Newsletter #1181

Once again we showed our generosity to WBA as we failed to impress and gave them a 2-0 win. Disappointment all round, from the lack of scoring ability to the cards amassed and dismissal of Cole. Quote of the weekend to Pearce though…

Tonight we have opinion on the game, oodles of requests and another special MCIVTA competition.

MCIVTA COMPETITION

Are you looking for the ultimate gift for yourself this Christmas? Well how about joining the MCIVTA Christmas Quiz where you can win the newly published “Manchester City the Album”, containing such milestone appearances as “Helen, Helen, Ring Your Bell”, “The Invisible Man“, “Hello, Hello (We Are The City Boys)” and obviously “Blue Moon”, which is present in no less than three different versions. The Album is further spiced up with commentary of goals and is led vocally by the immaculate Jon Christos.

Participating is as usual completely free and to enter the competition just sharpen your pencil and proceed to the quiz-page:

http://www.uit.no/mancity/quiz/

The deadline for the first three questions is set to Thursday December 15th. The questions will also be posted in the upcoming issue of the MCIVTA.

Q 1: Which notorious goalscorer and former City player was nicknamed “Nellie”?
Q 2: Former City hero Uwe Rösler won the battle against cancer and returned to football to manage which club?
Q 3: Many players have moved between the two Manchester clubs. We even had a former United player as Manager not so long ago. But can you name a City manager that has also managed the Dark Side (ManU)?

The CD has been kindly donated by Quite Great Publicity of Cambridge.

OPINION: WEST BROM GAME

Well it just had to happen, there was no other result possible. Dear old Manchester City have done it again. Supporting City should come with a health hazard warning – every time we take a step forward, we take three steps back!

Until we get these results taken care of, beating the sides in the lower regions of the league, we will always be a so-called ‘big’ side, but nothing more than an average side. Oh sure, we’re in the top half of the League but is that good enough? We’ll probably be there next year, but is that enough? Is it enough just to make up the numbers in the Premiership? Some might say it is, with an almighty drop down to the Championship, but how can we compete with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and dare I say it United. United are going through hell this season and are still up there; our club seems to be going along nicely, got a good manager, and constantly struggle.

The times we have won well have been against awful opposition; maybe we flatter to deceive. Who knows?

I’ve supported City for forty years, and yes I’ll be up at some ungodly hour next week for the Birmingham game, but the game is all about winning and I’d take a ‘boring’ Chelsea 1-0 win any day of the week.

OPINION: SONGS, BARCELONA AND CITY

Having scoured the City for a bar with Italian TV (we were live on Calcio, God only knows why) to no avail I returned home to read the text on the BBC. Incredibly disappointing result, same old City though – an emotional rollercoaster.

Then chose to surf the net, stumbled across a site with football chants onlyto discover that the Blues don’t even feature in the top ten! Guess who’snumber one? Yes, the scum. We are languishing in 11th as I write. Can I suggestyou all check out

http://www.footballchants.org/viewChantsRecent.php?teams=34 and add a few more (decent ones).

On another note, there has been speculation about Maxi joining us from Barcelona; I haven’t seen him a great deal, but I don’t rate him much. However, I don’t rate Dunne that much this season either, so what do I know?

Finally, any Blues in Barcelona this weekend, the Barça Blues meet at the Philharmonic on Calle Majorca whenever we are on TV; all Blues are welcome.

Come on City!

OPINION: YOU’RE AN EMBARRASSMENT

I was at Charlton on Sunday and the Munich song that was sang for Andrew Cole was ridiculous and embarrassing in equal measure. And it’s not just a small minority, it was most fans.

We’re up there with Millwall and Leeds.

Nice work guys.

OPINION: CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

I have to confess that I suffer from the condition Steve Hayman openly talked about on MCIVTA last week, namely covering over other teams’ merchandise. Being a City fan in Aberdeen, there is little in the way of club merchandise to buy. There is a large shopping mall in the city centre and at this time of year, the concourse is used by small traders selling festive gifts.

One such trader has a calendar stall selling various calendars of football teams. Aberdeen, Celtic and Rangers are the obvious ones along with Man Ure, Chelski, Scousers and Arsenal. Imagine my delight, when looking through them I came across City ones. Naturally I bought one for my 13-year-old son, also a City fan. My wife then visited a perfume shop and not being a “new man”, I decided to wait outside. It was then that I took it upon myself to rearrange the calendar display while she was in the shop. I casually walked over and put all the City calendars at the front of the racks for the whole of the North East of Scotland to admire as they entered the mall.

This condition is getting worse, as the other 3 times I have been in the mall, I have covered the other teams on display with City ones, much to my wife’s disgust. City are now prominent in this particular Aberdeen shopping centre! My only concern is that if my schoolboy tricks are caught on security camera, will I get 12 months?

REQUEST: BIRMINGHAM TICKET AVAILABLE

I have 1 ticket (Citycard) available for this weekend’s game. Can collect from Stoodley Vehicle Auctions (1 mile away from CoMS) on the day up to 2pm only. Cash on collection. I will give you a SAE to return it, will need your full name and address. Call 07836 762672 or email.

REQUEST: WIGAN TICKET WANTED I

You know who you are. You’ve either went to The Hawthorns or watched the débâcle, and as you are not amused, you are deciding whether to burn your 2 tickets for Wigan, feed them to the dog or eat them yourself.

Don’t – I’ll have them. Here’s hoping…

REQUEST: WIGAN TICKET WANTED II

As a low points CityCard holder, I failed to get any tickets for the Boxing Day game away at Wigan so if anyone has 2 spares please call me on 01793 363020 or email below.

REQUEST: DERBY TICKET WANTED

I am looking for one ticket for the derby at home on January 14, 2005. My mobile number is: 07810 430687 and the e-mail is shown below.

REQUEST: DC BLUES

Man City Supporters’ Club Metro-DC-USA have revamped our website and hope to continue networking with City fans/ex-pats and those Brits travelling to the DC area and looking for pubs to watch Premiership matches (regardless of whom you support – Arsenal & ManU excluded!).

Our site: http://www.freewebs.com/khhorrocks/index.htm

REQUEST: PROGRAMMES FOR SALE

I have a complete collection of MCFC home programmes for the final eight seasons at Maine Road, including the last game vs. Southampton. The vast majority are in mint condition but some have my “team changes” written on.

We have just moved house and no longer have the storage space in a small flat. I would be happy to deliver in the Gtr Manchester/Lancs areas as posting them would cost a fortune!

If anyone is interested in them, please email me.

REQUEST: SUNSHINE BLUES

An offer for all McV subscribers:

15% discount off the price of a break at our Town House in Orlando, Florida, subject to availability. For further information visit our website at: http://www.orlando-sunshine.com/ or email me at the address below.

BLUE HUMOUR I

Following their ignominious exit from Europe, and the loss of their current shirt sponsorship deal, real panic has set in at Trafford as the Glazer family seek to recoup their investment.

A leading US marketing consultancy has been bought in to tie-up a new deal, and have suggested Pampers. ‘This is a perfect tie-up’ said a spokesman, ‘The team are known to be p**s-poor up front and s**t at the back.’

BLUE HUMOUR II

(to the Bohemian Rhapsody tune)

Is this the Prem league?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a form slide
Now we’re lower than Man City
Open your eyes, put down your damn pies and seeeeeeeee
I’m just a poor fan, what is this malady?
Coz we’re easily done, easily beat
Can’t pass long, or short to feet
Even our dear Keano’s form’s gone down the lavatory
Lavatory
Fergie, he bought a man
Djemba Djemba was this bloke
Saw him play, he was a joke
Fergie, our season’s just begun
Now it’s already over thanks O’Shea.
Beckham ooh ooooo.
Didn’t mean to sell you on.
Will you come back next season or tomorrow?
And carry on carry on
like nothing really happened.
Too late. Our time has come.
The team has lost its spine.
Saha injured all the time.
Goodbye everybody, I’ve gotta go.
Gotta leave you all behind and watch FC.
Quiroz, oh noooooo
I have to ask why
have to ask why you were ever born at all
I see a little Portgugeezer on the wing
Ronaldo! Ronaldo!
Can you do a steppy over?
Scholesy, Smith and Fletcher
Very very frightening…
Not!
Wake up Rio, Wake up Rio
Wake up Rio for fook sake
Is he a wide boy? overrated cockney?
He’s just a wide boy, overrated cockney
Spare all the fans from your damn lethargy!
Easy come easy go not good enough you know
Liam Miller! No!
He only weights three stone.
Darren Fletcher! No!
We want Ronaldinho!
We want Ronaldinho
Want Ronaldinho.
Want Ronaldinho.
Any chance? God nooooooooooo
No! No! No! No! No! No!
Malcolm Glazer Malcolm Glazer
You will reap just what you sow
At least we have a little ray of hope in Rooney.
Wayne Rooneeeey
ROOONEEEEEEEEEY
So you think you’ll dismiss him for having a clap?
So you think sh**ging grannies will make him play c**p?
Yooouuu’rrre mistaken. You’re so sadly mistaken.
Eric’s the King.
But Wayne he’s the very next best thing.
Nothing’s changed in two years
Anyone can see.
Though we think you should go.
Some of us still love you Fergieeee
(let the wind of change blow)

RESULTS

11 December 2005

Manchester United     1 - 1  Everton               67,831

10 December 2005

Liverpool             2 - 0  Middlesbrough         43,510
Birmingham City       1 - 0  Fulham                27,597
Blackburn Rovers      3 - 2  West Ham United       20,370
Bolton Wanderers      1 - 1  Aston Villa           23,646
Charlton Athletic     2 - 0  Sunderland            26,065
Chelsea               1 - 0  Wigan Athletic        42,060
West Bromwich Albion  2 - 0  Manchester City       25,472
Newcastle United      1 - 0  Arsenal               52,297

League table to 11 December 2005 inclusive

                             HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F   A   GD Pts
 1 Chelsea         16  9  0  0 23  4  5  1  1 12  3 14  1  1  35   7  28  43
 2 Liverpool       15  6  1  1 13  4  3  3  1  7  4  9  4  2  20   8  12  31
 3 Manchester Utd  15  3  3  1  9  5  6  1  1 16  9  9  4  2  25  14  11  31
 4 Tottenham H.    15  4  3  1 10  6  3  3  1  9  6  7  6  2  19  12   7  27
 5 Bolton Wndrs    15  5  2  1  9  2  3  1  3  9 12  8  3  4  18  14   4  27
 6 Arsenal         15  7  0  0 16  2  1  2  5  6 11  8  2  5  22  13   9  26
 7 Wigan Athletic  15  4  1  3  9  8  4  0  3  7  6  8  1  6  16  14   2  25
 8 Manchester City 16  4  2  2  9  5  3  1  4 11 11  7  3  6  20  16   4  24
 9 West Ham United 15  4  1  2 12  6  2  3  3  9 11  6  4  5  21  17   4  22
10 Newcastle Utd   16  4  3  1  8  6  2  1  5  6  9  6  4  6  14  15  -1  22
11 Charlton Ath.   15  2  1  5  9 15  5  0  2 12  8  7  1  7  21  23  -2  22
12 Blackburn R.    16  5  1  2 13  9  1  2  5  5 13  6  3  7  18  22  -4  21
13 Middlesbrough   16  3  3  2 12 12  2  1  5  8 11  5  4  7  20  23  -3  19
14 Aston Villa     16  2  2  3  7 10  2  3  4  9 14  4  5  7  16  24  -8  17
15 Everton         15  2  1  3  3  5  3  1  5  5 12  5  2  8   8  17  -9  17
16 Fulham          16  4  1  2 10  7  0  3  6  6 14  4  4  8  16  21  -5  16
17 West Brom A.    16  4  1  4 14 12  0  3  4  3 12  4  4  8  17  24  -7  16
18 Birmingham City 15  1  1  6  5 12  2  2  3  5  7  3  3  9  10  19  -9  12
19 Portsmouth      15  0  3  4  3 10  2  1  5  8 13  2  4  9  11  23 -12  10
20 Sunderland      17  0  2  7  7 20  1  0  7  7 15  1  2 14  14  35 -21   5

MCIVTA FAQ [v0506.02]

[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.mcfcosc.com/); the “Centenary Supporters’ Association” (http://www.reddishblues.com/CSAWebsite/CSA.htm) and “The International Supporters’ Club”.

[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://mcfc.videoloungetv.com/do/preLogin?clubSiteCode=MCFC&CMP=AFC-003.

[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://www.foxsportsworld.com/named/FSW/Index/Soccer, http://www.soccertv.com/, and http://www.livesoccertv.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: