Newsletter #991

Defeat at Liverpool leaves us in 16th place on 24 points and still peering over our shoulders. Tonight we’ve news on the reserves (a win at last up at Oldham), the great ticket office derby fiasco, journalistic endeavours, Don’s news, SweeP reaction, songs and the usual requests.

We visit M16 on Saturday for our 5th round tie against a club currently attracting attention for their shareholder wranglings.

NEWS SUMMARY

General News

Keegan In! Despite last week’s sensational happenings at White Hart lane, Friday brought stories that KK was still three games from the sack. Some columnists suggested that KK’s bereft expression during the first half at Tottenham was ample evidence of the Boss Man’s imminent departure. His comments about looking for a job centre at half time further fanned the flames of speculation. City chairman John Wardle dismissed these reports as “nonsense”, while KK admitted that his future depended on the players. He said: “People are saying I could have three or four games here, I don’t know. But I am a realist. Only results are going to keep me here. I love this club, but a lot of managers who love their club get the sack. I hope it doesn’t come to that. I’m being forced to talk about my future when my future will be decided by my players and it will start again when we play Birmingham.” The Board then issued what sounded like a vote of confidence (uh oh!). “We are an ambitious club who have made great progress under Kevin Keegan’s management,” read the statement. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget how much we have achieved on and off the field in such a short period of time. Everyone connected with the club is working hard to deliver the success Manchester City and our fans deserve. Kevin and his staff have the board’s full support.” Soccer’s gargoyle lookalike Peter Beardsley also went public in his support of his former manager at Newcastle. “Kevin will tough it out and turn it around at City,” said Beardsley. “The last time I spoke to him, there was no word of him walking away. Kevin walked away from Newcastle for his own reasons. But he did not walk away from Fulham. He wanted to do both jobs, Fulham and England but Mohammed Al Fayed said he’d better go with England. Who would turn that job down? With England, Kevin thought he had taken them as far as he possibly could. He said it was not for him, which was very honest. There are not many people who could have done that. You cannot fault him for that. And it is absolute rubbish when people say he is not a good tactical manager. He is as good as anyone there is. He sees things on the football field as well as anyone I have ever worked with. I think Kevin will stay and I hope he does well.”

The Era Has Ended: The bulldozers have finally been set to work at Maine Road this week, as demolition began on the stadium. Sky Sports News showed some rather upsetting pictures of the North Stand being hit by a wrecking ball, but I could watch no more. Richard Leese, the leader of Manchester City Council, launched the demolition process and said, “As a fan, this is a melancholic occasion, but the club have a fantastic new home which has been a major spur to the regeneration of east Manchester. In a different way, the Maine Road site provides an excellent opportunity to regenerate this area.” Regeneration of the 15-acre site is thanks to part of a £125 million government package to improve housing in Manchester and Salford. John Connell, director of constructors Connell Brothers, said: “We are proud to be assisting in the regeneration of the Moss Side and Rusholme area.”

International Blues: A couple of KK’s gallant boys have been called up for international duty. Richard Dunne has been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for their friendly with Brazil. Brian Kerr’s men host the World Champions at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday February 18 as part of their preparation for their World Cup qualifiers. Meanwhile, Sun Jihai has been called up to the China squad for a World Cup qualifier against Kuwait. This means that the twenty-six-year old will miss will miss Derby Day II on Saturday and the trip to Bolton the following week.

We’ll Drink A Drink A Drink… The West Stand is now officially the Colin Bell Stand. The unpleasantness of the previous months was forgotten as the man himself attended the renaming ceremony, which took place before the Birmingham game last Sunday. “It is a proud day for myself and my family, I don’t think that anything gets better than this,” said the King. “This follows on from the supporters’ Hall of Fame vote, which was also an amazing experience. It has been a fantastic few weeks for me. I feel extremely honoured. We are thirty-five years down the line from when I joined the club so it is even more of a compliment, I feel like my career has taken off again. I would like to thank all the people who made this possible especially the fans who are very special to me. They know their football inside out and when anyone gives them 100 per cent then they give it back.”

Shoot Out Triumph: City’s Reserves beat Oldham Athletic in the Manchester Senior Cup, via a penalty shoot out after the game had finished 2-2 in open play. City’s goals were scored by Gerard Wiekens and Stephen Elliott. The Blues won the shoot-out 4-2, tanks to successful conversions by Whelan, Elliott, Flood and McCarthy. Team: Ellegaard, Flood, Jordan, Wiekens (Onouha 46), McCarthy, Bischoff, Croft (Ireland 72), Negouai, Elliott, B Wright-Phillips, Whelan. Subs: Timms, J D’Laryea, Collins.

Transfer News and Gossip

Young Guns Go For It: The transfer window has been slammed shut, locked and double bolted until summer time, so this week’s transfer news is very meagre indeed. All we can offer is the tale of two young goalkeepers. Thanks to Ralph in NZ for sending in this item – Ashley Timms has been taken on trial by the Blues, from non league Atherton LR in the North West Counties League. Timms was on the bench for the Reserves this week. He was not on contract at Atherton, but City are believed to have offered a pre-season friendly as compensation. As one teenage ‘keeper arrives, another certainly won’t. Sixteen year old Milan Barjaktarvic has signed for Scottish club Heart of Midlothian from Swedish side Hammarby, despite interest from City. “I went over to Hearts for a few days, trained with the first team and played in two internal matches,” explained Barjaktarvic. “It went well and the club wants to sign a contract. They have said that, if I play well, I will get the chance. I also went over for a trial with City for two weeks,” he told Sportbladet. “But it didn’t look like they invest as much as Hearts in young players. The Scots are building a new complex for £7 million, which will be ready in March.” If the lad sees a brighter financial future in a league where four clubs are in administration, then farewell and good luck. Kids! You can’t tell ’em anything…

Ex-Blues’ News

Howey’s Back! Steve Howey reckons he’ll be fit to make his début for Bolton Wanderers against (who else) City, on February 21. “I’m fit, but I’ve got to make sure I’ve got everything right,” our former centre-back said. A hamstring injury that he picked up last month, and a recent stomach bug, has cost Howey valuable match practice in recent weeks, but he is confident he will soon be making his presence felt. “I feel all right now but whether tomorrow’s too close remains to be seen,” he added. “If it is, then fine. Sam Allardyce has given me an opportunity to announce myself again, to prove not only to Bolton but to everybody that I can do a good job.”

Reactions and Comments

Mighty Maik: Those City fans who thought “Have we turned the corner?” after last week’s heroic comeback against Tottenham (guilty, Your Honour!) found on Sunday that we had done so – only to crash into the yellow brick wall of Birmingham City. City found a resolute Brum defence too hard to break down – and when they did break through, ‘keeper Maik Taylor pulled off a number of outstanding saves. One double save, from Jon Macken and Antoine Sibierski, would have made Arni Arason proud. A disappointed KK later said: “We had enough chances to have won several games. Our performances have been better than our results, which is a fact. But the table doesn’t lie and we are four points clear of the relegation places.” Keegan paid tribute to Taylor, a player he bought while in charge at Fulham, adding: “Maik proved he is a Premiership ‘keeper of the highest class. Two or three of the saves he made were world class, which he had no right to make.” Taylor said: “I’m just happy to have kept a clean sheet. It was a busy afternoon for me but we knew City would have their tails up after midweek and we were very fortunate to get a point. All credit to our defence. They were brilliant in front of me. The lads ran themselves into ground. We tried to look for a bit more quality up front but we never really got out of the box. City must be unhappy not to get three points.” Defender Kenny Cunningham reckoned the Sibierski save was the pick of the bunch. “Maik’s body was going one way and he had the ability to go the other way. We rode our luck. They created more chances and must be disappointed but the hardest part of the game is putting the ball in the net.”

Under Pressure: Asked on Sky TV if he felt under pressure, Keegan said: “I think so. Let’s see what happens in the next few games. We can’t keep saying we were unlucky.” The City boss was asked if he had had a vote of confidence from Chairman John Wardle and joked: “I don’t want a vote of confidence! I’ve not talked to the chairman. You need to get him on here and ask him. I am going to keep my head down, work hard and keep the players’ spirits up. That’s my job. If the rest doesn’t take care of itself we all know what happens.” He admitted to be puzzled about the lack of wins at the new ground. “The stadium is proving a very difficult place for us to win and it is not the crowd’s fault, they got right behind us. It is not the players’ fault because their effort was good and their football was great at times. It just seems to me like we are destined to work very hard to get anything at home. We played some good stuff and got a 0-0 draw that is not a great result but it is a good performance.” Daniel van Buyten made his début in the heart of the Blues’ defence and the boss was pleased with the Belgian’s début. “I thought Daniel had a terrific début and I thought others fed off him. He is big and he likes defending and the clean sheet was a great thing. We defended very well but we have only done half the job. The tempo wasn’t right in the first half, it was one Birmingham could easily match but in the second half we got a head of steam up.”

That’s Entertainment: Birmingham manager Steve Bruce admitted Taylor was his side’s saviour in a below par performance. “I hope all the pay-per-view viewers ask for their money back. My father paid £6.99 and he will be complaining bitterly. They deserve a refund,” was Bruce’s honest appraisal. [I know how Mr. Bruce senior feels!-News Ed.] “We are delighted to come away with a point. The goalkeeper made two, three or four unbelievable saves and you could say we had the bounce of the ball. Towards the end we could have snatched it but that would have been unjust. Wright-Phillips is their big danger so basically we tactically changed it at half-time, and we narrowed it. We know they are going to have at least 50% of the ball so we work extremely hard on our defending. We know it’s not going to be as entertaining as it could be. We have to make sure we stay in the Premiership, we have only been in it 18 months. They have put their heads in where they shouldn’t and the goalkeeper made some super saves.”

Reyna Reassured: “I think we pretty comfortably dominated the game, created many chances and that their goalkeeper was man of the match,” said Claudio Reyna. “That says a lot and over ninety minutes they never really threatened us. We were defensively solid but the really disappointing thing is that we have not come away with the three points that we felt we deserved. We sat in the locker room and just couldn’t understand what happened out there because we did everything we could, we worked hard, everyone kept to their jobs and their rôles. We felt that we played reasonably well. We didn’t concede and that is always a good base and we didn’t even give them any chances. There are definitely plusses to take away into this tough week. I guess we have been saying it for a while but I think we are not far away. The last five or six games we have played reasonably well, certainly better than we had earlier in this poor run of results and we know we have the ability to climb away from the foot of the table.”

Robbed in Liverpool: It’s becoming an all-too-familiar refrain this season. City failed to win yet again on Wednesday, this time at Liverpool. This was in spite of a spirited second half fightback, which saw the Blues almost snatch a point. “I didn’t think that we played very well in the first half, but having said that I didn’t think Liverpool did either,” said the boss. “It was a good finish from Michael Owen but I was obviously disappointed with the defending before it. I said to them at half time that I didn’t think they were really at it. I don’t think we competed enough, won the 50/50’s enough. We didn’t scrap enough and didn’t look as if we wanted it enough. It wasn’t just one or two players but most of them and I think they would agree with me on that.” Things were better in the second half, however. “We raised it a lot in the second half and gave Liverpool a scare. We got the equaliser but threw it away almost immediately and that was our undoing again. The second half performance was certainly good enough for me and I think the fans too but obviously they would want us to win the game. The first half was not good enough. If you try to tell me there are 15 places between us and Liverpool after this performance, I don’t see it,” added Keegan. “We played some good stuff and were unfortunate to end up with nothing. The second goal was a bad one to concede from our point of view. If we play like we did in the second half, we’ll be fine,” Keegan concluded. “If we play like we did in the first half, we’re in a relegation dogfight.”

Sweeping Up: Goalscorer Shaun Wright-Phillips insisted that there were some positives to take from the defeat at Anfield. “Liverpool are challenging for a Champions’ League place and we are struggling but for long periods, especially in the second half, we were the better side,” he stated. “Things are not going for us and we know that. We also know that it is not all down to bad luck but we are sticking together and the fans can see that. They were loud and proud last night and we will get out of trouble with their continued backing. They never give up on us. We didn’t start as well as we can but we changed the system, picked up our game and we just have to keep going and keep pushing. We have come in and can’t believe we have lost because we thought we deserved a lot more from the game. Liverpool’s crowd seemed nervous and we pushed the team back a lot without being able to score the second goal though I thought I had managed it when Sami Hyypia cleared off the line.” Of the team’s League position, Shaunie commented that: “We have not got to start looking at any other teams now other than ourselves. It is what we do that counts from here on in. We must not lose belief in the way we play or the ability we have in the side. I know the supporters haven’t. I don’t look at the table though I am aware of the sides around us. We just have to keep working as hard as we can and the results will sort the table out.”

Being Horrid to Houllier: The national publications made mention of the Kop’s displeasure at the home side’s long periods of defending. Manager Gerard Houllier said: “I am disappointed for my players because I think their effort deserved more than that.” He added: “The whole team deserves credit, I am very proud of my men. We created chances and played football, so what are they moaning about? Football is a game of two teams, and City can be very dangerous as they showed at Spurs last week. You have to understand that when you play a good team it cannot all be one-sided. You have to give them respect. There were spells when they were better, I watched them even at Arsenal and they were unfortunate. First of all it is a good win, a good three points against a good team who can play good football.”

Squad News

Bonjour La France? Even when he isn’t playing, Nicolas Anelka seems to fill plenty of column inches. In fact he’s been in the papers for two different tales this week. First let’s update you on the “Bring Back Nic” campaign. Another French official expressed a desire for Anelka to return to their national team. Chairman of the Professional League (LFP) Frederic Thiriez also supports the idea of Anelka returning to the fold. “It is above all the Santini matter. But I am French team fan, and I know we could need everyone during Euro 2004,” said Thiriez. “Anelka did the first step, and Santini wishes another one. But we must not leave anyone on the edge if France want to achieve a beautiful Euro 2004 next summer in Portugal.” City’s star striker told L’Equipe newspaper that he now wants his France shirt back – if Santini will have him. “I can understand that he was hurt,” Anelka said in the interview published Friday. “I would like to talk to him to see how he sees things. For the moment, I’ve only spoken to him for five minutes. If I have things to say to him, it will be face-to-face. And if there are apologies to be made, then that certainly must not be done in the press but to the person that you have hurt. I want to come back, to be an international again,” he said. Very nice, except a loud “non merci” was heard from Anelka’s former boss at Paris SG, Luis Fernandez. “I don’t think he used the right words to earn his place back with the squad,” Fernandez told L’Equipe. “He does not want to make a public apology but I guess you can do everything when you want to play in Euro 2004. The words he had against Santini were very strong in my opinion and if a player had said such things to me I would certainly not take him back, even though I am not questioning his qualities as a player.” Clearly Jacques Santini agrees with Fernandez, because today the French coach has chosen some bloke called Saha ahead of Le Elk for the upcoming friendly with Belgium.

Lost in Translation: Anelka part deux: yet again we were faced with a weekend tale of Nic wanting to move to a bigger club – City were being used as a springboard, apparently. “Of course, Manchester City are not Real or Arsenal but it is a step in my career, not even a step but a test,” Anelka told L’Equipe. “I wanted to prove things with my club. Just before joining, everyone thought I would sign for Liverpool. I had a good relationship with Gerard Houllier but in the end, he took a decision and it was not to keep me. Considering all I have experienced at City, in football and life in general, I have learned and improved a lot. It is a springboard but we have not talked about anything yet. I am ready to play for a great club again and I don’t have a favourite. For England, it will be difficult as I have already played at Arsenal and Liverpool and it is impossible to go to Manchester United as both clubs don’t negotiate together. Of course, I won’t come back to France. In France, people don’t understand anything. They just see money. In England, they are fans first and they don’t criticise so easily.” Next day the player quickly dismissed the quotes attributed to him, saying he had been misquoted. “I know what I said and I didn’t say that,” Anelka said. “Every time I do an interview with a newspaper in France, there is always a mistake in the translation and I have to come out and say it’s not true. When I talked about big clubs, what I meant was that Manchester City is not a big club on the scale of Barcelona or Real Madrid or AC Milan – but they are the biggest clubs in the world. City is a big club in England. We have great players and great support and I am happy here.”

Limpalong Macca: Steve McManaman feels that injuries have been holding him back since arriving at the COMS. “The City fans have probably not seen the best of me but I have been struggling with a few little knocks,” said McManaman. “Of course you want to play all the time, but it is not a huge problem for me at the minute. Any footballer at whatever level you play, you want to play football. This week it has been a back problem but I trained for the first time today and I feel all right. When results are not going well people think they should be given a chance. But recently I have not been 100% fit, the gaffer knows that and that is probably one of the reasons why I haven’t been in the side.”

Manchester More Than Marseilles: New central defender Daniel van Buyten is enjoying life after his time in France. “I have had a very hearty welcome here, I didn’t feel like I had to adapt to anything,” said the defender. “This is a great club with great fans and I quite like the English football. The game goes up and down constantly and the technical level is very high,” he told Belgian daily La Derniere Heure.

Where Next for Michael? Michael Tarnat sounds like he’s being a bit cagey and is keeping all his options open for the future. His contract with the club ends in the summer, and while the German defender would like to stay with the Blues, he is ready to move clubs if necessary. “I do not know which way it is going to go,” the 34-year-old told German sports agency SID. “Manchester City will certainly be my first port of call. However, I have proved that I can hold my own in the Premier League and can not see why that would be any different in the Bundesliga.”

MCIVTA 1000 – SPECIAL EDITION

Some months back your McV team were pondering what to do for the 1,000th edition of MCIVTA, and now here we are. It is almost 10 years since Ashley, Svenn and Paul launched MCIVTA and the MCFC Supporters’ website (http://www.uit.no/mancity/) respectively. The newsletter brought ‘Why Blue’ stories, City news, views and opinions to mailboxes worldwide; one of the first Internet football newsletters and City websites. It has led to many friendships amongst far flung Blues, and now has a regular subscriber list of nearly 3,300.

Manchester City Football Club have very kindly agreed to help us mark this special occasion by holding an exclusive Questions & Answer session with our Chairman, John Wardle. This is your unique opportunity to ask John absolutely anything relating to MCFC, and get an insight to what is happening at our Club. John and his colleagues will answer a cross-section of your questions, so time to get your thinking caps on.

Please send your emails to the editor’s usual address with “McV 1000” in the subject line and your name and location, it will be interesting to see just where some of you are these days. We will be taking questions up to and including 4th March in order to give us time to process them.

We look forward to hearing from you!

MATCH REPORT: OLDHAM RESERVES 2 MCFC RESERVES 2 (1-4 on PENALTIES)

Penalty Kicks Save City’s Blushes at Boundary

City’s poor early second half display nearly allowed Oldham to gain a vital victory for either team in the Senior cup at Boundary Park. Gerard Wiekens’ headed first half goal was cancelled out by a brace from Oldham’s captain, Marc Tierney. City were able to level in the last fifteen minutes from a close range effort from Stephen Elliott.

As with all Senior Cup games, when the scores are level at 90 minutes the games are given a clear result on the night by taking penalties. City were the first penalty takers so when Oldham missed one and Kevin Ellegaard saved another it was up to Paddy McCarthy, the last of the Irish quartet, to step up and score the winning and fourth penalty.

City started the brighter of the two teams thanks to Glen Whelan’s hard work in midfield. City’s first chance fell to Christian Negouai (returning from a brief loan spell at Sturm Graz in Austria) to volley at Oldham’s goal occupied by City’s loan ‘keeper Kieren Westwood, but he was up to the task this time. The next effort fell to Bradley Wright-Phillips but as he got near the box the ball bobbled and got caught under his feet; he slipped it on to Elliott but he was surrounded by defenders and so returned the ball to Bradley and he hit a first time shot at goal, but unfortunately it was straight at Westwood.

Oldham then had a good effort when trialist Andrew Harris sent in a deep cross, which Newcastle on loan striker Calvin Zola headed at the far post, but Kevin plucked the ball into his arms with a good one-handed save. Three minutes later City took the lead when Glenn Whelan took a short corner to Stephen Jordan, who put a perfect cross into the penalty area for Gerard Wiekens to rise unchallenged and head past Westwood.

As the first half fell into the last ten minutes, City failed to capitalise further on their lead with three good efforts from Glen Whelan (twice), where his first effort miraculously came back off the inside of the post from a sweetly struck volley and his second was a good hard, low strike which Westwood got down to well. The other effort came from a strong run from Bradley and fine strike but Westwood again pulled off a fine save.

Both Oldham and City made changes at half time; City’s was an enforced change, with an apparent injury to Wiekens; his replacement was Nedum Onuoha, our classy 17 year old Academy defender; Oldham’s was to allow their trialist ‘keeper, Kevin Pontes from Canada, a run out. Nedum moved into the right back slot with Willo Flood moving into midfield to keep our four three three formation of the first half.

Oldham hit City straight after the break when only in the second minute they won a corner, Bischoff appeared to lose Tierney and allow him to half volley freely into the back of the net to level the scores. This seemed to wake City up for just over ten minutes where chances fell to Bradley and Negouai but only one of Bradley’s efforts was on target and Negouai powered his header just wide.

The former City striker, Chris Killen, who Kevin Keegan thought might eventually become a centre half, came on early in the second half to replace Zola up front for his first competitive action after a long injury lay-off. He made little impact to the game but when Oldham’s old war-horse, David Eyres, came off to be replaced by youngster Wes Wilkinson, he added a new dimension to their game and along with Carlos Roca on the right started causing City’s back line a few problems.

City then introduced Stephen Ireland to the team to help improve their penetrative passing and generally change the formation. However, City decided yet again not to mark Tierney from the corner and he was free to score his second and send Oldham into the lead. Three minutes later Ireland sent a pass out to Bradley on the right, but he was half tackled by David Beharall, who then slipped and then impeded Bradley’s attempt to get to the ball; astonishingly the referee, just like the referee at the Spurs cup game last week where Kasey Keller held Sun Jihai in the box, gave nothing. This time though Bradley worked himself free and sent a short cross for Elliott to fire through the legs of Pontes and into the net.

On eighty nine minutes Elliott had a chance to finish the tie in normal time when a strong run from Ireland led to him feeding a good pass to Elliott but he couldn’t keep his shot under the bar.

Glen Whelan was the first to step up to take the penalties and he hit his shot hard into the right hand roof of the net. Trialist Steven Schumacher from Everton, who had spent a large part of the season on loan at Carlisle, hit Oldham’s first penalty against the bar. Stephen Elliott then coolly dispatched City’s second penalty. Ex-Manchester United player, Michael Clegg, who has yet to score a first team goal in his career, put away Oldham’s only penalty when he sent Kevin the wrong way. Willo Flood then stepped forward and took a short run up to place his penalty hard in the bottom right corner. Trialist Andrew Harris then saw his well struck low penalty turned on to the right hand post. Centre half and last of the Irish youth Internationals, Paddy McCarthy, smashed the ball into the net to secure City’s second win of the round robin and almost guarantee them a place in the final for the fourth year on the trot.

Ellegaard: Couple of good saves, didn’t command his area well for the goals. 6
Flood: Worked well as a right back and even better once he moved to midfield. 8
Jordan (capt): Allowed Roca too much space down his flank, not his best game. 6
Wiekens (46): Improved his wayward passing after he scored, off with an injury? 6
McCarthy: Mopping up for Bischoff yet again, not as commanding as he could be. 7
Bischoff: His performances seem to be deteriorating, not improving with more games. 5
Croft (72): Time and again he chooses the wrong option, could be so much better. 6
Negouai: His performance improved greatly after a woeful first. 6
Elliott: Yet again he scores, but I’ve seen him work harder. 6
Wright-Phillips: His running off the ball and hard work deserved something. 7
Whelan: Held the midfield together in the first, got forward well in the second. MoM. 8

Subs:
Onuoha (46): Not as impressive as last week’s display, put in some good tackles. 7
Ireland (72): Helped to exploit the space in midfield and help create the equalizer. 7
Not Used
Timms, J D’Laryea, Collins.

Oldham: Westwood (Pontes 46), Clegg, Harris, Tierney (capt), Beharall, Schumacher, Roca, Winn, Zola (Killen 56), Fleming, Eyres (Wilkinson 63).
Not Used: Armstrong, Taylor.
Att: Approx 250.

OPINION: CURRENT PLIGHT

In all the acres of coverage following the “greatest comeback of all time” tm. did anyone else happen to read the following, which in my opinion raises questions as per our beloved manager’s man management skills.

One of the players (could have been Macken) was quoted as saying that Keegs hardly said a word at half time at Spurs. Even though we’re 3-0 down with Barton just having been sent off, Keegs just sat there like a sulky child. Now on this occasion the team did come out and perform for a change.

Can you imagine Ferguson/O’Neill/Strachan/Allardyce saying hardly anything? Not likely. They are proper man managers who scare the hell out of the modern multi millionaire footballer.

And that to me is the problem, the players aren’t scared of Keegs, he is far too pally with all of them. We will never get the results we require to take us to the next level. Our midfield now lacks any guile or match winning passing skills of the kind that we were fortunate to have shown to us by Berkovic and Benarbia. Keegs’ only solution to problem players (Dunne and Berkovic) is to drop or sell them, hardly a winning man-management style.

Is it me or has our terrible slump also coincided with Wardle succeeding Bernstein? I do not think we should sack Keegan (to replace with whom?) but I have a feeling he will walk out when it suits him, in the next few weeks, and not us. As Bernstein used to say we should only bring in players that are better than the ones we currently have. That rule should also extend to the manager.

I would rather have had 3 points against the Brummies that be through to the next round. Am I a pessimist?

OPINION: JOURNO PLUSSES

Now I’ve been quite critical about Mirror Group journalists in the past but I came across this article by Brian Reade in the Daily Mirror, Saturday Feb 2nd. It’s a bit long but please stick with it. The headline read “Listen up, you only win when you’re singing”

The nation united behind one undeniable certainty, that Manchester City’ s comeback at Spurs showed there was finally something worth watching on the telly other than Jordan’s breasts. Yet none identified the real lesson to be learned from White Hart Lane on Wednesday. That we had re-discovered a long forgotten truth lost amid the money-driven corporate packaged complacency of modern football. That passionate fanatical fans singing their hearts out at the time of darkest adversity can and do win football matches.

At 3-0 down before the half-time whistle, their season apparently over after a wretched run of one win in 18 games, you might have expected chants of “sack the board”, “Keegan out” or even “Cox out” from the travelling band of disgusted supporters. Instead they sang “now your gonna believe us we’re gonna win the cup”. And as the shell shocked ten men ran out for the second half wondering how worse the humiliation could get, they were met with cheers, applause and clenched fists.

From the kick-off, the players connected with the optimism, nerves were calmed and passions fired. One quick goal later they realised anything was possible and went for the heart of a petrified Spurs defence. A fearless pursuit of the impossible seemed the only fitting reward for such breathtaking loyalty.

It wasn’t just Keegan and every City player who claimed the fans were the 11th man who spurred them on to victory. It was Spurs fans who after venting their disgust at their own team’s collapse, admitted that the extraordinary support had made a crucial difference. In today’s state of the art £25 a seat libraries, where many fans believe their voice is something you use to whinge on radio phone-ins, we have forgotten an old notion that lifting your players, as opposed to damming them with insults or, even worse, silence, can actually get results.

What we saw at White art Lane should be a lesson to all of us whose apathy and anger to readily surfaces when our heroes aren’t playing like Brazil. Footballers may be obscenely paid but deep down they are like every other two-bob turn on the British Legion. Encourage them and they will perform. Harangue them and they will hide. This isn’t to say the mass of City fans are superior to the rest. Had they been 3-0 down at home they would have been jeered off at half time and hammered for every stray touch in the second half. The comeback would simply have not happened at the City of Manchester Stadium. But at Spurs they were playing in front of their hard-core fanatics, the ones who travelled 200 miles on a grim February night dreaming of a day out in Cardiff. Fans who know only one way to support their team. The old way with patience and encouragement.

Which might explain why a confidence driven side such as theirs, under a confidence driven manager such as Keegan have won more Premiership and Cup games away from home this season than they have at their own ground.

The real message from the tear jerking miracle at White Hart Lane was that every supporter has a choice when their team are three goals and one player down. You can become the 11th man or the Invisible man. And if you’re not sure which one’s best, go and ask a City fan who was there on Wednesday. If you can find one sober enough to speak.

Well written that man, I couldn’t have written it better myself.

OPINION: JOURNO MINUSES

Taken from the MUPLC Official Magazine, article by Andrew Mitten – yet again more rubbish appearing under an official guise; we all remember the drivel on their website last year, which was quietly removed once complaints were received. And they have the cheek to call us obsessed. Thankfully MCFC and their publications don’t stoop as low as Mr Mitten and his cronies.

United 3 Manchester City 1
“We loved it that we beat them….”

Five minutes before kickoff I ambled past the City fans queuing to get in the visitors section. Most people were rushing to make kick off, but I wanted to study this strange breed hemmed together behind a line of stewards singing “we only hate Man Utd”. I watched them closely, their dense expressions on their pasty faces, their clumsy bodies and penchant for garish clothing.

“We only hate Man Utd”. Examine that statement. The word only. Their whole identity is formed around only hating Man Utd. When they lumber around the country watching their failure of a football team, they still obsess about a club light years ahead of them by whichever barometer they choose. Us. And because they can’t beat Utd for players, trophies, status, money and crowds, they resort to the subjective with inaccurate claims of being the Manchester club. That’s as accurate a statement as Kevin Keegan’s curly perm inspiring the skinheads of the 70s.

The day before the game, a pollster asked 100 people in Manchester’s main shopping thoroughfare of Market St which football team, if any, they supported. 44 replied Utd, 18 City. I like stats like that, they reaffirm and agitate.

But once in a while City fans justify their existence when the evil Utd are slain. That’s as good as it gets for City, for they have successfully pleaded immunity from trophies since 1976. The majority of their current first team were not even born then.

The Manchester derby is overrated in comparison with the great derbies of world football. That’s because it is usually a one-sided fixture devoid of the tangible competition. It’s not even Atletico vs. Real Madrid because at least Atletico win trophies. No, it’s a second tier derby with City akin to Torino, 1860 Munich and Espanyol – fodder for their neighbours.

City did little to change that perception at OT today with Utd never needing to extend themselves. The game was won in midfield, the skill of Scholes and the candour of Keane too much against the lightweight opposition. Scholes scored two with his head and Van Nistelrooy used his head to score too. You wouldn’t fancy the 2 foot 2 inch Shaun Wright Phillips to score many with his head. He didn’t, but he was their best player and scored their only goal. It’s now 28 years, not just since they’ve won a trophy of any distinction but also since the Sky Blues have won at OT.

[All KK has to do for his pre-match talk is show the team that article. Time to make them shut up – Ed]

OPINION: TICKET OFFICE FIASCO

Tickets for the FA Cup 5th Round Rags vs. MCFC held back for branches were sold by mistake, I feel that the club have shafted me and mates for FA Cup derby tickets. We go to every game H&A and all pre-season games and our short European away trips and now have been told that we will not be going to this game on Saturday due to my 4 tickets (myself and 3 other season ticket holders who also go to all these games) that had been booked in advance sold to someone else.

This is not a ******* joke. Is there anyone out there that can get hold of 4 tickets for us? We’ve been in touch but nothing happening, no great apologies or explanations. Here’s a copy of an email sent in to Bernard Halford on behalf of Baguley & Brooklands branch:

Dear Bernard

I am a season ticket holder (patron No. xxxxxx), and member of the above branch of the Supporters’ Club. I have just discovered that the United cup tie tickets set aside for our branch have been sold by the ticket office in error. I am dismayed at the total inefficiency shown by the ticket office, although they managed to get my season ticket renewal form out ok. Despite living on the South Coast, I travel to most matches home and away, was at Cardiff for TNS, Lokeren, and Groclin. Myself and three friends have seats booked on a flight from Gatwick Saturday am (at great expense I might add). I appreciate tickets do not grow on trees, but any assistance you can give in this matter would be greatly appreciated. I understand one of my travelling companions has already e-mailed you. I can be reached for next two days on (tel), as I will not have access to email until each evening.

Yours faithfully,
RP

OPINION: BLUE TRAFFORD

Regarding Alex Channon’s suggestions of everyone taking blue balloons to Old Trafford and releasing them as the players come on to the pitch, I think it’s a great idea! I would also like to suggest we all get our hands on as much blue paper as possible and rip it up like confetti to drop on the K Stand at the same time, à la Argentina 1978.

I know at least half a dozen lads who frequent the K Stand and know for a fact that picking little bits of blue paper off their clothes and out of their hair will annoy them no end. Just remember, the smaller pieces you rip it up into, the more it’s going to stick to them!

Besides, I dare say the cleaning staff at Old Trafford have it far too easy with all those neatly-packaged prawn sandwiches, so it’s also a chance to make them earn their money on Sunday morning. Now, come on, don’t be shy and don’t leave it up to somebody else.

Collectively, I think we all need to take a long, hard look at ourselves about how poor we’ve been at times this season because our FA Cup attendances have been embarrassing and our vocal backing at Eastlands has been virtually non-existent.

But, just like our players have a great chance to turn a disappointing season around at Old Trafford, so do we. Let’s make every effort we can to take over the ‘Theatre of Ice Creams’ on Saturday and make it feel like a home game, while irritating the Reds as much as possible.

Hark now hear…

OPINION: VAN BUYTEN

Yes he looks like the missing link at the back, let’s hope so, and can we buy him or will we lose out to some fish and chip club? I watched the game on Sunday against Brum and we played quite well, the only let down was the official (again). I think the wrong decisions this season have messed up our entire season and I only hope they don’t have a bearing on our status at the end. Would anyone agree and ask that the game is given the video ref, what would the good and bad points be?

I keep my fingers crossed for Wednesday night’s game believing that we can take 3 points from the red side of Liverpool. I just feel at the moment without Anelka we have little to offer in attack. Come on you Blues.

OPINION: PLASTIC BLUES?

I was disappointed to see that all of the 9,000 tickets for the cup match at Old Trafford have sold out today, just before the ‘loyalty point’ criterion dropped to my level (down in the depths of 1420 points). I’d be interested to know where the other 7,279 people were last Wednesday (there seemed to be quite a few spare seats up in the top tier).

OPINION: SWEEP I

I do not normally reply to MCIVTA, I’m sorry but I’m more a reader than a writer. However, I had to reply to Ray. I do think this is PC gone mad, SWeeP comes from the initials, which he points out are SWP, natural to add the e’s to make sweep. Not racist at all, unless he is implying that thousands of City fans are racists, which might make me the only coloured to racially abuse one of my colour!

I do think that football, once the home of racists, is by and large better than years ago, and boy have I had the brunt at many matches. However, I’m a big lad so language is all that’s been aimed at me. So, whilst I do not condone it, I do think PC is destroying football flavour, if we now have to even watch how players’ names get said, i.e. SWeeP!

And what happened to Sun’s song, his dad owns a chippy 🙂

OPINION: SWEEP II

In Monday’s mailout, Ray argued that SWP should not be referred to as SWeeP because “it might be that Sooty’s little black friend was uhm Sweep”. Unfortunately, Ray is wrong. As any true Sooty fan knows (who isn’t?!) Sweep was the squeaky grey dog. It was the patronising friend “Sue” who was the black panda.

I agree SWeeP is a stupid name for SWP, but its basis is not in racism…

OPINION: SWEEP III

A rose by any other name…

It is good that we are all so different but also perhaps slightly strange that different people are irritated by different things. Perhaps it’s a generation thing, but I find it a bit pretentious and slightly patronising to refer to someone who I don’t know well by their first name alone, I feel uncomfortable doing it. However, I accept that others and perhaps a whole generation do not feel this way and wouldn’t want to proscribe their right to refer to players in their own way. If Ray had stopped at that point I wouldn’t have felt a need to reply but since he goes on to effectively accuse those of us who refer to Mr Wright-Phillips as SWeeP as either being mindless lemmings or racists I think a response is required. I don’t understand the mindless lemmings analogy; if the reference had been to sheep then perhaps I could have understood it, but I can’t see the association with a whole generation throwing itself off a cliff. On second thoughts perhaps that analogy applies to all City fans at the moment! The racist accusation hurts. I and I think every other correspondent who uses the pseudonym SWeeP does so as a term of endearment, not as a derogatory term. The original Sweep is a grey dog with floppy black ears and I can only consider that if the response “racism” was given in a psychological word association assessment to the word “Sweep” then one or two eyebrows might be raised.

I cannot see why this play on Shaun Wright-Phillips’ initials should cause any more offence than using “the Goat” for Mr Goater or “Elk” for Mr Anelka. Of course it is slightly lazy writing and one wouldn’t recommend using SWeeP in more formal circumstances but I had considered McV to be a relatively informal exchange of views amongst friends. Perhaps however, its circulation is now so great that we have to be more careful and to avoid upsetting those more sensitive souls, I will try to simply use SWP in future. Perhaps Ray can reciprocate by not undertaking character assassinations on those who happen to see things differently to him?

OPINION: SWEEP IV

As I recall Sweep was grey. Ray is finding racist undertones where there are none. Sweep seems a perfectly innocent, affectionate name where the alternative is quite a mouthful.

OPINION: SWEEP V

Can I be one of the dozens who reply to Ray ref his query on SWP’s alias. As any City fan knows, “Sweep” is not a reference to Sooty’s mate (and nothing to do with racism). It’s a reference to Shaun’s height. Being the shortest adult in the North West, he’s employed after training to visit the country houses of Cheshire to clean the chimneys. Since the introduction of the Climbing Boys Act, Lord and Lady Prestbury have been unable to employ young boys to do the job, so have had to rely on our vertically challenged footballing genius.

Alternatively, I’ve also been told that as one of the more junior members of the squad, Shaun has been given the job of helping the groundstaff to clear up the stadium after matches. 48,000 seats produce more rubbish than the previous 34,500 odd and the grounds team have been struggling all season to cope, so have drafted in Shaun “Sweep” Wright-Phillips and Joey “Urinal Mopper” Barton to help.

Then again, and I might be stretching the bounds of reality here, perhaps the clue lies in the way SWeeP is often written… With a capital S, W and P. Perhaps fellow MCIVTA readers could suggest what relevance the letters S, W and P have to the name Shaun Wright-Phillips…

And, Ray, Sweep (the puppet) was grey – not black.

OPINION: SWEEP VI

In response to Ray’s concern over the use of the nickname SWeeP, I must be in the majority when I say that I hadn’t considered this to be an allusion to the puppet rascal (who I seem to remember is actually a grey dog anyway). I also can’t imagine that anyone calling him SWeeP ever did so with any racist intent. For what it’s worth, I took to calling him “The Moss Side Maradona” – which is not only nostalgic for the hallowed turf, but scans quite nicely and above all reflects the skills, thrills and diminutive excellence of the boy genius.

To be honest, when we don’t appear to have had time to develop much affection for any of our players (and few of them look likely to achieve legendary song-book status), I’d welcome pretty much any player nickname besides “That Feckless A*rse (insert one of 12 names here)”… Zidunne anyone?

OPINION: SWEEP VII

I just want to reply to Ray’s comments in MCIVTA 990.

Do everyone a favour and don’t bother “stabbing blindly in the dark” again, as your conclusions are so far of the truth they’re in a different galaxy!

The simple reason for Shaun Wright-Phillips being called SWeeP is from the use of his initials SWP. Turn your single working brain cell on for a second and you might figure it out.

Personally I think you must have Red blood to even suggest that City fans could direct racism remarks against one the brightest stars we have had for many years.

OPINION: SWEEP VIII

Is this guy on glue? Unbelievable!

OPINION: SWEEP IX

Been lurking for a long time I know but have to take issue with Ray, whose e-mail address should be ‘goingsoftinthemind’ not ‘gardensofthemind’.

If you think about it for about a minute, old son, you’ll see that calling Shaun Wright-Phillips SWeeP has got nothing to do with racism or teddy bear glove puppets. SWeeP, surely, is merely a phonetic pronounciation of S-W-P =Se-we-Pe – ‘Sweep’ geddit? Close, but no Harry Corbett.

OPINION: SWEEP X

I can’t believe the comment from Ray “Gardens of the Mind” about calling Shaunie SWeeP. Racist, what rubbish. I almost didn’t reply to the message as I assumed it must be a joke. However, assuming it’s not, less of this please. If you really are going to make such assumptions, get it right. Sweep wasn’t black, he was grey. Surely it’s just that there’s less syllables in SWeeP than SWP. Just to randomly prove the point, here’s the address of the first website turned up by Google when searching for Sooty and Sweep – http://www.sootyandsweeps.com. Grey. Grey. Grey.

OPINION: SWEEP XI

In reply to Ray’s comments in MCIVTA 990, I have always called Shaun Wright Phillips SWeeP and will continue to do so. Not because I am a racist (indirect or otherwise), a mindless lemming or in need of growing up, but because his initials are SWP. As for growing up Ray, you are clearly so grown up that you can’t remember the Sooty Show, which featured a grey dog called Sweep and not as you suggest a little black friend. Feel free to continue with your “Blind stabs in the dark”, just don’t publish your wildly inaccurate assumptions without thinking it through first.

OPINION: SWEEP XII

With all due respect to Ray, what is this politically correct bulls**t? He’s called SWeeP, because that is the easiest way to pronounce SWP! SWeeP is far easier to say than Es DoubleYou Pee. SWP is yet another example of an acronym that has developed into a word. Does anybody call a QUANGO a Queue You Ay En Gee Oh? Do computers run DOS or Dee Oh Es?

As for patronising, the only thing that I find patronising here is being told to grow up. Stop looking for things that don’t exist, except in the minds of the Thought Police.

BTW, just to put the record straight, Sooty’s friend Sweep is grey with black ears! Check it out at this link: http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/tv/kids/sooty.htm

OPINION: SINGING THE BLUES (JUNIOR STYLE)

Sing for City…

Further to the recent suggestions for new City songs, I thought I would add this one. It won Adam, joint first in a Junior Blues competition to write a new City song. He (and the rest of our family) won the chance to go onto the pitch at half time yesterday, and sing it!

To the tune Caravan of Love by the Housemartins:

Every woman, every man
All you City fans
Stand up, stand up
Stand up, stand up
Every woman, every man
All you City fans,
Stand up, stand up,
Stand up, stand up
Sing for City,
Sing a City Song
Sing for City
Cheer the Blues along.

With respect to the atmosphere at Eastlands, now season tickets are up for renewal, is there a move to actually re-unite the ‘Maine Road singing sections’? Also, a friend of ours went to the Arsenal match and said that there were song sheets on the seats (admittedly it didn’t improve the volume at Highbury, but…). Is it not worth trying something like that, or what about a page in the programme?

I thought playing the Great Escape before the match was spot on, and did I catch the sound track ‘Nightmare’? At least we didn’t have that dreadful opera this week. Maybe with the move we tried to change too much too soon.

I also think it a shame that the badge/T-shirt sellers no longer line the approaches to the ground. We could have had some great T-shirts after last Wednesday and all these little things add to ‘the atmosphere’.

Finally, I think van Buyten looked great on Sunday and although I have to admit to not being a James fan previously, I think he has given our team some much needed confidence and security at the back. I really feel for KK and the team, the work is there, look at the Spurs match! What I feel they lack now is the confidence to have that crack at goal (rather than trying to walk the ball into the net).

P.S. Will Peter Spencer, writing in the MuEN, please stop stirring things! Why was there yet another piece yesterday about Anelka’s likely departure this summer. It is so old, so not news!

OPINION: SINGING THE BLUES (ELTON STYLE)

v1. Just hear the fans sing, I guess that we’ll support you forever. We’re here every match day and we can see this team just keeps getting better.

v2. We see our team play and the Rags we’re going to batter and it won’t be long before the Reds run to any place where they can find shelter (and a prawn sandwich). chr. So I guess that’s why they call us the Blues, our teams on the pitch and we’ll never lose, playing like heroes, running forever, singing our hearts out, winning at leisure. And I guess that’s why they call us the Blues.

v3. They run on the pitch, and cover each blade of Eastlands. We’ll never be second, without hesitation, we’ll follow the blue band.

v4. Win every game, play with ten men if it helps (it wouldn’t help). We simply love you more than we love life itself.

OPINION: SINGING THE BLUES (DERBY STYLE)

How much is that club Man United?
The one with the red nosed mail?
How much to the Irish, Yanks and Cockneys?
Cos we all know that it is for sale.

And a chant to give Nico the status he deserves…

Oooh Aaah Anelka
Said Oooh Aaah Anelka!

OPINION: THE LULLABY OF CITY

Time for the dancing to stop. Maybe it did against Brum. When the dancing stops the fat ladies have to sing and they’re not hitting the high notes. I can’t believe that we are in the league position that we currently occupy. We’ve played some great football, only at times admittedly but nonetheless it is awesome to watch when it happens. When did shock and awe happen? Ten men vs. Spurs and for once the ten worked harder than dancers, have you seen how hard dancers work (and play?!). The ability collectively is awesome. The effort collectively is less so.

My take is that not enough players are responding in the way the City collective deserve. Come on lads, you are not that gifted that you can give it stroll and expect it to happen. Be honest, who hurt physically after the Sunday game? Whose muscles really needed that sports massage afterwards? Who made the opposition aware that they were a force to be reckoned within the first half hour? Who is calling and adjusting the game plan? It must be me ’cause my throat is disappointing sore and I’m on the Isle of Man, bl**dy miles away. I’ve been p**sed off all day ’cause I expected so much on Sunday. My face has just got better from the Spurs game and I was quite happy to have endured face-ache until the Scouse game on Weds.

Come on, show some teeth so we can show ours. At least kick it to a bloke on the same payroll most of the time. Luck will even out, it is said. If you’re not there, you can’t be lucky so bl**dy get there… please!

OPINION: CANADIAN COVERAGE

I have again watched the Canadian Fox sports show only to see that ignorant Scottish git say what a lousy game City were in again! Why do they have someone lacking in all the social skills and no football knowledge, commenting on a game he knows nothing about?

He never has anything good to say about them and yet Fergie can do no wrong along with the Rags. I am completely at a loss. I have sat through annoying Nick Webster, and all the other idiots they have over here just to be. I am just so annoyed that he gets paid for such biased remarks. I cannot believe I am alone in this regard.

3 points against Liverpool and defeating his reds will suit me fine!

REQUEST: DERBY CUP TICKETS I

I may as well do it too.

Does anyone out there have 2(?) tickets for the derby cup tie against that lot?

If so, please contact me on 07745343968 or email. Here’s hoping!

REQUEST: DERBY CUP TICKETS II

One or two required. Please, please, please, please. Call 01302 746674 home 07836 762672 mobile or email:

REQUEST: DERBY CUP TICKETS III

Hi I’m after a FA Cup derby ticket, not bothered where I’m sat, been let down because of the supporters’ club farce when I easily had enough points.

REQUEST: LIFT TO SWAMP

I need a lift to The Swamp on Saturday from Stockport area or anywhere nearish, any offers? Tel 07931 899439 or email.

REQUEST: BOLTON TICKETS AVAILABLE

I have two spare tickets for the Bolton game, face value £31 each. Please email me if you want them. Thanks.

REQUEST: BOLTON TICKETS

Anyone Got any Bolton spares? Please email.

REQUEST: ENGLAND TICKETS

I know it’s along shot and we still have a 1/4 of the season to fight for before it, but does anyone know where I can get hold of England tickets for Euro 2004 or is anyone selling any? I will of course keep the Blue flag hanging high as well when I am over there. E-mail me on the below address if you have any info.

Come on the Blues, and I will have my blue balloon there at the derby, hope the rest of you do too.

REQUEST: ROME BLUES VIEWING

I will be in Rome for the Six Nations Cup this weekend. I’m going to watch the derby in a bar with Sky, and I wouldn’t mind doing it with some City fans! If someone is travelling to the rugby game and planning to be there on Saturday already, then you can contact me and we can watch City together.

REQUEST: KUALA LUMPUR BLUES VIEWING

Having a bunch of City fans for the televised FA Cup game against the Rags in Kuala Lumpur. Contact Shah 016 3668798 Mobile or e mail.

REQUEST: SOUTH MANCHESTER BLUES VIEWING

Can anyone direct me to a pub that will a have good representation of Blues for Saturday’s cup derby? Preferably in South Manchester. I live in a pretty close to “the opposition” and unfortunately the local pubs tend to reflect that. Thanks.

BLUE HUMOUR

What’s the difference between Man City and Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction?

City really can destroy you in 45 minutes…

RESULTS

11 February 2004

Birmingham City       3 - 0  Everton               29,004
Fulham                1 - 2  Aston Villa           16,153
Blackburn Rovers      1 - 1  Newcastle United      23,459
Charlton Athletic     2 - 4  Tottenham Hotspur     26,660
Liverpool             2 - 1  Manchester City       43,257
Manchester United     2 - 3  Middlesbrough         67,346
Portsmouth            0 - 2  Chelsea               20,140

10 February 2004

Arsenal               2 - 0  Southampton           38,007
Leeds United          4 - 1  Wolverhampton Wndrs   36,867
Leicester City        1 - 1  Bolton Wanderers      26,674

League table to 11 February 2004 inclusive

                             HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F   A   GD Pts
 1 Arsenal         25 10  2  0 24  8  8  5  0 25  8 18  7  0  49  16  33  61
 2 Manchester Utd  25  9  2  2 29 12  9  0  3 20 11 18  2  5  49  23  26  56
 3 Chelsea         25  8  2  2 21  8  9  2  2 25 11 17  4  4  46  19  27  55
 4 Liverpool       25  6  2  4 18 13  4  6  3 18 14 10  8  7  36  27   9  38
 5 Newcastle Utd   25  7  3  3 21  8  2  8  2 14 18  9 11  5  35  26   9  38
 6 Charlton Ath.   25  4  3  5 18 20  6  4  3 16 10 10  7  8  34  30   4  37
 7 Aston Villa     25  7  3  2 17 10  3  3  7 13 18 10  6  9  30  28   2  36
 8 Fulham          25  7  2  4 21 15  3  3  6 16 20 10  5 10  37  35   2  35
 9 Birmingham City 24  5  4  3 14 14  4  4  4  9 12  9  8  7  23  26  -3  35
10 Bolton Wndrs    25  3  7  2 14 11  5  3  5 17 26  8 10  7  31  37  -6  34
11 Tottenham H.    25  7  1  5 24 19  3  2  7 11 19 10  3 12  35  38  -3  33
12 Southampton     25  6  3  4 13  8  2  4  6 10 15  8  7 10  23  23   0  31
13 Middlesbrough   24  3  4  6 11 16  5  3  3 15 13  8  7  9  26  29  -3  31
14 Blackburn R.    25  3  2  7 19 23  4  4  5 17 17  7  6 12  36  40  -4  27
15 Everton         25  5  4  4 19 15  1  3  8  9 21  6  7 12  28  36  -8  25
16 Manchester City 25  2  7  3 17 15  3  2  8 16 22  5  9 11  33  37  -4  24
17 Portsmouth      25  6  1  5 22 14  0  4  9  6 25  6  5 14  28  39 -11  23
18 Leicester City  25  2  6  5 14 23  2  3  7 19 24  4  9 12  33  47 -14  21
19 Leeds United    25  3  4  6 13 20  2  1  9 10 30  5  5 15  23  50 -27  20
20 Wolves          25  4  5  3 15 21  0  3 10  7 30  4  8 13  22  51 -29  20

MCIVTA FAQ [v0304.06]

[0] MCIVTA Addresses

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

 News/rumour (Don Barrie)         : news@mcivta.city-fan.org

 Subscriptions (Madeleine Hawkins): subscriptions@mcivta.city-fan.org

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

 FAQ (David Warburton)            : faq@mcivta.city-fan.org

[1] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?

Deadlines for issues are nominally 6pm, 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/); the “Centenary Supporters’ Association” (http://www.reddishblues.com/CSAWebsite/CSA.htm) and “The International Supporters’ Club” (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=111845&Title=International+Supporters+Club&lid=Membership).

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

The GMR pre and post match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/gmr/sport_intro.shtml.

Live match commentaries and archives of games, reports and interviews can be found at http://www.mcfctv.com/, whilst an alternate live commentary service, hosted by Yahoo, is located at http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/foot/englandprem/cal/index.html.

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

http://www.satfootball.com/pl.html provides a listing of Premiership games being shown on UK domestic and foreign satellite channels. Useful sites for North American viewers are http://canadatvsoccer.tripod.com/Fixtures.htm, http://www.foxsportsworld.com/named/FSW/Index/Soccer, and http://www.soccertv.com/.

http://www.foxsportsworld.com/content/view?contentId=1288602 also provides a guide to pubs in the USA showing football.

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

It’s actually a mix of two tracks. It starts with “O Verona” (from the motion picture “William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet”) and leads in to “Barber’s Adagio for Strings (Ferry Corsten remix)” by William Orbit. The first part is available on the movie soundtrack (volume 2) and the second is included on a variety of CDs such as Kiss House Nation 2000, Galaxy Hit Mix, Cream Live, Ibiza Chill and Dance Nation 4.

[9] Do we have a Usenet newsgroup?

Yes we do: uk.sport.football.clubs.man-city is our home on usenet. If you are not familiar with usenet, a basic explanation is available here: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,289893,sid9_gci213262,00.html

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

There are a number available and direct links can be found at http://www.uit.no/mancity/players/

[11] Can I buy shares in the club?

Yes you can: Shares in Manchester City PLC are traded on OFEX. The latest prices can be on found the OFEX web site http://www.ofex.com/ (registration required) or in the business section of the Manchester Evening News.

[12] Where can I find match statistics?

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

[13] Acknowledgements

Thanks go to Damian Quinn, Stephen Webb, Roger Haigh, Martin Price, and Adrian Howarth for the Satellite TV info.

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.

Heidi Pickup, editor@mcivta.city-fan.org

Editor: