rather rough though, and didn’t get much sleep at all).

I was bunking in with a friend in London then. He thought I was crazy to go all the way to Manchester for the day just to see City play. In fact, the first question I was asked when I said I was going to Manchester to watch a game was “is Man U playing today?” I have been subjected to a lot of questions and stick (I think we all have), but I can never explain why I follow City after all these years and the disappointments. In fact I am also one of the those eternal optimists who were still hoping for a promotion play-off place until we were absolutely out of it mathematically.

Anyway, I’m still proudly wearing the cap that I bought in the shop just before the Charlton game. I know I will still do that even if the unthinkable happens this season. Let’s also hope the boys get their act together next season, whichever division they are in.

WHY BLUE II

I am a rare breed in my soccer-mad nation… I am a hardcore Blues supporter since 1972. I fell in love with our guys when I saw a match on the old star soccer when our team beat Aston Villa 1-0. The winning goal came from Frannie Lee. Ever since I have been quizzed by all soccer fanatics about my diehard support for my beloved Blues. They never understand why City means so much to me… and I tell them off that even if our guys get dumped into the next division (horrors!), I will still boldy wear my City replica kit… this usually freaks them out as they are never loyal to their so-called champions. I am a Chinese Malaysian born fan and that adds to the fun cos’ we, the City fans are the best in the world!

RESULTS

Full-time score for Sunday, April 19 1998

Bradford City            1 - 1 Queens Park Rangers
Steiner (18)                   Gallen (48)

Full-time scores for Saturday, April 18 1998

Birmingham City          3 - 0 Swindon Town
Furlong (9, pen 34)
Hughes (82)
Charlton Athletic        1 - 0 Portsmouth
S. Jones (57)
Huddersfield Town        1 - 0 West Bromwich Albion
Baldry (12)
Ipswich Town             5 - 1 Port Vale
Johnson (4, 58)                Barnett (65)
Petta (27, 29)
Mathie (56)
Oxford United            1 - 1 Tranmere Rovers
Cook (22)                      Mahon (69)
Sheffield United         3 - 0 Bury
Stuart (pen 29)
Saunders (76, 85)
Stockport County         2 - 2 Nottingham Forest
Angell (29, 67)                Van Hooijdonk (26)
                               Johnson (67)
Stoke City               2 - 0 Norwich City
Sigurdsson (19)
Lightbourne (50)
Sunderland               2 - 1 Crewe Alexandra
Ball (4)                       Charnock (30)
Clark (22)
Wolverhampton Wanderers  3 - 1 Reading
Muscat (9)                     Brayson (44)
Goodman (69, 90)

Full-time score for Friday, April 17 1998

Middlesbrough            1 - 0 Manchester City
Armstrong (43)

Up to and including Sunday, April 19 1998

                             HOME            AWAY
                      P  W  D  L  F  A   W  D  L  F  A   Pts   GS
Nottm Forest         44 17  2  3 51 20  10  7  5 29 21    90   80
Sunderland           43 13  7  2 46 22  11  5  5 35 25    84   81
---------------------Promotion-----------------------------------
Charlton             44 16  5  1 46 17   9  4  9 32 32    84   78
Middlesbrough        43 16  3  2 46 10   9  6  7 25 29    84   71
Ipswich              43 12  5  4 42 18   8  9  5 29 23    74   71
Sheff Utd            42 16  5  1 42 16   3 11  6 21 28    73   63
---------------------Playoffs------------------------------------
Birmingham           44 10  7  5 27 15   8  9  5 31 20    70   58
Wolverhampton        43 13  6  3 39 21   5  4 12 13 25    64   52
Stockport            44 13  6  3 45 21   4  2 16 21 45    59   66
Oxford Utd           44 12  6  4 36 18   4  4 14 23 40    58   59
Bradford             44 10  9  3 25 20   4  6 12 20 31    57   45
West Brom            44  9  7  6 26 25   6  5 11 19 28    57   45
Huddersfield         44  9  5  8 28 24   5  6 11 22 41    53   50
Crewe                43  8  2 11 23 33   8  3 11 26 28    53   49
Tranmere             43  8  7  6 29 22   5  6 11 20 29    52   49
Swindon              44  9  6  7 27 23   5  4 13 14 43    52   41
Norwich              44  8  8  6 27 27   4  5 13 19 42    49   46
Bury                 44  7 10  5 22 21   3  9 10 19 36    49   41
QPR                  44  8  9  5 28 20   2  9 11 21 40    48   49
Port Vale            44  7  6  9 25 23   5  4 13 27 42    46   52
Stoke                44  8  5  9 28 35   3  8 11 14 31    46   42
---------------------Relegation----------------------------------
MANCHESTER CITY      44  6  5 11 26 24   5  6 11 23 29    44   49
Portsmouth           44  7  6  9 25 30   4  4 14 20 32    43   45
Reading              44  8  4 10 27 30   3  5 14 12 46    42   39

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

MCIVTA ADDRESSES:
Contributions: Ashley – mcivta@tollbar.u-net.com
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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.

Ashley Birch, mcivta@tollbar.u-net.com

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