Newsletter #917
Plenty of reaction in both the news and subscriber views to the appointment of John Wardle as Chairman tonight. We also have news of the final reserve games and potential summer signings.
Opinion on next season’s line-up, some interesting news on the new ticket arrangements thanks to Peter and more “last memories”.
Reddish Blues have lost their banner; if you know anything about it please contact Howard (see requests) and finally some more info on the Denmark pre-season tours from our friends in Aarhus, you can contact them direct for details of their excellent arrangements.
Next game: to be confirmedEDITORIAL NOTICE
Our News Editor Don is taking a week’s break, so Sarah Longshaw has kindly agreed to edit the News Summary next week. So any titbits, tittle-tattle or even news of a City nature, please send them to Sarah at the usual address, news@mcivta.city-fan.org.
NEWS SUMMARY
General News
Wardle is New Chairman: Despite protestations earlier in the year that he did not want the job on a full time basis, John Wardle is now the new Chairman of the club. Lawyer Bryan Bodek is Deputy Chairman and Alistair Mackintosh has been promoted to Managing Director. Wardle told mcfc.co.uk: “I am delighted to take on the post of Chairman of Manchester City. I am particularly pleased Alistair Mackintosh has accepted the post of Managing Director. I am confident that he and his management team will make a major contribution in moving the Club forward.” Speaking to the M.E.N., Mr. Wardle said, “It’s a big job, a great challenge – and I’m looking forward to it. It is vital we have stability at board level particularly over this busy summer as we move to the new stadium. During the last game at Maine Road many supporters came up to me asking me to take it on. It’s a very demanding job and one I will be putting everything into. We met as a board and spoke about the various candidates and then reached unanimous agreement. One of the saddest aspects of the changes is Chris Bird won’t be coming back. We do have a very good staff at the club but over the next few weeks consideration may be given to bringing in some new people. I expect there will be extra work when we move to the new stadium. One or two other people had expressed interest in becoming chairman and of course they were put to the board but the general consensus, in fact it was unanimous, was that I should become the chairman.” Wardle recently reduced his daily participation in his sportswear company JD Sports.
Who is the Fairest of Them All? And so the machinations of the UEFA Fair Play League continue. City were duly announced as England’s Fair Play candidates. City finished fifth in the Premiership listing, but got the nomination as the Reds, Newcastle, Chelsea and Liverpool have already qualified for Europe. For City’s direct entry to the UEFA Cup, England must remain at the head of the international Fair Play table when it concludes next month. The last standings had England at the top ahead of Sweden, with the winning country getting an automatic place in the qualifying round. If England did not finish top, City would still enter a draw with representatives from all the countries with a score over 8.00 for two other places, which is how Ipswich Town qualified last season. It was suggested that England had a virtually unassailable lead, but recent reports suggest that England may be penalised for the crowd trouble at last month’s international fixture at the Stadium of Light against Turkey. A UEFA spokesperson said: “England’s game against Turkey is just one of a number of games that will contribute to England’s overall Fair Play standing. The final Fair Play table for this season will be published on June 3 following the Champions’ League Final and we expect to hold the ballot for the final UEFA Cup place by the end of that week.”
Duo Return in Defeat for Reserves: In a repeat of last season’s Manchester Senior Cup final, Oldham Athletic retained the trophy by beating City’s reserves at Boundary Park. The score was 2-0 to the Latics, and the side featured Danny Tiatto and Christian Negouai, returning from injury (see ‘Squad News’ below). Team: Kevin Ellegaard, Paddy McCarthy, Mikkel Bischoff, Stephen Jordan, David Tickle, Chris Shuker, Christian Negouai, Danny Tiatto, Jamie Tandy, Matias Vuoso, Gary Browne. Subs: Adie Orr, Kieren Westwood, Philip Gilder, Ryan McDowall. There was also disappointment for the under-17’s who lost their play-off final to Leeds United. The game was played at Maine Road last Friday, with the Yorkshire side scoring the only goal of the game in extra time. City: Schmeichel, Warrender, Collins, N D’Laryea, Onuoha, Bennett (Reilly 99), Laird (Miller 110), J D’Laryea, Bermingham, Ireland, Logan. Subs: Timms, Brindle, Grant.
International Youth News: Lee Croft helped give the England U19 side a boost in their bid to reach a second successive European Championship Finals. England defeated the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in the U19 Euro Qualifiers in Dublin on Tuesday evening. The host nation’s team included young Blues Glenn Whelan and Willo Flood. Next night Ireland scored a 3-2 victory over Switzerland, helped by goals from John and Willo Flood. Lee Croft meanwhile started on the bench for England’s comfortable 3-0 win over Slovenia, which included a brace from Blackburn’s Ciaran Donnelly.
Transfer News and Gossip
Seaman Able to Join City? The day before the FA Cup Final, the Sun newspaper broke the story that City would try and continue their policy on youthful goalkeepers next term. “Kev Swoops for Seaman”, claimed its back page headline. City would offer the 39-year-old some £30,000 per week to join the Blues in the summer. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted: “Frankly, I don’t know if the Cup final will be David’s last game for Arsenal. He feels he can still go on but I haven’t decided if he will be the No. 1 choice here in August. We will sit down and discuss his position after the Cup final. I will offer him a job here but I don’t know what he will do. If I was to tell him he is no longer my automatic No. 1 keeper, I will respect any decision he makes.” In a pre-final interview on BBC1, Seaman made it clear that he thought he could play in the top flight for at least another season, and stated that there were other clubs interested if Arsenal could not offer him first team football. Seaman’s goalkeeping coach, Bob Wilson said on Monday that “I finished my career at 33 but despite David being 39, going on 40, my instinct is that he’ll play on – and he wants to do that at the highest level. David wants to play and I don’t think a guy should be stopped. So I think it will boil down to whether Arsene can get him to stay against an offer he gets from Manchester City or anyone else.”
Who Will Pen the Goat? Shaun Goater hopes that City are reasonable when setting his transfer fee, and has said that he’ll consider accepting a wage cut to find the right club. He was reported as telling the Sunday People: “I want to be playing – even if I have to go somewhere where I’ll be earning less. I don’t want to be seen as someone who is happy just to pick up his wages – if I did I wouldn’t be true to myself or the City fans.” He later told the club’s website that “I am a bit like Stuart Pearce, I have ten years left! I have not set a limit on my playing career but I will be looking for a two year contract. There is a lot has to happen before that with clubs talking to Manchester City first. I enjoy playing and I still feel sharp. When I play on a regular basis the sharpness is there. I have had numerous people saying to me that wherever I go they will come and watch me and that means a lot to me. The First Division is about the level I want to play at. As a player I do like a certain amount of pressure. You get used to it, an expectation. The bigger the crowd the bigger the expectation. First Division clubs will hold crowds of between fifteen and thirty thousand. That is a certain amount of expectation. I thrive on pressure and expectation. I like the pressure and the challenges that are set and from a big crowd will come challenges. The situation is as I have a year left clubs have to approach Man City, depending what Man City request as a fee will depend whether I am here or if I move on. I know all First Division clubs no matter their size are interested in getting into the Premiership. I believe I can help them achieve their goals. It only depends on what the fee is and that will then tell me how much someone wants me. I only hope that the fee which City ask will be a reasonable one and that something is sorted out. I have a list of priorities but sometimes you don’t achieve your first priority. There is a list of criteria and I will sit down with my advisor and go from there. I know a priority is if I am happy to go to a certain club and that my wife and family are happy too. That is as important as promotion or getting into the play offs.” Norwich City are supposedly the latest First Division side to be showing an interest in the Goat. It seems a pity that City cannot grant Goater a free transfer in recognition of his service to the club, but KK says that he wants to be fair to Shaun’s previous club Bristol City, who added a sell on clause when the Bermudian joined the Blues in 1998. Meanwhile, despite vocal declarations of his love of his mam’s cooking, Darren Huckerby is returning to Maine Road after Nottingham Forest failed to reach the Division One play-off final. It seems that Forest had agreed terms to buy the striker, but only if they made the Premiership.
Unhappy Eyal: His form may have been transcendent at times last season, but it seems that a course of transcendental meditation might be the order of the day for Eyal Berkovic. Eyal is back in Israel, recuperating from an operation on his injured groin, and judging by the comments attributed to him in the local media, Eyal is not a happy chappie. First came news that Berko is considering international retirement. “It is quite likely that you won’t see me play in national colours again,” said the midfield genius, citing “the pressures of playing in the English Premier League and the requirements to travel home for friendly internationals, which do not contribute a thing against ‘weak’ opponents” as his reasons. “It is also much harder to leave the family behind for a whole week. I have always loved playing for Israel and, in the past, I have done so with great enthusiasm,” Berkovic added. “I wish that it could continue but, as things appear at the moment, I don’t think that I will have the mental strength or the physical fitness to lead the national team again.” Eyal’s latest pronouncements suggest that he is unhappy with City and in particular with KK. “I asked for a two year extension and Kevin said he would get back to me,” Eyal told Israeli TV. “He came back a couple of days later and said the club was not in a position to do it. I was stunned and hugely disappointed. I was hurt. I wanted to end my career at City and I was hoping they would share that view. I love the club. I see it as my home in England. Kevin said I still have two years left and I know he has to take care of the club’s money. But at the same time I want to be assured that City is where I’m going to end my career. They should understand my position.” Last week, we may have dismissed suggestions that Portsmouth would like to sign Berko, but Eyal’s comments have increased speculation that Harry Rednapp will soon be making a bid for the 31-year-old. A fee of £4 million has been mentioned.
Ex-Blues’ News
Fresh Start for Rae: Having recovered from a bout of meningitis, ex-City defender Rae Ingram now finds himself out of a job, as he has been released by Port Vale. Apart from illness, Rae’s appearances this season were further hampered by a serious knee injury. He said: “I would like to thank all the supporters at Port Vale. They didn’t see enough of me and certainly didn’t see the best of me, but when I was ill they were great with cards and messages of support which really meant a lot to me.” Ingram is studying to be a physiotherapist and is exploring several job options, but added: “I do have irons in the fire, but until something comes off I don’t want to say too much. But I do feel I need to start getting a career and this is the ideal opportunity to branch out, although I still want to play football. When I recovered from the meningitis, I sat down with my wife to discuss the future. Of course I would have taken a new contract at Vale had I been offered one, but I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be.” Ingram knows it will be hard to find a club in the current climate, and that part time soccer may be his only route. “There will be a lot of fit players out of work, never mind someone who has had the problems I have,” he concluded. [Thanks Scott Turton]
Boss Jamie: Whatever happened to Jamie Pollock? I hear you ask. Joe Royle’s first City skipper was last heard of retiring from the professional game in disillusionment at the end of 2002. Imagine this editor’s surprise when he read on teletext that 30-year-old old Jamie has just left the manger’s post at non-league side Spennymoor United, having guided the North East team to promotion to the Unibond Premier League. Pollock had taken over in January, and had taken the club to a second place finish, good enough for promotion to the League one notch down from the Nationwide Conference.
Squad News
Christian Aid for KK? Christian Negouai has just played his first game in over a year, as he turned out for the Reserves at Oldham. Since arriving from Charleroi in November 2001, the French midfielder played in only a handful of games for the first team before being sidelined by serious injury. You get the feeling that KK is losing patience with his £1.5 million capture. “It has been a real frustrating one for us. He was given a programme by our people here to do and then decided off his own bat to go to a guy in Europe,” commented the Boss. “He gave him a different programme and he basically did himself so much damage that he needed an operation on both legs. So his case has been a real difficult one for us because we are so annoyed at what he did. But we have put all that to one side and he is back now. These things happen in football and he will be one of the players who will come back early next year. Hopefully he will stake a claim. He has got something, but he has not been able to show us what he has got because of injuries.”
Danny Starts His Season – Again! Another long-term absentee made an appearance last Thursday, as Danny Tiatto played in his first game since turning out for the first team against Aston Villa on 26 December. “I was quite happy with my game on Thursday night,” he said. “I have had a lot of stops and starts since the injury happened and it was good to know that the groin has now settled down and that I won’t need an operation in the summer. The problem was that the abductor muscle in the groin had come away from the bone and every time I made a comeback in training it happened again. It took much longer to get back than expected as I had returned to training too early and I had to learn not to force it so much. I only trained for four days leading up to the final match of the season with the senior squad and then a couple of extra days with the younger lads. Everyone wanted me to test it by playing in the reserves to make sure the injury had cleared up and that I would be ready to go for next season. I have to say it was a strange time to start my season playing in this final match of the year!”
Chris Won’t Shuk Off: In an about turn, Chris Shuker has decided to stay with the Blues, and has signed a year long extension to his contract. “When I had a chat with the manager, we sorted a few things out and I’m delighted to be staying,” he says. “I never wanted to leave and staying at Manchester City for another year is fantastic. I told the boss that I wanted to stay and he told me that he wanted me to stay and it all went on from there. It has lifted my spirits. Once I knew that we had reached an agreement, it helped me settle down. Before that, it had been difficult and I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was worrying a lot and that is only natural when you are in such circumstances. I had never been in that situation before and I didn’t like it. I have now set my sights on pre-season and coming back strong to challenge for a place. I didn’t know what I could achieve this year, but when you are out on loan it makes it really difficult to impress the manager.” Shuker is already looking forward to next season. “I’ll keep myself ticking over while we are on a break and then hopefully I can come back and show what I can do. It was a dream making my début and I can’t wait for my next chance. It can’t come quick enough.”
Extra Homework for Jon: We might have to rename “Squad News” as “Crock Files” if this carries on, but here’s a report on a third player whose season has been ruined by injury. Striker Jon Macken has just about rediscovered his fitness, but just to make sure he’s been given a summer training schedule by the club to ensure that the former Preston player is ready for the start of 2003-2004 season. “I have noticed a big difference in my fitness over the last few weeks,” stated Macken. “I have been involved again, played in a few reserve games and finished the year by scoring a few goals, which has been nice. It has lifted my spirits to get back involved in the squad and to play a few games again in the Premiership. That has been brilliant and now I have done that, I really hope that I can get a few more next year. Touch wood, everything will stay fine from now. I have got to get myself totally fit now and prove that I have what it takes to play in the Premiership. I have a programme to stick to over the summer and I don’t think it is too much to ask to do a bit of extra work while I’m away. You can’t afford to fall behind and I will be coming back early to make sure that I am starting off level with the rest of the squad. It is the start of something new for me and I’m sure the atmosphere around the place will be electric when we come back. I have had some great times all ready since I have been here, like scoring a goal when we received the First Division Championship and I believe there are still many more to come in the future.”
Don Barrie (news@mcivta.city-fan.org)OPINION: NEW STADIUM TICKETING
From a quite interesting conversation with a City official about smart ticketing next year:
The whole stadium will operate with ‘Proximity Cards’, some of which look like tickets but have a chip sandwiched between plastic layers. Your season ticket will be such a card but occasional fans will also have one. Even away fans will have these and there will be instructions on the turnstiles as well as guides showing away fans how to use them (you don’t swipe the card, you hold it still in front of the receiver). The card has been trialled in the family stand this last season and works well. You can scrunch the ticket up or get it wet and it will still work but it would fail if cut or torn.
Occasional City fans will be issued with an electronic ticket for that season which can be loaded with individual match details by the ticket office. They will issue a receipt showing the seat number you have been allocated. In theory you will be able to buy entrance to say four of the nineteen possible home league matches on the days you are available. He didn’t say whether Sky’s last minute fixture changes would beggar the system though. Eventually and possibly even next season occasional fans will be able to buy a USB card reader, attach it to their PC and do the whole job online.
In a few years time your card will really be an e-purse which you load with cash to enable you to buy stuff at the store or bar and will give loyalty points for each purchase. In theory, those who want to watch the United away match and need loads of loyalty points, could be given more loyalty points buying kit and sundries at the megastore than by attending away matches. Getting thoroughly p****d inside the stadium will be a rewarded act of loyalty.
Liverpool and Chelsea are experimenting with this system. Eventually the idea is that all Premier teams have such a ticketing arrangement and your season ticket for Eastlands will also work at Arsenal if you’ve paid for a ticket there.
The turnstiles have power back-up in the case of a turnstile power failure and all the data for the match is downloaded to the turnstile on the match day by noon. Stewards with PDAs on the inside of the ground will check that people don’t try to gain entrance using concession cards i.e. An adult trying to get in using his nephew’s junior season ticket. On such an occasion the adult will have to leave the stadium and go to the ticket office (10 outlets) to buy an adult one. Not sure whether you’ll be allowed to upgrade as strictly they are not transferable.
Touting will be very difficult. If a card has been lost or stolen then assuming City have been informed, it will have been disabled by match day. You will have a new one and someone using the old one would be identified as attempting fraud and likely to experience the personal containment security facility at Eastlands (the cells).
In Spain the system is being paid for by the Spanish government for all top Spanish sides. They hope it will help to get rid of hooliganism as it clearly is an ID card as well as a ticketing system.
Rangers have had an electronic ticketing system for season ticket holders which has gone down on a couple of occasions through power failure. City’s back-up system would prevent that but if there was a total power cut, the match couldn’t be played anyway in spite of having generators (Health & Safety regs).
City’s will be the first English stadium to try a 100% electronic ticketing method. They seem to have thought of most snags and I’m impressed with the effort that’s gone into it.
[Sounds a great leap forward, some interesting developments there – Ed]
Peter Llewellyn (peterl@foxfield.fsnet.co.uk)OPINION: NEXT SEASON
I read KK in the paper on Tuesday saying that unless we spend big money next season we are going to have a fight against relegation on our hands. I love the guy but his tone of late is concerning me. When he took over we had a 5 year plan to establish ourselves as a top 5/6 team and in only 2 seasons he’s had £35 million to spend. A fair amount I’m sure you’ll agree, especially for a team that was still dealing with the financial repercussions of a season in Division 2.
The time has come for Keegan to stand up and be counted. He’s spent the money and now it’s time to motivate and train the players into the team he wants. This isn’t fantasy football, there is no bottomless pit. We’ve seen what happens when a club overspends; let’s not let it happen to us. You can’t always buy the finished article but a great manager can turn average individuals into a good team and we can’t even take corners. Stop bleating KK and get on the training pitch.
On the positive side we will have injured players back next year. There’s no doubt we need a ‘keeper and; possibly someone to play on the left. But what about this lot:
Weaver – If he returns from injury could go on to live up to his potential.
Negouai – Hopefully has learned more about the English game and could be perfect for the holding midfield position.
Macken – Will be fully fit – can hopefully be the holding striker for Nico to play off.
Fowler – Let’s hope for all our sakes he comes back after the summer and surprises us.
Wanchope – Could be the best attacking player at the club after Nico.
Imagine Anelka & Wanchope playing together – how do you defend against that?
Tiatto – the heartbeat of the team – could he be the man to play the holding rôle? I think he could if he can control his temper.
Team for next season:
‘Keeper (Sorenson, Poom or Hoult ideally)
RB Distin Sommeil (i’d like to see Mettomo in there) Jensen
SWP Tiatto? (Barton) Berko LW (Overmars?)
Anelka Wanchope (Although I’ve no doubt it’ll be Fowler. Is he Keegan’s secret love child?)
It’s not looking too bad. If we make a couple of signings and get someone in to teach us how to handle corners we could go far.
CTID, Dave Norcross (djnorcross@aol.com)OPINION: NEW CHAIRMAN I
I had an article ready to send to McV, but when I saw that John Wardle had already crowned himself chairman I withdrew it! The way John Wardle took over the position of Chairman concerns a lot of us City fans, because he took over from a chairman most of us respected and loved, David Bernstein (who has since been recognised by the new Wembley Stadium group).
John Wardle said straight away after Bernstein’s depature “I don’t want the position of chairman”. A few weeks ago Wardle takes a position of less consuming time in his own company, why, because he wanted to be chairman!
Was anyone else given the chance to be chairman (except perhaps his buddy Dennis Tueart)? Why did our beloved chairman David Bernstein leave? All City fans should be told the truth, it seems like an ambitious takeover.
Now John Wardle might turn out to be great for City for he is a long time City fan, but it’s his morals I’m concerned about. We shall have to wait and see, at least he deserves a backing from fans until we know different.
The best thing about the appointment of a new chairman is that it has happened quick so that other people at the club can get on with their jobs including Kevin Keegan. It’s good for City fans to express their feelings, but then like water goes under the bridge, let’s give John Wardle the chance he deserves after all he is a major shareholder so he should be entitled to a major say.
Now that John Wardle is chairman, I expect to see Fowler play to his potential next season, for I felt he had the departure of David Bernstein looming over his head (although he was not directly responsible for it).
As City fans we must move forward, so let’s back John Wardle for the sake of our beloved club City.
To the new chairman I say Good Luck!
Ernie Barrow (britcityblue@aol.com)OPINION: NEW CHAIRMAN II
It was questioned in MCIVTA 916 how John Wardle could be anything but embarrassed to be named over the Maine Road tannoy as having made a significant contribution to City’s recent progress. Well I’m embarrassed about the lack of appreciation shown for what John Wardle has done for City.
The equivalent to the average person of John Wardle’s contribution must be at least £50,000 – now if the club asked me for that amount of money to help fund KK’s team building, the very least I would expect is a mention over the tannoy. He may not have ‘scored the goals’ or ‘made the saves’ but those players that did so would not be wearing a blue shirt if Wardle (and Makin) had not put a considerable amount of their own personal wealth into the club.
Is this another case of City fans looking for something to be negative about? How many sets of fans bemoan the fact that their clubs are run from the square mile or by people and institutions that had no previous affiliation or interest in the club and dictate policies based on maximising shareholder return? We have a chairman who is only involved because he is a fan and who is quite prepared to put his money where his mouth is and provide the funds to match KK’s ambition – yet some of the contributors to MCIVTA recently seem to see this as a bad thing. Whether or not John Wardle has greater or less influence in the financial district than David Bernstein is a matter solely for conjecture and given the fact that the majority of football clubs make a loss (including the second placed, Champions’ League qualifying FA Cup winners) would we be well advised to appoint a chairman on the basis of their history of prudent economics? It is doubtful that the high risk and speculative policies employed by clubs in the hope of success would be viewed as sensible within more mainstream business, but football cannot be measured by standard economic principles. The club is a commercial concern and should strive to make a profit, however the presence of people like Wardle and Makin ensures that this is less of a priority than advancing the team, providing us with entertainment and re-establishing MCFC as genuine contenders for top-flight honours.
I don’t recall hearing of any Blackburn Rovers supporters who felt that Jack Walker was bad for the club because he was an old fashioned entrepreneur, was not careful enough with the finances, went on the pitch for presentations and had the cheek to have a stand named after him.
Jason Fowler (Jason.Fowler@eds.com)OPINION: MAINE ROAD MEMORIES I
The last memory of Maine Road was looking through my season ticket for number 7 and it wasn’t there. No ticket office to see to try and sort something out with them. I just took one last look and smiled to myself and said my goodbyes and walked away with head bowed.
Tell you what I can’t wait for the swipe card as I must have pulled out 2 tickets during the previous 18 games. Oh well.
Best regards to all, thoughts to the future, Martin Mosley (mosleym@supanet.com)OPINION: MAINE ROAD MEMORIES II
Had been looking forward to this for quite some time.
At the end of 2002, I found that I had qualified for the company sales convention in Palm Beach Florida. I had never before visited USA and naturally was looking forward to it. When the dates finally came through, shock-horror, I found that we were to leave London early on the Monday following the big day. “Early” meant that I (and the “management”) would need to leave Manchester on Sunday night or fly at the crack of dawn Monday leaving very little time between arriving at Gatwick and leaving Gatwick. A Sunday night departure would effectively lessen the enjoyment of the celebration. Still, one of those things and Florida would be something to look forward to!
Imagine my problem when an email arrives saying that Virgin have cancelled the Monday flight and we can all go on the Sunday and have an extra day in the 90 degree heat, supping whatever we sup. What to do? What to tell the management, who understands slightly that after 50 years of going to Maine Rd, I might quite like to be at the last match, but an extra free day in Florida? How will she react to losing out on this extra bit of goodies?
To cut a long story short, after using my selling skills to the full, and also spending lots of money on sweeteners, I go to the last match with the son and heir, having arranged with the company to leave Manchester at a civilised time on the Monday flying direct to USA. Incidentally, there were 2 City fans with the same problem and we both managed the same arrangement!
So off we went to the match – a couple of pints, arrive early – see the old names being introduced to the crowd etc.
Watch the match – enough said about that.
Watch the after match party – what a load of ********
Leave the ground with the tear in the eye etc.
Return to car to find back window smashed and coat removed from back seat. I now have a couple of hours to arrange with Autoglass to fix – pay £40 excess on policy and buy new coat on return. Also, it pours down all Sunday night. Arrange waterproofing for window. Finish packing for Monday am.
What a great end to 50 years at Maine Road. It could only happen to a City fan. Anyway, roll on August.
P.S. Florida was great. The extra day would have been lovely but who would have missed a day as above?!
Chris Ryder (sa3519@eclipse.co.uk)OPINION: SIGNING RUMOURS
Recent rumour, possible summer signings – Pierre van Hooijdonk.
Just a small reaction to a big error in the last but one McVittee. Powerful Pierre is a massive player, currently second leading Dutch scorer, playing for our local heavyweights Feyenoord – Rotterdam. Feyenoord are currently vying with Ajax for the final Champions’ League placing for the next season. That they are in such a position is mainly down to Pierre and his ability and presence to lead from the front. Apart from his striker’s nose for thieving goals, his main weapon is his ability with direct free-kicks.
His free-kicks are better than Beckham’s and his current hairstyle is only half as silly.
I would love to see Pierre turn out for City because he’d do a great job for them. City are the only destination where I’d like to see him go to, but also fear for Feyenoord’s future without him.
Blue Moon over Holland too, Dave Lyons (d.lyons@heeremazwijndrecht.com)OPINION: PROGRAMME THANKS
In MCIVTA 915, Peter placed a programme wanted section for me. I had been after the Southampton programme for my mates and me who where unable to buy it at the last game. I had quite a good response from the fans that read your newsletter telling me where I could purchase the programme, so I was able to buy the programmes for my mates and me.
A big thank you for me to all the Man City fans that sent me e-mails. I am very grateful to them all.
Stephen Welch (swmufc96@yahoo.co.uk)REQUEST: DENMARK PRE-SEASON TOUR
We have further details on the games, tickets and travel available. If you contact us direct then we can email them to you.
Best regards, Michael Piloz – FC Aarhus, Sportskoordinator (mp@fcaarhus.dk)REQUEST: REDDISH BLUES’ BANNER
The Reddish Branch of the Centenary Supporters’ Association are appealing to whoever took their “Centenary Banner” (see pictures on our website at http://www.reddishblues.com) from outside the Centenary Suite, in the 3rd Tier of the Kippax, at the Southampton game on Sunday 11th May to return it to either Ian Howard at Maine Road or Branch Secretary Howard Burr at The Ash Hotel, Manchester Road, Stockport.
We are pleased that whoever took the Banner was impressed by the design and quality but, we are dismayed that a fellow City fan felt that they had to take it home with them.
The much travelled Banner was made by our Travel Secretary Gary Millar in 1994 to commemorate City’s Centenary year and has been to various football grounds in Europe which include the San Siro, Nou Camp and The Amsterdam Arena to celebrate City’s Centenary. This Banner is irreplaceable and has great sentimental value not only to the Reddish Branch but to Gary who spent many hours designing and making it.
Once again we appeal to whoever took the Banner to return it to either Ian Howard at Maine Road or to Howard Burr at The Ash Hotel, Manchester Road Stockport, and no questions will be asked.
Howard Burr (reddishblues@btinternet.com)REQUEST: PROGRAMME WOES
Did anybody pre-order a Southampton programme via the ProgrammeMaster website, or indeed via the club website where you could enter your name and favourite player to be printed in the programme (which I think was done via Programme Master and all)?
If so, have you received your goods through the post yet?
I’m rather thankful that I managed to pick one up anyway on the last day…but still, I would like PM to cough up the two programmes I have already paid for! Anybody else having the same problem? Or have Fallowfield Sorting Office “kept” them for me?
Karl Florczak (karl.florczak@ntlworld.com)REQUEST: PROGRAMME WOES & NEW STADIUM NAME
Judging by my friend Alex Channon’s contribution to McVittie, it would appear he’s received his postal Southampton programme from ProgrammeMaster. Alas I’ve not received mine yet. Have any other readers not received theirs after having subscribed to the name list?
Secondly, with regard to the new stadium, the City of Manchester Stadium is a bit of a mouthful isn’t it? However, it will not be changed, we know that. So, is there going to be an agreed shortening of the name that everyone will use? I’ve heard COMStad and Eastlands both mentioned, but what will A) go into a song and B) be workable as a shortened name. This very important question needs answering! We are City from the City of Manchester Stadium just doesn’t sit right does it? Personally I quite like the title, but it’s just too long.
Lance Thomson (lnt@btinternet.com)REQUEST: FINAL PROGRAMME
Is there anyone who would have extra copy of Southampton game programme or would like to buy me one from Citystore? I will send the money on envelope if you send me your address.
Antti Halm (bob.hund@mailcity.com)MCIVTA FAQ [v0203.10]
[0] MCIVTA Addresses
Articles (Heidi Pickup) : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org
News/rumour (Don Barrie) : news@mcivta.city-fan.org
Subscriptions (Madeleine Hawkins): subscriptions@mcivta.city-fan.org
Technical problems (Paul) : paul@city-fan.org
FAQ (David Warburton) : faq@mcivta.city-fan.org
[1] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?
Deadlines for issues are nominally 6pm, Monday and Thursday evenings.
[2] MCIVTA Back Issues and Manchester City Supporters’ home page
http://www.uit.no/mancity/ is the unofficial Manchester City Supporters’ home page. Created in 1994, it is the longest running of the Manchester City related web sites. Back issues of MCIVTA are also hosted on the site.
[3] What is the club’s official web site?
The official club web site can be found at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/
[4] What supporters’ clubs are there?
Manchester City FC recognises three supporters’ clubs: The “Official Supporters Club” (http://www.mancity.net/osc/index.html); the “Centenary Supporters’ Association” (http://www.callnetuk.com/home/sef/) and “The International Supporters’ Club” (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/extra/fanzone/isc.asp)
[5] Where can I find out about the fans’ committee?
The Fans’ Committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. It has its own website, http://www.mcfc-fans.com/ containing info about forthcoming meetings as well as minutes from previous gatherings.
[6] Where can I find information about our new stadium?
The latest information regarding the progress of our new home can be found at www.mcfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=111916&Title=Introduction&lid=New+Stadium
[7] What match day broadcasts are available on the web?
Live match commentaries and archives of games, reports and interviews can be found here: http://www.mcfc.co.uk/comment.asp. An alternate live commentary service, hosted by Yahoo, is located at: http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/foot/audio/live/schedule/index.html.
[8] Where can I find out if City are live on satellite TV?
http://www.satfootball.com/pl.html provides a listing of Premiership games being shown on UK domestic and foreign satellite channels. A good site for North American viewers is http://canadatvsoccer.tripod.com/Fixtures.htm.
[9] What’s the music the teams run out to?
The music we run out to at Maine Road is “Nightmare” by Brainbug and is available on the Positiva label.
[10] Do we have a Usenet newsgroup?
Yes we do: uk.sport.football.clubs.man-city is our home on usenet. If you are not familiar with usenet, a basic explanation is available here: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,289893,sid9_gci213262,00.html
[11] Do any squad members have their own web pages?
There are a number available and direct links can be found at http://www.uit.no/mancity/players/
[12] Acknowledgements
Thanks go to John Arnold for providing the match day music information, to Ian Bell for pointing out the alternate live match commentary service and to Damian Quinn, Stephen Webb and Roger Haigh for the Satellite TV info.
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.
![[Valid3.2]](../../gfx/valid_html3.2.gif){kind=small}
Heidi Pickup, heidi@mcivta.freeserve.co.uk
Editor:
Related Posts
About The Author
editor
The Editorial team of mcivta.com consist of several people. Typically news and information that is provided by a third part will be distributed by the "Editor". Phil Alcock is the current Editor in Chief of the MCIVTA newsletter.