Newsletter #432

A good 3 points on Saturday, just when it looked like we’d blown several golden opportunites. It’s worrying that we have to create 5 to score, but at least we are getting the points, something which we singly failed to do last season, or the season before that, or the…

This issue has no match report (none sent!) and there is no news that I know of, other than Barry Conlon scoring for Southend and Royle saying that Shelia would have played Saturday if he hadn’t had a knock on his knee in training. This issue has directions to Derby, a review of the last City Mag, some insider opinion from BSkyB, opinion, and a certain Mr Goater at the top of the Second Division scorers’ table!

More Why Blues needed, please send them on in… Also, can anyone do a match report who went on Saturday?

APPEAL – NEWS SUMMARY

We had a good response to help with the ‘News summary’ and I’m pleased to report that Roger Lee will be doing this from the next issue.

Roger will be trawling the WWW sites for information to put in his summary, but would be grateful if people could mail him stories directly, especially anything mentioned on GMR, as he is ‘out of range’!

So… please try to make Roger’s job as easy as possible by sending anything your hear/see/read to Roger at:

rlee@notify.co.uk

DIRECTIONS – DERBY

There are a lot of new grounds to cover this season because of our newly found status. A lot of grounds will not have been visited before and I shall endeavour to get directions off the internet and send them to MCIVTA but this is reliant on me remembering. In the meantime here are directions to Derby for our first ever visit to Pride Park.

Derby County FC Directions (Pride Park)

From The North
Approaching the M1, take the exit at Junction 25 onto the A52. After approximately 5 miles and after passing under the bridge, take the left exit to the new Pride Park Stadium.

From The South
Approaching the M1 take the exit at Junction 24 and get onto the A6. After approximately 6 miles cross the A5111 and at the next roundabout take the right exit for the new Pride Park Stadium.

REVIEW – CITY MAGAZINE, AUGUST 1998, VOLUME 3, ISSUE 12

A new season means a new Australian left wing-back. Danny Tiatto is the latest in the great tradition of Australian wing-backs at Maine Road that stretches all the way back to Jason van Blerk. In the interview he tells us that he doesn’t like cricket and explains why he wasn’t retained after his trial last year: “(Frank Clark) said I wasn’t the sort of player he was looking for.” Presumably having pace and a left foot counted against him (we’ve seen what a judge of players Frank is). Note of caution though: he’s dislocated his left shoulder around 15 times (inspires confidence, that).

A new season also means a new team, sorry, playing staff, poster. This year’s features 37 players – a new record? – compressed into the centre pages. Only Joe Royle of the managerial staff is present (to include them all would have meant another side of A4). Mid-September and already it’s out of date. Talking before the Big Kick-Off, the boss names those soon to be airbrushed from the squad – “At this stage it’s unlikely that … Brannan, Heaney, Clough and Russell… would start the season in the team”. Pity, I was looking forward to seeing Nige astride the sacred turf once more…

A new career for David White, City’s last England international (Graham Taylor was the manager at the time!), after he announced his retirement during the summer due to ankle trouble. Or so we thought: “I haven’t given up altogether… if City came in with an offer, there’s no reason why I wouldn’t go back there.” Ye gods.

A new away kit, modelled every other week by the stewards, but here by two blonde babes and two indistinguishable Fentons, features in the new Official Merchandise Catalogue included with this issue (but no mousemat yet – incredible). There’s the obligatory gratuitous Michael Owen picture (illustrating Kevin Cummins’ World Cup Diary), the ticket officer manager misses the chance to get in his retaliation first, and if you ever wanted to know what Messrs Barnett and Bayley look like, now’s your chance. And, especially for us to enjoy, this year brings a nice shiny new division…

SKY AND THE RAGS – SOME INFO FROM INSIDE

As a diehard City fan I have looked and I don’t know what to think about the events surrounding the Rags over the last few days. See, I’m in a bit of quandary. I support Man City but I also work for Sky.

I had an inkling many moons ago that we would go for the Rags. I knew long ago that we were going to run Man Utd TV. We offered our expertise in broadcasting to get them up and running in return for them agreeing to broadcast on our platform.

A few months back Sky made an offer to the Premier League for the “Digital” rights to show the Premier League once the current agreement runs out. What was unnerving for me was that we made one bid that was given a lot of media coverage. Eventually though, the deal was rejected by the Premier League under the auspices of “The fans come first” i.e., they did not want to introduce PPV (Pay Per View) coverage just yet as it would adversely affect gate attendances.

B*****ks. When I heard the head of the Chairmen (Peter Leaver I think) waffle on the news that the interests of the fans must come first, I was nearly sick. The reality was that they wanted more money. This is not an emotive statement, rather one based upon what I know.

What struck me as uncanny back then was that after the hoo ha died down, Sky never bothered again. The Premier League was expecting Sky to come back with an increased offer.

It was at precisely this moment that me and many other City fans at Sky (a kind of 5th column) had a definite feeling that we would bid for a top Premiership team.

Football is the primary driver of Sky’s package and without it the rest would be academic.

I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry once my suspicions had been confirmed just over a month ago. Sky are a very profitable and efficient organisation and as such have the buying power to buy the Ronaldos and Salas’ of this world. I am afraid that Man. Utd. will become stronger rather that weaker. Sky have already set about placing some of our top executives in place on the Rags’ board who will think of even better ways to take them for everything (ha ha).

What I really find galling is all the Rags bitching outside The Stadium of S***e about selling souls and Beelzebub.

B*****ks, B*****ks, B*****ks. They have been taking it up the a**e for a long, long time from their own people.

Anyway, this is my viewpoint on the whole episode as a City fan at Sky.

Any replies can be forwarded to me through Ashley at MCIVTA.

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES

From Friday’s Football 365…

Manchester City have followed their neighbours Manchester United by becoming the target of a takeover bid by another media conglomerate – Weatherfield Newspapers plc. The City board have welcomed enquiries from the powerful group, which has a strong media presence in the northern half of the city, and are rumoured to be preparing a £623.40 bid.

Their group of newspapers – which includes the flagship paper the Weatherfield Gazette and its sister title the Weatherfield Recorder – have increased circulation enormously in recent weeks since one of their former editors, Kenneth Barlow, took over the running of one of their major outlets, The Kabin on Coronation Street, from veteran newswoman Rita Sullivan. His expertise has taken sales in an upward direction and given the group a new focus.

The bid is being led by the Gazette’s chief executive Wendy Crozier, with the assistance of Weatherfield Business Group leader, Frederick Elliott. City chairman David Bernstein is expected to comment on the deal later today, when he will announce details of revolutionary new catering organised by hot-pot specialist Ms Betty Turpin.

TOP SCORERS

Great idea to show the top scorers in the division this season – especially as we should be near the top of it with at least one of our boys. What is even better is that the way my computer has formatted it onto my screen shows Goater having scored 2 goals in Europe! Fantastic – or have we just been involved in the Anglo Italian Cup and I haven’t heard about it yet?

Also… one MUFC supporter interviewed on t.v. about the Sky takeover came out with the classic line, “Rupert Murdoch probably doesn’t even know where Manchester is”! How many so-called MUFC ‘supporters’ do?!

ALTRINCHAM LINK

Here is a link to Altrincham’s website which has some detail of forthcoming City Reserve fixtures.

http://www.altyfc.u-net.com/manc0801.htm#Altrincham

Also, I read somewhere (Ceefax, I think) that Andy Dibble had joined Altrincham but there is no mention of him in the team listing. However, a former City player is now player coach at Moss Lane – Nigel Gleghorn.

MURDOCH

Heard in a bar in Virginia, Rupert Murdoch wants to buy United so he can move them to Alice Springs Australia, I will drink to that!

OPINION – NIVEN

Good to see someone sticking up for him, but they forgot to mention the wonderful films and the books. ;0).

OPINION – NEW STADIUM

One or two posts have mentioned other ‘out of town’ stadia that clubs have moved to; I’ve driven past, but not been to Bolton’s Reebok Stadium, have not been to Boro’s Riverside (anywhere in Middlesbrough would be a bad place for a football club :)), but have had first-hand experience of the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. Contrary to some beliefs, it’s actually closer to the centre of the city than Roker Park was, but the road layout nearby does cause some problems before and after games, but 30k plus people do cause some logistical problems wherever they show up.

The key thing is that the stadium has been built to suit football rather than any other sport, and if City are going to go to Eastlands then it’s important that the same applies there too. The atmosphere is tremendous and the fans are even warming to the name, which initially was a source of mirth for Mag supporters. I’ve no bright ideas at this stage about what to call City’s new stadium, but it would be good to avoid giving our Salford neighbours (if they’re still there in the next century!) something to laugh at us about. We could always ask Peter Reid for his views!

OPINION – SUNDAY TELEGRAPH REPORT

When our performance is described – in the Telegraph – as “woeful” – coupled with statements such as “There was a lack of quality in balls played to the front runners, play in the final third lacked a cutting edge and passing at times was wretched,” from afar, things look a bit grim.

That said, City would ordinarily lose this type of fixture, so 3 points is what we wanted and 3 points is what we got.

BLUE HUMOUR

After the recent purchase of Man Ure by Sky and the Arsenal/Aston Villa talks with Carlton Communications, I have heard rumours that Man City are currently negotiating with the Comedy Network.

REQUEST – JULES… WHERE ARE YOU?

Just a message (via “McVittee” – thanks!) to welcome Jules to the Mickey Mouse University! I did try to e-mail you but it was rejected. I’m guessing that you are based at Didsbury, but if you wish to e-mail me and discuss all thing Blue you are more than welcome!

REQUEST – NEW YORK BLUES

I’m over in New York until 25th of Sept, so if there are any NY based Blues who can tell me where I can catch an English game on television or would like to meet up for a beer, please drop me a line.

RESULTS

To be included in Thursday’s issue.

WHY BLUE THANKS

Can I just say that I thought the Why Blue? by Michael Bayliss in MCIVTA 431 was brilliant. Reading it sent shivers down my spine; I’ve read loads of Why Blues but never one as good as that.

Thanks Michael – ever thought of writing professionally?

TOP SCORERS

Up to and including Saturday, September 12 1998

                                     FA   Lge
                                Lge  Cup  Cup  Euro   Other  Total
Goater (Man City)                5    0    2     0      0      7
Hayles (Bristol Rovers)          5    0    1     0      0      6
Barlow (Wigan)                   5    0    0     0      0      5
Cresswell (York)                 5    0    0     0      0      5
Crowe (Stoke)                    5    0    0     0      0      5
Nogan (Preston)                  5    0    0     0      0      5
Kavanagh (Stoke)                 4    0    1     0      0      5
Payton (Burnley)                 4    0    1     0      0      5
Rammell (Walsall)                4    0    1     0      0      5
Clarkson (Blackpool)             4    0    0     0      0      4
Davis (Luton)                    4    0    0     0      0      4
Eyres (Preston)                  4    0    0     0      0      4
Shaw (Millwall)                  3    0    1     0      0      4
Thompson (York)                  3    0    1     0      0      4
Thorne (Stoke)                   3    0    1     0      0      4

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

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

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.

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

Editor: