Newsletter #302

A quiet weekend with the Vaughan deal being pronounced dead due to money difficulties; apparently, Teletext now have it being resuscitated! Other than that, there is a review of the latest CITY Magazine, a Why Blue, and somewhere to send all those old City songs and chants!

This one reaches 1467.

Next game, Blackpool away, Wednesday 16th July 1997

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NEWS – SHERON TO RETURN?

I rang Clubcall last night to try to get some ‘official’ transfer news. They didn’t really say anything I didn’t already know, but they did speculate on the return of a certain Mike Sheron. Apparently, a club has offered Stoke £1 million plus a striker and defender. Clubcall said that you could imagine City offering the money plus Kernaghan and Creaney. Is this a clue or are Clubcall winding me up? I would love to see Sheron partner Uwe next season. They could easily get 40 goals between them. Add to that Gio’s, Horlock’s and Buzzer’s goals and we might be in with a promotion chance.

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

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NEWS – CITY PULL OUT OF VAUGHAN DEAL

City have pulled out of the deal to sign Ipswich defender Tony Vaughan after failing to agree personal terms. “We were a long way apart,” said Frank Clark. “It was purely and simply a matter of money.”

The Mole

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NEWS – TRANSFER NEWS

According to teletext on Granada, City have reopened talks with Ipswich defender Tony Vaughan and agents are trying to sell Dutch WBA striker Richard Sneekes to the club. City are also reported to be considering a move for Georgian international Shota Arveladze. Georgia beat Moldova 2-0 on Saturday with goals from the aforementioned Arveladze and our very own Gio from the penalty spot.

Stuart Barstow – Audenshaw, Manchester (Stuart@trouser.demon.co.uk)

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NEWS – TRANSFER NEWS

According to local media reports this evening (Monday), the Tony Vaughan deal could be back on. On Friday it was announced that the move was off, with club and player a long way apart regarding personal terms, but talks are now set to re-open it seems.

City have been linked with some more players today, but the rumours seem to be coming from the players’ agents rather than the club. The first name is Richard Sneekes, a 28-year old Dutch midfielder currently at West Brom, formerly of Ajax and Fortuna Sittard but probably best known in this country from his time at Bolton Wanderers.

The other name is that of Georgian international striker Shota Arveladze, a name no doubt familiar to many City fans as he has been linked with the Blues many times. Arveladze scored Georgia’s first goal in their 2-0 World Cup qualifier win against Moldova in Tbilisi on Saturday, the other coming from a Gio Kinkladze penalty. A possible snag with a move for Arveladze is that he usually moves with his twin brother Archil, another Georgian international (both are currently with Trabzonspor in Turkey); however, Archil is not a regular in the Georgian team and so City would probably not be able to get a work permit for him. Hence this move would depend on whether the brothers are willing to take different career paths.

Paul Howarth (paul@city-fan.org)

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NEWS – RESERVES VENUE

City intend to play the majority of their reserve team games at Altrincham’s Moss Rose ground during the forthcoming season (as opposed to Witton Albion’s ground Wincham Park, which was used last season). The club have applied to the Pontin’s League for permission to play at Moss Rose and it is very unlikely that this will be denied.

The Mole

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REVIEW – CITY MAGAZINE: VOLUME 2, ISSUE 10

In my opinion, this is the best City Mag I have ever read. Admittedly I haven’t received my copy of the Gio special yet, so it could be changed! I called the publishers this morning and they promised by the end of the week; which week they didn’t specify! The cover is full of the news that eveyone (I’m sure everyone?!) wanted to hear, that Gio was staying; there is also a sticker of Kevin Horlock.

Inside, the format has changed a little, as I guess they are still striving to find the perfect formula. Thankfully they have got rid of that crappy section that was a poor rip-off of our own “Why Blue”. There is also a request towards the end for real supporters to send in their own match reports for the mag, so perhaps there’s a possible journo’s job for Paul Howarth if he wants one, as he does a great job on these pages!

The usual diary details all of the final stages of the season, and continues after the end of it. It doesn’t go past the date of Gio’s re-signing but I guess they’ll milk that again in the next issue!

There are two articles which I think are brilliant; the first is on the news of the re-signing of Gio. There is not actually any first-hand comment from Gio, but some qoutes from the Daily Mail article in which he was interviewed. The feature does have a brief interview with Bernard Halford on his views on the club – how they have managed to secure Gio’s services, and the fact that they will now be able to bring in some more quality players. All in all a good article.

The second article is an interview with Frank Clark. I started reading this just as England started the game against Italy, and whatever was happening there didn’t bother me, I got totally engrossed in the article and couldn’t leave it until I had finished it! It is, as the mag says, a “Frank” interview in which you just gain more and more respect for the guy and the ambitions he has for the club. He is honest that the possibility of us reaching the play-offs was never there. He also says that had we gone up, he wouldn’t have thought it was a year too early and would have tried his best up there.

Along the lines of players, he says the reason Jeff Whitley was dropped was not because he wasn’t playing well enough but because he was too young and thought the previous managers had pushed him in too early. He also talks of those that have been listed, saying it is in theirs and the club’s best interest that they have a change, and cites Dibble as proof of this. He also states that there are a number of players that he has thought all along are not good enough to play for Manchester City with the club’s and his ambitions in mind.

On the youth team subject, he says he didn’t like having to change the old guard but with Franny’s ambitions for the club, it was better that the youth team was given a totally fresh start when it could. In not so many words he was saying that the youth team set-up has not been made a scapegoat for the club’s lack of success as has been stated.

There is much more in the interview, too much to put in the review but all worthy of a mention; I don’t know if it is possible for somebody to scan it in, and post it on a page for a few days so that everybody can have the benefit of reading it.

The next article is an amusing one on the comments of the season made by managers and players throughout the season, I’ve picked out my selection of the best:

“If results had gone differently, I wouldn’t be looking for a new manager.”
Good ‘Ol Franny!

The Coppell one, but I can’t be bothered to type it; it’s long winded and I don’t like him so he’s not worth the energy!

“Watching City is the best laxative there is.”
Phil Neal

“So it’s another traditional Xmas then, the turkey’s in the oven, Slade are on the radio and Manchester City are in turmoil.”
Peter Ferguson, Daily Mail (bobody told me City had moved out of Manchester? … to a place called turmoil! Alright a poor attempt to show wit!

“Now I know how sea lions and tigers feel at the zoo.”
Clark on the openness of the training ground and the decision to ban fans and press.

“I think the penny’s dropping slowly but surely, to the fans, that these players that they’ve backed for years are not good enough.”
Ball on Uwe on the infamous Sheff. Utd. night.

“Are you watching Alan Ball?”
Us at Oxford!

“I’ve never been to Wembley.”
Gio. If it’s any consolation neither had I until the same night! (well apart from a couple of concerts which don’t count).

“Yes, maybe!”
Gio on whether he’s staying or not.

Well, I think I’ve covered a lot here so I’ll skim through the rest of the mag.

• Two pages of how crap we really were!
• Paul Power on how he’s going to revive the youth team and his time at City as a player.
• Commemorative article on Stan Gibson, whose last game as groundsmen was thesame one as many thought would Gio’s last as a City player.
• Paul Lake’s testimonial Golf Match against the Rags; oh we won, but Niall was crap!
• Article on Nicky Weaver, our 18-year-old new ‘keeper who let in 90 goals in24 games last season; good work scouts! No, give them credit, they did tryand find the ‘keeper who let in 101, be he’d topped himself!
• Bobby McDonald, on his days at City and in particular the cup final.

If you want to send in match reviews to the mag, title them “Blue Notes” – to the address below.

Also, for those abroad who complain about local shops not having the mag, write to the address below about subscriptions – the amounts are:
UK/BFPO: £25.00 for 12 issues, £15.00 for 6 issues.
Europe/Eire: £35.00 for 12 issues, £20.00 for 6 issues.
Elsewhere: £48.00 for 12 issues, £26.00 for 6 issues.
Make cheques payable to Guardian Media Group.

City Magazine
Greater Manchester Publications
164 Deansgate
Manchester
M60 2RD

Until the next one, or anything else useful I may want to share!

Stay Blue as the retired French pillock wouldn’t say; oh talking of him I saw him, he wasn’t in a cab, nor in a chippy, but doing a job similar to the one he did before, he’s in Madame Tussauds, looking a complete pillock!

James Talbot (lmd@compuserve.com)

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CITY SONGS

Ever wanted to know the words to City songs? Ever wanted to feel part of the crowd when the chanting started? Too scared to ask the bloke next to you “What’s the words mate?”

I am putting together a Web page of City songs and chants over the years. It’s very much a spare-time effort, and will only be uploaded once (if it ever gets) reasonably full, due to time constraints.

If anyone wants to send anything for inclusion, please email me at: Stuart@bouncy.demon.co.uk

Include the following:

• The words
• The tune (i.e. “to the tune of ‘wonderwall'” etc.)
• Where first heard/sung?
• Any other information.

The chants section will include favourite chants and one-offs, e.g. the

Get some f***ing work done
Get some f***ing work done
Na Nah na Nahhh…
Na Nah Na Nahhh…

whilst the workmen were slacking at Sheffield United away last year…

For chants, send the chant, time, ground and why it was special/funny.

Anything that slags off the Rags most welcome, a section devoted to these would be great.

Anything funny chanted at us would also be good to include.

Once it’s all together, I’ll post the address.

Thanks, Stuart Menges (stuart@bouncy.demon.co.uk)

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OPINION – SHORT OF CASH

Call me a cynic but I’ve just read that City won’t be signing Vaughan from Ipswich because they couldn’t reach agreement about personal terms. Is this the first fallout from keeping Kinkladze? If we’ve agreed to pay Premiership rates for high levels of talent then every two-bit player who claims to have supported City all his life will be wanting a massive wage. Despite all the rhetoric about being a “big club” I’ve a feeling we aren’t and that we can’t support a Premiership wage structure.

As for Kinky, the general (non City) consensus around here is that he had nothing to lose staying at City. He’s very well paid, he’s not going to get dropped from the Georgia squad. He’s idolised by the fans. He’s not up against top defences. He’s got it made. Easy life.

Let’s hope I’m talking out of my Ole Martin Arst.

Jim Simmons (Jim.Simmons@bbc.co.uk)

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OLD SHIRTS- ANY SIGHTINGS?

As a newcomer to the Net, and being a Mancunian currently in Northern Ireland, finding MCIVTA is like Christmas come early – good work! Anyway, to my query – as a keen collector of overpriced low-quality fashion garments, I possess all of City’s team shirts for the last 7 or 8 years, with the exception of the most recent home shirt, which I intended to buy when it was knocked down in price. On a recent trip home, however, I could find nothing apart from dozens of shirts in “Youth” size (do City not have any youth supporters these days?). Can anyone point me in the direction of a shop that still has any in “large”? I’d be very grateful! Here’s to Kappa making us some decent kit…

Dave Watkins (dave.ali.w@dnet.co.uk)

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REQUEST – GEORGIA VS. WALES

Has anyone got a copy of the Wales vs. Georgia match where Gio scored his wonder goal they could let me have, as I must be the only City fan who’s never seen it! I remember going to bed after the England game and not, for once, waiting up to see the other home countries!

P.S. was anyone else as dismayed as me with the coverage of the Georgia vs. Moldova match on Sky on Saturday? It was scheduled as 1.5 hours but lasted only 20 minutes. I know the picture quality was bad but honestly…!

Carol Darvill (CarolDarvill@compuserve.com)

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WHY BLUE?

I was born and reared in Manchester, though by a mishap of being born on the way to hospital, I somehow got registered in Oldham. My dad, like many before him, due to the economic conditions in Ireland in the 50’s, emigrated to Manchester where he used to watch whichever team was at home, but he was and still is a U****d fan.

It was naturally thought that I would follow the family tradition and be a Red too. Shudder. And to my shame I was one of them until one day, when I was 8-years-old and attending primary school, St. John’s R.C. in Benchill, when we had a visit from both Tony Book and Sir Nobhead Charlton to talk about road safety. After the talk was over, Slur Nobhead gave our teacher a few reflective armbands to be disrtibuted amongst us. Our teacher stressed that only Real U****d fans could have one , so to my shame I put up my hand, and looked forward to safely walking home in the long winter evenings. I was the only one with my hand up who didn’t get a band. Disappointment welled up inside me. On the way home, a friend of mine at the time named Kevin Hill said “Why not be a City fan?”, so I thought “yeah why not.”

That year City won the Cup; my dad wouldn’t let me watch it so I went to watch it at a neighbour’s house and remember cheering wildly when Buzzer crossed and Neil Young scored, I was hooked. Secondary school brought me into touch with more Blues and I began to attend matches with a crowd; a season ticket was bought with the proceeds of a summer spent delivering leaflets around south Manchester, at the costly sum of £4. Only missed one game that year, ’cause my sister decided to get married when we played Leicester. Luckily Barney Daniels’ famous feats were on the telly.

Now I`m 37 and living in Galway. I proudly hold the office of Chairman of the branch for this year. The Red scum never phase me. I always tell them that no matter what they win they will never be as good as us Blues. Our branch travel regularly to Maine Road, I love going home, Frank Horrocks really looks after us.

Back to the question Why Blue. United fans think they are fans, whereas we love our club, and it is our club. My brother’s son, third of four kids (all the rest are Rags), came with me to watch the lads train at Platt Lane and met all the players, honestly it was like taking a kid to see Santa Claus. His heroes, Kinky and Uwe chatted to him and signed loads of autographs; try doin’ that at the Cess Pit of Screams!

I think the tide is on the turn, they are too complacent, we’re very hungry… shades of the early 60`s all over again. Frank Clark is the one we have been waiting for… the backroom’s taking shape, the team is a lot tighter at the back, and with more players coming in during the summer, here is hoping…

All The Best, and thanks again.

Howard McCarthy – happy to be Blue! (howardmc@iol.ie)

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

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Technical Problems: Paul – paul@city-fan.org

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

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