Newsletter #940

Our long-awaited first game at our new home saw us beat a strong Barcelona side 2-1 (Anelka and Sinclair). We weren’t disappointed, with a great display from new boys Sinclair, Bosvelt, Seaman and Sibierski, Wanchope was back on fine form together with Tiatto and we said farewell to Goat, Benarbia and poignantly Foe.

36,500 Blues witnessed the game, and had their first experience of matchday at SportCity. An excellent stadium, breathtaking once inside as we sat there like Cheshire Cats taking it all in. The acoustics from the crowd are excellent, the pitch looks magnificent and, what more can I say – check out the pictures on the various websites or get down there!

Teething problems were experienced as the ticketing system failed to operate for a number and kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes to enable the queues to clear. There were also service problems in many of the bar areas, something which will need addressing before the season proper starts.

Tonight we have first impressions, odds on City, more information on shirt availability and the usual requests.

Welsh minnows TNS are the visitors on Thursday night as we being our European campaign.

This one goes out to 3,274.

OPINION: FIRST IMPRESSIONS I

So after all the waiting, finally arrived at COMS at 2-15 yesterday. Sweltering heat, everyone in a good mood ready for the fun and me and the son and heir ready for a pint.

There’s quite a few in front of me so I observe how to get in using the ever so smart card. I notice the sound of a successful card, which makes the turnstile go round but I also notice quite a lot of deeper sounds which mean that someone for whatever reason has been rejected. These people then go to a steward to be sorted.

The man in front of me tries various ways of getting his card to work and I notice he is showing the wrong side of his card to the machine. Being a helpful sort (but really a very thirsty sort!) I helpfully waft my card at the machine and say “I think you have to do this”. The “beep” sounds and he whizzes through and in, no doubt to the bar.

I then offer the card to the machine and of course, I can’t get in because my card has registered that I am already in! Moral of the story – don’t try to be helpful.

Oh no! I am now hotter and thirstier. The steward says no problem, go to the ticket office at the other end of the stadium and it will be sorted. I get there to find a snake of about 2,000 fans who had obviously also had problems. I imagine this was why the kick-off was delayed.

There’s no way I’m waiting there so I go back to the entrance where a Supervisor saw sense and let me in after I showed him the ticket receipt and explain what had happened. Thanks a lot to him for showing common sense.

At last – a pint.

Find the bar, the only one serving what seemed to be a very large part of the stadium only to find about 300 people waiting to be served by 3 or 4 staff. I couldn’t really see how many were serving because of the crush. Just nearby was another stall serving bags of crisps etc. with 4 staff and no-one buying. I remember reading last season that we “would be amazed by the state of the art facilities in the new stadium” etc. I was.

Come on City, sort out the bars, and quickly.

Get someone pouring pints by the dozen and not waiting for each individual order. Crazy. I remember seeing a wonderful machine at Blackburn’s ground when we got promotion, which poured 6 pints in one go. Get hold of some of these quickly.

The final bit of nonsense – there’s a blue line on the ground but nothing to explain why until a steward came along and asked a bloke in an electric wheelchair to move forward a couple of yards over the line, because the corner flag is visible from where he is sitting!

Apparently you are not to drink in these few square yards over the line as a little bit of pitch is visible.

I had heard that you couldn’t drink downstairs but this is on the middle tier. Words fail me.

Anyway, the stadium – fantastic. I can’t wait to see and hear it when it’s full.

Finally, how very disappointing that we appear to have only one Saturday 3-00 kick off in the next 9 Saturdays. What can be done? Have we lost Saturday’s traditional time for ever?

OPINION: FIRST IMPRESSIONS II

After my last input on the new stadium a couple of weeks ago, I felt it was only right to give a more balanced view after the Barça game.

My little quibbles over the approaches and exterior are just that – minor points not to be dwelt on. The interior is just amazing. A marvellous bowl effect that should create a cracking atmosphere, although I’m not convinced of “We are the South Stand”!

It is an inspirational place – I spent most of the first half gawping around me rather than watching the match. No criticisms at all – even the lack of a scoreboard is barley worth noting. Plenty of legroom, too.

Good job, City.

OPINION: FIRST IMPRESSIONS III

When are MCFC going to get it right at half time in the bar? One guy pulling out of one optic with massive queues. Take a leaf out of Birmingham City move the optics to another counter behind the bar staff, these lining up the drinks and the ones in front taking orders and money. Dead easy; c’mon City, wake up.

OPINION: FIRST IMPRESSIONS IV

It was a great start to playing in the new stadium, beating a strong Barcelona side 2-1.

So many names have been put forward for the “City of Manchester Stadium” but after Barcelona’s visit from “Nou Camp”, Kevin Keegan spoke of it as “Blue Camp”. The newspapers are calling it “Blue Camp”, so I guess from now the new stadium will be known for its shorter name “Blue Camp”.

OPINION: CITY TO WIN HANDICAP

I bought Racing Post yesterday with its 56-page pull-out guide to the new season, essential reading for anyone who likes a bet on the football. And it was heart-warming to see them following my own analysis on City’s fortunes for the current season by recommending a bet on us to win the Premiership handicap with a +31 start.

Now I’ve seen the occasional pessimistic letter on here playing down our chances of a successful season due to nothing more than the age of Keegan’s summer recruits. What utter nonsense!

I’d say this looks like the best City team I’ve known in my lifetime and one of the biggest reasons I fancy us to do well is because of the age of Keegan’s signings. What is the point of spending fortunes on some young, up-and-coming star when his inexperience of dealing with a big move means he takes at least two or three months to settle in?

I know you can’t go off friendlies too much, but you’d have thought Seaman, Tarnat, Bosvelt and Sinclair had been playing for City all their lives to look at them. They ooze calm and composure and I’m sure they will instil some very good habits in the younger players.

The game today is becoming more and more like American Football. It’s all about player power and clubs increasingly have to deal with players on a year-to-year basis because there’s very little loyalty left in the game. I’m just glad Keegan has grasped this sooner than most managers and I don’t think we appreciate exactly how shrewd he is in the transfer market.

More than anything, I’m most impressed with how City are shaping-up for the new season because for the first time in ages we are starting to look balanced across the pitch.

Sommeil and Distin seem to complement each other well and look comfortable alongside each other, Bosvelt and Barton in central midfield gives us the bite we were so desperately lacking last season (as well as being a good mixture of experience and youth) and we’re linking-up well down the flanks with Sun Jihai and SWP down the right, Tarnat and Sinclair down the left. The new 4-4-2 formation is a lot more solid than the erratic 3-5-2 and we now look like a team.

Forget your tabloid newspapers who wheel out some old pro who knows nothing about today’s game to tell us who’s going to do what. The Racing Post is the highest quality football journalism paper around and they reckon we’ll finish sixth, winning the handicap at 16-1. Trust me, they know their stuff!

If anyone else fancies backing City to win the handicap, Premierbet.com offer the best terms. If you’re not much of a gambler, then back us each-way and still get paid out at 4-1 for half your stake if we finish in the top three. Together, we can take them to the cleaners!

For those who haven’t got a clue what I’m on about, the handicap is basically a bet where every team in the division is given so many points at the start of the season to add to how many points they collect in the Premiership. So the league table on Friday, August 15 looks like this:

 1. Leicester   = 45
 2. Wolves      = 43
 3. Bolton      = 40
 4. Portsmouth  = 39
 5. Fulham      = 39
 6. Charlton    = 36
 7. Birmingham  = 34
 8. Leeds       = 33
 9. Southampton = 33
10. Tottenham   = 33
11. Aston Villa = 32
12. CITY        = 31
13. Middlesbro  = 31
14. Everton     = 27
15. Blackburn   = 26
16. Liverpool   = 11
17. Newcastle   = 11
18. Chelsea     = 10
19. Arsenal     =  3
20. United      =  0

So if you’re backing City, you’re saying that we will win the league over the next 38 games from this starting position. Go on then, what are you waiting for? Fill yer boots!

OPINION: WOOSNAM

I was interested to read John Clancy’s detailed appraisal of Max Woosnam’s remarkable sporting career. In the final paragraph he mentions the nephew Phil, the “one-time Aston Villa favourite”. I tend to associate Woosnam more with West Ham, but he certainly played for both.

What wasn’t mentioned was that he also represented City. Once! I saw the game and we were rather surprised when he failed to make another appearance, particularly as he went off to Leyton Orient. I believe he was an amateur, so presumably he could choose where to play and no transfer fee would be involved. Admittedly we weren’t very strong back in 1952, but surely we were a better bet than Orient?

OPINION: VALUE SHIRTS I

I can advise that Sports Soccer in the Manchester Arndale (and presumably other outlets) sell the City shirt at £30 (£35 for long sleeves).

Also to Scott Moore who questioned what the blue plastic curtains were for – they are to try to have the drinks ban on the lower tier overturned by obstructing the clear view of the playing field from the bar areas.

OPINION: VALUE SHIRTS II

Just as an update to my posts a couple of editions ago. The owner of http://www.soccerplus.net now says that his Reebok rep has told him that the new kits won’t arrive until early September. Sorry if any fans were planning on purchasing this kit sooner rather than later from this site. I hope I didn’t cause any inconvenience.

Looking forward to the first match vs. Barça. They looked good here in the States. Should be a fun match. To all those lucky enough to go, have fun!

REQUEST: TNS TICKET

I would be really grateful for a single ticket for the home game against TNS.

I am a long-term City fan (50 years) and, because I live down south, am unable to get a ticket from the ticket office – you need to buy them in person unless you are a member or season ticket owner, but of course they are not on sale on the day!

Please contact me on 01582 504617 or email at the address below.

REQUEST: CHARLTON TICKET I

Does anyone have one spare? Mail or call 07976 422971 if you have, please.

REQUEST: CHARLTON TICKET II

Desperately seeking 1 ticket for Charlton. Please call 07899 998 997 or email.

REQUEST: ATHENS BLUES

I’m based in Athens for a month or so and was wondering if there is anyone out there who knows of any bars/pubs where they show English Premier League football (City)?

REQUEST: REDDISH BLUES

The next meeting of Reddish Branch of the Centenary Supporters’ Association will be this coming Wednesday, 13th August, at The Ash Hotel, Manchester Road, Stockport.

The meeting starts at 8.00pm (doors 7.00pm) and our confirmed guests are Brian Horton and Ian Brightwell.

Membership for the new season is available on the night and as always everyone is welcome.

REQUEST: TNS VIEWING

Can anybody tell me if the City/TNS matches will be shown on the television? Unfortunately I cannot make it to either of them with work commitments.

I hear rumours that BBC 2 Wales will be screening them but surely, wouldn’t BBC 2 England show them as well with City having such a huge fan base?

REQUEST: COMS OPENING CLIPPINGS

If anybody has some clippings from the UK press on today’s papers on the opening game which they are willing to send me out here in Florida, please could you contact me.

REQUEST: MARC-VIVIEN FOE MEMORIAL APPEAL

As a result of calls on various websites, emails and talking to MCFC and other authorities involved, together with the amazing response from fans worldwide (as diverse as China, Japan, Australasia, USA, throughout Europe) and from rival clubs, it was decided to launch an appeal fund which would help to fulfil Fo