Newsletter #305

There has been quite a bit of rumour surrounding potential strikers, and this appears now to be tended towards the iminent purchase of Arveladze, or was he purchased long ago? We are also being linked with Matthias Svensson of Portsmouth, who was one of the few opposition players last season who made a notable impression on me. Having said that, the Portsmouth manager Terry Fenwick has publically stated that there has been no bid for the player from City!

We have a description of the new City kit, or at least the one that was sent back! There’s also the usual opinion and a Why Blue.

The T-shirt orders are now coming in but we need more before we can commit to printing; so, if you are thinking about getting one, please mail Ken and get your cash in the post, otherwise he may have to cancel!

Next game, Blackpool away, Wednesday 16th July 1997

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T-SHIRTS

I now have definite orders for 33 shirts. I need at least double this amount before I can go ahead with the order. No cheques will be cashed until the order is placed. When the order is placed, the firm producing the shirts will do a sample so that I can scan it into the WWW page (ok Svenn?) to allow everyone to see the finished item. Hurry, Hurry, Hurry… it may be a collector’s item.

Ken Foster (kf737@vossnet.co.uk)

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NEWS – ARVELADZE GOING DUTCH?

According to reports on GMR today (Tuesday), Shota Arveladze is expected to sign for Ajax before the end of the day.

It also said that Nicky Summerbee “looks like” taking advantage of the Bosman ruling, with France being his probable destination.

City have been drawn against Blackpool in the First Round of the Coca-Cola Cup, away leg to be played first.

The Mole

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NEWS – THE NEW KIT

Having read the most recent rumours about the new kit(s) I can not shut up any longer and I feel I must tell everyone the truth about the new Kappa kits even though I have been sworn to secrecy by the person I managed to get the picture off.

I have been fortunate enough to see official pictures of the new home kit. It is an aqua-marine blue and has the Kappa logos down the sides of the sleeves.

However, I have recently heard rumours that the first consignment kits were sent back and may not be available for the original launch date of July 1st. This may be because the Kappa logos down the sleeves interfere with the Nationwide logo.

The latest news of the away kit is that it will be launched on the same date as the home kit but will not be available to buy until around Christmas time.

P.S. Someone tell Clarky to buy Arveladze. He’s magic!

Yaniv Cohen (m.cohen@virgin.net)

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NEWS – GRAY WANTS MONEY!

If made Everton manager, Andy Gray wants to appoint Richard Money as his assistant (The Independent, 17th June). The season hasn’t even started and we are in danger of losing a member of the coaching staff. Is the Maine Road curse about to strike again?

As for the new City away kit, I reckon it will be orange. Don’t ask me why, I just have this feeling.

Charles Pollitt (cpollitt@fs1.scg.man.ac.uk)

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NEWS – STRIKER SITUATION

City are still waiting to hear from Shota Arveladze, but it’s interesting to note that Ajax have just signed Michael Laudrup so they may no longer be interested in the Arveladze twins.

City have today been linked (by GMR) with Portsmouth’s Swedish striker Matthias Svensson.

The back page of the MEN has a story about City having talks with the Super League (Rugby League) about setting up a club in Manchester, presumably with the aim of them taking over Maine Road when City move to the Millenium Stadium.

The Mole

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NEWS – LAKE’S TESTIMONIAL?

Regarding Lakey’s testimonial game, we now appear to be playing Macclesfield Town away on the Friday night, the 18th July,

Wes (BLUWES@aol.com)

Yes, and it isn’t the testimonial game!

Ashley

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SKY TV FIXTURE CHANGES

The first two fixture changes of the season have now been announced:

• Tranmere (H) has been moved to Friday 22nd August, 7:45pm
• Bury (A) has been moved to Friday 12th September, 7:45pm

The Mole

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YOUTH PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED

City have had a meeting with Manchester City Council and it has been agreed to jointly go forward with a plan to set up 10 centres of excellence in the Greater Manchester area (one at Platt Lane), where promising young boys with a good aptitude for football at school will go to be coached, up to the age of 11 or 12. Those that impress will then move on to St. Thomas Aquinas school at age 13 where they will be on a course that is football-oriented but will take full account of the National Curriculum, which will lead to academic qualifications in case they don’t progress to become professional footballers. This will all happen provided the necessary finance can be obtained; this will include a grant of some sort. This is expected to be in place by August 14th.

PFA chairman Gordon Taylor was present at the press conference, and was “thrilled” by the idea. He did add (laughingly) that he’d thought that Francis Lee was his friend until the City chairman poached one of his staff! He added that he understood, since the person concerned (Paul Power) was a true Blue…

The Mole

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MONEY TO DEFECT?

Andy Gray, the favourite to land the vacant manager’s job at Everton, is reported to have City coach Richard Money on his shortlist for his number 2. Worryingly, City have said that they wouldn’t stand in Money’s way if he wanted to take the job.

The Mole

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BEAGRIE TO LEAVE

Peter Beagrie has been told by Frank Clark that he does not fit into his plans for next season; indeed, City have accepted a £100,000 bid from Swindon Town for the winger. “I am as fit as I’ve ever been and I will be flying down the wing next season, but unfortunately it won’t be for Manchester City,” said Beagrie. So far, he has been unable to agree personal terms with Swindon, but he would be quite happy to join up with Steve McMahon again if a suitable deal can be worked out. “I can promise any manager who signs me that he is going to get one of the bargains of all time,” Beagrie added.

The Mole

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NEWS – OTHER SNIPPETS

Nicky Summerbee has still not agreed a new contract and could move abroad on a free transfer.

Shota Arveladze, on holiday with Gio Kinkladze at a resort on the Black Sea, has not made any decision yet about which club to join, though Ajax may already have lost interest (hopes!).

The Mole

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MATCH MAGAZINES

I have hundreds of old programmes and magazines (from the mid seventies up to last season) that may interest the younger overseas fans if not the older overseas fans. Perhaps even Mancunians in Manchester.

If you sent me a jiffy (padded) bag and the price of the postage from Jersey to your home I would put in an assortment of the things I’ve got.

You could email me on dylan@itl.net and I will let you know the postage costs. No charge for the programmes and magazines!

Bob Young
5 Trois Chenes Court
Mont de la Chenaie
St Lawrence
Jersey
JE1 1HR

Tel. no 01534 863927
http://user.itl.net/~dylan/mcfcsc2/

If you have not done a Why Blue, please do one and tell us how much you love Manchester City.
http://www.uit.no/mancity/blues/

Bob Young (dylan@itl.net)

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GEORGIAN SHIRTS

Someone must sell Georgian National team shirts, ‘cos I’ve seen one. There was a bloke queueing up to use the single cublicle toilet at the Grimsby away game wearing a shirt that I thought was the cream Liverpool away shirt at first, but on closer inspection turned out to be a Georgia shirt. I thought it was a bit rude to interrupt him mid-flow and ask him where he got it. However, I do reckon that Soccerscene on Carnaby Street in London, mentioned in an earlier MCIVTA, is the best bet. A friend of mine got a rather grim New Zealand away shirt there. Perhaps someone who lives near there can report back, otherwise I’ll take a look when I go down to London in a couple of weeks.

Andy Lamb (a.j.lamb@uea.ac.uk)

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KITS AND PCS?

Are we definitely for Kappa? I telephoned the club shop about a week ago and they said they did not know who it would be – yet the kit would be released on the 1 July!

If anybody wants a Georgian kit just ask Gio. My friend has a good handful off the two Georgian boys.

Why if sponsored by Brother have City gone out and bought a batch of Tulip computers? OK Brother don’t badge their own any more but they have a sister company. Surely a deal could be done?

Paul Thompson (paul.r.thompson@virgin.net)

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OPINION – WHY BEAGRIE?

Why him? Yet to be given a chance under Clark, if the rumours are true, Peter Beagrie is to join Swindon Town where he will link up with former City hardman Steve McMahon.

When Horton signed Beagrie from Everton on deadline day 94′ I felt that it was the shrewdest piece of business by a City manager for a long time. He may be in his early 30’s and prone to injury but you can’t deny his ability. Well if he does go, I will be very sad to see the back of him and his wonderful somersaults; if anybody feels the same as me, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Jon Hammonds (9600517@mail.tilehill.ac.uk)

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OPINION – LEAGUE CUP

So after what was ultimately City’s worst performance for a long time (if not ever), thanks mainly to the managerial ups and downs at the beginning of the season, City are now faced with the indignity of playing on the first round of this seasons’ League Cup competition against Blackpool (two legs weeks beginning 11th and 25th Aug). Have the Blues ever played in the first round before (I wonder if the July 16th pre-season game will be scrapped?)?

To be honest, it’s little more than I expected after the poor season. However, can anyone explain why Nott’m Forest are also in the first round? I was under the assumption that only the bottom half of the 1st division, along with all teams in the 2 and 3 divisions had to play in the opening round, so where on earth do Forest fit into that formula?

Martin Ford (MFORD@fs1.li.umist.ac.uk)

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WHY BLUE?

I suppose if you consider the almost terminal decline of the Blues since my birth in 1968 – you may think I was somewhat of a jinx! However, nothing can, or will, stop me supporting City Till I Die.

My first recollected game was at Maine Road around 1978 (no-one could accuse me of glory hunting!) and I don’t even remember who we were playing, but I remember standing on the Kippax and being s**t-scared when we scored. The old man was the City fan who first took me, but a couple of my uncles took over and I was a Kippax regular all through my school life.

Even though I was brought up in Salford, our school was about 50/50 City/Rag scum and I never felt I had made a bad decision (hey – we beat AC Milan while I was at school!). When I got to around 14/15, a couple of older lads from where I lived (Higher Broughton) began to take me to away games – much to the dismay of my poor mother – who was convinced I would come home with a 12-inch scar across my face (this was indeed the days of the ICF etc.). She needn’t have worried, I could run a lot faster than anyone older than me! Memories of our coach being bricked at Leeds and police brutality in Wigan (seemed like the other end of the world then) are clearer than any notable pitch incidents, although I saw Jim Tolmie score in Blackpool! When I left college I got a season ticket in the North Stand with my brother (3 years younger) which I kept for 3 years before I moved to Belfast with work.

Over the last 8 years, I have lived in Belfast, Newcastle, Glasgow, Tyldesley(!), Edinburgh and now Munich and have probably attended 6-10 games a season (I had a season ticket in the Main Stand when living back in Manchester) yet my love for the Blues seems to get stronger. When I got my Internet connection, I didn’t realise the bonds I could form with other Blues around the world, and I have done my best to spread the word wherever I have been (2000 Germans currently have to type KINKLADZE_CTID before they can start work every day).

Even though I am lucky enough to mix in funky circles (my boss is also a non-exec director on Stephen Boler’s board), I never compromise my feelings and desires for my team (many people present remember my verbal attack on 6 first teamers in the players’ lounge at Wycombe after the 0-0 a couple of years ago).

And even if I get the box I want when I eventually move to the UK, I will still be pushing for City, The fans and everything Blue! I am convinced the right team is in place behind the scenes now – let’s hope Frank can achieve the same on the field.

Final note – an innoncent question I posed on Blue View turned into the Keep GIO Internet Campaign… what a great achievement by all involved!

So… choose Drama… choose Excitement… choose Life… choose City

P.S. I got a season ticket for Bayern Munich next year, so can’t get involved in half the match day chats, but I want to thank Gio’s Bootlicker et al for some great laughs this year!

Anthony Catterson – International Blue (CATTERSON@aol.com)

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WWW MANCHESTER CITY SUPPORTERS’ HOME PAGE:
http://www.uit.no/mancity/

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MCIVTA ADDRESSES:
Contributions: Ashley – mcivta@tollbar.u-net.com
Subscriptions & Club Questions: Steve – sbolton@buxtonrd.u-net.com
Technical Problems: Paul – paul@city-fan.org

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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.

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Ashley Birch, mcivta@tollbar.u-net.com

Editor: