Newsletter #1256

No football for City at the weekend as internationals took place. Our next game is Reading a week tonight, although for those in Manchester missing their weekly fix of Blues action, the reserves play on Wednesday at MiniCoMS in the Pontins League.

Tonight we have opinion on DaMarcus Beasley, the Arsenal game, City Pride and differing views on customer service.

Finally, a true Blue legend is returning at the end of this week and will be attending a couple of supporters’ meetings in Denton and Reddish.

OPINION: DMB I

When I read Beasley was unsettled at PSV, I hoped against hope that City would at least take a look. If you’re not as excited as I am or need to defend the signing to your mates (I noticed a lot of groaning on Manchester Evening News website), look at it this way:

1. He was America’s best player in 2002 at the WC against quality squads.
2. He excelled at PSV and nearly single-handedly beat AC Milan in the Champions’ League.
3. Scored goals from striker and left midfield for PSV.
4. His ’06 WC wasn’t as bad as it looked on the surface. Got a little big forhis britches and out of favour with Bruce Arena before the WC and had a crapfirst game, but who for the US didn’t either have some beef with the Bruce orhave a crap first game? He scored what would have been the winner vs. Italyif not for an offside McBride. He stole the ball and created the only goalvs. Ghana with a sweet cross to Dempsey.
5. He’s young.
6. He’s fast and runs at players.
7. He took a lot of heat for almost coming back to MLS instead of playing atPSV this season. People are a bit down on him so he’ll want to prove themwrong and gain back some respect, especially for whoever the new US coachwill be (Klinsmann maybe) and tear things up for City.

This could be a huge coup for Psycho. He should pay close attention to the Clint Dempsey situation in New England as well. He’s very unsettled because MLS has turned down very reasonable transfer requests from the EPL and he’s ready to get out of MLS and get better. He’s an exciting, creative, fearless and hardworking player who plays with a chip on his shoulder. Would be great in a City shirt.

OPINION: DMB II

Anyone wondering what DaMarcus Beasley is about click the link below. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KWOCtwZ8-4

If he turns to be half as good as he is in this video we’re in for a good time. Enjoy.

OPINION: ARSENAL GAME

Watched the Arsenal game live in the USA with my son, an Arsenal fan. He was getting more and more frustrated as the game went on, which was strange since that’s usually how I get! Good performance from the team, esp. Paul Dickov; he ran and ran, great effort. Let’s sign some of his family members. Hope we build on this result and thrash Reading (or Redding for those in CT).

Seemed to be a lot of empty seats, and the attendance of just over 40,000 tells its own story. Five o’clock kick off, live on Sky, maybe that was the reason for the poor attendance. If I was on the board though I’d be concerned. The missing fans issue seems to be affecting other clubs as well.

Shame we couldn’t complete the transfer of Thatcher to the New York Jets, he’d be right at home in the NFL.

OPINION: PRIDE IN BATTLE I

I find it sad that in these supposedly enlightened days you can’t make even a passing reference to any race or homosexual related issue without being branded racist or homophobic. I was quite shocked at the reaction of some fellow fans to my short and probably not too well thought out comments in MCIVTA 1254. I have to add here though that the initial shock paled into insignificance as over the next couple of days as number of emails dropped into my inbox threatening me and my family with everything from being torched to being infected with aids.

There was no criticism towards homosexuals in my short contribution, just a request to read the article in the link and a reflection of my fear of embarrassment towards our supporters by our board’s excursion into the politics of sexual discrimination.

Maybe you agree with this or maybe you disagree; that is everybody’s right. Personally I think the bulk of football fans will also grasp this opportunity to take the pee out of our club, rightly or wrongly, just like my United mates continue to do. That is where my gripe ended.

I have no intention of debating the pros and cons of anybody’s sexuality, that’s none of my business nor am I interested, my own views are private. I do, however, feel that our club have taken on this issue purely on the grounds of profit. You will probably say “What’s wrong with that?”

I would reply – yes this is our City and if you are part of the Community of Manchester, come and support us. I don’t care if you are white, black, purple, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Atheist, male, female or whatever! If you love your football come on down to the COMSTAD but please leave your politics and religion at home because this is where we come to watch our football – I’ve been doing it for over half a century.

[Shame on those who sent such emails through Malc – Ed]

OPINION: PRIDE IN BATTLE II

Just one other note on Manchester City embracing people of all backgrounds, persuasions, creed, colour, culture etc.

At the Arsenal game, something did take my usually narrow mind and made me smile. Just looking round the seats near me, I couldn’t help but notice that there is such a diverse set of fans at our club. It is great. Not just your drunken/non-drunken 18-45 year footie fans, but a depth that goes far beyond.

I suppose the compounding example of this was that when we scored there was an Asian mum, her 3 young children and the ‘white’ friend of one her boys. And the way they hugged each other after Barton (spit) scored was a nice little nod in a nice direction.

I know this in the grand scheme of things is of no consequence nor significance. And maybe even mentioning it is ‘wrong’ of me, but if the “Let’s Kick Racism/ Hooligansim/ Homophobia Out of Football” is as high in terms of importance, then there’s a nice, gentle reminder that footie ain’t all doom and gloom (not saying the two young ‘uns were gay, mind!). I think that’s cool. And if we are to carry on, we as a club are on the right track

.

Now I’m not one for the sanitisation of the beautiful game with non-standing/ not smoking/ not drinking in your seats/ not swearing. But the real stuff like mentioned above I am.

I remember once when we were playing in the cup in our first season at the new stadium and I got some seats on the 2nd level at Eastlands. There was a bloke who was a bad tempered racist. About 50 and wearing one of those horrible patterned knitted brown woolly excuses for a cardigan. He was blatantly screaming the most vicious abuse at one certain Shaun Wright Philips (i.e. his own player). I was aghast that no one nearer him wasn’t saying anything. So after about a half hour of this, I stood up went over, grabbed him by the rancid collar and quietly told him in no uncertain terms that; ‘if he didn’t shut his filthy mouth, I would pull out his throat’ or something similar. A police officer saw this and came to see what was said. I told him what had gone on and I was told to return to my seat.

This is my point. Why wasn’t this idiot simply thrown out? Anyone’s guess – and a few years later I doubt he’d be allowed to stay. If City are to stand behind such righteous forward thinking, it has to be acted upon. If the Rags turn up this year with their ‘town full of benders’, ‘you gay b*****ds’ etc chants, the police have to simply evict them from the stadium – or else all this forward thinking is a waste. And that folks is the only way to ‘stamp out homophobia’; yet I can’t bring myself to say ’embrace it’! It’s statement making.

On another note Sibierski has gone to Newcastle! Arghhhhh hahahahahahahahaha!

OPINION: PRIDE IN BATTLE III

Thought I’d add my tuppenyworth to the Great Gay Recruitment Debate.

Well done, City. I’ve long been embarrassed at the way that homophobic abuse has been used as an “easy” way to abuse players. In the past I’ve heard it at matches (not just City supporters, we’ve got no better or worse), read it in fanzines and heard it in pubs.

I’ve tried to creatively turn it around, and on the odd occasion had it turned back against me for the simple crime of objecting. It makes me cringe, frankly.

Does anybody really think it’s embarrassing to take this stand? Embarrassing to fail to accept people for their footballing skill, regardless of sexuality? OK: tell that to the family of Justin Fashanu.

Like I said: well done, City.

OPINION: READING LESSON

Just a thought about our next fixture at Reading. Anyone going to this match should give Steve ‘The Bottle’ Coppell a rousing reception not only for the way he treated City, but the disgraceful way he treated The Goat.

OPINION: DISTORTING THE TRUTH?

What would you do if your sons (four of them, all below 13) were asking varied and probing questions about God’s own club?

I tried my best answering them, but after 123 hours of straight questioning (well it felt like that) and without recourse to the traditional ‘Ask yer mother’ I sat then down at the laptop and fired up Wikipedia.

Shock horror, we used to play in scarlet and then wore black shirts with a white cross – these are things I didn’t know!

Now what I want all you Blues fans to do is help me right a major wrong, so click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_City_F.C.

Scroll down to ‘Notable Former Players’, some familiar names, immediately recognisable. But what’s this – no notable players from the 70s, only Lakey from the 80s Quinne from the 90s and none from the 2000s.

I think this needs to be put right.

OPINION: CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRESS

Having moved away from Manchester, I’m not able to get back for every home game and certainly can’t get to the box office to buy tickets, so I rely on phone and online sales for my fix of agony at Eastlands. I had a couple of issues regarding the online sale of tickets for the Arsenal game and the sale (or lack of sale) of away tickets online. I used the customer feedback form on the website detailing my concerns and expected to hear nothing back for at least a few days.

I was pleasantly surprised when on the same day I received an e-mail from Doug Smith who is head of ticketing at Eastlands asking for a contact number so he could discuss my problems. I e-mailed him back and within 15 minutes he had called me to sort out the issues. He acknowledged there had been problems with online sales of away tickets due to the system not realising when it had sold out of tickets, which they are currently rectifying – meaning that at the moment there are no online sales of away tickets, but they are hoping to change this soon.

In summary: with any company, things will go wrong – what separates good companies from bad are those who take a little bit of time to appease customers who have had a bad experience. Although the online booking system still doesn’t get good marks from myself, I have to give Doug Smith full marks for the personal touch he displayed.

OPINION: CITYCARD FIASCO

First of all I must apologise if this subject has been covered before; I think it has.

I was late posting my Citycard, due to financial restraints especially as it cost me a whopping £35, but I still managed to do it before I went on holiday because my two young boys nagged and nagged me to do so. While on holiday the boys, aged 8 and 10, kept saying to me “when we get home our city cards will be waiting for us, won’t they dad?”

Well they were not. So I phoned City, only to be told that we were to use our old ones. I don’t know if I was more upset for the disappointed faces on the boys as I told them or at the way or at the way City charge us and don’t even give us a new card for £35!

OPINION: THE MISSING LINK

Re: Gordon Stuart-Cole’s observation on the otherwise brilliant LIVE4CITY montage in the Arsenal programme. I donned my varifocals to scour it myself with my own very, very aged, but regularly lasered eyes. I also couldn’t find any trace of Neil’s (surely the ultimate Young Mancunian?!) 1969 Cup Final goal or anything else, or even Kevin Keegan for that matter (and not the most flattering pic of Bert).

However, we shouldn’t let these niggles distract from what is a fine City initiative, but it does makes you wonder if the rumours are true about our club having its fair share of people who know little or nothing about our culture or history.

[Prime example today Dave was the “tribute” to Blue Moon on the official website where they couldn’t even get the lyrics right! – Ed]

REQUEST: THE GOAT RETURNS TO DENTON…

Denton Blues are delighted to announce that Shaun Goater will be attending a special meeting on Wednesday 27th September at Denton Cricket Club.

The evening will commence at 7.30pm, with Shaun doing a Q&A session plus book signing and photos as his biography “Feed the Goat” is published, which will be available on the night at a discounted price.

The event is open to all OSC members on production of a valid membership card. Please contact myself for further details and confirmation/tickets as it’s likely to be a popular evening and numbers will be restricted due to the venue.

… AND REDDISH

The next meeting of the Reddish branch of the Manchester City Centenary Supporters’ Association is on Thursday 28th September at The Ash Hotel, Manchester Road, Stockport at 8.00pm.

Our confirmed guest for the evening is the one and only Shaun Goater.

Shaun will holding a book signing session for his new book “Feed the Goat” plus a photo call followed by the usual Q&A’s.

Admission, which includes a free raffle, is free to all branch members on production of their current membership card. For non-members, adults are £2 and juniors £1.

Doors open at 7.00pm and you are advised to get there as early as possible as we may well have to close the doors.

RESULTS

League table to 03 September 2006 inclusive

                             HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F   A   GD Pts
 1 Manchester Utd   3  1  0  0  5  1  2  0  0  5  1  3  0  0  10   2   8   9
 2 Portsmouth       3  1  0  0  3  0  1  1  0  4  0  2  1  0   7   0   7   7
 3 Aston Villa      3  2  0  0  4  1  0  1  0  1  1  2  1  0   5   2   3   7
 4 Everton          3  1  0  0  2  1  1  1  0  3  1  2  1  0   5   2   3   7
 5 Chelsea          3  1  0  0  3  0  1  0  1  3  2  2  0  1   6   2   4   6
 6 West Ham United  3  1  0  0  3  1  0  1  1  2  3  1  1  1   5   4   1   4
 7 Liverpool        2  1  0  0  2  1  0  1  0  1  1  1  1  0   3   2   1   4
 8 Bolton Wndrs     3  1  0  0  2  0  0  1  1  1  3  1  1  1   3   3   0   4
 9 Manchester City  3  1  1  0  1  0  0  0  1  0  3  1  1  1   1   3  -2   4
10 Fulham           3  1  1  0  2  1  0  0  1  1  5  1  1  1   3   6  -3   4
11 Wigan Athletic   2  1  0  0  1  0  0  0  1  1  2  1  0  1   2   2   0   3
12 Reading          3  1  0  0  3  2  0  0  2  1  3  1  0  2   4   5  -1   3
13 Newcastle Utd    2  1  0  0  2  1  0  0  1  0  2  1  0  1   2   3  -1   3
14 Tottenham H.     3  1  0  1  2  2  0  0  1  0  2  1  0  2   2   4  -2   3
15 Charlton Ath.    3  1  0  1  2  3  0  0  1  1  3  1  0  2   3   6  -3   3
16 Middlesbrough    3  1  0  1  2  5  0  0  1  2  3  1  0  2   4   8  -4   3
17 Arsenal          2  0  1  0  1  1  0  0  1  0  1  0  1  1   1   2  -1   1
18 Watford          3  0  1  1  2  3  0  0  1  1  2  0  1  2   3   5  -2   1
19 Sheff. United    3  0  1  0  1  1  0  0  2  0  3  0  1  2   1   4  -3   1
20 Blackburn R.     3  0  1  1  1  3  0  0  1  0  3  0  1  2   1   6  -5   1

MCIVTA FAQ [v0607.01]

[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 Radio Manchester (née GMR) pre and post match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/sport/manchester_city/index.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://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer, 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 Plus Markets Group web site http://www.plusmarketsgroup.com/ 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] I hear there is a TV programme specifically about City?

InsideMCFC is broadcasted by ChannelM. It is available on the SkyDigital (ch.203) and NTL (ch.26) platforms as well as being transmittedtraditionally within the Manchester area (ch.39). In addition, theprogramme is available to watch via the web. More details and schedule:http://www.channelm.co.uk/features/city.html

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: