Newsletter #1818

To start with, apologies for only one issue this week. I’ll not reel out lame excuses like mentally busy with work, but… I’ve been menta… ok you get the drift.

It does mean a bumper issue today, with some thought provoking stuff and the start of ‘speculation season’ thanks to Adrian Kenny (and yes, Adrian, some will shoot you I’m sure!).

To quote Lord Melchet, from Blackadder, it’s “trousers down for the last big push” to the end of the season. Every game will be tricky, including Wolves on Sunday. Let’s just hope we finish strong and have no regrets. If that other lot close the season out then so be it. Let’s not be left kicking ourselves if they do slip up and we can’t capitalise.

Stay in the game Blues!

MATCHVIEW I: NORWICH 1 CITY 6

Attendance 26,812

If City did well at West Brom I was going to Norwich, but it’s a long trip – four and a half hours for me, nearly 500 miles there and back. The temptation to watch on TV was very great but having seen this resurrected City side against West Brom I was fairly sure such a performance could be repeated. When I say fairly sure I mean desperately hoped of course – we are City after all.

The first part of the journey was horrendous as the whole of Liverpool was on the M6 going to Wembley for the semi-final. I wanted Liverpool to win because should Everton be in the final they might rest key players against United next week. At M6 Corley services the coaches and minibuses stopped and there was an incredible queue for the male toilets, which took 15 minutes to complete. Some gentlemen from that part of the world went into the ladies although there were women using it at the time – charming folk.

It was a lovely, sunny day in Norwich with the yellow and green of the Norwich fans’ shirts giving a summery look to the place. City made one change: Zabaleta for Richards, but the deadly forward line stayed the same. Actually I don’t know what to call the Silva, Tévez, Nasri and Agüero combination. Agüero is definitely a forward but Tévez goes forward and deep and scored from the wing, Nasri’s all over the place and Silva is now playing further forward than of recent times. The terms forwards and midfield seem inadequate. Mancini had for once resisted tinkering with key players and largely repeated the selection of a winning side. My reading of Norwich’s successful season was that they tend to attack successfully, having the sixth or seventh best attack, but they also have the six or seventh worst defence.

After a few minutes it became clear that Norwich wanted to compress the midfield by playing a very high line of defence. This left acres of space for City’s players to run into, but the first goal from Tévez was far enough out for no City fan to anticipate it and the slightly delayed roar from our enclosure showed the surprise and delight of the Blue faithful. Tévez hadn’t celebrated much against WBA but this time he was bouncing with chuffiosity as all his team mates came to celebrate. This is something the media don’t get – Tévez has definitely been disloyal, let the club down, the fans down and let his team mates down but human nature being the perverse thing that it is, has always remained popular in the dressing room. My theory is that Tévez, not being very worldly or terribly bright, relies on advisers who have proved themselves to be prize-winningly inept. But I’d forgotten how incredibly good he is at reading a game, making assists and of course, scoring goals. We’ve drooled over Silva’s skill and assists but Tévez is right up there with him as a creator.

Agüero, not to be out done, then scores another superb goal, taking his total to 27, and we are on our way. The only niggle is that our defence is only just coping and there are quite a few last-minute saving tackles and blocks – to be expected really because Norwich are an excellent attacking side.

After the interval they’ve made changes and start to dominate the midfield. They got a goal back and we start to wonder if City have the capacity and resilience to succeed. We wobble for a bit. 2-1 would do but there’s a long time to go and they look dangerous. As if to answer the question we mount an attack that nearly results in a goal from Agüero and soon the Argentinian partnership strikes again and within a minute we are 4-1 up and the game is won. Yaya is now on and the focus changes. The game funnels through him and his skill and strength allow City time and control.

We fans are perfectly happy with 4-1 but City aren’t and we get a fifth for Tévez’s hat trick and then a sixth for Adam Johnson who I labelled as chronically disappointing last report but is also chronically under selected. Some players need a run in a team and perhaps he’s one.

The City fans sing and chant, they jump on the seats and the concrete walls of the vomitories (to the horror of the stewards) and the euphoria of seeing the team back in pre-Christmas mood is tangible. The “We never win at home and we never win away…” song must cause puzzlement to away fans who are being beaten 6-1 and know we are the only side not to have lost at home yet this season.

One thing is clear: Tévez knows the fans are on his side – how can you not like a bloke who scores an away hat trick in the English Premier League?

Throughout the game the Norwich fans have been chanting “Carlos Tévez – he wants to go home” so on completion of his hat trick Tévez does an imitation of a golf swing and his team mates love it. Again the media who all seem to have successfully completed the “Become a Simpleton in One hour” courses totally misinterpret the gesture. Tévez looks much happier this game – he likes scoring goals I guess and he knows his team mates have always admired his talent. His understanding with Agüero is brilliant.

There have only been two 6-1 away victories in the Premier League this year, both by City, and if I was a Wolves fan I’d be wearing brown trousers with my gold top for City are in no mood for mercy at present.

Still, I said a similar thing last year and we lost.

So can we do it? Well only if United drop points against other sides and I’m hoping against hope for a draw with Everton who have been playing well in the League. Should United beat Everton and Villa, which is quite likely really, we go into the derby having to win with a team that really looks as though it could. That would leave us having to beat an on-form Newcastle away and a QPR team fighting for its Premier League life.

But there’s also the delicious possibility of history repeating itself with United losing or drawing at Sunderland on the last day. I’m counting chickens here and we don’t even have any eggs but it looks like a good and exciting end to the season when we might have just gone out with a whimper.

United still have a real advantage though and I entirely understand Mancini not saying we have a chance – we really don’t yet but watching these sorts of games where we play great football, score stunning goals and add to our record breaking season is for me (and I know I’m in a minority with this sentiment) what it’s all about. Trophies are nice – great even – but it’s the game on the day that counts for me and currently watching City live is a priceless experience.

MATCHVIEW II: NORWICH AWAY

What we witnessed on Saturday was a City performance of true beauty. It was spectacular, sublime, intricate football that was an absolute pleasure to watch. Credit goes to all the players for a fantastic performance.

Sergio Agüero, with two goals, and Carlos Tévez with his richly deserved hat-trick (plus an assist for Sergio’s opener) were the stars of the show and it was wonderful to see David Silva back to his very best again. Samir Nasri again revelled in playing in such a flowing team that played a delightful short passing game.

I cannot speak highly enough of the players and Roberto Mancini after this second six-one of the season that blew away a decent Norwich side, who had gone away to Tottenham and won just five days earlier.

It may be very difficult to peg back the five point lead that United have with games to go, but it is great to see the players fighting to the end, and ready to take advantage of any United slip-up.

As the chant from the City fans went: “We’re Man City, we’ll fight to the end”, the City support again did us proud with their backing of our team. Watching the game on box, the fantastic atmosphere came across very clearly.

One thing I have noticed about Norwich fans down the years (my one trip there was a 1-0 defeat in 1999/2000) is the fantastic atmosphere they create, and they get noisier by the year! Unlike a certain other team who lost 6-1 to us, many stayed to the end by all accounts.

I can remember us applauding Henry and Co. when Arsenal hammered us 4-0 and 5-1 at Maine Road, and I understand there were similar acts of sportsmanship from the Norwich fans.

It’s no coincidence that we have seen supreme sportsmanship from Stokies (particularly after the Cup final last year), from QPR and Norwich fans. The link being that, like us, these fans have all been through thick and thin with their clubs and their sportsmanship is much to their credit.

As for Carlos Tévez, it has been good for all concerned that there has been a reconciliation of sorts, though like many, I didn’t want to see him in a City shirt again after Bayern Munich. There is no doubting his talent, even when he is short of full fitness, and when he gets out there on the pitch he always gives his best. It is such a pity that he didn’t do the right thing in Munich and thereafter before his return to the fold. It is likely that he doesn’t want to stay here, and for all his talent, it is probably best that there is a dignified parting of the ways this summer. We should get as much money for him as we can and move on, so that we can mount an even stronger assault on the title next season.

The question that won’t go away is would we have won the title if Carlos Tévez had been here all season. The answer is yes, probably quite comfortably, but it is more important to look forward. All we can do is get behind the team, and hope that we can win all our games and the Rags slip up once.

MATCHVIEW III: BRILLIANT CITY BACK ON FORM

With the “3 Amigos” Carlos Tévez, David Silva and Kun Sergio Agüero up front!

Tévez looks like he is enjoying his football with City, after scoring a hat-trick. I truly wish that he changes his mind about leaving; if he still wants to leave then his value has gone back up.

Tévez I am sure will be reminded that City guarantee him Champions’ League football next season.

If Tévez says that he will stay at City then I feel sure that all City fans will forgive him and a new poster will go up: “Tévez: Welcome back to Manchester City”.

All the players played well today, Thank you!

Come on you Blues!

ARTICLE: LOUSY REFEREES

I’m sick and tired of hearing about ‘lousy’ referees so here’s my thruppence worth on… err ‘lousy’ referees for the MCIVTA newsletter!

At Norwich I watched Tévez go down for a ‘stonewall’ penalty, but got booked for ‘diving’. Within seconds my friend, Neil, had confirmation on his iPhone that the referee, Mr Foy, had got it completely wrong, everyone knew the truth. Mr Foy was taunted as a cheat and everyone watching live, and later on Match of the Day, sat in judgement to highlight his shortcomings / human error. Not at all nice and all completely unnecessary. Fortunately for Mr Foy and us, the incident did not matter and will be quickly forgotten.

Sadly for referee Mr Atkinson and Spurs in Sunday’s F.A. Cup Semi-Final, bad decisions did matter and will not be forgotten. Again, not at all nice and all unnecessary.

Me, I do not believe ‘decisions even themselves out over the season’. I don’t know of anyone (apart from Mr Ferguson apparently), who really does. Even if they do I would like to know why UEFA and the FA persist in making their own referees and linesmen look fools, subjecting them to unnecessary criticism, disrespect and consequential abuse. Why they feign support for them then add insult to injury, by making them scapegoats, penalising clubs and players for what seems to me their very own organisation’s shortcomings and abject failure to act. I can’t help wondering who in their right mind would want to work for them and what referee in his right mind wouldn’t be driven out of it by them!?

I am not a referee, just a fan, and I’m not interested in the minutiae of individual cases for, or against, my team or anyone else’s. They are to me merely symptomatic of the mess refereeing in football is in.

The point is, it seems to me the case for technological assistance to football referees is now utterly overwhelming and indefensible. Every fan can tell you a hundred sad tales and these days every fan knows definitively within seconds when a referee makes a crucial mistake.

Referees clearly need all the technological support and any other support they can get to make the right decisions and to regain the appreciation and respect they most truly deserve.

Players, clubs and fans need it to get the quality of refereeing and treatment they deserve. In rugby league, within seconds, the whole ground can clearly see if it’s a score or not. The ref is wired and the fourth official can seamlessly provide him with technological assistance and alert him to anything else significant he may have missed such as a high tackle. The players respect the referee, don’t waste time arguing with him and rarely have good reason to do so. Refreshingly, the fans’ talk is mostly about the game afterwards, not the ‘lousy’ referee.

At key moments it is essential referees have the opportunity (and humility) to take a few moments to use any means available to check they’ve got it right. In Rugby League referees are respected all the more by all and sundry for that. All any honest fan, any honest player, any honest manager want from referees is the right decisions at those times.

All of which begs the question what do the FA and UEFA really want? Honesty? Fair play? To support their referees? Do I hear you say, you must be havin’ a larf?!

Well we’ll see, as I understand a long overdue ‘definitive decision’ is expected after a special meeting of the International Football Association Board in Kiev in July.

All I can say to them, for crying out loud, in the words of Usain Bolt and Richard Branson… ‘Keep Up’!

P.S. Otherwise what an utterly awesome day we had at Norwich, what a difference a week makes, no expectations now. I’m lovin’ it, just enjoying the ride, ça ne fait rien, what will be will be, I’m even up for giving Balotelli another chance and hoping Carlos will change his mind and stay with us next season! C’mon you Blues!

ARTICLE: CHRIS FOY

Nice to see the jerk has not changed his dislike for City. The same joker who sent off Vinnie for a clear ball and tackle against the Scum, yellow cards Carlos for a dive after his ankle was almost broken in the box and then denies Agüero a clear penalty. How much longer do we have to tolerate this moron’s strange interpretation of the laws?

MEMORIES: FRANK HORROCKS

It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of a true City legend – Frank Horrocks. I’ve lived overseas now for thirty years but whenever I managed to get back to Maine Road I would meet up with Frank who would always be there for help with tickets/away travel or just a good chat.

During the first Gulf War, with the missiles flying, Frank wrote regularly to ask how we were doing. Years later, when on a trip round the world, I spent a year in Sydney and Frank would write often and send a match programme. It was such personal touches that made Frank such a special man.

God Bless you Frank and when we finally take that title I just know that somehow you’ll be celebrating too.

ARTICLE: TREVOR FRANCIS – GET WELL SOON

It was a shock to hear that ex-City striker Trevor Francis had a heart attack at the age of 57 last week. He has been treated by having a stent fitted and has been discharged from Birmingham Heartlands Hospital.

He was my first City hero. Already a European Cup Winner with Forest (he scored the winner in their 1-0 win over Malmo in 1979), he only played 26 League games for City in one injury-hit season (1981/82) scoring 12 goals, but he dazzled us with his skills, great close control, pace and an eye for a goal.

He had great vision and being so nimble and having the ball glued to his foot, he could turn a defender sharply, with ease. I can recall being gutted when he wasn’t on the team sheet, which sadly was all too frequent due to a series of niggling injuries. His best moment for me was a 40 yard volley in a 2-1 win that put City top of the old First Division over Christmas/New Year 1981/1982. He literally dragged a fairly ordinary City side to the top of the table. What a player.

May he make a speedy recovery.

ARTICLE: BLUES IN THE US

It has been mentioned, unofficially, that City are to play Real Madrid in Boston on 5th August.

Naturally, as I moved to Boston last year, this was of extreme interest to me, so today (Saturday 14th) I decided to make my début watching my local ‘soccer’ team – New England Revolution – versus DC United, on a high after watching City stick six past Norwich in the morning!

I live 20 miles from the Foxboro stadium (home of the Revolution and New England Patriots, situated roughly half way between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island) but due to the total lack of decent signposts (for both Foxboro and the stadium) it took slightly longer to get there than anticipated – but I used this to my advantage and blagged my way in for free!

I arrived 20 minutes after kick off and I went to the gate for season ticket holders (2 women stood there on their own) and I said… ‘Can you help? Obviously I’m late, just spent 4 hours driving from Maine but got stuck in traffic. Can you tell me where the box office is please? My friend has our tickets and I was to meet him outside here, but obviously he is inside and I can’t get hold of him to get our tickets.’

One of the women said ‘I can do better than that’ and pulls two tickets out of her pocket and hands them over. Naturally I said ‘No, I’m happy to buy tickets’, but she wouldn’t hear of it… a saving of $46 (£29) for the two tickets and in we went! The English accent getting a freebie strikes again!

I sat in the seats where the ‘Ultras’ were congregated, though we stayed at the back of the section. There was a sign at the top of the aisle that said:

These are standing sections
If you prefer not to stand please see a guest services representative for an alternative seating section
Standing and cheering encouraged
No profanity please

It was 1-1 when we arrived in the 68,000 capacity very impressive stadium (my only previous visit here was in 1992 when working at a kids’ summer camp in Connecticut to see U2 – the stadium had since been razed to the ground and rebuilt) and that’s how the score remained at half time.

We then had a walk around the whole ground. The concourse is around 4 times the width of Eastlands and the roof much higher. Lots of different chain food stores (pizzas / burgers / hot dogs / popcorn) and – pleasingly – many different beers, rather than the limited stuff on offer at Eastlands. I ended up at a stall selling ‘New England’s finest ales’. I was wearing my ‘And on the 6th day God created Manchester City’ T-shirt. The bloke at the stall read it and laughed and as soon as he heard the accent, said I would like this kind of beer. I said OK and then had a heart attack as he said ‘$11’ (around £7). It was a pint poured straight from the bottle into a plastic glass, which I took to my seat (no idea where my seat was, we just sat where we wanted to).

It was a good, strong beer – I wanted another but didn’t risk it as I was driving and could tell it was strong! Budweiser was $8 (£5) a pint. I’d rather pay the extra $3 for the decent stuff!

The eating part of it was definitely in vogue as people were walking up and down the aisle to their seats throughout the game with various items of fast food. The second half saw the vendors bringing their food to the customers – serving pizzas from warm bags and water / popcorn (huge buckets) and other food items I passed on.

Second half and with 5 minutes to go, DC silence the Ultras by scoring the winner. One lad of student age, about 2 sections away from us, goes mental (on his own), fists pumping and going mad. Those around him boo in a friendly way, no hint of malice whatsoever!

Saw one Rag all afternoon. Towards the end, after DC had scored the winner, a group of 4/5 young girls (late teens) walking up the next aisle. One had a replica Revolution shirt on with a Rag scarf around her neck. I gave a wry smile and looked away. Also clocked a bloke in a Liverpool shirt and a bloke in an Arsenal tracky top.

What was weird about the game was, high above each goal, huge screens showing the entire game – like being at a big gig and watching the screen instead of the stage! The match announcer also read out yellow cards over the PA whilst the game was going on!

I’ll definitely go again (need to go to a different gate each time and blag my way in again) – yes the standard wasn’t Premier League standard (and I didn’t expect it to be) and can see why Beckham / Keane / Henry are big stars at the end of their careers, but although I watch every City game in the pub or on the laptop, I do miss the buzz of being at a game and hopefully this can fill that gap. I just need to find someone to come with me who can drive but doesn’t drink.

Worst chant of the day though, was the cringe-worthy (no tune just a chant):

I hate DC
You hate DC
We hate DC
DC SUCKS!

If it is confirmed that the game is going ahead, there are a good number of Blues in the Boston and Rhode Island area to make a bit of noise – and anyone travelling from Manchester / UK will be in for a treat (I’ll make sure of that!).

Viva la Revolution!

ARTICLE: WHO STAYS AND WHO GOES?

Looking at the squad I am delighted that we have such talent, so don’t think for a minute I am moaning about our resources, but Mancini must be considering who to keep and who to replace. Here are my thoughts with a few pieces of commentary where necessary.

Stays

• Hart
• Pantilimon
• Zabaleta
• Richards
• Kompany
• Lescott
• Kolo Touré
• Silva
• Agüero
• Yaya Touré
• Clichy
• Nasri

Goes

• Savic – hasn’t made the grade
• Johnson (Adam) – too inconsistent
• Balotelli – can’t trust him and a distraction to other players who needto be concentrating on their game (although I have enjoyed his foolishnessat times)
• Kolarov – great crossing but can’t defend, which is a problem when you area defender first and foremost
• Santa Cruz – out of his depth
• Johnson (Michael) – very suspect behaviour off the pitch and too seriouslyinjured to make a full recovery it would seem
• Boyata – not measuring up whilst on loan although I thought he would bebetter than he has proven to be so far
• Bridge – what were we thinking?
• Hargreaves – can’t understand why you sign a player and not give him a run
• Adebayor – good player but very suspect personality (constantly sufferingfrom PMS) (ED: Pre Match Syndrome)

Unsure

• Dzeko – I really want him to do well, but suffers when not playing week-inweek-out; has so much to offer
• de Jong – my favourite player over the last couple of years but strugglingto regain that total dominance of the last few years
• Barry – I know he is very good at times, but he is getting slower (if thatis possible); can we afford this at the top level?
• Pizzaro – I have been impressed with some of his cameo performances,but to convert his loan to a deal we would need to know he can run games
• Milner – his work rate is terrific, but is he good enough to compete inthe CL against the best players in Europe?
• Tévez – you don’t get strikers of this class very often; he would needto be totally committed and I don’t know if he is or even could be again

Football is a game of opinions… don’t shoot me for mine.

RESPONSE: PERSPECTIVE

I’ve read a lot of negative posts from Glyn Albuquerque, but “I am totally disappointed, I have never felt this low” – c’mon, seriously?! What about relegation against Luton, the FA Cup Final replay against Spurs, going down to the third tier even though we beat Stoke, watching some of the awful players like Wayne Clarke, etc.? Has he slept through the last 40 years?

I’m disappointed with our recent form prior to the West Brom game but we’ve still improved massively and we still have a chance of winning the title (albeit we are relying on Everton, Villa and/or Sunderland).

And what about all the Mancini-out comments?

If United’s board had listened to all the Fergie-out chat from their fans before they won that FA Cup final then they wouldn’t have had all their success.

He’s made a few wrong decisions but he’s the best we’ve had since Joe Mercer and Skip. We can win a lot with Mancini, even if we “only” come 2nd this year.

QUESTION: LAST MATCH KICK OFF TIME

Does anyone know why the all the last Premier League games are showing as TBC/3PM on various sites?

Want to book return flight to Belfast that night but worried Sky will do something weird with the times?!

REQUEST: BLUES IN STOCKHOLM

I have recently permanently re-located to Stockholm and am interested in meeting Blues living here to watch games and have a few jars.

So far I’ve watched one game (Sunderland) in Gamla Stan in an underground bunker stuck with a Rag who kept putting his arm around me when Sunderland scored, and the recent Norwich game in an O’Leary’s where they put me in the corridor with one screen whilst the rest of the entire pub watched the Liverpool vs. Everton game on the other 30 or so screens in there!

There must be Blues here – please get in touch!

AND FINALLY… KOTK ENTERS 21st CENTURY

KING OF THE KIPPAX on e-book

KK196 is now sold out but thanks to Steve Caron at DB Publishing the City fanzine, now in its 24th year, and still going strong, is now available as an e-zine.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kippax-April-2012-Issue-ebook/dp/B007TT3F4S

Hope this is of use, particularly to overseas City fans.

RESULTS AND TABLE

16 April 2012

Arsenal               1 - 2  Wigan Athletic        60,060

15 April 2012

Manchester United     4 - 0  Aston Villa           75,138

14 April 2012

Norwich City          1 - 6  Manchester City       26,812
Sunderland            0 - 0  Wolverhampton Wndrs   37,476
Swansea City          3 - 0  Blackburn Rovers      18,985
West Bromwich Albion  1 - 0  Queens Park Rangers   25,521

League table to 18 April 2012 inclusive

                             HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F   A   GD Pts
 1 Manchester Utd  34 14  1  2 46 15 12  3  2 36 13 26  4  4  82  28  54  82
 2 Manchester City 34 16  1  0 51 10  8  4  5 34 17 24  5  5  85  27  58  77
 3 Arsenal         34 12  2  3 36 14  8  2  7 31 29 20  4 10  67  43  24  64
 4 Tottenham H.    33 11  3  3 35 17  6  5  5 22 21 17  8  8  57  38  19  59
 5 Newcastle Utd   33 10  5  2 26 15  7  3  6 24 27 17  8  8  50  42   8  59
 6 Chelsea         33 10  3  3 33 20  6  6  5 23 18 16  9  8  56  38  18  57
 7 Everton         33  8  3  6 21 14  5  5  6 17 20 13  8 12  38  34   4  47
 8 Liverpool       33  5  9  2 20 13  7  1  9 20 23 12 10 11  40  36   4  46
 9 Sunderland      34  7  6  4 24 14  4  4  9 18 27 11 10 13  42  41   1  43
10 Fulham          33  8  5  4 32 24  3  5  8 11 19 11 10 12  43  43   0  43
11 Norwich City    34  6  6  5 26 27  5  4  8 21 31 11 10 13  47  58 -11  43
12 Swansea City    34  7  6  4 22 14  4  3 10 16 30 11  9 14  38  44  -6  42
13 West Brom A.    34  6  2  9 19 19  6  4  7 21 28 12  6 16  40  47  -7  42
14 Stoke City      33  7  5  4 21 16  4  4  9 11 29 11  9 13  32  45 -13  42
15 Aston Villa     33  4  5  7 18 22  3  9  5 17 26  7 14 12  35  48 -13  35
16 Wigan Athletic  34  3  7  7 15 25  5  3  9 18 33  8 10 16  33  58 -25  34
17 QPR             34  5  5  7 22 25  3  2 12 16 32  8  7 19  38  57 -19  31
18 Bolton Wndrs    32  4  2 10 19 32  5  0 11 17 33  9  2 21  36  65 -29  29
19 Blackburn R.    34  5  1 11 24 32  2  6  9 21 41  7  7 20  45  73 -28  28
20 Wolves          34  3  2 12 19 41  2  6  9 15 32  5  8 21  34  73 -39  23

MCIVTA FAQ [v1112.01]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

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[2] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?

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[4] What is the club’s official web site?

The official club web site can be found at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/ and the official club Twitter page at www.twitter.com/mcfc. The club also has a facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mcfcofficial

[5] What supporters’ clubs are there?

The Official Supporters’ Club and the Centenary Supporters’ Association have merged to become the Manchester City Supporters’ Club (http://www.mcfcsupportersclub.com/). The club also recognise the Manchester City Disabled Supporters’ Association (http://www.mcdsa.co.uk/).

[6] Where can I find out about Points of Blue?

The committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. Points of Blue appears on the club website under the “Fans” heading (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/Fans).

[7] What match day broadcasts are available on the web?

Live match commentary can be found on the club website. The Radio Manchester pre- and post-match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/manchester/.

[8] Where can I find out if City are live on satellite TV?

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[9] 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://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/Usenet

[10] Do any squad members have their own web pages?

There are a number available and direct links can be found at http://www.mcivta.com/players/

[11] Do any squad members have their own Twitter accounts?

A list of genuine player accounts is maintained at http://twitter.com/#!/MCFC/players

[12] Where can I find match statistics?

Statistics for the current season are available from the club site, but for a more in-depth historical analysis try http://www.mcfcstats.com/.

DISCLAIMER
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Philip Alcock, editor@mcivta.city-fan.org

Editor: