Newsletter #649

Don’t know about the rest of you but I’ve missed club footy this last two weeks, so it’ll be good to get back to Premiership action this weekend. Even allowing for a tough fixture list in their opening games, Bradford are already looking like candidates for the drop, in spite of their high profile signing of Carbone, so it’s crucial we win this one and put some distance between us and the bottom of the table. Team news in advance of the game is a bit thin on the ground, but Weaver looks to be fit and the Goat could get a place on the bench. Exactly what formation the defence will have is anyone’s guess, but it’s unlikely to include Lee Crooks in the wake of his transfer listing today. C’mon you Blues!

This issue is one the short side, but sees a couple of threads continue from earlier issues with John Macfarlane replying to his recent critics, and the ‘wannabe referees’ still going at it strong. There are numerous requests for assistance, and not just on the subject of getting tickets and where to watch games on TV, and a concise Why Blue.

This one goes out to … oh, I don’t know, probably more than the last one I guess!

NEWS SUMMARY

My heavy work commitments this week mean I haven’t had time to produce my usual news summary, managing instead only this brief overview:

There were mixed fortunes for City’s international contingent this week. Paul Dickov came on as a substitute in Scotland’s impressive 1-1 draw in Croatia, but there was disappointment for Kevin Horlock as Northern Ireland were beaten 1-0 in Iceland. Jeff Whitley lost his place in Sammy McIlroy’s side, but along with his City team-mate was one of several players in the squad who dyed their hair blond in a team-bonding exercise. Meanwhile Paulo Wanchope led the Costa Rica attack in a 0-0 draw against the USA.

Lee Crooks has been placed on the transfer list. The 22-year-old had talks with Joe Royle, and has decided that he would rather leave City to move to a club where he has a better chance of a regular senior place.

Andy Morrison and Danny Allsopp have joined Crystal Palace and Bristol Rovers respectively in one-month loan deals. Morrison is bidding to build up his fitness further after returning to first-team action during a recent stint with Blackpool, and it’s not thought there’s any prospect of him joining the Londoners permanently. Meanwhile Royle feels that Allsopp will benefit from playing senior football rather than being in the reserves at Maine Road.

Shaun Goater plays for City’s reserve side against Blackburn on Thursday. The Bermudian hopes to convince Joe Royle that his campaign to return to fitness is sufficiently advanced to justify a place in the squad for the weekend game at home to Bradford, although it’s thought a place on the bench is more likely for the 30-year-old than a starting rôle.

George Weah has followed the lead of his own agent and Joe Royle, publicly denying reports of a rift with the City management. Weah returned to Milan last week after being disappointed to be substituted in the club’s last league game against Newcastle. The Liberian insists the sole reason for the trip was to visit his dogs, who haven’t yet been allowed into England owing to quarantine laws.

Reports in Holland are indicating that Gerard Wiekens has signed a new contract with the Blues. The Dutchman is believed to hope one day to return to play in his native country, but he currently feels settled in England and is said to have committed to stay with the club for a further four years.

Joe Royle is waiting to see the state of his international stars’ fitness before naming his side for Saturday’s sell-out clash with Bradford. Six members of the senior City squad were away with their countries this week, but one man who stayed at home was Nicky Weaver. The England under-21 man missed out on a possible cap against Germany through injury, but he will be fit to face the Bantams.

Mark Kennedy is looking to prove the doubters wrong and prove once and for all that he has Premiership quality. The Irishman failed to convince at the top level at Liverpool or Wimbledon and says he has to improve on key aspects of his game to make a big impact for City against the English league’s best.

Tony Grant will be out of action for a month after suffering a stress fracture of the foot. The midfielder has played in only one league game this term, coming on as a substitute in the defeat by Coventry. However, with a busy period coming up for the team, Joe Royle says that the ex-Everton player’s unavailability will nevertheless be a blow.

MAINE ROAD OPEN WEEKEND

Went to the open day on Sunday, (after hearing about it in MCIVTA 647). Took my two boys aged 5 and 6. The price was £5.00 for me and £2.50 for them. £2.50 is the same price as I paid the day before for a packet of eleven Pokemon cards for my mithering 6 year old so on that score value for money was OK. There was supposed to be a bouncy castle but because of the bad weather there wasn’t one. I was, I… I mean my lads were disappointed. The majority of the show was in the Millennium suite. There were memorabilia from the club’s history, which was interesting. The view from up there is amazing. It’s a shame the Main Stand isn’t a bit bigger, you can see Old Trafford on the horizon. The 5 year old had his face painted and then we met Moonchester (he doesn’t say much does he?). He also kept his trousers on the whole time. I wonder where his name comes from? Next was a tour of the ground. The old bird that took us round kept calling the team united, was she winding us up or what? I think she must have been related to John Macfarlane. All in all we had a good day out on a rainy Manchester day. Since everybody insists on scoring things these days my marks are 8/10. Should have one every year.

LONDON OSC

In reply to Tim Holgate’s request for info on the activities of London Blues, I’m the Membership Secretary for the OSC London Branch even though I’m now exiled in Bramhall (can’t be bad though!). We’re a large branch with over 200 members already this season and we run trips to most City matches both home and away. We also run thriving sports teams within the branch namely for footie, pool, quiz & darts so if you can kick, ping, use your grey matter or have a good shooting arm yer in with a chance! I think I’m right in saying that most of these activities (apart from the footie) take place at the Sekforde Arms in Farringdon. Membership is £10 per year (£5 for the unwaged and £1 for Under 16s) which includes a quarterly newsletter.

OPINION – JOE ROYLE

I have read the constructive criticism on my last mail and concede I have been harsh, very harsh on Joe. However, all I want to do is point out that there is discontent out here and make him aware of it now rather than in March. If things continue to go wrong, and they are still going wrong, then the usual suspects will open Pandora’s box and plunge us once more into civil war; by then it may be too late. I shoot from the hip and make no apologies. I believe that I have support out there; unfortunately no one wants to upset the applecart and criticise Joe’s direction. Play Weah every game; there was nothing wrong with his stamina and pace against the Gills and if he passed that war of attrition he should be automatically selected to start Premier games when fit. Also I am naïve in forgetting the Bosman rule and it would be folly to pay silly money for a defender at the moment. However, I again disagree with Joe when he ridiculed Cooke at the AGM. If you are not picked you can’t play and I believe that Cooke in his few games in the Second Division contributed a great deal to getting us to Wembley. Instead of loaning him out he and other players of that ilk could be experimented with at right back; they could do no worse. All right Joe I will stop my squabbling but just get it right and do it quickly before it is too late.

THE BATTLE OF THE WANNABE REFS

Blooming ‘eck, Lance. You’re a sensitive soul if you thought in MCIVTA 646 I was “having a go” at you! I don’t mind being told things I don’t know. No point being told what you know already! But I’ve been mystified by when players have to go off and when they don’t, and I accept you were indeed right in saying they don’t have to go off for head injuries (but they do if it was bleeding). The problem is that the directives Lance referred to are not publicly available! But the refereeing man at the FA tells me: players are not allowed any treatment on the pitch, with the exception of head injuries and injuries to the goalkeeper. They can also be treated while play if already stopped (e.g. while a ‘keeper is being treated, or while an offending player is being cautioned) but have to complete treatment off the pitch if it’s taking longer. They can return to play once they’ve been treated (on a signal from the referee). If a player gets treated on the pitch (illegally) the ref can make them go off and stay off for the amount of time it took to treat them on the pitch! And bleeding from any wound means they have to go off and stay off until the bleeding stops. It still means a player can get crocked and his team gets a free kick, but then have to play a man down till he returns.

Happen I was a bit pedantic about lists. “Unsporting behaviour” gives the ref a free hand to have his own little list (e.g. it’s still ref’s whim as to whether heading the ball out of the ‘keeper’s hand is an offence or not) but I was only pointing out that there are some specific offences punishable by an indirect free-kick.

I totally agree about common sense – I’m not from the Ann Widdecombe school of refereeing – but it does help to know what the laws say, as keeping up with changes of wording and emphasis (and unpublished directives) isn’t easy (and that’s without the idea, which I still find confusing, of “non-penal” offences being penalised).

I first got interested in the laws of the game with one of those 1950s comics (Victor?) which had a football story with a goalkeeper whose name escapes me (but who looked uncommonly like Tupper of the Track) whose speciality was doing things to exploit the laws, like throwing the ball away just before some lumbering great centre forward shoulder-charged him, thereby making the challenge illegal because he wasn’t holding the ball. Of course, this tactic did depend on the referee knowing the laws too!

SETTING UP A FOOTBALL COMMUNITY MUTUAL

A Seminar at the Clore Management Centre, Birkbeck College

Tuesday 14th November 2000

Synopsis

A morning seminar covering the key features of an active supporters’ trust. Kevin Jaquiss, a leading Manchester-based lawyer specialising in legal models of mutual ownership, will discuss the possibilities offered by the Industrial and Provident Society model for football supporters’ groups. The seminar will cover what it means to be registered, the rôle of the Registrar, why an IPS could be used, and practical issues such as payment of fees and keeping accounts. Kevin will also introduce the Model Rules for a Football Community Mutual developed in collaboration with Cobbetts solicitors, the Co-operative Party, and Birkbeck College. The seminar will cover the central themes of what is in the Rules, and give those interested in adopting this form of organisation an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the merits of the Model Rules.

Programme

The Seminar will be held in Room 105, 1st Floor, The Clore Management Centre, 25-27 Torrington Square, London WC1E 7HX.

09.50 - 10.00 Morning Coffee
10.00 - 10.50 Explanation of the Model Rules
10.50 - 11.00 Mid morning break - coffee
11.00 - 12.30 Question and Answer session

To register for this seminar please contact Lee Shailer or Steve Warby at the Birkbeck College Football Research Unit on 020 7631 6740 or email enquiries@supporters-direct.org

More details: http://www.football-research.org/ or http://www.supporters-direct.org/

Steve Warby
Research Officer
Football Research Unit
Birkbeck College

s.warby@bbk.ac.uk

t: 020 7631 6743
f: 020 7631 6872

http://www.football-research.org/

THE BEST TEAM IN THE LAND IN ALL THE WORLD

Interesting little vignette received from a friend in the States:

We live in Dorset, the town next door is Manchester (Vermont). Much of the recreational activities provided for the kids is joint between the two towns. My nephew plays soccer (a.k.a. football). He is on one of the two travelling teams from Manchester. One team is called Manchester United. The other is Manchester City. My nephew plays for Manchester City, and they are doing very well. Unfortunately, I believe that Manchester United is doing better. My brother was surprised that all these names related to something real and substantial. See we don’t live in such a cultural backwater after all.

WHO WAS CITY’S FIRST MILLION POUNDER?

Can anyone help us out here? There is a dispute going on and I think someone here can put an end to it once and for all. Who was Manchester City’s first one million pound player? Was it Trevor Francis as most of us think or was it Steve Daley as just one thinks?

DIY CORNER – HOW DO YOU MAKE A RATTLE?

A plea to all our readers. At the risk of being considered a reactionary I wondered if any of you out there still had a rattle.

I want to acquire one, does anybody know where I can…

1. Buy one?
2. Get a working drawing or sketch to enable me to make one?
3. Borrow one and replicate it?

It’s this nostalgia thing, I always wanted one of those sturdy ones that took the maximum amount of effort to get going, but once you did you could hear them miles away.

Ed – I recall the instructions being in a Blue Peter Annual back in the 70’s (I think) Never did get round to making one

NOKIA PHONE COVER

I am having a problem getting a City cover for my Nokia 5110 phone. We get every other Prem club (in Australia) but not City. Anyone know of a source, costs, etc?

Ed – Makes a change from ring tones 🙂

SOUTHAMPTON GAME ON TV IN NEWQUAY … OR EVEN PARIS?

I will be in Cornwall (Newquay to be exact) on 23rd October. Does anybody know of any local boozers that will be showing the game, or even better, local boozers that will be full of Blues and showing the game?

I will be in Paris on the 23rd October, and am looking for somewhere to watch the game against Southampton, preferably with other Blues.

ARSENAL MATCH TICKET / TV DETAILS WANTED

Does anyone have a spare Arsenal ticket? I will collect it from you or meet you at the ground. Help please!

Can anyone advise if and where I might see coverage of Arsenal vs. City in Cyprus on Saturday 28 October? It’s my first visit there.

Ed – You out there / still in Cyprus Herbie? Not seen you in the chat room for a while

TRAINING GROUND LOCATION?

Anyone know the address of the new training facilities City are using at Carrington? It has been mentioned a fair bit but I’ve never seen an address mentioned.

WHY BLUE?

Why am I a City supporter? There are days when I wake up with that question on my lips, the sleepless nights, the raging tantrums when City get hammered by some utterly sh** team that ought to be in the Conference. Being a City supporter isn’t just about choosing a team, it is an entire lifestyle choice which seems to have relegated me to watching only the Rags and other scum lift the trophies. Ah well…

Born and raised in Maltby, Yorkshire, a former pit village with a disproportionate number of Blue fans, I suppose it was only natural that I should catch the obsession from my brother. The first derby I went to though, the 1989 5:1 hammering of Rag scum was the real clincher of the matter though – I fell in love with City forever that day although times have not exactly proved as good since. Better Blue than Red, and at least I can demonstrate that by wearing a City shirt I genuinely support a football team, not just this year’s winners like so many other imbeciles do. Whatever the weather, whatever the conditions, whoever we are playing I’ll be there – maybe not physically but definitely in spirit – Manchester City!

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

MCIVTA ADDRESSES:
Contributions: Geoff – mcivta@donkin.freeserve.co.uk
News & Rumours: Peter – brophy_peter@hotmail.com
Subscriptions: Steve – sbolton@buxtonrd.u-net.com
Technical Problems: Paul – paul@city-fan.org

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.

Geoff Donkin, mcivta@donkin.freeserve.co.uk

Editor: