Newsletter #1469

A certain amount of inevitability in the game against Wigan – where we’ve struggled in the Premier League – saw us lose 2-1. We have match reaction tonight, views on biased coverage and the new regime.

Next up, our UEFA return leg against Cypriot side Omonia.

I’ll be taking a break for a couple of weeks so Don and Mads have kindly offered to step in to the editor’s chair and cover.

MATCH VIEW: WAFC 2 MCFC 1

I can take a defeat when we deserve to lose, but the refereeing by Steve Bennett was disgustingly bad. The worst referee in the Premier League, the FA should take a long look at his decisions.

The game I felt should have been a draw, the penalty given by Steve Bennett was a decision that many a ref would have given against the Wigan player for a flying dive; an Academy Award should be presented to him.

I have to say that Wigan did show more urgency in their game. City kept stroking the ball about wanting the Wigan defence to come forward, so that City could have a fast counter attack, but the Wigan defence never went for it, they stood firm.

City should have changed their tactics and played in a faster manner; today the passing from one City player to another City player was to a player already marked by Wigan, who were fast to jump onto the ball and disrupt City’s game.

Wigan won this game with the help of the ref, enough said.

Come on you Blues! In Sparky we trust.

OPINION: JUSTICE?

I know it probably wasn’t a pen, but presumably there is a Spanish phrase that translates into “what goes around, comes around”. A few minutes before the penalty was given, Garrido made a meal (5-course) of a challenge by Wigan’s Valencia and got him booked.

OPINION: RISING ABOVE IT

I was there last Sunday when we beat Pompey 6-0 and we officially became the wealthiest Football Club on Earth. It has a nice ring to it, eh? Now, if these Great Sheikhs really do as they say and let the manager manage and the Academy flourish then we could be in for some long-awaited success.

So let us let them get on with it and concentrate on our job. To really become the greatest supporters of them all! We can do it, I feel confident. You young veterans of Division Two or the 3rd tier where many more than three tears were shed, deserve a period of sustained joy. It is payback for decades of heartache during which time a bitter resentment has grown towards “the Dreaded Red”. Let us all own up, we are jealous of the DR. They have had tremendous success since 1993 but prior to that, 26 League title-free years.

I was born a City fan and my dad took me to Maine Road in 1960 when the first game I can remember was City vs. Blackpool in Division 1 with Bert Trautmann in goal for us and Stanley Matthews on the wing for them. I was the only Blue in a class full of DRs. It was a nightmare but gradually things started to change. However, I remember watching them win the Cup in 1963 and the League in 1967 and there wasn’t that strength of feeling that we have today. Even when we won the League in 1968 and I went to Newcastle, they won the European Cup for Busby who was originally a Blue; we did not mind too much, Manchester was the football capital of Europe!

So here is the point we have to learn: to ignore them! Only when they start having a go ’cause we lose to Brighton, for example, and we can simply smile, not sink to their level and just think that we are following the wealthiest football club on earth. Then and only then can we truly be considered the Greatest Football supporters in the Land, in all the World!

Believe me, that reaction will annoy the hell out of the DRs.

24 years in sunny Tenerife and still Blue.

OPINION: ACTING PROFESSIONAL

Interesting to note that if you type Manchester City into Google, a new sponsored link appears: http://www.mancityfuture.com/

Yet again the new owners seem to be outshining everyone with their depth of professionalism and the investments they are willing to make.

Keep it up your highness.

OPINION: $KY COVERAGE

I am writing this as a very P’d off City fan. After the fantastic performance last week followed by two howlers, I felt I had to get on the keyboard tonight about something that has been on my mind for a while now.

I sat down today to watch our team today on Sky and the first thing I noticed was the panel. David [Rag] Platt, former Rag player Dion Dublin, and the Scottish t@rt Andy Gray who never has a good thing to say about City. In fact the same Mr Gray a few years ago asked some of my City mates at a derby game “why are you following this lot?”

I am not for one minute blaming Sky TV for us losing today, but I do feel that their selection of pundits covering City games today and in the past has been very anti-City. I feel so strongly about this that I will be cancelling my Sky subscription tomorrow.

I would be interested if any any other subscribers to this forum have any observations on this.

OPINION: MUEN

Has anyone else read the Manchester Evening News this week? I believe that the New MCFC has got the Rags running scared. Tonight (Friday 26 September) the Man. Utd. (apologies for making you read swear words) column spent its entirety concentrating on the fact that City (that’s better) lost to Brighton and money does not win things.

United’s (sorry again) win against Boro was filled with comments like “while City spend millions on bringing in Brazilians, United’s prolific academy is producing more great talent (pause while laughing) for the first team”. They do go on to mention that City have produced Richards and Johnson. No mention of the other 20 or so. They mention MU’s local talent that have come through – Fletcher, O’Shea, and Brown (world beaters!) – and forget the millions they have spent.

Rant over.

OPINION: 6-UP I

Looking back at 6 or more, got these from MCFC Stats website. I was at most of them.

• There’s a 7-0 against Burnley in 1968 (my 4th game at City ever)
• There’s a 6-1 against Norwich at Stamford Bridge in 1975 and a 6-0 againstHartlepool in the FA Cup in 1976 (I would have been there but don’t rememberthat one)
• There’s a 6-2 against Chelsea in 1977 (would love to see that scoreline againagainst Chelsea)
• There’s a 6-0 against Norwich in the FA Cup 1981 (poor old Norwich sufferingagain)
• There are 2 6-0’s in 1983 in Division 2 vs. Blackburn and Torquay (League Cup)
• There’s a 6-1 against Leeds in the Full Members’ Cup in 1985
• There’s the famous 10-1 against Huddersfield in 1987 with a 6-2 the week afteragainst Plymouth in the FMC
• Plymouth suffered again the season after at Home Park 6-3, League Cup
• There’s a 6-0 against Swindon in the newly formed Division 1 in 1997
• There’s a 7-1 against Notts County in the League Cup in 1998
• Yet another 6-0 against Sheffield United in new Division 1 in 1999
• 6-2 against Bolton in the Premier League in 2003
• 7-1 against Barnsley in League Cup 2004

OPINION: 6-UP II

Am I the only one who remembers City’s 6-0 drubbing (what’s a drubbing Dad?) of Hartlepool when Dennis Tueart got sent off for head butting George Potter? Or is my memory failing me?

While I’m on nostalgia road, does anyone remember getting wet at Oldham in the 80’s (day started sunny)? I was in t-shirt and shorts then it rained so much for 80 minutes I drove home in my underpants. I don’t get that wet down the baths!

You remember Hyde Road?

OPINION: TESTIMONIALS

Whilst I agree that a testimonial would be a good idea, how do we decide who is deserving and who isn’t?

Perhaps the “Thomas Cook” trophy match should be void of any sponsorship and the game played every season in order to build up a fund for any player who falls on hard times.

I would love our club to be leaders in this sort of field and would also prefer shirt sponsorship to be us sponsoring a charity as Aston Villa does with Acorn children’s hospice. On a personal note I would be very happy to pay a premium on a shirt that was guaranteed to go to any such worthwhile charity.

We should be lobbying the club / new owners so that they are aware of our thoughts and wishes; perhaps we could all email the club as a reply to the email that we get from “the manager” on a weekly basis.

RESULTS

28 September 2008

Portsmouth            2 - 0  Tottenham Hotspur     20,352
Wigan Athletic        2 - 1  Manchester City       18,214

27 September 2008

Everton               0 - 2  Liverpool             39,574
Aston Villa           2 - 1  Sunderland            38,706
Fulham                1 - 2  West Ham United       23,946
Manchester United     2 - 0  Bolton Wanderers      75,484
Middlesbrough         0 - 1  West Bromwich Albion  26,248
Newcastle United      1 - 2  Blackburn Rovers      44,935
Stoke City            0 - 2  Chelsea               27,500
Arsenal               1 - 2  Hull City             60,037

League table to 28 September 2008 inclusive

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

MCIVTA FAQ [v0708.01]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

Articles (Don Barrie)            : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org
News/rumour (Alex Rowen)         : 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 Points of Blue (formerly the Fans’ Committee)?

The committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. Points of Blue appears 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] 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/.

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: