Newsletter #58

Apologies for the very cursory introduction to this one but work beckons! Let’s hope the form continues but this time spiced with a few goals.

Next game Norwich City away, Saturday 4th March 1995

NEWS – LEFT BACK

I have been told by a Carlisle United fan that City are after their left-back Tony Gallimore. Horton went to watch him in their 4-1 win over Rochdale on Tuesday night. They are already lining up a replacement for him and are expecting big money for him.

NEWS – SPURS MATCH

According to the ticket office, Spurs have now changed the date again for the match at White Hart Lane. It will now be played on Tuesday 11th April. This still leaves us with four consecutive away matches, three in London.

NEWS – TRANSFER

According to Today newspaper, Brian Horton watched the Carlisle United midfielder Paul Conway during the week. Paul, son of former City winger Jim Conway, apparently scored a “brilliant late goal”. Carlisle are currently runaway leaders of the 3rd Division.

NEWS – DINO

I got the following from Michael Brehl in Frankfurt so that we can see what’s going on at the other end [Ashley]:

As far as I know he is on loan for 500.000 DM until the end of this season, then another 3 million DM for the final buy is expected in Frankfurt. As we will lose one of our best players now, we at least have the money. I read in your WWW/news update that City are trying to allocate funds for the transfer. Good luck! Gaudi (this is one of the better German nicknames, because “Gaudi” in Bavarian dialect means fun) was interviewed and stated he would never like to play in Germany again. He must have had real trouble with the coaches, who wanted to teach him discipline (bad, but a typical German attitude).

Many people in Frankfurt would like to see Gaudi playing for Eintracht, so the best for City would be to complete the transfer. Gaudino said he feels very comfortable in Manchester. I heard he lives in the house of Mark Hughes, or is it Yeboah?

SPECULATION – BEAGRIE

Beagrie has been linked to Celtic in a 1.5 million pound deal. This has lead to Lee and Horton quickly offering Beagrie a new contract that would earn him an extra 50,000 a year. This report was from the Daily Mirror.

RELEGATION RIVALS

As we all know, this season like last is going to be a dogfight to the end. Here is a list of all the bottom clubs’ remaining fixtures; I have not included Ipswich or Leicester because I feel the writing is on the wall for them. I have not included any games which were postponed throughout the season. If no one knows, our game in hand is Spurs away.

Fixtures Remaining:

WEST H   PALACE   SOTON    QPR      EVERTON  MAN.C    NORWICH  CHELSEA
-------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------
ARS (A)  CHEL(A)  COV (H)  WIM (A)  LEI (A)  NOR (A)  MA.C(H)  PAL (H)
NEW (A)  LEED(A)  LIV (A)  LEI (H)  FOR (A)  CHEL(H)  S.WE(H)  MA.C(A)
NOR (H)  VILL(H)  NEW (H)  IPS (A)  MA.C(H)  EVE (A)  W.HA(A)  LEED(H)
VILL(A)  WIM (A)  FOR (A)  EVE (H)  QPR (A)  S.WE(H)  IPS (H)  BLAC(A)
LIV (H)  MA.C(H)  SPU (H)  COV (A)  BLA (H)  PAL (A)  ARS (A)  NEW (H)
FOR (A)  BLA (A)  MA.U(A)  ARS (H)  IPS (A)  VILL(A)  NEW (A)  WIM (A)
WIM (H)  SPU (H)  QPR (H)  SOT (A)  NEW (H)  LIV (H)  FOR (H)  VILL(H)
IPS (A)  QPR (A)  WIM (A)  PAL (H)  S.WE(A)  BLA (A)  SPU (A)  MA.U(A)
BLA (H)  FOR (H)  S.WE(H)  CHE (A)  WIM (H)  NEW (H)  LIV (H)  QPR (H)
PAL (A)  W.HA(H)  EVE (A)  SPU (H)  SOT (H)  FOR (A)  LEED(A)  LEI (A)
MA.U(H)  NEW (A)  LEI (H)  M.CI(A)  COV (A)  QPR (H)  VILL(H)  ARS (H)

Let’s hope we don’t have any worries about relegation… City Forever

HELEN “WITH THE BELL” TURNER

Helen Turner is a big City Fan and deserves a lot of credit for the support she gives the team. However, she comes across to me as someone who is quite conceited, considering herself to be City’s Number One Fan.

A good few years back I had the misfortune to find myself sat on “A” coach. She spent half the journey going on and on and on … about her rules which included no swearing. No one around me had heard any swearing, but we certainly knew someone had been. She loved the sound of her own voice. Never again! After that, whenever in the queue at the Travel Club, I often smiled at the number of times I overheard fans at the window ask for “any coach except A!”

Perhaps my opinion of Helen is unfair; I have never really spoken to her properly. Does anybody know her, or had a decent conversation with her? It may be that Helen comes across as being such a popular fan simply because she stands out so much with that “Bet Gilroy” hairdo, and of course with her ringing that bell. I have waffled on quite a lot about this woman, don’t know why? I’ve typed it now so may as well send it!

OPINIONS – VARIOUS

I totally agree with David Whitwell in his remarks on the disgusting songs about Munich. It seems as if nobody remembers that also Frank Swift was lost in that accident. However, it’s easy to get carried away, especially when you’re face to face with bragging reds and side by side with the “gormless gits”, as David describes them. This reminds me of an incident at the “Nelson Inn” when I sat beside a representative of the harder line of City-fans (he was a regular on England’s away matches..). To those of you who’ve seen the movie “The Commitments”, he looked a lot like the drummer! Anyway he was the type to sing the “Airplane-songs”, but sitting next to him there wasn’t much you could do but hum along.

As for the worst City XI, I believe Steve Daley and Adrian Heath wouldn’t exactly “improve” the team. It’s also interesting to know that at least two of the players in Sean O’Connells team were internationals when playing for City (Hareide and McIlroy). However, I think it’s far too depressive to think of all the bad City players. How about making a list of good players we never should have sold (I agree; it’s depressing too)??

Mick McCarthy, Colin Hendry, Andy Hinchcliffe, David White, Michael Hughes, Gary Owen, Peter Barnes, Trevor Francis, Francis Lee ….

I’ve also gotten a reference to a home-page of Football-stadiums: http://shiva.di.uminho.pt/~miguel/FUTEBOL/estadios.html#England
Good to see that Maine Road is one of the best documented fields on the list!

AWAY FANS TO GET MORE TICKETS

Article in this morning’s (March 3rd) Guardian; my comments in square brackets.

Complaints from supporters that they are no longer able to watch their teams away from home have led to new rules ordering Premiership clubs to make more tickets available to visiting fans next season.

The policy, proposed at the meeting of Premier League clubs by Blackburn and seconded by Arsenal, was passed despite fierce opposition led by Manchester United [Shurely shome mishtake] and Newcastle [Aka Sir John Hall World Domination Inc. PLC ??].

Under the new regulations, all Premiership clubs must give up to 10% of their capacity, up to a maximum of 3,000 seats, to away fans.

The change follows lobbying from supporters’ groups over the difficulty of obtaining tickets for away matches at grounds such as Old Trafford and St. James’ Park, where the number of visiting supporters has been strictly limited because of home demand.

Visiting managers, who have thought themselves on the wrong end of decisions at the big grounds, have also complained that officials are intimidated into favouring the home side by the vociferous nature of the support.

“The consensus of opinion between clubs was that football is a game between two teams and that both sets of supporters should have reasonable access to matches”, said Blackburn’s chairman, Robert Coar.

But the move means Newcastle, who this season have made only 818 seats available to visitors, and Manchester United, where there is room for 1,800 away fans, will have to disappoint hundreds of this year’s season-ticket holders.

Ken Ramsden, spokesman for Old Trafford, said “We’re not at all happy [so what’s new ?] with this at all. We do not have a single, segregated section capable of holding 3,000 fans [Strange this, they catered for 6,000 Leeds fans in the cup game with no problem] which has the required number of exits and entrances, toilets and refreshment kiosks”. [So this means that the facilities are OK for their own fans?]

(End of article)

BTW, I ran the Unix spelling checker on the above, and it rejected “Trafford” – is Unix a True Blue?

MY FIRST GAME

My first game at Maine Road. Man City 0 Luton 1. Oh my god how bad could it have been? People crying in the streets outside afterwards. But what an atmosphere.

NOSTALGIA

Ian Thompson’s “why blue” and reminisence sparked a few good and not-so-good City memories for me. I hope some Blues out there were also at the following games and it triggers a few goose bumps or cold sweats!

It was the best of times …

I’ll have to mention some of Ian’s favourite games, including Francis’s début at Stoke and a masterful performance to win 3-1 on a scorching summer’s day, and the semi-final at Villa Park needs no description. The whole of the 1981 FA Cup run was fantastic and I had the fortune to be at all the games. The walkovers against Norwich (6-0) and Palace (4-0), and remembering John Bond jumping down to console son Kevin and doing his back in. Then a tricky trip to London Road and Peterborough were dispatched 1-0 thanks to a Tommy Booth effort – what celebrations in that small paddock behind the goal! That was the scene of my first pitch invasion (all in euphoria) and it was glorious to parade around the ground. Round six, Everton away, and my first trip to Liverpool – what a terrifying experience! The atmosphere was awesome (50,000), the pies were dreadful and the game was fantastic. An equalizer from Gladys 6 minutes from time was worth all the bad games I’ve seen since. The replay was another 50,000 affair and a masterful performance brushed Everton aside, Oli Varadi replying for the scouse blues after 3 of ours.

Other good games and occasions which stick in my mind obviously include the promotion games against Charlton and Bradford. Also the Xmas trip to Stoke when we took thousands in fancy dress, a real party atmosphere despite the crap result. John Gidman’s late equalizer against Huddersfield away in the third round of the FA Cup – an awesome celebration. Andy Hinchcliffe’s header against the Rags to make it five. Bell’s comeback game against Newcastle. The more obscure ones include Oxford away in the 2nd division (ca. 1989), we were 2-0 down at half-time and out of it but came good in the second half to win 4-2. Notts. Co away when we wanted to win to be promoted and the blues outnumbered the home fans by 2:1, another crap result (2-3) but a good day out. A night trip to WBA in the 2nd division when the inflatables were in full cry – there was a huge melee between a gorilla and a paddling pool which was much more entertaining for the whole ground than the 0-1 loss. Seeing Dennis Tueart head in 2 goals at Brighton (ca. 1980) to come back from behind and win. Also a couple of trips to Portsmouth to watch 2-1 victories, the first following hitch-hiking from M/cr on the Friday night and sleeping in services on the M4, and on the return leg I slept under dustsheets in someone’s shed near Andover and eventually made it to Coventry on late Sunday afternoon and had to take the train home. A win at Leeds in the mid 80’s – we were 1-0 down then Graham Baker and Derek Parlane scored in the last 10 minutes for a memorable victory. The final game of the season at Palace (2-2; 1990), just before they played the rags at Wembley – another good day for the crowd atmosphere. I particularly remember some blues getting on the pitch (this time not in anger) with a large banner wishing Palace all the best at Wembley – their response was amazing and it has been one of the few times I’ve seen two sets of fans mingle freely.

Things I’d like to see which I never have include a win at the swamp (last one 1974, 1-0), a win at Liverpool (last one 1981, 3-1), a win at Arsenal (last one 1975-76, 1-0), the Blues in Europe, a win at Wembley, and sky blue ribbons on a trophy!!

…It was the worst of times

Numerous!! The Luton game and Wembley games against Spurs and Chelsea. The home semi-final vs. Liverpool in the 1981 League Cup, what a rip-off! Bournemouth at home and wanting to win for promotion; we skipped in at half-time 3-0 up, the sun was shining, all were happy. 45 minutes later we had held on for a 3-3 draw – unbelievable. Losing 0-1 in my first derby at the swamp (1979, tiny Thomas scored) and being terrified by the ugliness and sheer dated fashions of the Rags fans; surely they couldn’t be from Manchester with their Status Quo/Rod Stewart haircuts, scarfs around their wrists, and polyester cardigans? My trips to the south coast have frequently brought the worst out of City. The worst of all time has to be a Tuesday night League Cup replay at Southampton (ca. 82/83) when I travelled on my own as a 15 year-old and stood in that absolute crap corner in pouring rain for three hours to witness the most inept performance ever and a 0-4 loss. Why?? That was probably one of the smallest City followings I’ve witnessed (along with a midweek League Cup replay at West Ham, won 2-1, Tony Cunningham scored, and the 3-0 win at Cardiff referred to by Ian, when Cunningham bagged two – I think they were his only 3 goals for City and no wonder he was unpopular because no-one ever saw him score!). The depressing trip back to Manchester was spent in my undies as I was trying to dry my clothes on the radiators of the special train because I has to walk back to Gorton once we arrived back in Piccadily. Also, I’m sure the bloody train broke down! Another débâcle was the 0-4 tonking at Brighton in the Cup which was also viewed through driving rain with the prospect of a sodden coach ride back to Manchester afterwards. Other games which spring to mind are the 0-5 loss at Newcastle, 0-6 at Derby, a home defeat by Carlisle, 1-4 at Swansea, the 0-1 at Forest when Crosby headed the ball out of Dibble’s hands (his eccentricity hasn’t changed) and every trip to Highbury (0-3, 0-4). Also, games against Liverpool at Maine Road in the late 70’s and early 80’s when they’d put 3, 4 or 5 past us. I remember watching City lose 0-5 to Liverpool at Maine Road and then on the following Monday (Easter I think) I went to Wolves and saw us go down 1-4. Cup defeats at Shrewsbury, Halifax, Blackpool. No-more, I’m depressed!

So if anyone has any info on tickets for any part of the ground for the 3rd April or the Spurs re-arranged game on the following Wednesday then please contact me direct and I’ll make arrangements for meeting up. Ta

WHY BLUE AND RED? (AND WHITE)

Don’t worry, it’s not “that lot” from Stretford! As well as attending Maine Road since the age of six, for the past seven years or so I’ve also been eagerly following the fortunes of my red-and-white shirted heroes, Ajax Amsterdam. How I became a Blue can be explained in four simple words: “My dad said so”, but “why Ajax as well?” you may ask. It may sound trivial, but someone got me their away shirt of that current time (a blue effort with a hideous red and white pattern on it), and for some reason I’ve adopted them as my European team, keeping up with the shirt changes every year like any other committed supporter (a task not made any easier by Umbro, who saw fit to change both home and away shirts last summer after just one year – thanks a bloody bunch, Umbro), and trying to get my hands on any other Ajax regalia. During my “time” with them, I’ve seen them win the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1987 (beating Lokomotive Leipzig 1-0 thanks to a Marco Van Basten header), the UEFA Cup in 1992 (just managing to beat Torino on away goals) and numerous decent players leaving for greener pastures (Bergkamp, Winter, Roy, Van Basten are only a few names on a gargantuan list). That’s the trouble with Ajax: they can’t hold on to the immense wealth of talent they have, and I can only hope that they can clinch the European Cup this year before the young magicians Kluivert, Seedorf and Reiziger along with the talents of the “Flying Finn” Jari Litmanen start looking elsewhere (come on Franny, make a bold bid! – why should the Italian clubs grab all the glory??)

I was just wondering, then, does anybody else have an adopted European team as well as our love for the boys in pale blue, or is it just me, who is mad enough to travel down to White Hart Lane for the Makita Tournament (Summer ’93 was Ajax, Chelsea, Spurs and Lazio – I’ll never go anywhere again where Chelsea are involved) to go and see his “other team”??

Oh, by the way, whilst I’m on the subject of Umbro and shirts and all of that, does anybody think that it would be too much to ask of Umbro and City to, before a shirt change is due, publish three “choices” in the match programme, so that the fans can vote for the one they like the most?? Consider the fact that Umbro now decide to charge 37 quid for adult sizes (yes, they’ve gone up – get your wallets out) plus the mess they made of our “classic” red and black stripes…

QUERY – BLUE PRINT

I used to read this on a fairly regular basis; it was at one time the most popular along with KoK. I guess it no longer exists as it is so long since I have seen it on sale. Does anyone know the reason why it has disappeared off the streets?

QUERY – TICKETS

How do I get them??? After reading all the tales of woe in KOTK and MCIVTA regarding the obtaining of tickets, I’m worried my forthcoming trip to the UK will be a frustrating one. Do I have to be a member to obtain a ticket for Maine Road or away games? How am I supposed to obtain said membership card when I’m in Australia? Can I enter the ground without the membership card if I buy a ticket from someone else? If so, does anyone have any tickets to sell!! I’ll be in M/cr in time for the home game on the 3rd April and if anyone has a couple of tickets (it will the first game for my Australian wife!!! – no, she’s not called Sheila!) it’s worth a couple of pints in the Lord Lyon or wherever you get a drink around Maine Road these days. If anyone can help then email me direct, thanks.

REPLY – QUIGLEY I

I can confirm that Mike Quigley is on a month’s loan at Wrexham. It was in the programme on Saturday and I saw him on the TV on Sunday playing for Wrexham when they had the goals round-up from Saturday’s games.

REPLY – QUIGLEY II

I’ve read very recently in the MuEN (it could have been the Pink) that Quigley has joined Wrexham on loan, so the Wrexham fan who spoke to James Nash is correct.

BH clearly doesn’t rate him as being good enough for the Premiership. In the same article though, BH did say he couldn’t understand why nobody had come in for him. Quigley was reported as being Man of the Match in a recent reserve game, but having said that we are talking about the second division of the Pontins League. I guess if he impresses during the loan period, and can agree terms, he will be given a free transfer.

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

Editor: