Newsletter #146

At last our luck has turned and it was the Blues who got a late, nay very late goal to get the three points they undoubtedly deserved. Things are still not right though, despite an attractive midfield and fairly solid defence, I still have to say that Uwe and Niall look about as likely to score as Cliff Richard. I did have to eat my words 5 minutes after uttering this but it still stands. Uwe desperately needs a spell on the bench, but is Bally brave enough to do it? Main thing is that we are now off the bottom!

Unfortunately Rob hasn’t been able to get his match report to me (it’ll be in the next issue) so we only have my match view to go on for now. If anyone else can do a report, just the odd one or regularly then they’d be most welcome. It’s quite a task but it’s greatly valued by those who can’t attend and the more reports we get the more angles we get. So, if anyone has an urge to do one, don’t resist it! I’ll leave the rest of this issue to speak for itself, much opinion, replies, news etc. as well as a Why Blue.

Next game, Aston Villa at home, Saturday 25th November 1995.

MATCH VIEW

Another fairly slick midfield performance from the Blues, neat passing and purposeful, attractive build-ups, and even the crowd are beginning to understand that hoofing it up is not the best way to score a goal! However, this all breaks down up front, Niall is playing his holding and laying-off game very well but looks lost in front of goal; Uwe is desperately off form. We had umpteen headers, corners and knock downs, all of which came to nothing. One piece of bad luck was Edghill being stretchered off after 5 minutes after taking a size 10 in the stomach (he ended up vomiting). This meant that the in-form Buzzer had to drop back to right back whilst Creaney came on in midfield. This robbed us of our best bet for getting behind the massed ranks of Wimbledon defenders. Rösler had a nice snapshot which went wide but the most dangerous move was a Kinky run and shot on goal which the keeper couldn’t hold; unfortunately Flipper wasn’t quick enough to make anything of it.

Wimbledon were nowhere in the second half and we seemed to build-up almost at will. The refereeing was odd to say the least; he let Wimbledon get away with persistent shirt-pulling and shoving, didn’t give any of City’s three penalty appeals (one was quite a good one, Lomas) and inexplicably failed to book their number 34 for crashing into Immel who fell heavily against the post. He still failed to win the ‘pratt of the night’ award as this was comfortably won by one of the linesmen who made a entire series of truly baffling decisions in Wimbledon’s favour and when he finally gave an offside decision City’s way, this was the queue for thunderous applause! Just beforehand Rösler had been clearly fouled but no whistle was blown and I, along with most of the City team were still loudly haranguing the referee when the ball was put through (offside again!) to two Wimbledon players. ‘Oh shit’ we thought, after all this possession they’re going to score and it’s going to have come from abysmal refereeing; fortunately we have Immel in goal and I swear he’d save 9/10 when it’s these kind of situations… brilliant save, no sweat Eike!

The game was just plain running out and I just as I’d got through telling my mate that we couldn’t score in a month of Sundays, it happened; Niall got the ball just inside the area, turned sharply losing two defenders and belted the ball home almost with his back to goal. We were ecstatic and looking around I saw Immel fully stretched on the floor, hands in the air in a solo celebration! Just the luck that’s been missing for so long… there is someone out there after all!

The players:

Immel (9) A really great save after two Wombles were through (offside?) and looked safe as houses all night.

Edghill Injured very early on.

Bright.(7) Looked much more solid than last Saturday.

Symons (9) What can I say? Didn’t put a foot wrong.

Curle (8) Back on form with some stylish defending when in a tight corner.

Lomas (6) Ran a lot and won the ball but still gave it away far too easily.

Flipper (7) Worked hard with the odd nice touch.

Kinky (7) A little subdued but still looks genuine class.

Creaney (6) Looked better than of late and fitter but he’s really a striker.

Niall (7) Lovely control and passing but looks woeful in front of goal, the ‘keeper should really have saved his shot.

Uwe (5) Sharper than Saturday but still looks like he’s forgotten how to score. Perversely, he’s now taken to diving/falling over and looking at the ref! Give it a rest Uwe!

Buzzer (7) He was dangerous up front and played very competently at the back. Ball’s decision was a little curious, could he not have brought Brown on and switched Lomas to right back instead?

NEWS – CHRISTIANSEN

GMR reports at 7.25am that Thomas Christiansen is again thinking about joining the Blues. This follows a so-called ‘bust up’ between Johann Cryuff and Christiansen re the botched move to City. It was made clear that Christiansen has no future with Barcelona.

Personally I think that this is good news. On Saturday City played really well but neither Niall nor Uwe looked like scoring. Obviously I wouldn’t want City to pay silly wages for any player but under Franny this doesn’t seem likely anyway.

Also the Celtic defender that we had on loan (McNally) has gone back to Celtic because City aren’t moithered with him.

NEWS – INGEBRIGTSEN I

In today’s Norwegian paper ‘Aftenposten’ it is reported that Kåre Ingebrigtsen may not return to Maine Road after all. He’s under a contract lasting until next summer and City are still paying his wages. He was supposed to return on November 1st and had agreed with AB on that, but got a few extra days off due to his wedding. When he contacted City again he was told he wasn’t needed at the moment. The player himself thinks it’s a board decision and that City can’t afford to provide him with a car and a house, and in addition 3 foreigners (Immel, Kinky, Rösler) are already used on a regular basis. Therefore, Ingebrigtsen’s chance of getting a place in the first team seem unlikely. Personally I don’t think City ever needed Kåre, not under Reid, not under Horton and not now. Although a very good player in the Norwegian league (but not good enough for the national side) I can’t see him making a contribution in the Premier.

NEWS – INGEBRIGTSEN II

According to TV2 in Norway , Alan Ball has told Kåre Ingebrigtsen to stay in Norway. AB says that Immel, Rösler and Kinkladze are the best players at the moment, and he therefore won’t need Ingebrigtsen on the team. Ingebrigtsen is very unhappy with the situation and he has contacted his manager Rune Hauge, to release him from his contract with MC.

POINTERS FROM PLATT LANE

(Your training ground correspondent)

The Thomas Christiansen Saga:

Towards the end of Monday’s (20th) training session who should arrive but Thomas Christiansen’s agent. As the situation regarding Christiansen has now changed somewhat (more later), Alan Ball was less than anxious to speak to him. AB continued the conversation that he was having with one of the supporters.

Another of the supporters engaged Christiansen’s agent in general chat about football and apparently he is a West Ham fan so much talk followed about Moore, Peters etc.. The agent was impressed with AB’s training methods. He goes around a lot of top clubs and he was pleased to see AB adopting the continental training methods. This appears to be restricting the players to a 1/4 size pitch for 5-a-side, short sharp passing and then only letting them out onto a full size pitch for matches.

As reported a while ago, when Christiansen was last over at the training ground Chairman Lee offered him £3,000 a week but this was rejected and a request made for £4,800 per week. When Christiansen (or his agent) pulled the same stunt at Nantes (at least I think it was Nantes or Nancy?) Johann Cruyff sat the lad down and gave him something of a talking to, to the effect that his future did not lie with Cruyff so he had better get himself sorted out. Apparently Cruyff had Christiansen in tears.

Now that Christiansen is looking to City again, AB and Chairman Lee seem perhaps just slightly less enthusiastic about the deal, perhaps £2,500 per week?

New signing:

I watched the new boy Phillips in training today with the first team squad. On the downside he is very small and lightweight, on the upside he is very skilful and very fast. As AB told me last week, he needs to be built up in the gym before being included in the first team.

Alex Stepney was training Immel, Coton, Margetson and Nurse. It was interesting to see goalkeepers being given “pressure training”. Chairman Lee was down at the complex and spoke to Stepney for a while. The whole squad look to be really bombing with an excellent spirit and plenty of laughs; at last AB seems to be one of the boys. We shall see after the Dons’ match.

P.S. I would like to thank those people who made some very encouraging remarks in response to last edition’s article and I have passed these to the correspondent. He will continue to report as long as City allow supporters into the training ground and the likes of AB will talk to him. For the obvious reasons he would prefer to remain anonymous on the grounds that the sources of the information might dry up somewhat.

SUPPORT YOUR FELLOW BLUES?

Nick Leeson was seen arriving at Singapore airport wearing a City scarf. Guess he must have heard last night’s result 🙂 Maybe we should add him to the mailing list – nick.leeson@changi.jail.sg might find him?

Actually – what do people think? I think it would be a fine idea to mail him MCIVTA by snail mail. He may be a rogue, but dammit, he ain’t Peter Swales (and I consider the Barings board to be the real culprits, but then I suspect they vote Tory …)

LEESON ARRIVES!

The news on Radio 5 AM this morning had commentary of Nick Leeson being led from the plane to prison in Singapore, included in which was a description of his attire. What? No! Surely not? Yup, a nice, clean City shirt. I’m all for getting the word around but maybe not this way. It was followed up by a nice link in the sports bit at the end of the news. Is this the new prison garb over there? I understand he’s being kept in the mental patient wing. Figures.

One Nil! Woah! Woah! Too much! We’ll be winning derbies again next. Well done to the boys – maybe the sign that luck is going to run with us for a while now.

FAMOUS BLUES

I know this is a bit behind the times, but I’ve only just got my thoughts together. Another famous City fan is none other than Mr John Virgo (he of snooker and Big Break fame). I know what you’re all thinking: that on a Saturday night he goes on and on about his beloved Man. United, but I have irrefutable evidence that this a is a sham.

Before Mr Virgo became a professional snooker player he used to work with my dad at some company in I think Bolton (might have been Bannister Walton I can’t quite remember). Anyway whilst he was there, my dad (who is a True Blue) said that John Virgo was (and I quote) ‘As Blue as you could get’. So “what has happened?” I hear you cry – has success gone to his head, or is it all a cheap ploy by the BBC to get Man. United mentioned as often as possible? I think we should be told. Maybe a letter to Mr Virgo is in order?

LONDON BRANCH OF THE SUPPORTERS’ CLUB

The London Branch of the Manchester City Supporters’ Club has been around for more than 25 years, bringing together Blues from all over the South East of England. Though most of the membership is London based we do have people as far flung as Cambridge and Brighton.

The majority of members are exiles from the Manchester but there are also quite a few southerners who for various bizarre reasons support City; obviously there are no glory seekers amongst them!

The Branch organises trips to every Saturday game (and where possible midweek) by British Rail. Rail fares are kept at a reasonable price, because as an affiliate of the Association of Provincial Football Supporters Clubs in London (APFSCIL), a discount is negotiated with BR.

Typical is the trip to Maine Road. Leaving on the 09.50 from Euston (or 10.06 at Watford) the return fare is £20. The return journey can be made on either the 17.30 or 18.30 from Manchester Piccadilly.

Midweek is more difficult but games in the Midlands are usually possible by train. Otherwise you’ll usually find someone willing to drive and share the petrol costs.

The Secretary is usually able to get tickets for away games, for members booking approximately 4 weeks in advance. Not suprisingly, certain big games result in only a few tickets being made available. These are offered to our most travelled fans. Generally speaking though we do quite well sorting most people out.

The Branch has a fairly active social scene. Teams are entered in the APFSCIL leagues for Football, Darts and Pool with varying degrees of success. Similarly our Quiz team plays other supporters’ teams from across the South East. If you know your Rothmans, you’d be more than welcome!

In the past, we have arranged social events at the players’ hotel before a London game, which have been a fantastic opportunity to meet the players and management. Hopefully, we will be able to repeat this later in the season.

APFSCIL also holds an annual dinner-dance which was attended by Niall Quinn two years ago and provided a most memorable evening for those in attendance. Again we will be trying to secure a player (probably an injured one!) to come along in March.

The branch was very proud this summer to be given a new President by Maine Road – none other than one of my all time heroes – Asa Hartford.

There are approximately 200 branch members currently. The cost is £10 a year with concessions for the unwaged. If you want to know more about the Branch my email address is below:

OPINION – PLATT LANE NOTES AND HOME GROWN TALENT

Neale asked for feedback on his contribution to the MCIVTA mailing list. Personally I found his report really interesting so I would definitely say keep up the good work.

As the director of a company, I was particularly interested in the jottings about the MCFC balance sheet. If my turnover for the year was only just a bit bigger than the overdraft, I think I would have a lot of trouble sleeping. I think the figures you gave showed the depth of the problem facing Francis Lee after years of what looks, on the face of it, fairly loose financial control. The problems in pushing through the Phelan and Quinn transfers also show the difficulty in realising the value of the club’s main assets, namely the players. On the plus side, the commercial income looks very low compared to Manchester Untied so there must be great scope for real growth there.

I also would like to see a lot more in the MCIVTA about the MCFC youth policy. I think this is where the real problem lies. I was hard pushed to think of any player Man. City has sold who has gone off to be a revelation elsewhere so that you think ‘Damn should not have sold him’. We seem to produce good lower Premier League, First Division players. Michael Hughes, Ged Taggart, Steve Redmond, David Bennett, ehe Beckford brothers, David Brightwell, David Phillips, David White, etc. etc. We seem to be unable to translate real promise into top level performance. Going back a few years, players who looked at one time to be potentially top class never went onto to really cut it. The late Tommy Caton, Tommy Booth, Tony Towers, Mike Sheron and on and on. In that respect maybe Paul Lake’s injury was the biggest blow? Peter Barnes was an exception though.

Maybe what Man City need to do is to bring in a supremo with the real ability to bring on top class talent. Dario Gradi springs to mind.

When I think about it, even when we had an ace team the real talent was bought in cheaply: Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee, Francis Lee, Tony Coleman. Those great buys grafted onto solid home players like Doyle and Oakes gave us the start of our great team. The later expensive talent aka Rod Marsh, Steve Daley never lived upto expectations. Only Dennis Tueart, David Watson and Trevor Francis do I remember looking the part.

OPINION – WHITE AND DIVISION 1

In the last MCIVTA Dave Sweeting asked of David White. If I am not mistaken he did come on for Sheffield United against Sunderland on Saturday and did not look anything like the White of old. His touch was bad and his pace seemed to be none existent. As for his touch in front of goal, he didn’t get much of a chance as he was generally hustled off the ball in the middle of the field and didn’t get to play that much of the game.

Maybe he lacks match fitness but I do think he is now destined to play in the lower divisions unless he improves on his general stamina. Why he has chosen to go on loan to Sheffield puzzles me as they are without exception the worst team that I have seen in the last three years of watching both City and Sunderland. If he is putting himself ‘in the shop window’ as it were then he seems to have chosen the wrong outlet.

On the issue of City coming down a division and would it affect them then I think the simple answer must be yes. This season the division is wide open with no obvious promotion candidates or consistent team of quality. Peter Reid has worked wonders at Sunderland but lacks the finance to buy the extra quality that is needed to rise head and shoulders above the rest. This seems to be the story throughout the division. Personally of the teams I have witnessed this year only Leicester seem capable of putting a string of wins together and going clear at some point. As it is, luck rather than ability could be the deciding factor.

This would imply that if City were to go down it would be a simple task to come straight back up and even create an atmosphere of optimism throughout the club. After all, a season at the top of the first would generate greater enthusiasm on the field and the terraces than another languishing at the foot of the Premier wouldn’t it? The problem is that although City do have, on paper, the quality to warrant a Premiership place the reality I think would be far different.

Rösler may be going through a bad patch but who would leave him out? Hopefully he will return to the Uwe of old sooner rather than later. However, it has already been implied that if City go down, Uwe has the option to leave. Chances of him staying would be slim.

Personally, rather than becoming City’s home of rebirth and rejuvenation, I think that going down would not be a one season thing. I fear that we’d get drawn into too many scraps and draws and would end up hovering in a play-off position while those teams that are used to fighting it out in the division like Tranmere, Grimsby and Barnsley would finally get that bit of luck that they need.

Comparisons are always dodgy but look at teams like Palace who, ignoring the difference in support, struggled in much the same manner as City last season, went down, had to sell their ‘quality’ players and are now struggling a few places off the bottom of the first. We have no God given right to stay up or even come straight back up. Fallen ‘greats’ like Birmingham and Wolves have proven this.

Am I the only one who thinks like this? Would we be destined to be another Birmingham with the support and facilities to enter the Premiership but not the team? I know this is long but I feel as though it is warranted. I have heard fans talk of going down as if it would be a great new start. Whether this is just trying to make being at the bottom sound like a good thing I don’t know, but we must face up to the idea that we have to stay up and nothing else is acceptable . It is essential for the club, us and our future.

On a different note I would like to say that the reports from the training ground are worthwhile and do provide an insight that otherwise would be missed. At the moment I can’t remember who is responsible but if you are doubting the importance of your input then it must be time to thank you and ask for more of the same.

I hope the Wimbledon game goes well which I have to miss but I’ll be at the Villa game where I hope we can get three points against a team who I believe are now third. Is this the test of our tabloid headed ‘new resurgence’?

I’ll get round to a ‘Why Blue?’ soon as well which on the evidence of the length of this promises to be just as tedious and mind-numbingly long!

OPINION – CONFIDENCE BUILDING

It’s good to see the lads gritting out some tough points now. I don’t know any of the match details yet except that Quinn scored just before he took his bath at the end of the game. Based on record the Blues should have beaten the Londoners and the fact they did has to be a confidence builder – even if they made hard work of it (1 goal at the end of the game sure sounds like they made it harder than it should have been). Success builds on success. In the middle of their no points run they played Forest, Liverpool and United – all tough clubs to beat. Now maybe they can build on the recent points success they have had to put together a decent season. Thanks for all at MCIVTA for the work you do – it helps ex-pats like me get through the week. I’m looking forward to my trip to UK this Christmas – I get to see 3 games – I don’t know what the rest of the family is going to do – but I’m going to see my Blues.

OPINION – SWALES

After Swales’ comments on telly the other night, it seems an awful lot of you are laughing and joking saying that he was right and he cant pick managers… don’t get me wrong, I’m not supporting the guy for screwing up the club, but his choices were right at the time. Look at some of the managers he has used in the past:

• Malcolm Allison – Top manager… and it cannot be denied.
• John Bond – Saw us to our most recent Cup Final.
• Howard Kendall – Proven manager (at the time)
• Peter Reid – Never really got the chance, now doing well up North.
• Brian Horton – Top bloke, bad beard – but was a top manager – tt was Lee who got rid of him.

I’m sure you can all think of examples that say Swales was a crap decision maker, but look at it this way… how much money did Swales give these blokes to work with? For God’s sake, we are one of the biggest clubs in this country, nay world, and Swales’ problem wasn’t the fact that he can’t choose the best man for the job; it is that he couldn’t support the club financially, and refused help from other sources. Look at the players we have had, and let go due to financial crises at the club:

• Trevor Francis…
• Steve Kinsey…
• Mike Sheron…
• Paul Stewart…(OK… maybe not)
• Paul Walsh…
• Steve McMahon…
• Gerry Taggart…
• Peter Barnes…
• Ashley Ward…
• Steve Redmond…
• Adrian Heath…
• Paul Power…

to name but a few… OK Paul was at the end of his career, but we could have kept him at the Acadamy if Everton hadn’t offered up a coffee blender and some meat pies for his services. What about the Ian Bishop, Trever Morley for Mark ‘Crap Bastard’ Ward? OK, Morley was shagging Fashanu, but who gave a s**t if he scored? Anyway… let’s not be too hard on old Slap’ead… he was a doddering old ***t, but he tried bless him. I just wish he was dead. Or at least left City in about 1980, when we had a decent team (If he’d have left I reckon we would have won that cup.

Gareth, are you kidding? Of all those players I’d only say Francis was a financial decision and only him and Barnes were good players, I wouldn’t have given a bag of peanuts for the rest, maybe 2 for Paul Power but only under duress! As for Swales, IMHO he was just another of those nobodies who’d made a bit of money and massaged his ego pretending he was an important person by buying a controlling interest in a football club. Anyone else got an opinion on this? 😎

REPLY – DAVE WATSON I

A couple of things:

Please keep the Platt lane reports coming in, I think they are a great source of info.

In reply to Dave Brown, I met up with Dave Watson in 1985. I know this is not exactly current info but I was in Vancouver, Canada at the time and Dave Brown is from Seattle. Someone I worked with had asked him to come and meet me as I was a homesick 17 year-old Blue. He was a top bloke and still working in football (with the Vancouver Whitecaps I think). He was very happy with life in Canada, so I can only assume that he is still out there. If he is not I’m sure we will find out.

All the best and let’s hope we can move off the bottom Wednesday night. I don’t normally look forward to a midweek game with Wimbledon, but this is a bit different. Let’s hope we can make as much noise as we did against Bolton – even the bloke I have sat next to in the North stand for the last 5 years joined in for the first time I can remember.

REPLY – DAVE WATSON II

I don’t know what involvement he has with the club, if any, but he is usually sat in the directors’ box at home matches. I also saw him enjoying a drink in the bar at U****d before the game last season.

REPLY – FOREIGN TEAMS I

In reply to Nick Cavanagh’s request to hear from any City fans who also have a “soft spot” for a foreign team; as well as suffering since I was six with our beloved boys in blue, I’ve adopted Ajax Amsterdam as my foreign club.

Now, before anybody starts howling “gloryhunter” at me, I’ve been following the Ajax for the past seven years. It all started when I was given one of their away shirts as a present (and no, it wasn’t for any other reason, just in case you’re reading this, Andy Brown) and that was it, I was hooked! I’ve only been to see them play once – at the Makita Tournament at White Hart Lane, a 1-1 draw with Chelsea – and would have loved to have been in Vienna last Summer to see the 1-0 slaughter of the (over-hyped) Milan.

Worry ye not… City may have also been to Vienna but “only” won the Cup-Winners’-Cup… like Ajax, our night of true European glory will come… someday.

REPLY – FOREIGN TEAMS II

I don’t really support anyone else but had a highly entertaining Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago watching Football Italia on Ch4. Lazio were playing, in their practically-identical-to-City light blue (complete with trademark light/dark blue action chevrons TM on white shorts) and they won 4-0 and if you sort of half closed your eyes… My memory might be teasing me but I think they actually beat Inter, complete with The World’s Greatest Midfielder TM (Ince). Too good to be true, really.

REPLY – FOREIGN TEAMS & TURIN I

I believe that it was in fact the Turin team that was lost in the air crash; not sure that this relates (tho’ of course it soounds as though it should do – somehow it didn’t turn them overnight into ‘The greatest club in the world <tm>) – I suspect that the affiliation is more to do with the fact that in the past few decades, Turin have been overshadowed by Juventus, a situation not dissimilar to our own position.

As for Scottish clubs, my team is Celtic; one because we had the afternoon off at school to watch the Euro Cup Final, and it was such a great game, and two, because I am half Irish, and Celtic was started as a sports club for Irish immigrants in Glasgow – and now, because they too have been overshadowed by their neighbours.

Hmm. Why do I keep adopting lame ducks?

REPLY – FOREIGN TEAMS & TURIN II

City sold Denis Law to Torino many years ago. As part of the deal Torino played at Maine Road and I think City played them in Italy. I think City played Torino again a couple of years ago. Apart from that there’s no obvious connection between the clubs.

Nick Cavanagh’s mate put forward idea that it is linked to the Munich accident, however it was Torino themselves and not Juventus who were involved in an air crash. I think it was 1949 but I don’t know any casualty figures.

On the subject of foreign teams, I always used to look in the Australian results for Juventus. This interest was brought about by John Charles’ transfer from Leeds to the original Juventus in Turin. There was a Juventus team in every state league in Oz so there were usually good results somewhere or other. Having lived in Oz and played football against more than one Juventus team, I have the scars to remind me of my long lost affection for Italian football teams.

REPLY – TORINO

I think the reason Torino supporters are City supporters has something to do with the fact that they share a city with a team whose supporters come primarily from everywhere but that city. Juventus are the Man Utd of Italy. The plane crash mentioned was actually of Torino players and happened in the early 1950’s when Toro were the best team in the country. Football supporters in Turin primarily support Torino as Juventus are owned by Gianni Agnelli who owns Fiat, Ferrari, etc, whom many Turin residents work for.

WHY BLUE

I’m a City fan because all my family are City fans – my grandad used to tell me that we all had blue blood in our veins. I know that I didn’t have any say as to which team I was going to support (not that I would have chosen anyone else of course!).

According to my parents, I was enrolled as a Junior Blue two hours after I was born. My dad used to be a season ticket holder in the North Stand and would often drag my mum along as well – even when she was pregnant with me. So, after attending games even before I was actually born, there was no other team I could possibly support – it’s just not done to follow anyone apart from the Blues in our family.

Although I have yet to see City win a major trophy, my dad and uncles have seen them win the lot – they all reassure me that our day will come again. My fondest memories of triumph I have are those of us nearly winning the FA Cup against Spurs in 1981, beating the Rags in the FA Youth Cup and gaining promotion twice!!!

After going to Maine Road with my dad, I got my own season ticket for the Kippax from the ages of 14 and 18. Unfortunately I then left home for university and didn’t really get to see that many games due to my bleak financial outlook for four years. However, on returning to reality and finding myself a job, I have now “discovered” City all over again – and it’s just as painful as before! Whatever people say about City, supporting them is never dull – often painful, but never dull.

My best memory of supporting City as a youngster was when I watched them as a guest of Paul Lake (friend of my brother). The ticket he gave me not only got me into the ground, but also into the players’ lounge. Once in there I was introduced to all the players and spent the evening chatting to all my heroes – sheer Blue heaven!

RESULTS

Monday, November 20 1995

SOUTHAMPTON           0-1    ASTON VILLA            13,582

Tuesday, November 21 1995

ARSENAL               4-2    SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY    34,556
MIDDLESBROUGH         0-1    TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR      29,487

Wednesday, November 22 1995

CHELSEA               3-2    BOLTON WANDERERS       17,495
COVENTRY CITY         0-4    MANCHESTER UNITED      23,400
EVERTON               2-0    QUEENS PARK RANGERS    30,009
MANCHESTER CITY       1-0    WIMBLEDON              23,617
WEST HAM UNITED       0-0    LIVERPOOL              24,324

Wed 22 Nov

Team                Played   Won Drawn Lost  For  Against   Points
Newcastle United      14     11    2    1     31    10        35
Manchester United     14     10    2    2     31    13        32
Arsenal               14      8    3    3     21    10        27
Aston Villa           14      8    3    3     19    10        27
Tottenham Hotspur     14      7    4    3     22    17        25
Liverpool             14      7    3    4     26    12        24
Leeds United          13      7    3    3     19    14        24
Nottingham Forest     13      6    6    1     23    20        24
Middlesbrough         14      6    5    3     12     8        23
Chelsea               14      5    4    5     14    17        19
Everton               14      5    3    6     17    17        18
Blackburn Rovers      14      5    2    7     23    17        17
West Ham United       14      4    5    5     14    16        17
Sheffield Wednesday   14      3    4    7     12    18        13
Southampton           14      3    3    8     14    25        12
Queens Park Rangers   14      3    2    9     11    22        11
Wimbledon             14      3    2    9     16    30        11
Manchester City       14      2    3    9      6    22         9
Bolton Wanderers      14      2    2   10     14    29         8
Coventry City         14      1    5    8     11    29         8

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

MCIVTA ADDRESSES:
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Subscriptions: Adam.Houghton@sheffield.ac.uk

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