Newsletter #749

Oh dear. The drawbridge came down at Fortress Maine Road on Saturday when Wimbledon demolished us 4-0. Maybe it was the lone magpie I spotted on the way in, maybe it was the tactics. Whatever, it wasn’t a pleasant game to watch and those of you far-flung Blues have got away lightly. Never mind, we’ve 10 days of respite although to cap it all we are now without Wanchope for 6 weeks due to injury.

Tonight’s issue contains no match report unfortunately but does have Ken’s diary (how does he do it?), some interesting opinion and a few requests.

CITY DIARY: 1 to 7 OCTOBER

1st October:
Wayne Biggins scored the first of his ten goals for City in the 1-0 home win vs. Blackburn in 1988.
In 1938 Les McDowell, later manager of the ’56 Cup winning side, scored twice in a 5-3 defeat at home to Fulham.

2nd October:
Neil Young scored the only goal at Southampton in Division Two in 1965, on the way to the division championship. Denis Tueart, Asa Hartford, and Gary Owen shared the goals as West Ham were beaten 4-2 in Manchester in 1976. Ian Bishop scored twice in the 2-1 win over Port Vale in 1999, his first goals since his return to City; and in 1937 someone named Clayton scored at Arsenal (City lost 2-1), his second goal in just three appearances for the Blues. But this date is most memorable for the wrong reasons: City’s exit from the European Cup, losing 2-1 to Fenerbahce in Istanbul in 1968, ending Malcolm Allison’s famous threat to “terrify Europe” (he later said he’d meant the year after). Drawing 0-0 from the first leg in Manchester, City went 1-0 up through Tony Coleman and then surrendered two goals in the second half. One was scored by the Turks’ substitute, a lad called Abdullah who came on and scored with his first kick (a few years later I was in Istanbul and took one of those shared taxi/minibus things that dash suicidally around the country; the driver had a Fenerbahce pennant dangling from the mirror and he said his name was Abdullah – dark haired bloke, kind of swarthy complexion, thick moustache – the same guy, surely).

3rd October:
Paul Stewart and Imre Varadi got two each, 4-2 vs. Leicester in 1987. City were beaten 4-1 at Brighton in 1981, Kevin Reeves scoring. They defeated Rotherham 2-1 at home in 1964, with Derek Kevan getting the winner. And they were put out of the League Cup at Bury, 2-0, on this date in 1972, and were close to the bottom of Division One at the same time.

4th October:
City 4 U****d 1 in 1930, two goals apiece from Tait and Marshall. It was U****d’s ninth straight defeat of the season and they were relegated at the end of it, City doing the double over them in February. In 1890 City (Ardwick F.C.) beat Liverpool Stanley 12-0 in the 1st qualifying round of the F.A. Cup. In 1900 City played a friendly, winning 4-3, against a team called “Kaffirs”. Who they were is a bit of a mystery. They would hardly have been a touring South African team, not with the Boer War going on; most likely they were ex-soldiers who’d done a tour of duty out at the Cape and come back to England. 1975 saw City win 3-2 at Highbury on goals from Joe Royle, Asa Hartford and Rodney Marsh. In 1977 City went to Coventry. The young (and now late) Les Sealey was in goal for the home team and Joe Royle headed past him to put City in front in the first few minutes. At 1-1 Joe Corrigan punted the ball upfield and Peter Barnes made it 2-1. Coventry scored twice in five minutes in the second half, and City then threw everything at them with Peter Barnes having one of his best games and just missing after a solo run and shot. In the last seconds Tommy Hutchinson, for Coventry, centred and their big striker made it 4-2 right on the final whistle.

5th October:
It’s Willie Donachie’s birthday – 1951. City 3 U****d 1 in 1929, goals from Marshall, Tommy Johnson, and Brook. City lost 2-0 to Fleetwood Rangers in 1892 in a FA Cup qualifier. They lost 4-0 vs. Birmingham in 1957, the only game in which they failed to score in a season which saw them score 100 goals in the league. Peter Swales became MCFC Chairman on this day in 1973. And in 1968 at Everton City played for the first time in the red and black stripes chosen by Malcolm Allison, though not to everyone’s approval at the time.

6th October:
It’s Niall Quinn’s birthday (1966) and in 1990 he scored on this day in a 2-0 win against Coventry. Ivor Broadis, record £25,000 signing from Sunderland, played his first game fifty years ago today, and City won 2-1 at Spurs. In 1954 City played a friendly with Aberdeen, winning 4-3. In 1956 City lost 7-3 at Arsenal. In 1962 City beat Leyton Orient 2-0, Alex Harley scoring and Harry Dowd keeping his first clean sheet in his third game – he’d conceded ten goals in his first two matches the previous season. On the same day City reserves were beaten 5-1 by Burnley Reserves in the Central League in front of a crowd of about 5,000. Programmes of the time advertised “excellent careers in mining”, car washes for three shillings, and return train excursions to London for 48 shillings and sixpence. Steve Kinsey scored the winner, 1-0 home to Oxford in 1984. And on 6 October 1987 City won 2-0 at Wolves in the League Cup; it was their first away win in any competition since January of 1986.

7 October:
City beat Burslem Port Vale 8-1 in 1893. Steve Coppell arrived as manager at Maine Road on this day in 1996. George Smith scored a hat-trick at Doncaster in 1950, but City lost 4-3 in their first defeat of the season (Division Two). They lost 1-0 at Sunderland in 1967, the championship season. And in 1961 Glyn Pardoe (2) and Neil Young scored in the 3-2 win at Barnsley in the F.A. Youth Cup.

OPINION: WHAT’S GOING ON?

Well, I know KK said it would be a rollercoaster ride but this takes the biscuit!

I know neither Sheff Wed and Walsall are promotion material, and thanks for the results lads, but I doubt whether the Dons are either. Three times this season City have conceded 4 goals in a game.

I’d like to blame the 3-5-2 formation currently deployed but that would be too easy. Surely the idea is that when you’re up against it you get the benefit of a 5 man defence, and when you’re on top (as demonstrated by City) you get an extra attacking body in midfield. So sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t – but when it doesn’t it does appear to go so badly wrong.

So, what is going on? Aren’t the wide men defending? Has the entire defence forgotten what to do? Have opponents sussed us our weaknesses? Or is it all down to individual error?

Anyone got any ideas?

OPINION: STOP THE ROLLERCOASTER – I WANT TO GET OFF

Somebody said they’d rather see a 4-3 every week than a 1-0. Well count me out. This 5-3-2 stuff is doing my head in. I took great pleasure in our performances at Leeds, Liverpool and Old Trafford last season where we employed a 4-5-1 formation. Now we let in four against West Brom, Coventry and Wimbledon.

As I see it rollercoasters are great fun because of the highs and lows and not knowing what’s coming next. However, after a few rides you begin to know what to expect and the fun goes out of it. In fact we now know that any team with a manager who has the nouse and players who have the organisation will take us to the cleaners by closing us down and denying us time and space. If they don’t we give them a stuffing.

The key to this lies in midfield. You cannot control a game with three midfielders unless they are exceptional all-rounders, running, tackling and passing all over the shop. Admittedly you ain’t going to score too many goals with five in midfield especially at home and that was our undoing last season. Whilst we looked competent away, our lack of firepower and creativity at home was our downfall (we have already won as many games at home this season as all of last year).

So you need flexibility. Pick a team and play a style to win the match in question. I like 4-4-2 particularly if the two wide midfielders get forward a lot. But I can see that against a perennial counter-attacking bogey team like Wolves we should try 4-5-1 and give them a taste of their own medicine. Kevin says he is going to stick with wing backs and he thinks the players are beginning to adapt. But after the 0-4 drubbing against The Dons it must surely be time for a rethink.

Ten games in is a good time to reflect. This time last term we had just won at Southampton and were sitting pretty in tenth place in the Premier League having won four, drawn two and lost four. I thought the performance at The Dell was very pleasing as we controlled the game and scored two very good goals; not many sides won at The Dell and The Saints are the side you must finish above if you want to stay up. Richard Dunne had made his début in an unfamiliar right back rôle due to an injury crisis in that department but had looked comfortable; Dickov and Tiatto had scored accomplished goals as City showed speed on the break. Yet, bizarrely, Joe complained in the post-match interview that we had not performed well enough and if we didn’t improve before the next game we’d get beat.

Joe had tried to sign both Laurent Charvet and Dunne before the Saints game but was unable to secure the signature of the former until the following mid-week. He seemed to feel obliged to give him his début and left out Dunne despite his competent showing on his début. This for me was the turning point in the season; we lost six in a row and only won another four games all season. Joe persisted with Charvet for weeks when he was clearly unable to fulfil the rôle of getting forward down the right as he was caught out of position in game after game and his crossing was woeful as the crowd got on his back and destroyed his confidence. This is not an attempt to blame Laurent for our demise (I don’t believe players deliberately play badly and the prats that boo their own players should be ashamed of themselves) but merely an attempt to illustrate that things can go awry when managers get a fixed notion in their head and become inflexible (Joe later experimented with three central defenders, which was catastrophic e.g. at home to Ipswich, before trying Dunne at right back in a back four at the end of January after stating that he’d noticed we hadn’t kept a clean sheet away since the Southampton game).

I believe Kevin is now at a similar crossroads ten games into this season. The lack of control in midfield was exacerbated by the absence of Wanchope against Wimbledon as The Goat became the target man and lost his freedom to roam. We were unable to sustain any attacks in the heart of their territory and they hit us on the break with our under-resourced and overworked midfield unable to thwart them just as at Coventry where the home team had zipped from one end to the other at lightning speed. I would not be surprised if Keegan didn’t take this opportunity to press for funds for the sixth striker he has said he would like.

As for the midfield he will now be looking forward to pairing Berkovic and Benarbia (of course this relies on Eyal coming through Israel’s crucial World Cup Qualifier without further damage to his hamstring). However, I can’t see this coming off without at least four players in midfield. If he persists with 5-3-2 and these two make up two of the three midfielders then we won’t just be playing first to four wins, we’ll be dicing with disaster.

At the back he faces a dilemma if he relinquishes the fifth defender: does he leave out Granville and play the ageing Pearce at left back; does he go without the bravery and experience of the skipper; does he keep Stuart as one of two central defenders and stick with Dunne at right back; and where does Mettomo fit in?

Glad I’m not in charge but that’s what managing is all about. All I ask is that Kevin stays flexible and treats each game on its merits. I’m sure he’ll retain everyone’s support if we trade a few goals for a greater element of control. Even the odd draw might provide a calming anasthetic.

OPINION: METTOMO, MONEY AND MAVERICKS

The other day I bumped into a French friend I hadn’t seen in a while. He said ‘You b@st@rds! You’ve stolen our best player.’ ‘Ah, you must be talking about Mettomo,’ I said, as I remembered my friend was a St Etienne fan. He explained: ‘Two seasons ago Mettomo was by far our best player. An absolute class act. Last season he got into a dispute with the club about wages and bonuses and so on. And not without reason, by all accounts – it seemed he hadn’t been rewarded for his brilliant performances and other players at the club were on much more. When all this got sorted out, some way into the season, he got injured. Without him we were useless and got relegated. This season, with Mettomo unsettled, we’ve won only one game in nine and we’re fifth from bottom of the Second Division. Life is not good. And as for the transfer fee, what a ridiculous bargain!’

My friend reckoned that the bloke was on a paltry (in football terms) 5,000 quid a month at St Etienne. Which, as a regular international playing in Western Europe, is pretty bad.

We went on to talk about Benarbia. ‘With every club he has ever been at, he has had a dispute about something or other and usually money is in there somewhere. What a wonderful player, certainly, his vision, his touch, etc, but it always ends in tears.’ I suggested that judging by Mettomo’s salary hassles in France, Benarbia should be quite happy with the money he’s getting at City. My mate agreed, saying that money was the absolute sole motivating factor behind Benarbia’s move to England. He also said that Benarbia was a maverick talent, who wasn’t appreciated at PSG. Keegan’ll get the best out of him, I said, as he did with Ginola. He’s used to managing flair players. Or he at least doesn’t have a problem with them, as some managers do.

This conversation left me feeling reasonably upbeat: we’ve got two outstanding talents and money shouldn’t be an issue.

Allez les Bleus!

OPINION: PLAYERS

1. Interesting to read Jon Reese’s comments re the reserves’ game – and how well Cooke was playing. What a pity no Man City manager can think of a way of harnessing this guy’s talent.

2. Believe it or not, when we were in the Second Division I wrote to JR and suggested he send his scouts to look at David Connolly. I’d gone with a mate of mine (Wolves supporter) to watch Bristol City vs. Wolves (we live in Bristol). On that day Robbie Keane was injured so Connolly deputised. Wolves won 6-1 with Connelly scoring 4 goals before he was substituted. Connelly had also scored against our reserves. At the time we lacked a ‘cutting edge’ (remember that phrase before the Goat got it together?). JR promised to have him looked at – but he went back to Feyernoord, Keane went to Coventry (after scoring against us) and the rest, is, well history. I noticed Connolly had gone to Wimbledon on a free and it doesn’t surprise me to see him scoring goals. All I can say is that I’m pleased that I and my mate couldn’t make this game – one trip up from a Bristol a week is enough. I think we selected the correct one (vs. Walsall).

OPINION: PATTERN EMERGING?

Has anyone else noticed that City seem to have developed a pattern of win, win, lose, which started in the pre-season friendlies. The only little deviation being the friendly against Scunthorpe that was a draw instead of a win. This statistic includes all games played not just league games.

If this continues we will average 2 points a match, enough for promotion?

OPINION: WEAVER’S EARLY EXITS I

Following Scott Moore’s article last week about Weaver being spied at 5.20 PM outside Hillsborough smoking a tab, I can also offer my evidence – when we beat Forest 3-1 away in 99/2000, we left the ground and started walking back to the car, which was parked about ten minutes walk away from the end where we were sat. About five minutes into the walk we spotted Weaver pegging it down the road with what looked like his boots bag in one hand, kit bag over his shoulder, with his hair soaking wet.

Also, having broken my leg last year, I have had to have physio ever since; luckily my physio is a huge Blue, we always have a good laugh. Anyway, he went to the 4-2 FA Cup defeat at Anfield (where Weaver conceded 2 penalties due to flooring people). He left straight after the game, and had a pretty clear run back up to Cheadle, and more specifically the George & Dragon. Upon entering the boozer, guess who has made it back before him and is taking the top off a pint of lager?

This is weird, maybe Mulder and (Tony) Scully should be called in. What does he do, get Willie Donachie to hose him down for 30 seconds in the players’ tunnel before buggering off? And what does he drive, one of those cars that was in Men in Black? Any more Weaver ‘early bath’ sightings appreciated!

OPINION: WEAVER’S EARLY EXITS II

I read with interest Scott Moore’s article regarding Weaver at Pizza Hut in Sheffield; I believe this may well be true. However, anyone who goes in Platt Lane before each home game will be familiar with the sight of Weaver queuing at the bar at 2.15. Nicky’s brother is an absolute dead ringer and yes he does smoke.

OPINION: GOATS DO ROAM I

Re, the item from Dave Cash in MCIVTA 748, about the wine he bought, called Goats-do-Roam. I want to buy some of this wine – Dave, you never told us where you got it from, so please write back and tell us [read on Jeff, another subscriber tells all – Ed].

Also, just a reminder to all those Blues who haven’t yet watched “There’s only one Jimmy Grimble” – do so, it’s a much watch, if you’re a Blue! My local video shop in Norwich has just got it in (not that there’s too many Blues round here), and if it’s here it must be everywhere, I reckon.

OPINION: GOATS DO ROAM II

The wine mentioned in the last newsletter is produced by Fairview Wines in Stellenbosche, South Africa.

It gets its name on a pun on the French wine and because the Winery has a goats tower in its grounds. We went to see this (and drink a bit of plonk) earlier this year. It is an amazing building; the goats walk up the path which winds its way up and around the outside. We just sat there waiting for a goat to fall off as they passed each other. But they never did.

Check out the tower on http://www.fairview.co.za/ and the wine is available at Tesco.

BLUE HUMOUR (OR BECKHAM BALLS)

Some pearls of wisdom from Stretford’s most successful lobotomy patient.

Interviewer: ‘Would it be fair to describe you as a volatile player?’
David Beckham: ‘Well, I can play in the centre, on the right and occasionally on the left side.’

‘My parents have been there for me, ever since I was about 7.’

‘Alex Ferguson is the best manager I’ve ever had at this level. Well, he’s the only manager I’ve actually had at this level. But he’s the best manager I’ve ever had.’

‘I definitely want Brooklyn to be christened, but I don’t know into what religion yet.’

REQUEST: 5-A-SIDE BLUES ON NATIONAL DUTY

As many of you will be aware, I do quite a bit of work for the FSA when my other team, England, are playing. As such we have 5-a-side tournaments at each of the international games between England supporters and the opposing team.

This Friday 5th October, 6pm-9pm sees such a tournament taking place in Manchester in front of GMEX. We need local players, ideally a Blue team or two to enter against the inevitable Reds and the motley crew from assorted north-west teams.

If anyone is interested in playing (kit provided, refreshments and guaranteed laugh), or indeed coming along to watch in front of national and local media then please contact me so I can confirm arrangements.

REQUEST: GLASGOW BLUES

I am moving to Glasgow to do a master’s degree, and wondering if there are any City fans in the area. I am a season ticket holder and travel down for most home games. If there are any please contact me with regards socialising and travel. Thanks.

REQUEST: PALACE TICKETS

I live in South Africa, have supported City for 30 years and have never seen them play live.

I see they are playing Crystal Palace (away) 8.12.2001. I will be in London (depending on flights) that week and wish to see the game.

The question is how does one go about getting a ticket to someone who lives at the most southern tip of Africa?

Please advise. Thanks a ton.

REQUEST: MATCH DAY WEB BROADCAST

Fellow Blues,

Would anyone care to join me in presenting the Club as well as Planet Football with a request to improve the quality of the matchday webcast?

For many of us this is our only way of receiving a live action broadcast on our beloved team. If anyone has ever listened in to the webcast you must have noticed how bad it is. The commentary is barely understandable and is actually made worse by Gary Owen’s wonderfully enthusiastic but loud and even less understandable interjections. To quote from BV – “sounds like they’re on a satellite phone in a biscuit tin in Afghanistan.”

I’ve listened in to webcasts from other clubs and they’re like listening to my local radio station. The club are paying Planet for this service and, frankly, are getting ripped off. I wonder if they’re even aware of the situation?

If anyone else would like action on this issue feel free to email your comments to me and I will present them to the club or the ISC, or whatever we all agree on, on a concerted basis.

Best wishes to all.

REQUEST: NEIL YOUNG TRIBUTE DINNER

The Neil Young Tribute Committee are pleased to announce that we are now taking bookings for the Gala Tribute Dinner to be held on 24th November at Piccadilly Hotel, Portland Street, Manchester.

A four course dinner will be followed by guest speakers, an auction of exclusive football memorabilia and then dancing until small hours courtesy of the brilliant Dave John B combo. We will be holding raffles and other fund raising events throughout the evening to benefit Neil’s tribute fund. All profits from the evening will go to Neil.

All this can be yours for the ticket price of £50 per person. A non-refundable deposit of £10 p.p. is required with your order and full payment is to be made four weeks before the event. Booking forms are available form us at the address below. We would also welcome any companies that wish to sponsor the event. For details please e-mail again to the address at the bottom of this article.

We hope that all Blues will support the event for one of City’s true living legends.

REQUEST: TEXT ALERTS FOR CITY GOALS

Can anyone recommend the best value scores alert that is compatible with the BT Cellnet network (using a Samsung phone)? I basically just want a goal alert text whenever a goal goes in at City matches… although could work out quite pricey this season!

RESULTS

Recent results from 28 September 2001 to 30 September 2001 inclusive.

30 September 2001

Watford               1 - 1  Preston North End     18,911

29 September 2001

Bradford City         3 - 2  Grimsby Town          13,778
Crewe Alexandra       0 - 0  Birmingham City        7,314
Crystal Palace        4 - 1  Sheffield Wednesday   17,066
Gillingham            1 - 2  Coventry City          9,435
Manchester City       0 - 4  Wimbledon             32,989
Nottingham Forest     2 - 1  Stockport County      17,580
Rotherham United      0 - 3  Wolverhampton Wndrs    8,298
Sheffield United      2 - 1  Norwich City          15,523
Walsall               0 - 0  Millwall               6,289
West Bromwich Albion  1 - 0  Burnley               21,442

28 September 2001

Barnsley              1 - 4  Portsmouth            11,660

League table to 30 September 2001 inclusive.

                             HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  GD Pts
 1 Wolves          10  2  2  0  6  4  5  1  0 14  5  7  3  0 20  9  11  24
 2 Burnley         11  3  1  1 16 11  4  0  2 11  7  7  1  3 27 18   9  22
 3 West Brom A.    10  4  0  2  8  2  2  1  1  6  5  6  1  3 14  7   7  19
 4 Norwich City    10  5  0  0 10  2  1  1  3  3 11  6  1  3 13 13   0  19
 5 Crystal Palace   9  4  0  1 15  5  2  0  2 10 11  6  0  3 25 16   9  18
 6 Manchester City 10  4  0  1 14  6  2  0  3 13 14  6  0  4 27 20   7  18
 7 Portsmouth      11  3  0  2 11  8  2  3  1 10  8  5  3  3 21 16   5  18
 8 Bradford City   10  4  0  2 18 11  1  2  1  4  4  5  2  3 22 15   7  17
 9 Coventry City   10  2  1  2  6  5  3  1  1  7  4  5  2  3 13  9   4  17
10 Wimbledon       11  1  3  1  9  8  3  1  2 12  7  4  4  3 21 15   6  16
11 Nottm Forest    10  4  1  0 10  4  0  2  3  1  4  4  3  3 11  8   3  15
12 Grimsby Town    11  2  2  1  5  4  2  1  3  9 15  4  3  4 14 19  -5  15
13 Millwall        10  3  0  1  9  3  1  2  3  5  9  4  2  4 14 12   2  14
14 Birmingham City 10  3  0  2 10  5  1  2  2  6 10  4  2  4 16 15   1  14
15 Gillingham      10  3  0  2 13  6  1  1  3  4  9  4  1  5 17 15   2  13
16 Preston N.E.    10  2  2  1  8  4  1  2  2  4 10  3  4  3 12 14  -2  13
17 Watford         10  3  2  1 13  9  0  0  4  1  8  3  2  5 14 17  -3  11
18 Sheff. United   10  1  3  2  7  9  1  2  1  4  5  2  5  3 11 14  -3  11
19 Crewe Alex.     10  3  1  2  4  7  0  1  3  5 11  3  2  5  9 18  -9  11
20 Barnsley        11  2  3  1  9  9  0  0  5  1 12  2  3  6 10 21 -11   9
21 Sheff. Wed.     10  0  2  2  4 10  1  2  3  5 10  1  4  5  9 20 -11   7
22 Stockport C.    10  0  1  3  4  8  1  2  3 11 14  1  3  6 15 22  -7   6
23 Walsall         10  1  2  2  3  6  0  1  4  5 13  1  3  6  8 19 -11   6
24 Rotherham Utd.  10  0  3  2  5  9  0  1  4  4 11  0  4  6  9 20 -11   4

MCIVTA FAQ [v1.5]

[0] MCIVTA Addresses

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

 News/rumour (Michael Leafield) : mplctid@aol.com

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

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

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

[1] MCIVTA Deadlines

Deadlines for issues are nominally Monday and Thursday evenings.

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

http://www.uit.no/mancity/ is the unofficial Manchester City Supporters’ home page. Created in 1994, it is the longest running of the Manchester City related web sites. Back issues of MCIVTA are also hosted on the site.

[3] Club Web Site

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

[4] Supporters’ Clubs

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

[5] 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] City of Manchester Stadium Progress/Web Cam

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

[7] Match Day Broadcasts

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

[8] 01/02 Season Match Day Theme Tune

The music the teams run out to at Maine Road this season is “Nightmare”, by Brainbug, and is available on the Positiva label.

[9] Acknowledgements

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

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, heidi@mcivta.freeserve.co.uk

Editor: