Newsletter #1129

Views tonight, and confirmation from the FA, on the European place system. Rumours abounded over the weekend that Newcastle were in for SWP with a laughable bid, and Chelsea are also said to be lining up a bid.

We also have more memories, and requests – anyone who can help referee the fans’ games this weekend?

OPINION: UEFA PLACES

And so, Liverpool have been given a place in the Champions’ league next season. Quite rightly so, in my opinion. How ridiculous that the Champions of Europe have to relinquish their crown without the chance to defend it.

But City don’t get a place in Europe. How ridiculous again. What about the FA Cup Winners’ place?

Cup finalists Arsenal and ‘Them’ had both already qualified for the Champions’ League so shouldn’t that UEFA Cup place have moved down the table?

We will only have two teams competing in the UEFA Cup next season when we normally have 4!

Anyway, I contacted the FA and this is what they had to say:

England is entitled to three places in the UEFA Cup: one for the fifth-placed team in the Premiership, one for The FA Cup, and one for the League Cup. If the winners of The FA Cup have qualified for Europe by other means, then the runners-up take their UEFA Cup place. If this team has also already qualified, then the UEFA Cup place goes to the next-placed team in the Premiership.

If the winners of the League Cup have qualified for Europe by other means, then the runners-up do not take their UEFA Cup place. The UEFA Cup place goes to the next-placed team in the Premiership.

With both FA Cup finalists Manchester United and Arsenal qualifying for the UEFA Champions’ League and League Cup winners Chelsea also having done so, the UEFA Cup places goes to the next placed teams in the Premiership. The 6th & 7th placed teams in the 2004/05 Premiership campaign were Bolton Wanderers FC and Middlesbrough FC.

OPINION: SWEEP SUMS AND RUMOURS I

Oh what the Guardian has been reporting that Newcastle has made an offer for SWP: six million pounds plus Robert and Craig Bellamy. Ouch!

I think first of all we do not need Robert because we already have better in Kiki and Lee Croft. Craig Bellamy has not been handled well by bully Souness, who has never been a players’ manager and never will.

Craig Bellamy (who can be handled by a modern manager Stuart Pearce): Yes
Craig Bellamy plus £15 million.

OPINION: SWEEP SUMS AND RUMOURS II

Latest news on Sky: Newcastle United offer Man City £6 million plus Robert and Bellamy.

Let’s do the sums on this:

Cash offered                     £6,000,000
Saleable Value of Robert        -£1,000,000
Saleable Value of Bellamy       -£2,000,000
Total Offer for SWP              £3,000,000

Someone up in the North East is consuming mind altering substances, might I suggest. They could have had McManaman for les than that.

Newcastle don’t know how to handle Robert and they just plain don’t want Bellamy because he’s more trouble than he’s worth.

Try again Newcastle. The asking price starts at £30,000,000. If you ain’t got it, you ain’t getting him.

OPINION: WELL DONE OSC

Congratulations to all at the OSC and Club for organising a fantastic evening the last Friday of the season in the Citizens’ Suite down at COMS. Over 240 attended for a great dinner and evening’s entertainment, with numerous City legends and Club officials. The OSC has worked very hard this year with their fund-raising and events, and handed over cheques on the night for £3,000 to reserve team travel, £3,000 to The Academy and £500 to both City in the Community and The Former Players’ Association. This brings the season’s total to a staggering £21,000 (6,000 reserve team, 7,000 Academy, 2,000 One Life banner, 5,000 City Experience, 500 CITC and 500 Former Players) raised and donated by members of the OSC.

Well done to everyone!

OPINION: GILLINGHAM MEMORIES

I was stuck on a 40 foot boat in the middle of the North Atlantic (The Big Blue) about 6 miles north-west of Bermuda, with the Deputy Governor of Bermuda (a big Blue).

Nothing to keep us informed, other than a very poor radio cassette player with intermittent reception to the BBC World Service.

The few words I did hear were:

“Dickov again…” and I do remember a “Can you believe it?” or two!

Penalties are tough enough when you get to watch them. They really are quiet painful when you only hear every third one!

Torture!

OPINION: MILLS APOLOGY

As much as it pains me to write this, I must convey my apologies to the authors who stated that Danny Mills ran down the tunnel immediately after the full time whistle at full-time at Villa Park. When I said that I remembered Danny lobbing a ball into the City contingent, it was at Blackburn (A), not Villa. Please note that I have been suitably admonished by my co-attendee at the said match, but I would like to reiterate the fact that Danny did place the said ball into the said contingent at no cost to the (hopefully) grateful recipient.

That said, my motives were to illustrate a more genial side to a player that has not always enjoyed the full support of a certain section of fans, but I feel my comments were valid insofar as proving what a great football donator after the match Mr Mills was. Please note that as penance for my inaccuracy I have applied to MCFC for future away tickets for the supporters’ section i.e. along with my fellow Citizens who want to get behind anyone that Stuart Pearce deems fit to wear a blue (or suitable alternative) colour.

OPINION: JOBS FOR THE BOYS?

Further to Keith Sharp’s suggestion in MCIVTA 1128 about us finding a job for Bobby Charlton, maybe this isn’t such a bad idea?

With Charlton’s reputation – surely he’d be the answer to all our ticket office problems?

And I’m sure he’d love to quit the Salford Quay Buccaneers.

OPINION: SING FOR CITY

Just taken a call from Perry Hughes re this MCFC album that’s being produced. No cheesiness (I’m told), Arsenal and Chelsea have got one on the go (including something by Oakenfold), so Sanctuary Records are doing it for us.

Have a look at the link and contact Perry the 2nd direct if you want to get involved. Oh and we can’t let the enemy beat us now can we? So pull your fingers out.

http://www.mcfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=284370&Title=Fancy+singing+the+Blues?

REQUEST: REFEREE NEEDED FOR FANS

There is a 5-a-side football competition taking place at the Platt Lane Complex this coming Saturday, 18th June. There are 24 teams of City supporters taking part.

We are one referee short to ensure the smooth running of the competition. If there are any qualified referees (any level) amongst McV readers who would like to help on the day, would they please contact me ASAP? There is a 25 pound cash fee for each of the 8 referees. There is a buffet and presentation of trophies in the Oasis Suite following the football and we are being joined on the day by Colin Bell and Andy Hinchcliffe.

The football commences at 10:00am and ends at approximately 2:00pm.

I can be contacted on my home telelephone no 0161-281-7517 or by return of email.

REQUEST: THAILAND GAMES

I am currently on a round the world trip with my girlfriend (who has been converted to the cause) and coincidently we are supposed to arrive in Bangkok on July 19th (allegedly one day before City’s first game). My girlfriend is convinced that I had some sort of knowledge about the pre-season tour, but I told her that nobody could predict anything to do with City, let alone where a pre-season tour is going to take place. Could easily have been Southport or Skegness.

Anyway the point is, does anyone have any idea of the exact dates for the games and ticket info and if there is anywhere that City fans will be meeting up before the games? Are there any City fans already based in Bangkok?

Finally a thank you to Ken and Jen in New York for introducing me to MCIVTA those many years ago when I first moved to New York. Cheers.

I will be back sometime next year. I think.

Thanks a lot.

MCIVTA FAQ [v0405.02]

[1] 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

[2] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?

Deadlines for issues are nominally 6pm, Monday and Thursday evenings bu email. Unfortunately we cannot accept email attachments.

[3] 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.

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

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

[5] 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).

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

The Fans’ Committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. The Fans’ Committee has been relaunched as “Points of Blue”. It has appeared on the club website as a minor entry under “Fans Zone”.

[7] 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/.

[8] 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/.

[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/.

[13] Where can I find a list of City-related websites?

Try Wookie’s Lair: http://www.wookieslair.com/modules.php?name=Web_Links

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: