Newsletter #144

Rumblings on the transfer front but they appear to be small and nothing really finalised. More great goals and a Why Blue but by far and away the biggest news is that Swales has finally confessed to being useless at choosing managers… not all that good for a chairman whose job description just happens to involve choosing… er, choosing managers!

I have to eat humble pie over the last intro. in which I intimated that we might be getting £2m for Phelan. I got this from Neale’s letter and on rereading it, it’s clear that Neale was saying was that that was what Phelan cost us from Wimbledon!

Onto Sheffield this weekend for my first away game for ages, a crucial game for City as we really have to take points from places like Hillsborough if we are to survive.

Next game, Sheffield Wednesday away, Saturday 18th November 1995.

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MCIVTA MEET

So far only a few people have responded to Malcolm Plaiter’s move to arrange an MCIVTA ‘meet’ at Xmas. He’s written to me to say that children, grannies and all are welcome so there’s no age limit. If you think you can go then please mail Malcolm and let him know your intentions.

Ashley, on behalf of Malcolm Plaiter (malcolm@plaiter.demon.co.uk)

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NEWS – EXETER SIGNING

Exeter’s managing director is meeting with Francis Lee and Alan Ball this (Tuesday) afternoon at Maine Road to arrange the transfer of left winger Martin “Buster” Phillips to City. The fee is thought to be around half a million pounds, paybale in instalments, for the 19-year-old who is not expected to go straight into the first team.

The Mole

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NEWS – BLACKPOOL & EXETER

AB was in Blackpool on Saturday watching the FA Cup tie between ‘Pool and Chester. He was watching James Quinn apparently. The abuse he got from the crowd caused him to leave at half-time as he had his wife with him. Looks like we are going to buy the Exeter left winger Martin Phillips for £500,000. AB says it’s an investment (in installments) for the future. This can only mean that he thinks the current squad can save us from relegation 🙂

Ken Foster (kf737@atlas.co.uk)

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NEWS – NOT!

Read in today’s (Thurs 16th Nov) Sun about a survey that claims 83% of City fans think Lee should stand down. Does anybody know just one true City fan who thinks this?

The same paper also mentioned “Niall Quinn, who is on his way out at Manchester City…”

Careful what you read Blues.

Ian Kay (i.j.kay@durham.ac.uk)

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NEWS – NEW STADIUM

Colin Barlow said today that City “are interested” in using the new Manchester Stadium, be it the new National Stadium or the (smaller) “Jubilee Stadium”, whichever one gets built. Maine Road would be leased out, though to whom remains a mystery.

The Mole

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NEWS – VONK

Teletext reports that Vonk has agreed to go to Oldham on loan for a period of one month. If the deal eventually goes through then Oldham would end up paying City £350,000.

Ashley

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ROY PAUL

City played W.B.A. twice just before the Blackpool game. The first one at home they won 4-0, but two games later they lost 1-2 away. W.B.A. got a total of 40 points, two more than Blackpool.

Svenn Hanssen (svenn@hanssen.priv.no)

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SWALES CONFESSES I

Last night (Monday) I was watching a program about English football through the ages and on it Peter Swales was interviewed about his position on the international committee. Talking about the decision to appoint Graham Taylor as manager, he said something on the lines of he has never been a good judge of manager. How true Swalesy, but why did it take you twenty years to admit it?

Neil Pugh (nd-pugh@csm.uwe.ac.uk)

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SWALES CONFESSES II

I don’t know if anyone saw the BBC documentary ‘Kicking and Screaming’, but in it there was an interview with Mr. Wiggy Swales himself. Upon being questioned about the appointment of an England manager (Don Revie?) he said he thought that that person was the best man for the job at that time. However, the manager that had been chosen turned out to be a failure and Swales actually admitted (unless my hearing has gone) that he couldn’t choose a manager to save his life (my words not his, but he implied it). Hmmm makes you think doesn’t it…

Jim Walsh (pldjrw@cent1.lancs.ac.uk)

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COMMENTS FROM KIPPAX STREET

Is it really true that we should look forward to seeing Graeme Taylor at Maine Road? Talk about the Kiss of death. Then we really would be the laughing stock. I say bring back Brian. Or bung old Georgie a few quid and a year’s supply of bog roll and get him to turn us into the Arseholes of the North… Not the most popular idea in the world I know… but worth a thought.

[Sounds like hogwash to me, Ashley]

Also, just received news that the reason America have no money left is simply because it was for Terry Phelan’s pay off… Terry mate got a few words for you… “Piss off to Chelsea” …thanks…

Whatever happened to the Reidy bid for Conk? I thought the deal was signed, sealed and delivered… or am I missing a few weeks worth of Goss…

Also if anybody wants me to pass any comments onto any of the players… let me know at my E-Mail and I’ll duly pass them on… Ian, Uwe, Curly and our bag of shit right back are always game for a laugh.

One last thing… I went to Anfield the other week to watch the Brondby game (Class act or what) when my house mate turned around and said to the Scousers behind that I was a City fan… they laughed, told the usual ‘strongest team in the league’ garbage you always get and then said that they had actually put money on City not taking the drop… either they know something we don’t or the historians are right and Liverpool really is just full of Irishmen that can swim!

[Oops! a tadge non-PC!!!, Ashley]

Laters… (No welsh Jokes please… I’m Manc. thro. and thro.)

Gareth Foster (9279369X@mmu.ac.uk)

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OPINION – LEE HAS IT RIGHT

I read in MCITVA 143 an article reprinted from an interview with FHL in the Telegraph about his impression of what’s happening with the club this season. I must say it made a lot of sense to me that after investing so much of your own money in the club that you would want to try to protect your investment. Lee knows that unless he can get the club back on a reasonable financial course that he can kiss his money goodbye. It certainly sounds like the club has acted irresponsibly in the past and if Lee actually has a plan to turn things around then he should be encouraged by the supporters – who God knows have put up with more than a reasonable person should expect over the years. It is sad that he appears in this article at least to have given up on this current season and that he seems to have settled for the prospect of relegation so easily – but, I agree that it will take time to turn things around. I would want the leader of any organization of which I was a member (or an investor) to send a clear message that (1) The rot has stopped and that (2) that individual, above average contributions to a turn around in the season would be rewarded.

I have found in my career that positive incentives are much more effective than negative consequences (both must exist and be clearly stated). I believe that you get more of the things you reward. If you reward superior performance you will get more of it. If you tolerate a half hearted effort by highly paid players do not be surprised if that is all you get from them.

If the Blues lost 6 million sterling last year and turn that around to make a small profit in such a short time, that is a tremendous achievement – in time that kind of turnaround will be obvious on the pitch too.

He should be given credit for his accomplishments – but we as fans should hold him, the club and its players accountable for the results they get, and the way they play. City fans have always had reason to complain about the club. In 100+ years they have probably had no more than a dozen seasons where they have truly excelled. Now though is a time for patience. Give him time to turn it around. I suspect that what I have said won’t be popular, and maybe living 3000 miles away (Charlotte, North Carolina) isn’t conducive to an accurate impression of what is really going on, but I’m encouraged by Lee.

Mike Edwards (Mike9002@msn.com)

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FIVE GREAT GOALS

I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and list my all-time 5 favourite goals. I’m not sure which seasons these are from but most are highly memorable anyway.

1. Neil Young vs. Leicester. 1-0. At the ground we don’t go to very often.Summerbee never gets the credit for a fabulous cross.
2. David White vs. Luton Town. 4-0 I think. 40 yard beauty. Total confusion asthe Luton players don’t realise that the ref. waved play on.
3. Andy Hinchliffe v Salford Athletic. 5-1. Can you believe it, I spentthe day in the Lake district with my girlfriend and all I could get was theLiverpool derby on the radio. Bugger.
4. The Colin Bell volley that appears twice on the BBC living legendsvideo, Bell, Lee, Summerbee. The strike was so well taken I can’t forthe life of me remember who we were playing! [Chelsea, Ashley]
5. Terry Phelan’s vs. Spurs FA Cup 2-4. The horrible scenes afterwardsrobbed Phelan of a definite Goal of the month/season. Typical.

As for famous Blues is it not a co-incidence that the two most embarrassing pieces of football ever shown on TV were Blues?

1. Arsenal vs. Coventry. Lee Dixon chipping David Seaman from the half way line.
2. Geoff Thomas and the conspiracy of the magic football in that miss.

The cricketers Graham Thorpe and Phil Defrietas are also City fans; a few years back at the proper Old Trafford, Defrietas asked us the football scores (City had won). He was that pleased that he ran over to Graham Thorpe who was batting and told him. Thorpe then punched the air!!!

Nick Cavanagh.(n.cavanagh@ucrysj.ac.uk)

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MORE FAMOUS BLUES

At the Ipswich game – Villa Park 1981 – I sat two seats away from Andy Peebles the ex Piccadilly and Radio 1 D.J. so have to presume that he ia a Blue. I’ve no idea what he does now, maybe his days of fame are over.

Brian Leigh (B.Leigh@mmu.ac.uk)

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WHY BLUE?

Some might say (an apt start to a piece) that it is impossible to say why you support a particular football team, and on most occasions I would agree. However, during the period 3.00pm – 4.45pm (5.00, if we are playing a team like Liverpool or the red scum, and are winning) a magnetic force draws you towards the wonderful delights of Maine Road, Moss Side, Manchester (where it is usually raining if you are playing a team like Wimbledon or, for those who went, Leicester City). I believe this sadistic force is somthing you are either born with or have accidently run into.

Having been to many games, I have experienced many low spots and few highs, with City winning their last trophy the year I was born. Yet for some reason, I along with many other Blues continue to go and be put through the pain of seeing City throw away the lead with a minute to go. Just out of interest can anybody tell me how many goals have been scored against City with the last kick of the game? or how many have been scored in time added on? I’ll tell you – a bloody lot e.g. Forest last season – that one had me in tears and swearing that I would never go and see City again.

In conclusion I can only say that I support City because I was born to be a City fan and I too have that force inside me.

If you have bothered to read this piece you will most probably think that I am talking complete and utter bollocks, and you are probably right. But in my opinion you have to be mad to be a City fan!

Keep supporting the Blues and slagging off the Reds as I know you all will. Alan Ball? Well he can’t do much worse than the last 20yrs, can he? Francis Lee? The fans choice, let’s get behind them all (not an innuendo) and hope we can make somthing out of the season (not a relegation battle).

The Kinked Wonder – Michael Wild (95629408@mmu.ac.uk)

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RESULTS

No results due to this week’s internationals.

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

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

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Thanks to Svenn, Neil, The Mole, Michael, Ken, Derek, Gareth, Jim, Brian, Ian & Mike.

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

Editor: