Newsletter #832

Greetings from dynamic Manchester, the old place has been cleaned up and is positively ‘buzzing’ as the Commonwealth Games begins. You couldn’t move in the city centre today for athletes. And most of them heading to our new home – the first chance many of you will get to view the place, and fantastic it looks too. Which is more than can be said for the volunteer uniforms but that’s another story.

Tonight’s news includes pre-season action and previews (we also have a match report on Denmark thanks to Tor who ‘witnessed’ the début of M Anelka), transfers, injuries already and our new captain.

We also have plenty of requests and opinion on the new MCFC.

Next game: Leeds United, away, 17 August 2002

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NEWS SUMMARY

General News

Danish Blue: City kicked off their preparation last night in a mini tournament in Denmark. In the first forty five minute match, City drew 0-0 with Silkeborg, before losing a shootout 2-1. In their second game, City beat the hosts Aarhus 2-0, with goals from Kevin Horlock and Ali Benarbia. All twenty one players in the squad played in the competition. City’s first full ninety minute game is against HFK Sonderjylland on Friday.

City Quartet on International Duty: The Republic of Ireland’s under 19 squad, containing four City youngsters, is currently taking part in the European Championships in Norway. The City players in the squad are goalkeeper Brian Murphy, defenders Stephen Paisley and Paddy McCarthy, and striker Stephen Elliott. Murphy, Paisley and McCarthy all played in the opening game against Belgium, which ended in a 2-1 victory for the Republic. Ireland face Germany and England in their remaining group matches.

Ladies Victorious: Manchester City Ladies have started their summer campaign in impressive fashion, after winning the Moss Farm 7-a-side competition, held on 13 and 14 July at Hartford near Northwich. City entered two teams into the preliminary group stage, with only one team surviving into the knockout stages. After beating Aston Villa 2-0 in the first round proper, the Blues progressed to the finals after penalty shoot out wins against Doncaster Belles and Wolves respectively. City clinched the trophy with a 4-0 thumping of Tranmere Rovers. The club website gives details of how to join the City Ladies teams – the open age team train twice a week, 7pm on Tuesdays at Trinity High School and 7.30pm on Thursdays at Old Bedians on Millgate Lane in Didsbury. The club also has a junior section, with girls aged between 8 and 15 training on Thursday nights at Old Bedians. The club are always looking for new players of all ages and will welcome newcomers.

Under 21 Triumph: It’s been a trophy-tastic week for City’s teams, because the under-21 side won the inaugural Manchester International Football Festival after beating Thailand’s under-21s 2-1 at Witton Albion’s ground on Saturday. The goalscorers were Ciaran Kilheeny and Terry Dunfield. Academy Director Jim Cassell was impressed by the contributions of Dunfield and Chris Shuker. He said “We didn’t go to hard on the boys who played because they only came back in ten days ago but they all had a good blow and played some part in the two matches. But Terry and Chris both played very well and showed a lot of quality, while I was also extremely impressed with how Mikkel Bischoff adapted to the game.” There are moves afoot to arrange a return tournament in Thailand next summer. “We also received some great publicity because the final was broadcast live in Thailand and we talked after the game about maybe sending an Academy side over to the Far East in the next twelve months,” commented Cassell.

Pearce Honour: The Commonwealth Games opened in Manchester today (Thursday). As a prelude to the opening ceremony, Manchester’s Albert Square saw the culmination of the Queen’s Jubilee Baton Relay, with Stuart Pearce and some bloke called Giggs holding the baton as the final runners in the relay. The baton began its journey on March 11 from Buckingham Palace and is the longest relay in history. It travelled more than 60,000 miles, going through each Commonwealth country before its arrival at Albert Square on Wednesday. There had been some controversy locally when it was originally announced that Mr.Giggs would be the sole final runner, but clearly the Blue influence in the city has paid off. “Carrying the Baton into the celebration in front of Manchester Town Hall will be a very proud moment for me and I’m thrilled to be sharing the honour with Ryan,” said Psycho before the event. I understand Pearce was interviewed on local TV and was asked what it felt like, as a local lad, to be involved in the relay. And there’s me thinking he was from London…

Transfer News and Gossip

The Deal That Never Was: There was an interesting report in the Scottish press this week concerning a near miss of a transfer. It certainly would have qualified as one of the deals to make us go “wow”, as promised by the Boss Man. The papers claim that Kevin Keegan came within hours of signing Brian Laudrup this summer. Thirty three year old Laudrup retired two years ago while an Ajax player, having spent an unsuccessful spell at Chelsea. KK is said to have tempted the Dane out of retirement with a £15,000 per week pay deal, which would have been linked to appearances. The deal agreed, it was then vetoed by Laudrup’s wife, who did not want to uproot the family back to England. Laudrup cited the failure for his family to settle in London as the reason for his departure from Chelsea.

Latics Linked With Edghill Swoop: The latest Lancashire club to be linked with Richard Edghill is Wigan Athletic. Edgy is still on the look out for a new club, and has been linked locally with Burnley, Preston and Oldham. Other interested suitors were supposed to be Wolves and Charlton Athletic. Now Wigan boss Paul Jewell is said to interested in City’s former skipper.

Bye Bye Dennis: If KK was ever really serious about signing Dennis Wise, then now is the time to swoop. On Friday Leicester City revealed that Wise had been sent home from the club’s pre-season tour of Finland. Manager Micky Adams said “He has been sent home for an apparent breach of club discipline. The club will be conducting our own investigation into the incident to ascertain the full facts.” Next day, it was made known that defender Callum Davidson now had a double fracture of his cheekbone, while Wise was supposed to have sustained a broken hand. On Monday Leicester announced that Wise had been given a free transfer. Football365.com then produced a highly colourful account of an alleged fracas, with talk of a fight over a card game, and team-mates finding Wise being held in a headlock by Matt Elliott. The article then claimed that the squad had told the manager that they could not associate with Wise any longer. So Wise is now available on a free, and Kev would certainly face minimal competition for the thirty four year old’s signature.

Alfie Back to Forest: The weekend’s speculation had Alfie Haaland on the verge of a return to his former club Nottingham Forest. This, however, was news to Forest boss Paul Hart. “I turned the television on and was quite surprised to see us being linked with Haaland,” said Hart. “He has never even crossed my mind. I think agents do that to generate some interest. It is not that we wouldn’t be interested but we have not even considered that at all.” A deal seems unlikely at this stage as Haaland has a knee injury. The speculation is even more surprising because Forest were in dire financial straits for most of last season. Even before ITV Digital collapsed, the club had had to sell many players to keep solvent.

No Spanish Holiday for Effenberg: Pity poor Effing Steffanberg, who is finding that he is not quite so popular as he might have thought. The thirty three your old midfielder has still not got a club for next season after being released by Bayern Munich, and rejecting KK’s offer in May. Now Spanish clubs Racing Santander and Alaves have spurned the resistible charms of Effenberg. It seems they baulked at the chance to pay the player a mere £3 million a year.

Ex-Blues’ News

Latvians Bash Bish: Alas, Ian Bishop’s sojourn in the Champions’ League has been a short one. City’s former midfield maestro played for League of Wales side Barry Town against the Latvian outfit Skonto Riga in their Champions’ League first qualifying round clash. The Welshmen were trounced 5-0 in the away leg, then 1-0 at home this Wednesday.

Ball Won’t Bounce Back: Bad news for Alan Ball’s fans (come on, we know you’re out there somewhere). The Kippax’s favourite football genius has vowed never to return to football management as long as clubs are run by business people with no feel for the game. “I would never be tempted to go back into it,” boomed Ball. “Even in the short time that I’ve been away it’s changed so quickly, so rapidly, I don’t like the way it’s run at the moment. The people at the head in boardrooms are not people looking to the future. They are PLC people who want things to be done now, today.” Reports of spontaneous street parties in Moss Side, Exeter and Southampton and Stoke cannot be confirmed.

Ex-Blues on Trial: In the strict football sense, that is. Former Blues’ goalkeeper Martyn Margetson, having been given a free transfer by Huddersfield Town, has been given a chance to prove his worth by Lenny Lawrence at Cardiff City. Margetson will link up with the Bluebirds in a pre-season tour to Scotland in a bid to win a long-term deal with the club. Meanwhile Adie Mike was hoping to revive his Football League career with Lincoln City. Mike, like his cousin Leon, an ex-MCFC striker, is a free agent after Stalybridge Celtic dispensed with his services, was invited to play for the Sincil Bank club on their pre-season tour of Northern Ireland. Sadly his first game did not go well, as Mike ended up in hospital with a gashed eye sustained after only 24 minutes of the Imps game with Linfield. In Yorkshire “Super, Super Bob” Robert Taylor failed to earn a contract at Barnsley, and has gone to Valley Parade for a trial with Bradford City. Bradford’s boss Nicky Law was taking a look at Taylor in Tuesday night’s pre-season friendly at Chesterfield. Keith Curle has gone on trial at Stockport County with a view to a permanent move. The thirty six year old is currently looking for a new club after coming to the end of his contract with Sheffield United in the summer. Curle had been expected to stay at Bramall Lane as a coach, but has opted instead to continue playing. First Division Walsall were also said to be interested in signing Curle.

Kennedy Crocked Wolverhampton Wanderers already seem to be in a state of turmoil, after it was announced that former City winger Mark Kennedy will be out of action until at least October with a groin injury. The turmoil comes after the dismissal of club doctor who, it was reported, had advised that Kennedy would be fit for the start of the new season if he rested the injury. Instead, the player requires surgery to correct the damage, and this has lead to the speculation that the management was none too pleased with their medical “expert”.

Reactions and Comments

Silvain Lining for Distin: City’s new number five Sylvain Distin has been giving his reasons for joining the Keegan revolution at Maine Road. “When Paris St Germain decided not to keep me in the team at the end of the season I decided I wanted to move to England. I had some contact with City but then I preferred to go to Newcastle as they were in the Premiership,” said the defender. “I played against City in the Cup last season and it was a difficult game. They went down to ten men but I was impressed at the quality in the side and the mentality of the team. When Kevin Keegan phoned me at the end of the season I was ready to come here. I know more about football in England now and it was easier for me to make the decision.” Distin commented on his what he feels is his best position. “I prefer playing in the centre of defence in a back four though I have played there in a three. But I am here to learn, it is only my second season in the Premiership. I can play at left back where Stuart Pearce played last season. I don’t think one player can replace another and certainly who could replace Stuart Pearce? It will be hard work but I intend to do my best. I have found it easy to settle in and after just one day I felt as if I had been here for a season. It is easy to mix with all the players. I am very happy to be here and now I want to learn more about the City and about the club itself and the players,” he declared.

Squad News

Captain Ali: City’s new team captain in the Premiership will be Ali Benarbia. KK announced the appointment on Wednesday – “Ali Benarbia will be captain next year. I have talked only with him and will tell the players this morning,” stated Mr K. “His command of English and his understanding of it is such that he will be a very good captain. His experience is not questioned and he provides a very good link between the French players and the English ones and of course he leads by example. He will be a great fans’ choice but of course you can’t always go with the fans, I sometimes get some unbelievable letters from fans as to whom should be captain! Ali has earned that right and respect from everyone last season, certainly the fans and myself and he will be around for the next two years and is the perfect choice to replace Stuart Pearce.” It’s expected that while Benarbia will be team captain, KK is thinking of appointing a club captain as well. Peter Schmeichel is favourite to have that job. “I will have captains all over the pitch, that is what we have tried to assemble here and that is very important. Ali will flick the coin up and shout head or tails, hopefully! But if you look at it we have a lot of leadership there from Peter Schmeichel right through to Shaun Goater. Leaders come in different shapes and sizes.”

Stubborn Goat: Shaun Goater is going nowhere, and he’s ready to take on all the competition to keep his place in City’s side. Who says so? Only the man himself, that’s who. “I am in no hurry to leave City”, he announced. “I have worked hard to get where I am. It is a really happy time at the club now. I look around the dressing room and you can see there has been a change at this club, it is certainly going places. I am up for any challenge and it is great to be in the City dressing room now and to be challenging for a place. I want to keep my place in the City side and keep people out. I have in my mind the number of games which I want to start and certain other targets but I don’t want to reveal them. It doesn’t affect me when I read stories about a possible move for me. I am happy and I get the feeling, and have been told, that the gaffer is also happy. Nothing would make me happier than to be here at the end of the season. This club is going places, you can see that and you would a fool if you didn’t want to be part of it.” Goater, like the rest of the existing squad, is pleased at the quality of player brought in during the summer. “All the new players have been welcomed. We all want it to be easy for them to settle in which will be good for the club as we don’t want to get into the season and then start to have to make excuses about players needing time to bed in. We know everyone is up for the competition but it is only right that we help each other to settle in and get on with the season. I feel at home here and have always been proud to wear the City shirt. But I look around now and see the quality of players who have come in including Nicolas Anelka and I feel a sense of pride. Now I want to work really hard for that shirt and then to be able to say that I am keeping a quality player out of the side.”

Shaun Stays: There’s been a few nervous reports concerning Shaun Wright-Phillips this week. Shaunie has still not signed a new contract and there has been speculation over his future at Maine Road. Kevin Keegan has denied that SWP is going anywhere else. “Shaun will be staying at this football club, whatever happens,” thundered our Boss. “I think Shaun Wright-Phillips is a leader. He leads with his aggression which is way beyond his size and the heart he shows for the game. You wouldn’t rule out the chances of him becoming captain in the future. But that is a long way off for him. He is learning more and more and will be staying at this football whatever happens.”

Knee Injury Update: A plethora of dodgy knees has affected the City squad this week, even at this early stage of the season. The most desperate news is of Paulo Wanchope, whose knee injury has flared up again. Paulo was in excellent form during the World Cup, playing in all of Costa Rica’s games and scoring against Brazil. The signs were that KK had pencilled Paulo in as Nicolas Anelka’s strike partner, but that may now never happen. The M.E.N. gave the gloomiest prognosis for Paulo, saying that there were fears that the Costa Rican would miss the whole season. He has flown to the USA again to see a specialist, only then will the full extent of his injury be known. If the damage is again serious, it will be the fourth spell that Paulo has been injured in his two year stint at the club. Another casualty is Nicky Weaver, who will miss the start of the new Premiership season due to an operation on his knee. “It is the second year running that I have suffered in this way in the summer and it is particularly frustrating because I came back from holiday early to get in some extra work,” explained Nicky. “There is no good time to get an injury but this is just about the worst possible. The operation was only a small one to clean things up but it will set me back a month or so. It is the last thing I wanted after working hard all summer. I wanted a good pre-season so as to be able to put pressure on Peter and Carlo now the main aim is to make sure I am fully fit as soon as possible without rushing things and making them worse.” Alfie Haaland has not been considered fit enough to travel with the squad for the Danish fixtures because of his damaged limb, and will remain at Carrington to continue his rehabilitation. The award for the least serious knee injury goes to Danny Tiatto, who like Haaland has been left in England for treatment, but he aims to be ready to play in the game against Preston at Deepdale on July 30. Tiatto said: “I have a bit of tendonitis through the kneecap at the moment so I pulled out of training last Friday. I will let it settle down and aim to be back in training by the end of the week. It is not a bad time to be injured as I have missed out on some of the hard work! It is just unfortunate but I will be back training with the team at the start of next week for the rest of the pre-season games.”

Story of the Week:

Many thanks to David Blyth and Jonathan Bradshaw for the following story, which appeared in http://www.independent.co.uk/. I present the whole tale, unedited, and without comment.

Docherty Tangled Up in Wash: The former Scotland and Manchester United manager Tommy Docherty came clean yesterday about how, in an incident to delight any self-respecting Manchester City fan, he managed to trap himself in a car wash machine. Judiciously avoiding any references to feeling like a drip, Docherty conceded he would be “more careful in future” after revealing he had driven his Mercedes into a car wash in Chesterfield, stepped out when it failed to function, and was then sucked into the mechanism and soundly drenched when it finally kicked into action. An employee heard shouts and pressed the emergency stop button before discovering a wet, shaken Docherty with his foot wedged in the tracking device used to pull cars into the wash. Three fire engines and two ambulances arrived to free his right foot and remove him to Chesterfield Royal Hospital where he received five stitches to a foot wound. “I never thought I’d get tackled by a car wash,” said the 73-year-old, who was driving home to Manchester from an overnight speaking engagement in Wales when the incident occurred. “I didn’t think it was working so I got out of my car to have a look. I’m just glad they switched it off.” Docherty, capped 25 times by Scotland during a 15-year playing career that took him from Celtic to Preston North End and then Arsenal before managing Scotland and United’s 1977 FA Cup-winning side, has already made a sheepish return to the garage with his wife to collect the £20,000 car. Chesterfield Fire Service yesterday confirmed receiving a call saying Docherty had been caught in a car wash. Firefighter Simon Wilson said: “He was stuck fast so we had to use hydraulic lifting gear to ease the mechanism up so he could get his foot out. Most people stay in their cars in car washes, but some prefer to stay outside. It obviously went wrong in his case.” But Gary Siddall, the unwitting 43-year-old Total garage assistant who came to Docherty’s help, seemed the most astonished player in the drama. “It was all a little out of the ordinary,” he said. “It’s not every day you get someone like Tommy Docherty stuck in your car wash.”

Don Barrie (djb1305@yahoo.co.uk)

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MATCH REPORT ‘TV’: MCFC IN DENMARK

Watched the first 2 games on satellite-telly here in Oslo tonight. Trophy No 1 for Man City is ours!

Results

1st game: Aarhus – Silkeborg 1 – 0

2nd game:
Man City – Silkeborg 0 – 0 (1 – 2)
Match finished 0-0. We lost 2-1 on “runalties” – ice hockey way of penalties with the player running from half way line to finish inside the box. Huckerby scored for us, Ali and Niclas Jensen missed. Bluedolph saved one “runalty”, but Silkeborg scored twice.

City team versus Silkeborg:
Schmeichel, Jensen, Howey, Mettomo, Distin, Berkovic, Benarbia, Foe, Sun Jihai, Vuoso, Huckerby.

Each of the 3 games were played for 45 minutes. First match against Silkeborg was a typical summer friendly. Teams just knocking the ball around to get to know each other. Silkeborg had the best chances, they also hit the post once. Huckerby and Sun were our creative players with some nice runs, and some offsides too – guess who? Vuoso was unfortunately very invisible I am sorry to say. Foe played the holding rôle and did Ok, but nothing spectacular. Bluedolph looked a bit overweight, not as bad as me but he will have trouble this season running up for the corners (never mind back) if you know what I mean?

Both games at 3-5-2 system with Howey, Mettomo and Distin in full control at the back for the first game, Sun or Huckerby the best City players from my point of view; they both looked good going forward. Berko or Ali were both a bit quiet in this game but they were always trying! They did very well in the second game as KK obviously wanted them to play both games to see them set up both our sets of strikers.

Match Highlight: Danish City fans singing Blue Moon with a Danish accent after 10 minutes. And Darren Huckerby nearly scoring the winner on a great run just before the end.

3rd game:
Man City – Aarhus 2 – 0
Goals:
3 minutes Horlock. From an Ali free kick, Kevin volleyed home like that goal against Ipswich in the cup last season you know. Pure class!
26 minutes Benarbia. “Zinedane Zidunne” stormed forward on the right and delivered a great cross for Ali to head home from inside the box.

Team against Aarhus:
Nash, Wright-Phillips, Wiekens, Ritchie, Dunne, Horlock, Berkovic, (Sun), Benarbia (Killen), Charvet, Anelka, Macken.

This was a lot better. Top class show from Ali B, Eyal and Nicolas Anelka, and Shauny Wright also did very well with his typical way of running at everything! These players already have a great understanding with each other. The future is bright and Blue. Anelka was unlucky not to score. It was just bl**dy great to see Ali, Eyal and Anelka getting on so well from the first attacks. Anything else, yeh – we spotted Charvet as he played for the full 45 minutes. Macken also did OK holding the ball up, and Sun (Ginseng-man) appeared again in the second half as KK rested Ali and Eyal after we went 2-0 up. Chris Killen on for Ali B.

Match highlight:
The partnership is working between Ali, Eyal and Nicolas. No injuries please! The first trophy is ours!

Best regards from a Satelitte TV station watching Blue in Oslo!

Tor Sønsteby – Oslo Blue 2 (soensteb@online.no)

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OPINION: DEFENDERS

According to Teamtalk and possibly others it seems that Leicester City are prepared to let Matt Elliot leave on a ‘free’. Admittedly I’ve only seen this guy on TV but he looked good. I know we’ve bought a lot of players but this player might just help us in our first year back in the Premiership. Perhaps KK is already on the case!

Ian Burgess (i.burgess@virgin.net)

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OPINION: MARKETING MANCHESTER CITY PLC?

I’d like to know other opinions on this (I’m sure you’ll not be shy!).

It’s become more apparent over the last six months or so that the Manchester City merchandising machine has had the mechanics in to give it an overhaul. The marketing men seem to have got their shiny black shoes and silver cufflinks under the boardroom table. We appear to be on the verge of the ‘Manchester City Product’.

As a supporter for getting on thirty years (can it really be that long?) I’m in two minds about this. On the one hand it is evidence that we are now a professionally run football club, which is looking to ‘grow’ the ‘product’ over the longer term. This in turn seems to indicate a desire by those who run the club for success at all levels, which in an ideal world translates into success on the pitch feeding business success off the pitch, feeding further success on the pitch with a greater financial clout. An upward spiral if you like (obviously far better than the downward spiral of recent years). A good thing surely? Well, yes, but.

Am I alone in feeling uncomfortable when I see the club that I love being described as the ‘product’ or the Manchester City ‘brand’? I’m sure that it is important for the club to investigate new markets and open up new marketing opportunities in under developed markets. I’m sure that the buzz Kevin Keegan has created around the club is exciting and it’s great to feel a part of a great new adventure. I’m sure it’s doubly exciting for the money men to see this opportunity and want to exploit it to the full.

Personally though, I don’t want to feel that the club is marketing the Manchester City ‘product’ to me. I don’t need to be marketed to. I guess I’m (like all of us) part of the Manchester City ‘brand’, but I chose to be part of the club, it didn’t come looking for me with slogans and tag lines. I want future fans to support the club because they’ve caught an Ali B flick on the television, they’ve seen a moment of Berkovic magic or they’ve seen the passion of a Stuart Pearce character in the team. I want them to support the club because of the football they’ve seen us play, the feeling that every true supporter gets when they see their club playing (win, lose or draw).

I suppose what I’m really saying is that I want us to feel like a club, not a corporation. I expect the club to be well run (and I’m sure now that is the case) and I expect the club to want to sell me a scarf or a kit or a mug or whatever, but I want them to do it on my terms (as a supporter) and with my co-operation. As supporters, we’re the people that do a lot of marketing for the club. We talk about the games we’ve seen, the moments of magic, the feeling of being part of a club, the feeling that supporting Manchester City gives. I don’t want someone with a marketing degree trying to sell the club I love to someone in a foreign country on the basis that it will make the club some money – we might as well play in red and black.

Yes, we are a brand, we are Manchester City, we are what gives the club its character, all of us, players, staff, supporters. My fear is that it’s a thin line, easily crossed and once we stop being a football club and exist as a football corporation (a brand) one of things that makes us so unique has disappeared. I do understand the need for marketing, my hope is that we balance it correctly and achieve domestic and European dominance whilst keeping the club true to being a football club. My fear is that we’re showing signs of crossing that line.

Here’s to a beautiful season.

Simon Sharp (simonsharp@tiscali.co.uk)

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OPINION: THE GREATS

Having just browsed City’s website and entered the greats, I divided this into 3 sections: out and out greats, greats looking through Blue tinted specs and then some rather dubious ones. Adrian Heath, Nigel Clough and Tony Vaughan to name a few.

Bring on next season! Tony Winstanley (tony@aspecto.co.uk)

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OPINION: WHAT PRICE LOYALTY?

How many times have you heard the that tired old worn out excuse by Rags, “I’d love to go but you just can’t get a ticket, if I could get a ticket I’d go every week”.

Well actually no! Let’s explode this myth once and for all.

I draw your attention to the advertisement below. This advertisement was placed on the Manchester City Council internet/intranet site, classified ads section.

name: ****** ******
tel: ****** ******/Housing/MCC@Manchester.City.Council
department: Housing
Remote Name: 10.106.50.58
Remote User:
Date: 11 July 2002
Time: 13:09
description
One MUFC season ticket 2002/2003. Face value first come, first served.

I have covered the name of the person advertising the ticket for confidentiality.

I work in a large department where many of my colleagues fall into the “if only I could get a ticket” category. I felt duty bound to tell my colleagues of this un-missable opportunity. How many takers? thats right not a single one. You just couldn’t make it up!

This just confirms what we all know, there are fans and there are hangers on.

As a foot note the advert is still on the site. Perhaps it would have been better to advertise it on the Kuala Lumpar local council web site.

Sean Doyle (doyles.city@virgin.net)

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OPINION: LOYALTY POINTS

I asked for clarification about what happens at the beginning of a season and got this reply from the ticket office:

The loyalty scheme is now continuous. Season ticket holders will be allocated 10 points for every game tracked last season, then 10 points for each game forthwith and will be given 100 for each new season renewal.

Your bravery certificate for Millwall away is in the post (I asked for triple points).

Peter Llewellyn (PeterL@foxfield.fsnet.co.uk)

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OPINION: MEMBERSHIP CARDS

Anyone know how long these normally take to process? I applied a month or so back, and there’s still no sign of it. I’m inclined to suspect that this is just another case of football club administrative incompetence, but would like to be sure about that.

Roll on the new season (and congrats to the other lot for signing Marge Simpson :-))

Jeremy Poynton (j.poynton@blueyonder.co.uk)

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OPINION: BROTHERS IN ARMS?

Just reading through the news and noticed the name of the chief executive of Manchester City Council, Howard Bernstein. Is he any relation to our Chairman, David Bernstein?

Graham Lord (gooch@spidernet.com.cy)

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REQUEST: HAMBURG INFO

Good City folks,

Just an appeal, I’m off to Hamburg for the forthcoming friendly on Aug 3rd. We’re flying in and getting taken to our hotel (just off the Reeperbahn), but have to make our own way to the AOL Arena. So the appeal, does anyone have any ideas the best way to get to the Arena, buses, taxis, underground, etc? Also I have been known to imbibe the odd ale, does anyone know if there’s any preferred boozers to meet at? And finally there’s this rumour going around that’s there a party boat in the harbour and a lot of Blues are going aboard to use its hospitality; any clarification? Any help will be appreciated.

Martin Ford (martin.ford@umist.ac.uk)

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REQUEST: CHIPS N GRAVY

For anyone who’s interested, the latest issue of ‘Chips&Gravy’ has arrived back from the printers and is on sale now, still only a quid – or 2 euros!

The reason I wish to advertise the fact on here (thanks, Heidi!) is because inside is a definitive eight-page guide to Hamburg packed with a guide to the club, the city itself, some handy Mancunian/City phrases translated into German and tips for those who are planning on frequenting the red light district – we don’t want anybody getting raw deal now, do we? Basically, it’s essential reading for anyone making the trip, so if you do regularly buy the mag it’s well worth doing so in the next ten days.

It will be on sale at Preston away but we travel out to Hamburg hours later so other than that your best bet is either to pick one up at Sportspages in town or send me a cheque (addressed to ‘Chips n Gravy’) for £1.32 to:

190 Baguley Crescent,
Middleton,
Manchester,
M24 4GX

If it arrives at mine by Tuesday morning, I’ll be able to get a copy to you by the Friday morning.

Mike Holden (MiguelMCFC@aol.com)

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REQUEST: CITY WALLPAPER

Does anyone know anywhere were I could get a decent City wallpaper? I’m surrounded by Reds at work and desperately need to make sure I keep my little corner of the office Blue!

Tim Mossey (duciearms@yahoo.co.uk)

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REQUEST: VIEWING IN EDINBURGH

Can you please ask if any of your subsribers know of a pub in the centre of Edinburgh where I can watch the City vs. Newcastle game with like minded fans?

Chris Colesel (chris_colesell@hotmail.com)

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REQUEST: LEEDS TICKETS

Has anybody got 2 tickets for the Leeds game 17th August? I will be away for the 4 games after that, and need my fix of City. Please… anyone?

David Ford (david.ford@blackburn.gov.uk)

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REQUEST: FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS LEAGUE

Football Predictions is live again for next season – you can now predict results for the first set of games on August 31st. Forward this mail to everyone you know and get them to play the game (for various reasons I can’t start the game earlier than August 31st)! Click here – http://www.footballpredictions.org.uk/

Corinthian have kindly donated prizes for the top 4 positions in the Overall League at the end of the season – see http://www.footballpredictions.org.uk/prizes.php for more information. Go to http://www.footballpredictions.org.uk/forgot.php if you cannot remember your password.

Thanks for your support and good luck.

John Entwistle (john@footballpredictions.org.uk)

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MCIVTA FAQ [v0203.02]

[0] How do I contact MCIVTA?

 Articles (Heidi Pickup)        : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org

 News/rumour (Don Barrie)       : djb1305@yahoo.co.uk

 Subscriptions (Geoff Donkin)   : subscriptions@mcivta.city-fan.org

 Technical problems (Paul)      : paul@city-fan.org

Comments concerning this FAQ should be sent to David Warburton using the address: mcivtafaq@warburton.org

[1] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?

Deadlines for issues are nominally Monday and Thursday evenings.

[2] MCIVTA Back Issues and Manchester City Supporters’ home page

http://www.uit.no/mancity/ 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.

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

The official club web site can be found at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/

[4] What supporters’ clubs are there?

Manchester City FC recognises three supporters’ clubs: The “Official Supporters Club” (http://www.mancity.net/osc/index.html); the “Centenary Supporters’ Association” (http://www.callnetuk.com/home/sef/) and “The International Supporters’ Club” (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/extra/fanzone/isc.asp)

[5] Where can I find out about the fans’ committee?

The Fans’ Committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. It has its own website, http://www.mcfc-fans.com/ containing info about forthcoming meetings as well as minutes from previous gatherings.

[6] Where can I find information about our new stadium?

The latest information regarding the progress of our new home can be found at http://www.commonwealthgames.com/

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

Live match commentaries and archives of games, reports and interviews can be found here: http://www.mcfc.co.uk/comment.asp. An alternate live commentary service, hosted by Yahoo, is located at: http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/foot/audio/live/schedule/index.html. GMR Saturday Sport is also available live online between 1-3pm, and 4.45-6pm at http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/sport/index.shtml

[8] Are City’s goals available on the net?

http://www.citygoals.com/ has available for download, usually within 24-48 hours of a game being played, all the goals from City’s matches.

[9] What’s the music the teams run out to?

The music we ran out to at Maine Road during the 01/02 season was “Nightmare” by Brainbug and is available on the Positiva label.

[10] Acknowledgements

Thanks go to John Arnold for providing the information regarding match day music and to Ian Bell for pointing out the alternate live match commentary service.

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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.

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Heidi Pickup, heidi@mcivta.freeserve.co.uk

Editor: