Newsletter #303
The on/off/on Vaughan saga continues with the latest news being that he will very likely sign tomorrow – believe it if you wish! As for other players, Clark is still chasing the Sunderland pair, and is also talking to Shota Arveladze, so more signings seem iminent. Talking of transfers, there is some informed opinion on 2 or our supposed foreign transfer targets; it is a good thing to get some balance, as it is all too easy to believe we are getting a good player when so little is known.
Other than that, we have news of the Cambridge and District branch, some info on Jason Van Blerk, a request for the missing Dave Lees, and another Why Blue.
Has anybody out there bought the new-ish book on the Manchester Derbies, and would care to review it for MCIVTA and the WWW? If so, please contact me.
Next game, Blackpool away, Wednesday 16th July 1997NEWS – SHERON TO BIRMINGHAM
According to today’s Independent, Mike Sheron could be on his way to Birmingham City. Stoke have received an offer of £2.5 million for the player. So my previous post which suggested Sheron may return to Maine Road now seems inaccurate.
Charles Pollitt (cpollitt@fs2.scg.man.ac.uk)NEWS – TRANSFERS
According to a report on ClubCall today, the rumoured move of Georgian striker Shota Arveladze to City will happen “sooner rather than later.” Local media reports that City had abandoned their efforts to sign Sunderland pair Craig Russell and Martin Smith were denied, though it was confirmed that City would not meet the Wearsiders’ £3 million asking price. Frank Clark said “We cannot agree a fee. Their idea of a price is £3 million but ours is not.” It was felt that a compromise could yet be reached though.
Regarding the on-off transfer of Ipswich defender Tony Vaughan, Frank Clark said “We will probably have further talks this week.” Vaughan denied that he was being greedy, saying “I was not being greedy, nor asking for silly money. I do have a family and I was trying to look after their interests. I do not know what is going to happen now. I just hope that City will come back in as it would be a dream move for me.” Ipswich still have an offer on the table for Vaughan if he wishes, but they have no intention of improving it. “There will not be another penny from us, but we will honour the offer we have made,” said George Burley.
There have apparently been reports in the Dutch press that City are interested in a striker from either Feyenoord or Twente. With no names mentioned though, it would be wise to treat this one with a pinch of salt.
The fixtures for next season will be announced next Monday, 16th June. One thing that seems certain is that there won’t be any Premier League football at Maine Road during the 97/98 season; Bolton have withdrawn their ground share request as their new Reebok Stadium is well on the way to being completed in time for the start of the new season on 9th August.
The MoleNEWS – VAUGHAN DEAL, SOME WAY TO GO
Teletext on BBC has the deal being back on but according to the Daily Express, Lee has said that the deal is dead and the player’s insistence that the deal is stiil warm is news to him. Lee cites the player’s and his agent’s demands as being “greedy and excessive.”
A little bit of work to be done there I think…
Chris Murphy (chrismurphy1@compuserve.com)NEWS – TRANSFERS
It now looks very likely that Tony Vaughan will be signing for City after all. He is having a medical today (Wednesday) and although there are still a few details to be sorted out, it’s hoped that Vaughan will be a City player by Friday.
Frank Clark has confirmed that he is “having negotiations” with Shota Arveladze, who has apparently been recommended to him by Gio Kinkladze.
City have still not given up on Sunderland pair Russell and Smith, and will be making a revised offer for the pair, or possibly separate offers for each player. Frank Clark said: “Not long ago they were both rated as very exciting prospects. A change of club could do them both good. I am looking to bring in three or four hungry young Englishmen; Russell and Smith are both young, both English, and, hopefully, they are both hungry.”
The MoleTHE MOLE IS WRONG!
Correction to the Mole’s reserve team news. Altrincham play at Moss Lane not, as he said, The Moss Rose which is where (recently promoted) Macclesfield Town play.
Thomas Rance (Ttrance@aol.com)CAMBRIDGE AND DISTRICT BRANCH – INAUGURAL MEETING
The first meeting of the proposed Cambridge and District branch of the Supporters’ Club was held on Friday 30th May in the Castle Inn, Cambridge – thanks again to everyone who attended. Next meeting will be in the same place on either 26th or 27th June – anyone in East Anglia interested in attending who I haven’t managed to get in touch with already please contact me on 01223 494045 (daytime) for more details.
Sharon Bennett (sharon.bennett@gbwh.mhs.ciba.com)BLERK – A LITTLE INSIDE INFO
Hi, it’s Josh from Newcastle Australia again. The Australian team are about to embark on their World Cup qualifiers tomorrow night and last week there was an exhibition game between Australia Green and Australia Gold (home and abroad stars vying for cup places). El Tel’s squad was announced including defender Jason Van Blerk. Why is this name important to City when he plays for Millwall? I met the man after the game and he made some rather interesting comments about my sky blue shirt which I wore (and got on telly with). He told me quote “it brought tears to his eyes.” I asked whether this is because of their current 1st division position, and he said “no, I was nearly a Blue myself, I love them, support them since I was a kid.” Apparently he had work visa troubles and then the club didn’t pursue. As a loyal Blue (and Aussie) I plead for the City management to forget Vaughan and go after Van Blerk. He is a superb defender (watch the aforementioned game to see him outclass Robbie Slater), and his heart belongs to the Blues. I am sure his dedication is greater than anyone from Ipswich. He would probably play for bugger all money too.
Josh Cleary (c9311128@alinga.newcastle.edu.au)JUST A RANT…
So Tony Vaughan, a life long Blue fails to reach a compromise with City regarding his wages! He’s claiming that he’s not being greedy; sorry mate, b*llsh*t. Anyone who can risk turning his back on the team he ‘loves’ must have been doing something wrong. And come on, it’s gotta been seen as some sort of step-up from Ipswich. Mind, it’s more likely that his agent has tried to screw as much outta City as possible; the sooner these parasites are eradicated from the game the better for all of us. Why do players insist on getting an agent, who will take a percentage of their income, when the PFA will negotiate a contract for a set fee?
However, there’s always two sides to a story. Have City actually created a rod for their own back by increasing Gio’s wages by several grand a week? Incoming players will have heard the rumours and will obviously want something they feel worthwhile.
Whatever the reasons are we once more faced with City making life difficult for themselves at every turn? Another thing I always find amusing are players who once linked with City seemed delighted to be coming ‘home’ only for the deal to fall flat on its face:
Warren “I’d love to join City, a dream come true” Aspinall – ended up hundreds of miles away at Pompey.
Geoff “I’d crawl up the motorway” Thomas – stopped off at Wolves and never continued.
Tony “Life long Blue” Vaughan – certainly looks like he’s blown his chances.
I’m sure there must be more!
It looks like City ain’t the only team having some difficulties with proposed incoming players; the Rags are even failing to sign players. Firstly they tried signing Amaruso (?) from Fiorentina, now Babbel from Bayern Munich – the sticking point, wages. However, this time around it’s the grey-suited city businessmen who are putting a block on the wages, and long may it continue. That has only got to act as a warning to other clubs wanting to float themselves on the Stock Market. Sure you raise a helluva lot of cash, but after that control is taken away and dividends have to be found to keep the shareholders happy. Are you listening Lee, Boler, et al?
Martin Ford (MFORD@fs1.li.umist.ac.uk)OPINION – SNEEKES
The worst thing City can do is spending any available money on a striker who has not got the skills to make it into any Dutch Premiership side (Sneekes). He left Fortuna Sittard (allways near relegation) because he had enough of the bench and did not have a really succesfull spell at Bolton or elsewhere.
Please, Franny… only Andy Cole would be worse.
Gerben de Noord (G.C.de.Noord@rcondw.rug.nl)OPINION – NORWEGIAN FOOTBALLERS
I have seen some fellow Norwegians recommending the Tromsø striker Ole Martin Årst to Manchester City. I don’t think it’s a good idea. I am a sportswriter in Oslo and even though I haven’t seen much of Årst he has not exactly set the Norwegian league alight.
This season he has scored four goals in eleven games. That’s not very much. A really good striker has nearly a goal every game in Norway (at least Solskjaer, Flo and Ostenstad managed it). Norwegian football is not an endless source of talent. Most has been drained the last couple of years. But if City would be interested there are some midfielders of good quality left. I would recommend Røsenborg’s Bent Skammelsrud, Staale Solbakken (Lillestrøm), Daniel Berg Hestad (Molde). And of course, the player who scored the first goal against Brazil: Peter Rudi. Rudi’s on loan to Perugia at the moment, but they can’t afford to buy him as they went down to Serie B. A fee of £1.5 million should be enough to wrestle him away from his owner Molde.
Blue since 1976, Gorm Andresen (gorm.andresen@dagbladet.no)REQUEST – DAVE LEES?
I’m trying to reach Dave Lees in Grand Cayman as I have a good friend who is going down there to work on a long-term contract and I’d like to put him in touch with someone who knows the ropes. Please, Dave, if you read this and would be interested in getting in touch with me, email me on harmony@candw.lc
I was over there myself a few years ago on a scuba diving holiday and was quite impressed. During my stay, I actually saw Crystal Palace beat a Caymanian XI 4-0 in a tour match and will never forget it as it was the most “unfriendly” friendly match I think I’ve ever had the misfortune to watch. One of the Cayman players was sent off just before half time and he reappeared for the 2nd half and tried to play as if nothing had happened.
Clive Tysoe – aka Gio’s Bootlicker (harmony@candw.lc)WHY BLUE?
I was born in Manchester in 1966 and attended Maine Road for the first time at about the age of 3. My dad was a Manure fan, along with my 5-year-old sister, but as Maine Road was the ground more geared towards families, my mum and I got to see our team most home games. I have to admit that all I remember of those early days was a cup of bovril, a round of ‘Oh Rodney, Rodney…’ and a sleep in the 2nd half! I carried on going with my family ’til about the age of 12 or so. My favourite game was Colin Bell’s testimonial and my favourite moment was shaking Joe Corrigan’s hand when he visited my school in Denton. We stopped going when my parents divorced and I have been to very few matches since then. The last one I attended was against the Baggies last season when we won 3-1. I live in Worcester now and am married to a Plymouth Argyle fan who is taking his driving test this year. I’ve promised to go and watch Argyle if he takes me to see City at Stoke, Brum, West Brom etc! For a minute there last season, I thought we’d be playing Argyle come September. Whew!
Even though I don’t get to see them often I’m Blue thru and thru. I get bad stick from Manure fans at work but just remind them I support City ‘cos I’m a Mancunian and that usually shuts them up! As far as I know there’s only me and my friend’s dad in Worcester who support City! I was in Turkey when Gio signed his new contract and cracked open a can when I read my emails on my return. I reckon there’s hope with Frank at the reins so here’s to the Premiership in ’98 and I hope we beat Manure 5-1 again ‘cos it’ll shut my sister up for a few minutes! Thanks for Mcivta, it’s the only thing that keeps me sane in a city obsessed with the Rags!
Hazel Brewer (hazel@capricious.demon.co.uk)WWW MANCHESTER CITY SUPPORTERS’ HOME PAGE:
http://www.uit.no/mancity/
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