Newsletter #549

As City fans we know that every silver lining has a cloud. We’re 6 points clear at the top of the league, unbeaten in 6 games, won the last four. Joe’s manager of the month, Weaver’s playing like a man possessed, we’re the first league side in England to chalk up ten wins. And yet… we’re not playing well, it’s seven games since a striker scored, we’re relying on luck and Weaver’s breathtaking form, and winning manager of the month is a well known curse.

Like everyone else, years of bitter experience have made me wary of getting too carried away with our current run of form. But it’s been so long since we’ve experienced any degree of success, it’s difficult to remember how to enjoy it.

No match reports arrived for this issue, I’m afraid, although what I’ve read suggests a similar pattern to recent games. Poor first half, better second. Maybe Joe should give his half-time team talk at the beginning of the game?

Apparently, Kinky’s signed on loan for Derby. It’ll be interesting to see how he does. Best of luck to him.

NEWS SUMMARY

Second Half Fightback Clinches Fourth Straight Win

City moved six points clear of Charlton at the top of Division One on Saturday after the Blues won 2-1 at Port Vale while the Londoners went down by the only goal at Birmingham. City were themselves 1-0 behind at the break after a first half display described by Joe Royle as “abysmal” but a revival in the second period followed a couple of tactical changes from the manager. Ian Bishop and Shaun Wright-Phillips replaced Lee Crooks and Terry Cooke, and Bishop was generally credited with inspiring a much-improved performance. Royle claimed that “when Bishop came on he made us play again” and called the former West Ham man “vital to us”, while midweek hero Nicky Weaver was equally fulsome in his praise for the veteran midfielder. “Bish is a class act,” affirmed the City goalkeeper. “He’s played most of his career in the top flight and it shows. He’s no spring chicken but I’m sure he can still do it at that level.” Wright-Phillips, meanwhile, produced a lively performance in his first league outing for the Blues and though the City equaliser has been marked down as an own goal, the youngster is vowing that the effort should be credited to him. “Shaun Wright-Phillips claimed that he got a touch on the goal which put us level,” said manager Royle, “and we’ll be taking a look at the video later to see if we can give it him.”

Granville Seals Switch After Terms Agreed

The City winner at Vale Park came from Danny Granville, who notched his first goal for the club from a Mark Kennedy corner. And it was an early celebration for the former Cambridge United and Chelsea full-back, who agreed personal terms with the Blues last week and made his move from Leeds United permanent on Monday. And speaking shortly after putting pen to paper on the deal, he talked of his delight at the switch. “I’m well chuffed to sign, especially after the way the fans have got behind me since I joined from Leeds,” he said. “They’re unbelievable, it’s so much different to playing at Chelsea or Leeds. Maine Road’s a great stadium to play at and the way we are playing there is no-one to be afraid of in this division. I’ve signed for 5 years and I hope we can get back into the Premiership next season, that’d be the ideal springboard for us.”

Royle Slams Cooke Transfer Talk

Joe Royle has refuted a report in Sunday’s News of the World which claimed that winger Terry Cooke last week requested a transfer only six months after signing permanently for the club. The paper alleged that Cooke was upset at being relegated to the substitutes’ bench this term but that Joe Royle had flatly rejected the winger’s appeal to leave. However, the City manager blasted the story, telling the official City web site at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/, “It is not a rumour. It is scurrilous nonsense and a total lie. I can never understand where things like that come from. Terry and I have been laughing about it this morning. Terry knows he hasn’t started at his best and we know that when Terry is at his best he is a massive asset for the team. He hasn’t asked for a transfer, I haven’t told him he can go so take it from there.”

Suffo Linked Again as Royle Thinks of Stan

The Blues are being linked with a fresh move for Nantes’ forward Patrick Suffo, though as yet there’s no word of a fresh Maine Road trial for the Cameroon international. Whatever the truth of the story, it seems clear that the striker hunt is continuing, and a familiar name entered the frame again after Joe Royle’s weekend interview with Sunday Times football correspondent Joe Lovejoy. The City manager spoke at length of his admiration for Aston Villa’s Stan Collymore, prompting speculation that the troubled striker could be given a chance to resurrect his career at Maine Road. “I tried to sign him when I was at Everton, but he went to Liverpool. When we spoke, I got on well with him. The problems he has had since are well-known, but I still can’t get him out of my head. He’s big, he’s got pace and control and good finishing skills. All the ability you could want is there,” enthused Royle.

“It’s only three years ago that he scored 23 goals in the Premiership. Unfortunately, he’s accumulated so much unwanted baggage that I’m not sure if anyone else will ever let him put it down somewhere. People tell me I’m mad whenever I talk about being tempted, but I’d hate to see him turn up somewhere else and do it. I’m doing nothing about it at the moment, and this isn’t an open invitation. I apologise to John Gregory if he sees it that way, because I’m not trying to be tricky. But you asked me a question about Stan, I’ve got to answer it, and that’s how I feel about him.” Royle’s reaction was positive enough to move the inteviewer to refer to Collymore joining City as a “distinct possibility.” However, much no doubt depends on the player securing a release from his contract at Villa Park and on the Blues beating Fulham for his signature if Royle does make a move. The Craven Cottage club have so far been unable to agree a deal with Aston Villa to secure Collymore’s services after his three-month loan in west London but are likely to be interested if he agrees terms for his release from the midlands club.

Duo Listed as Greenacre Makes Move

City have transfer listed defenders Tony Vaughan and Alan Reilly as manager Joe Royle bids to trim his senior squad. Even though the Blues have cut back the playing staff from the crazy number of 54 professionals on the books when Royle arrived at the club, the Blues still have a large contingent of players on the pay-roll. And with new striker Lee Peacock unlikely to be the last acquisition in the foreseeable future, the management is obviously keen to prevent the squad from returning to its former bloated levels. Vaughan, currently on loan at Cardiff, was signed for £1.35 million from Ipswich in the summer of 1997 and has played in 59 league games for the club, scoring twice. Young full-back Reilly has never featured at senior level. Meanwhile, transfer-listed reserve striker Chris Greenacre has made yet another loan move away from Maine Road. It’s a fifth temporary switch in a little over two years for the 21-year-old forward, who’s already had spells at Cardiff, Blackpool, Scarborough and Northampton.

New Boy Unhurt in Car Crash

The man Greenacre will replace at Field Mill, City’s new striker Lee Peacock, missed his first scheduled day’s training with the Blues’ senior squad on Monday. The recently acquired striker failed to show up after he crashed his car as he made his way over the Pennines to Manchester. Thankfully Peacock emerged unscathed, though his vehicle was a write-off. “Lee is fine but I believe his car needs treatment,” manager Joe Royle told the club’s web site at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/. “We are hopeful that he can play some part of a game in the reserve match tomorrow against Grimsby so we can establish how fit he is.”

Storming Start Earns Royle Accolade

City’s surge to the top of Division One in October has earned Joe Royle the prize for the section’s Manager of the Month. Having ended September with successive defeats at Southampton, Ipswich and Norwich, the Blues bounced back to top the table after taking sixteen points from the six October fixtures. Ironically, in 48 hours City face the last incumbent of the Maine Road hot-seat to take the award when Alan Ball’s Portsmouth provide the opposition. And the current Pompey boss is an example of the jinx which often appears to follow the monthly managerial plaudits. In November 1995, Ball won the accolade after inspiring a run which saw City climb from the foot of the Premiership, but in the four games following his nomination the Blues failed to manage another win. Most City fans would see few similarities between the Maine Road managerial efforts of former Everton team mates Royle and Ball, and will be hoping that the difference manifests itself again.

Ball Returns With Pompey Amid Death-Threat Claims

When Ball brings his Pompey side north on Wednesday night, it will be the third time in a little over six weeks that City have welcomed one of their many former managers to Maine Road. Ball is arguably one of the most unpopular figures among the City public and is therefore likely on his first return since leaving the club three years ago to recieve a reception far more hostile than those accorded to Brian Horton or even Steve Coppell. And the temperature was raised even further this weekend as press reports claimed that the World Cup winner has received death threats in the build-up to Wednesday’s fixture. Portsmouth chief safety officer Dave Walton said, “We have made the local police aware [of the threats] and they are discussing with their counterparts in Manchester about what safety measures to take. We expect the police and City to have security measures in place.” City director Chris Bird attempted to play the situation down, commenting only that, “We have every confidence in the match security already in place.” The return of Ball adds an undeniable edge to what would otherwise be a relatively low-key affair against mid-table opposition. Pompey are currently thirteenth in the table, with nineteen points from their fourteen games so far. However, their away record is fairly poor, with only one win, five points and five goals scored in six matches. Incidentally, also lining up for Pompey will be former City record signing Lee Bradbury, who recently returned for a cut-price £300,000 to the club where he began his career. City fans will be hoping that Bradbury produces a performance to match his ineffective efforts for Crystal Palace at Maine Road in September.

Reserves Lose on Penalties in Mini-Derby

City reserves look set for elimination from the Manchester Senior Cup after a loss on penalties to Manchester United on Thursday left the Blues bottom of their qualifying group and without a point to their name after three games. The tournament is played in a round-robin format in the initial stages, with City, United, Bury and Oldham facing each other home and away and with all drawn games decided on a penalty shoot-out. The two top sides then meet in the final. City had already lost 2-1 at home to Oldham and been beaten by Bury on penalties so a win in the mini-derby at Gigg Lane was crucial to the Blues’ qualification prospects. However, after Shaun Wright-Phillips gave City an early lead, the Reds equalised in the second half through Mark Wilson for a 1-1 score at 90 minutes. Massimo Taibi’s save from Terry Dunfield then saw United take the shoot-out 5-4.

Mixed Fortunes for Academy Boys

City’s youngsters enjoyed mixed fortunes as they travelled to Merseyside on Saturday to take on Liverpool. The under-17s were on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline but the under-19s emerged with a 2-0 victory.

Steep Share Price Rise Set to Fuel Rumours

According to the Ofex web site at http://www.ofex.co.uk/, City shares were trading at 120p on Monday, an increase of 10p on Friday’s levels and of 20p in the last week. The news is sure to spark rumours of either a takeover or a substantial investment in the club, since the sharp rise in value appears more than would be expected on the back of the undeniably heightened optimism which has followed the team’s better-than-expected start to the campaign.

Fulham Fixture Switched for Sky Screening

City’s home game with Fulham will now be played on Sunday, 16 January. The game had been due to take place the previous day but has been earmarked for screening by the Sky cameras. The kick off time on the revised date has yet to be officially confirmed but will presumably be 1p.m.

NANTWICH SUPPORTERS’ CLUB

Nantwich MCFC Supporters’ Club is now up and running. Next meeting will be on Nov 9th at the Three Pigeons in Nantwich. Kick off 1945. All in the area are welcome to come along. For more info, ring Dave Welsh on 01270 629877 or e-mail me at the address below.

REDDISH CSA

The next gathering of the Reddish Branch (CSA) will be on Wednesday 10th November at their new home, The Ash Hotel, Manchester Road, Heaton Norris, Stockport at 8.00pm. Confirmed guests for the evening are Andy Morrison and ex-Blue Ian Mellor who is now working for the PFA. All Blues are more than welcome. For further details please e-mail the Branch at reddishblues@mccsa.freeserve.co.uk. On Saturday 27th November – Huddersfield home – we are staging a “Race Night” at The Ash Hotel with the first race at 8.00pm. Admission is free and all proceeds are going to the children’s Christmas Party. Once again everyone one is welcome.

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL PART I

Useless (but impressive) fact:

We have conceded the least number of league goals so far this season (8) in 15 games – better than any other team in Premiership, Div 1 and Div 2. Fellow northerners Rochdale are the only team with a better record (6) in 14 games from Div 3. Roll on Wednesday.

REASONS TO BE WORRIED PART I

As now seems certain, JR will receive the Div 1 October Manager of the Month award. Let’s hope it doesn’t attract the all too familiar reaction on the pitch for its recipients. I suppose being City fans, we automatically switch our minds to what can go wrong, instead of positive thoughts? However, for me the test will be how we react to a bad spell (it will happen some time during the season). Joe, please remember that it is when things are going well, that you build on this. Please move heaven and earth to find a striker who has the knack of consistently putting the ball in the back of the net. Maybe Lee Peacock is your answer?

REASONS TO BE WORRIED PART II

I agree with everyone’s comments about Weaver. What concerns me is the team’s form. To my reckoning Weaver has won the last three games for us. This is not Championship form. Your goalkeeper should help to win a few games per season, but it is fast becoming the Weaver v The Rest Show. One of two things could happen.

1. Nicky becomes too big for the club and a very good offer (Rags and the Arse are looking around) takes him away.
2. He has an ordinary period (which he is bound to do) and we lose games because of it.

We cannot afford to rely on Nicky saving us. We have to score more goals than the opposition is likely to score. I think (from his current moves) Joe has come to realise his deficiency. Let’s hope he makes the right moves (I’m confident he will). At the end of the day Weaver cannot win the 1st Division. He can help to get us close.

PROGRAMMES FROM THE GOOD OLD DAYS

I was just wondering if anybody was after Man City programmes from 67-79. This includes some of the Wembley appearances.

Drop me a line if you’re interested.

PROGRAMMES FROM THE NOT TOO BAD PRESENT DAYS

New facility now available on the bluenews web site.

Full size programme covers from all home games now available. These are accesed via the buttons on the home page and then clicking on the relevant programme thumbnail.

It’s self explanatory anyway.

Visit the website at http://members.xoom.com/bluenews/

EASY HAREIDE

Aage Hareide may not have made much impact as a player at Maine Road (1981-83) but he is doing better as a coach back home in Scandinavia. On Saturday, 30th October, his Helsingborg team clinched the Swedish championship, denying AIK a second successive win. However, he is not staying on but will move to Brondby in Denmark at the end of the year.

STEVE’S HOLIDAY IS TERMINATED

I bet you all thought you’d finally seen the last of those awful acronyms! Well I have some very bad news for you… sadly I haven’t given up or grown bored with it all (yet!), I’ve just been on holiday for a week, hence the absence of the last few. Which means unfortunately you’ll have to put up with me for a while longer. So without further ado here we go:

B oldly
L aunching
A nother
C ross,
K ennedy
B egan
U psetting
R overs'
N aive
R earguard.
(O ld
V eteran
E dghill
R eally
S cored?)

I mpressive
P oints
S ecured
W ith
I ncisive
C ross.
H orlock
T hundered
O ur
W inner
N icely.

P rovidential
O wn-goal
R educed
T ension.
V ery
A cceptable
L ucky
E qualiser?

I’D LIKE TO TEACH MY PHONE TO SING

Could anybody help me to get a City song for my Siemens c25? I’ve tried a few different ones myself but they don’t sound anything like City songs.

ANY OLD SHIRTS?

The idea of passing on old shirts to Third World countries has been taken up as a serious suggestion. “Jim” has offered to write a web page and I am charged with looking for a way to collect them and send them on (any help would be appreciated).

Would Mcvitee subscribers support this?

Your willingness (or otherwise) to support would give a gauge of whether it is worth pursuing.

WHY BLUE?

My parents saw City win the Cup in the 1930’s. I was never aware that they forced their views upon me, but it just didn’t occur to me to be anything other than a true Blue. Dad had a season ticket for the main stand and my earliest memories were of me waiting impatiently for his return on match days to find out the score.

He used to tell us, a family of 6 children, tales about his youth. He reckoned he played for a team called ‘Debdale Cinderpath Warriors’. The goalkeeper was called Dizzie, and the story goes that when the ball went one way, Dizzie would always be going the other way.

I think my first visit to Maine Road was made when I was about 11 or 12. After nagging my dad for weeks on end he allowed me to use his season ticket to go and watch City Reserves – the second best team in Manchester. They were playing Wolves. I can’t remember who won but one memory from that game remains with me. The stand was sparsely populated and my seat was only about 10 rows back from the touchline. The ball eventually came within reach of me. I picked it up to toss it back and I was amazed at the sheer size of it. It must have been at least 3 or 4 times larger than the ball I kicked around the local field with my mates.

I reckon I repaid my dad’s kindness some years later when he had me queueing up at the ground on a Sunday morning for FA Cup Semi Final tickets – I don’t think City were involved but Maine Road was to be the venue. After purchasing the allowed “… 2 tickets per person …” I would race round the ground to join the end of the queue again to buy 2 more. I went home with a fistful of tickets that day and my dad was very popular in his local (The Hanging Gate, Audenshaw) with an abundance of tickets for sale. He gave me one for my troubles and that was the first time (but not the last) that I would be part of a 75,000 crowd at Maine Road.

In those days (1950’s) I just couldn’t get enough of City. I would watch the ‘A’ team play at Hatters Park in Denton if the seniors didn’t have a game. For one year, I attended school at Ducie Avenue in Moss Side, and often I would walk to Maine Road at lunchtime just to look at the outside walls of the stadium and in the hope I might see one of the players entering or leaving the ground for training. It was on one of these trips that I scrounged an autograph from the legendary Frank Swift. I think this was after his retirement though because I never actually saw him play.

In 1961 I joined the navy and my opportunities for watching City became fewer. I got married and started a family, and, after leaving the navy, I just had enough time to introduce my son to the sheer joy (and sometimes the sheer frustration) of being a City supporter, before we migrated to a new life in Australia. I now have Australian born grandchildren who show a great deal of passion for the sport of Aussie Rules Football but who equally have a spot in their heart for City. They wear City shirts when out to play and I have promised them that one day I will take them to watch the mighty Blues. I believe they will hold me to that promise.

In conclusion, through the medium of this article, could I thank my nephew, Tony, for introducing us to McVittee, and for sending us a video of that amazing play-off final from Wembley. These have gone a long way to filling a void which absence from Manchester has caused.

WHY BLUE?

I got talking recently to a bloke in the pub about identity. It turned out he was Jewish but he didn’t much care for this aspect of himself. He said that just because he was born Jewish this didn’t make him a Jew. It’s about choices, he said, and he never chose to be Jewish. My reply was that I never chose to be a Manchester City fan, either.

In no particular order… I’m Jewish. I’m English. I’m a City fan. I like dub reggae. I don’t like tomatoes. I’ve got a big nose. I’m good at languages. I’ve always been useless at maths. I’m taking evening classes. At footie I’m skilful, but lack positional sense. I have a thing about women who wear glasses. I drink Boddington’s. I used to live and work abroad. Etcetera. Some aspects of my identity I have chosen; some I haven’t. Unlike the man in the pub, I personally love the fact that some of the things which go to make up who I am were passed down to me by my mum and dad and the generations before them. Dad’s a Blue. Manchester City FC hasn’t been in the family as long as, say, my religion (5,000-plus years!), but it’s a vital part of me.

It wasn’t always. I had a difficult phase when we moved from Manchester to Leeds. I was an impressionable seven-year-old, for heaven’s sake, and everyone around was wearing white, yellow and blue (I must sound like Michael Portillo, confessing a past I’m not proud of!). One day I got taken to a Leeds vs. City game. I don’t remember much about it, but it was the turning point. This was me, all of a sudden. Roots! My home town.

Nowadays, I live in Southeast London, just a seat’s throw from the New Den. In Peckham to be precise. The area is almost exclusively Millwall, but for the odd other London team here and there and the obligatory United shirts on some of the kids (I don’t like it either, but it’s an inevitable part of their success). I have to say I’ve had some really good chats about City with Millwall fans. What tends to come through is this idea of “well at least you’re not United.”

But just suspend reality for a second. Would it be so bad if you were a Red? The only answer, I think, is that you’re not. Life didn’t turn out that way.

Why Blue could just as easily be Why not Red? How many times have you spoken to people from abroad about where you’re from and heard: ‘Oh Manshestair… Manshestair United!’ or whatever. I’ve grown to really enjoy setting them straight and telling them all about the joys of being Blue. I tell them as well that for too long it’s been about adversity, that we’ll get there in the end, and boy will it taste sweet (It’s the unfortunate thing about being thirty two in 1999. It’s been mentioned before in these pages about how City fans in my age group have guilt complexes, that they blame themselves for jinxing the team. The facts certainly don’t look good. I first became aware of City’s existence around the time of Swales’ arrival).

Jewish ritual says that every day a man should thank Him for not making him a woman and that a woman should thank Him for not making her a man. Be honest, how many times have you woken up and thought to yourself ‘Isn’t it brilliant that I’m a Blue and not a Red?’ But why? Is it just about birthright, or is there something more?

I have a friend, whom I’m not going to ‘out’, whose family is from Newton Heath and was brought up as a Red. He regularly tells me how he wishes he was City. Not everyone is proud of their birthright. It’s like anyone. I like some bits of what I am, but certainly not all. I guess that’s the point about choice – you choose to embrace certain things and ignore others.

But to come back to the question, what’s so special about being a City fan? What, if anything, makes us different from other sets of fans? What distinguishes City from other football clubs? It’s hard to put your finger on it. There is no doubt that our fans are special. There is something wonderful about Maine Road. But wouldn’t any fan would say that about their fans and their ground? West Brom fans must love The Hawthorns; Wycombe fans must have a special relationship with Adams Park (although I know how I will remember that place!).

Ok, City fans really are different class. Sense of humour. Loyalty. And the club is liked by an unusually high number of fans of other teams. But that’s just my luck. I was born into it. It was meant to be. And I happen to think I’ve hit the bloody jackpot.

RESULTS

Saturday 30 October

Barnsley               1     Nottm Forest               0
Hignett 56
Attend: 14,727               Half-time: 0-0
Birmingham             1     Charlton                   0
Hughes 25
Attend: 19,172               Half-time: 1-0
Blackburn              0     QPR                        2
                             Wardley 40
                             Gallen 89
Attend: 17,491               Half-time: 0-1
Bolton                 2     Swindon                    0
Taylor 87
Hansen 88
Attend: 12,486               Half-time: 0-0
Fulham                 1     Norwich                    1
Symons 9                     Roberts 53
Attend: 13,552               Half-time: 1-0
Ipswich                2     Grimsby                    0
Clapham 36
Naylor 60
Attend: 16,617               Half-time: 1-0
Port Vale              1     Man City                   2
Foyle 40                     Snijders og 72
                             Granville 77
Attend: 10,250               Half-time: 1-0
Portsmouth             3     Crystal Palace             1
Claridge 43 73               Linighan 22
Bradbury 61
Attend: 13,018               Half-time: 1-1
Sheff Utd              0     Huddersfield               1
                             Dyson 51
Attend: 14,928               Half-time: 0-0
Stockport              1     Walsall                    1
Byrne 88                     Ricketts 71
Attend: 6,592                Half-time: 0-0
Tranmere               2     Crewe                      0
Hill 63
Allison 80
Attend: 5,987                Half-time: 0-0

Wednesday 27 October

Man City               1     Ipswich                    0
Horlock 58
Attend: 32,799               Half-time: 0-0
Nottm Forest           1     Bolton                     1
Harewood 32                  Gudjohnson 20
Attend: 15,572               Half-time: 1-1
QPR                    2     Birmingham                 2
Steiner 40                   Marcelo 74 , 76
Kiwomya 54
Attend: 11,196               Half-time: 1-0

Tuesday 26 October

Charlton               3     Tranmere                   2
Brown 47                     Roberts 37
Robinson 67                  Parkinson 38
Rufus 80
Attend: 19,491               Half-time: 0-2
Crewe                  1     Fulham                     1
Little 45                    Coleman 10
Attend: 5,493                Half-time: 1-1
Crystal Palace         0     West Brom                  2
                             Hughes 32
                             Maresca 35
Attend: 12,203               Half-time: 0-2
Grimsby                1     Portsmouth                 0
Awford 24
Attend: 5,912                Half-time: 1-0
Huddersfield           2     Barnsley                   1
Wijnhard 13                  Sheron 19
Baldry 89
Attend: 15,764               Half-time: 1-1
Norwich                2     Stockport                  0
Flynn 42
Roberts 89
Attend: 16,880               Half-time: 1-0
Swindon                2     Port Vale                  1
Onuora 1                     Rougier 22
Grazioli 89
Attend: 5,703                Half-time: 1-1
Walsall                1     Blackburn                  1
Ricketts 85                  Carsley pen 28
Attend: 6,484                Half-time: 0-1
Wolverhampton          1     Sheff Utd                  0
Emblen 89
Attend: 24,402               Half-time: 0-0

Sunday 24 October

Norwich                2     Bolton                     1
Russell 50 82                Gardner 74
Attend: 12,468               Half-time: 0-0

                              Home           Away                Goal
         Team          P  W D L   F  A  W  D L  F   A  Pts       Diff
 Man City             15  6 0 1  14  3  4  2 2  7   5   32         13
 Ipswich              14  6 0 2  19  10 2  2 2  9   7   26         11
 Charlton             13  6 1 0  14  4  2  1 3  9  10   26         9
 Birmingham           16  5 2 1  17  7  2  3 3  8  10   26         8
 Huddersfield         15  5 2 0  20  8  2  2 4  6  10   25         8
 Fulham               14  4 2 1   8  3  2  5 0  9   6   25         8
 Barnsley             15  6 0 2  20  8  2  1 4  8  17   25         3
 QPR                  14  3 4 0  11  7  3  1 3  9   7   23         6
 Stockport            15  4 3 0  11  6  2  2 4  6  13   23        -2
 Wolverhampton        14  2 3 2   7  7  3  3 1  7   7   21         0
 Bolton               15  4 3 1  15  11 1  2 4  7   7   20         4
 Norwich              15  4 0 3   8  7  1  5 2  7   8   20         0
 Portsmouth           14  4 2 2  14  7  1  2 3  5  14   19        -2
 Grimsby              15  4 2 1   7  4  1  2 5  8  16   19        -5
 Nottm Forest         15  3 4 0  13  6  1  2 5  7  11   18         3
 West Brom            13  0 5 2   4  6  3  3 0  8   4   17         2
 Tranmere             16  3 3 2  12  12 1  1 6  8  15   16        -7
 Sheff Utd            15  3 3 2  12  8  1  1 5  6  17   16        -7
 Blackburn            14  2 3 2   7  6  1  3 3  8  10   15        -1
 Crystal Palace       15  2 3 2  12  8  1  2 5  8  20   14        -8
 Walsall              16  1 3 4   6  11 2  2 4  7  15   14       -13
 Crewe                14  2 2 2   5  6  1  2 5  10 18   13        -9
 Swindon              16  2 3 3   9  15 1  1 6  3  10   13       -13
 Port Vale            16  3 0 5   8  10 0  3 5  10 16   12        -8

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MCIVTA ADDRESSES:
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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.

Martin Freeman, martinf@mancity.net

Editor: