MAN CITY INFO VIA THE ALPS "McVittee!" #1186

DATE Monday 2nd January 2006

The spoils were shared from the Boro game, seeing us into the New Year in 8th place. Steve is back with his match stats, which demonstrate the unpredictability of City. We also have stats from Anorak for our end of season finish.

David provides his review of the finances, which should help answer some questions, we've more on the chants from KotK and a couple of requests.

Finally, congratulations to Chris Murphy who won the CD competition.

A very Happy New Year to all our readers.

ANNOUNCEMENT: MCIVTA COMPETITION

Congratulations to Chris Murphy who was the winner (drawn at random from the correct entries) of our Christmas Competition for Manchester City - The Album.

The full list of questions, correct answers and entrants can be viewed here: http://www.uit.no/mancity/quiz/2005/december.html

OPINION: MATCH STATS

I would just like to wish all MCIVTA readers a happy New Year, and thank all those who continue to visit the http://www.mcfcstats.com/ website. As the number of hits approaches an amazing half a million (not bad for a site that specialises in only one football club), I thought you might be interested to see which countries the hits are coming from. This list shows the number of sessions logged by country. To date there have been over 6300 untraceable sessions, but here is the league table for the known sources:

Great Britain 19450, USA 10707, Australia 688, Ireland 397, Norway 380, China 368, Germany 343, Netherlands 288, Poland 288, Ecuador 266, France 227, Belgium 202, Sweden 194, Canada 181, Italy 153, Spain 120, Czech Republic 84, Finland 77, New Zealand 61, Hong Kong 58, Bulgaria 57, Israel 51, Switzerland 49, Hungary and Japan 48, Greece 46, Denmark 42, South Korea 40, Russia 37, Kuwait 36, Iceland and Uruguay 32, Romania 31, United Arab Emirates 28, Thailand 26, Austria 24, Turkey and Singapore 22, Malaysia 17, India 15, South Africa and Cameroon 14, Portugal 12, Lesotho 11, Croatia and Columbia 9, Slovakia and Panama 8, Yugoslavia 7, Vietnam 6, Philippines and Taiwan 5, Malta and Morocco 4, Gibraltar, Iran, Georgia and Tunisia 3, Estonia, Latvia, Cyprus, Slovenia, Guam, Central African Republic, Egypt and Sudan 2, Lithuania, Andorra, Luxembourg, Faeroe Islands, Bosnia Herzegovina, Macedonia, Ukraine, New Caledonia, Mongolia, Armenia, East Timor, Saudi Arabia, Macau, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Guatemala, Nigeria, Niger and Kenya 1.

That is a total of 85 different countries so far. If you are reading this article and have logged onto the site from a country not listed above, could I ask you to email me with the details of the country? The only continent without a logged hit is Antarctica, so if you're exploring down south, log on and let me know!

FA Premiership
West Bromwich Albion 2 Manchester City 0
The Hawthorns
Dec 10th 2005, kick-off 15:00
Attendance: 25,472

Team Changes: Not surprisingly, Pearce chooses the same line-up as last week at Charlton.

Line-up: James, Sommeil (Ireland, 60), Dunne, Distin, Thatcher (B. Wright-Phillips, 87), Sinclair, Barton, Reyna (Croft, 69), Sun, Cole, Vassell. Unused subs: De Vlieger, Sibierski.

Goal times: (5) 0-1 Kamara; (61) 0-2 Campbell.

Bookings: Thatcher (63), Barton (77), Dunne (82), Cole (84), Cole (2nd -87).
Sent off: Cole (87).
Referee: M. Dean.

Stat points: Heaviest defeat of the season, as City have only ever lost by one goal previously. Now 5 games since City beat West Brom. Cole receives City's first red card of the season.

FA Premiership
Manchester City 4 Birmingham City 1
City of Manchester Stadium
Dec 17th 2005, kick-off 17:15
Attendance: 41,343

Team Changes: Onuoha and Sibierski replace the suspended Dunne and Cole. Fowler on the bench.

Line-up: James, Sommeil, Onuoha, Distin, Thatcher, Sinclair, Barton, Reyna (Fowler, 71), Sun, Sibierski (Ireland, 84), Vassell (B. Wright-Phillips, 69). Unused subs: Jordan, Croft.

Goal times: (1) 1-0 Sommeil; (14) 2-0 Barton (pen); (40) 3-0 Sibierski; (70) 4-0 B. Wright-Phillips; (76) 4-1 Jarosik.

Bookings: Sinclair (80), Sun (83).
Sent off: None.
Referee: S. Bennett.

Stat points: City's first league double of the season.

FA Premiership
Wigan Athletic 4 Manchester City 3
JJB Stadium
Dec 26th 2005, kick-off 15:00
Attendance: 25,017

Team Changes: Same starting line-up, but Dunne, Cole and De Vlieger replace Fowler, Croft and Jordan on the bench.

Line-up: James, Sommeil (Dunne, 66), Onuoha, Distin, Thatcher, Sinclair, Barton, Reyna (Cole, 66), Sun, Sibierski, Vassell. Unused subs: De Vlieger, Ireland, B. Wright-Phillips.

Goal times: 1-0 Sibierski (2); 1-1 Roberts (11); 1-2 McCulloch (23); 1-3 Roberts (45); 1-4 Camara (71); 2-4 Barton (76); 3-4 Cole (88).

Bookings: None.
Sent off: None.
Referee: D. Gallagher.

Stat points: First league defeat against Wigan in front of a record home crowd of 25,017. Cole's first sub appearance, and the first time City haven't won in the Premiership when Cole or Vassell score. Sibierski's 90th appearance for the club, with 66 starts.

FA Premiership
Manchester City 0 Chelsea 1
City of Manchester Stadium
Dec 28th 2005, kick-off 19:45
Attendance: 46,587

Team Changes: Dunne and Cole return to starting line-up in place of Sommeil and the injured Reyna (fractured ankle).

Line-up: James, Onuoha, Dunne, Distin, Thatcher (Ireland, 89), Sinclair (Croft, 83), Barton, Sun, Sibierski (B. Wright-Phillips, 71), Cole, Vassell. Unused subs: De Vlieger, Sommeil.

Goal times: 0-1 J. Cole (79).

Bookings: Thatcher (78).
Sent off: None.
Referee: D. Gallagher.

Stat points: This 1-0 defeat means only 1 win in 15 against Chelsea, and Anelka's penalty winner last season is the only City goal in 7 against them.

FA Premiership
Middlesbrough 0 Manchester City 0
The Riverside Stadium
Dec 31st 2005, kick-off 15:00
Attendance: 28,022

Team Changes: Jordan starts in place of injured Thatcher.

Line-up: James, Onuoha, Dunne, Distin, Jordan, Sinclair, Barton, Sun, Sibierski (Ireland, 46), Cole, Vassell (B. Wright-Phillips, 80). Unused subs: De Vlieger, Sommeil, Croft.

Goal times: None.

Bookings: Onuoha (45).
Sent off: None.
Referee: M. Atkinson.

Stat points: City's have now failed to win any of the 13 Premier League matches against Middlesbrough. Also 15 games since City's last away League win at 'Boro in 1977/78 season, and 10 games since any home or away League win against them.

Website update: Finnish player Tuomas Haapala's profile has been added to the site, as has the departing Yasser Hussein.

OPINION: CITY REPORT & ACCOUNTS

Following the recent R&A questions, here is something I prepared for the BV website that may help. Firstly I am not an accountant, so they may well assess some of these things differently; I stand to be corrected.

Full accounts should appear here: http://www.ofex.com/cgi-bin/reports.cgi?ISIN=GB0005599336

Abbreviated accounts are here: http://www.ofex.com/cgi-bin/news.cgi?action=CoStory&ISIN=GB0005599336&NewsID=21907

AGM is Friday 9th Dec at 10am at Eastlands. Nothing of any issue on the agenda, so I gave it a miss.

My comments in no particular order as I am jumping from page to page trying to understand some of the figures:

1. KK's payoff is within these accounts (doesn't say how much).
2. DV, A'f'C and Xmas Hamper were 'obtained' for £1.5 million post the accounts.
3. SWeeP was sold for 'guaranteed' £21 million post accounts, indicating it's stage payments (but doesn't say how), but also maybe some bonus money on top of the £21 million (not clear).
4. Neggy and Macken went for £0.75m post the accounts.
5. No comment about Anelka transfer during the season or future savings as a result of departures e.g. Elk, KK, Bozza, SWeeP, Macca etc.
6. The £21 million SWeeP money is ear-marked for 1st team squad, the Academy, outstanding instalments on players purchased in previous seasons (this figure is not obvious in the accounts, but maybe part of accruals figure of £10.7 million), and reducing borrowings.
7. 7We have contingent liabilities of £2.668 million in respect of signing on fees and loyalty bonuses payable to certain players if they are still with the club on a certain date. This is not part of the debt figure in the balance sheet.
8. The Council has an option to acquire 5% of MCFC for £5 million cash if the market value of the company hits £100 million!
9. City have a 250 year lease of Eastlands granted on 5/8/03. Rental payments are made quarterly based on a complex formula regarding gate receipts in excess of MR, and event income. The total liability is recalculated annually and increased from £34.9 million (05/04) to £39.6 million this year. City have based the liability on an average attendance (Premiership games) of 42,500 (interesting in itself). This gets confusing now as the cash flow statement indicates that £52,000 was paid in capital payments (per the formula) but also £2.8 million in interest payments were paid, the P&L indicates that £3 million was paid in stadium lease charges, but there are no decent notes to fully explain the payments, in particular how the 'interest' figure is calculated.
10. Players - On the balance sheet as an intangible asset of £11 million, being the cost of the squad less amortisation of the cost over the players' contract periods; given SWeeP cost nowt then this will give us clear £21 million profit as he wasn't an intangible asset - woo hoo! NB - The initial cost of our squad was £56.2 million as it was at 31/5/05, so we have amortised £45 million since we bought those players, meaning our squad is seriously undervalued in the accounts now (IMHO that's very good news). £11 million amortisation last year and £15 million the year before.
11. Main shareholders:- Wardle/Makin 29.95%, Boler Family 18.75%, Sky 9.88%, Franny 7.13%.
12. Directors' remuneration: Macintosh £235,000 (up £34,000), Bodek £23,000, Lewis (now resigned) £18,000, Tueart £28,000, Wardle - zip. N.B. Bodek, Tueart, and Mackintosh hold very few shares.
13. Turnover. Gate receipts down £2 million to £15 million due to no European games and early exit from cups, TV revenue up £650,000 to £26 million, Other commercial income up £300,000 to £19.5 million. Basically our gate money now formed 24.5% of income - down from 27.6%. U2 and Oasis gigs should boost the non commercial side in the next accounts but gate receipts will probably be lower again (unless price increases counteract lower gates, no league cup run etc.).
14. Wage bill remained at £37 million; this has seriously got to fall in the current financial year given departures of Elk (£2 million), Macca (£2 million), Bozza (£1.5 million), KK (£1 million), SWeeP (£1 million), Macken, Neggy etc. Another good thing IMHO.
15. Our interest bill increased to £5 million from £4.2 million.
16. Debt has increased but so have cash balances, and the overall figure is scary until broken down.
    
    Firstly Wardle increased his own loans to MCFC by £7 million to £14.7 million during the year, the increase being similar to the cash balance at the Bank of yes you guessed it £7 million (window dressing maybe, done to meet covenants that the securitised debt carries maybe?). It seems a bit daft to carry £7 million of cash (from season ticket sales 35,000 x £500 = £17.5 million) when paying Wardle 5% on his loans.
    
    Makin is owed £4.5 million btw. These shareholder loans pay interest of 5% p/a - c. £1 million then! However, we owe Wardle and Makin £1.7 million in unpaid interest as at 31/5/05!
    
    So total internal debt of £19 million on which we are declaring interest but not paying it at the moment.
    
    External Loans total £46 million of which £43.3 million relates to the securitisation of season ticket and matchday ticket sales:
    £4.3 million is repayable by 31/5/06
    £1.3 million between 1/6/06 and 31/5/07
    £4.5 million between 1/6/07 and 31/5/10
    £36 million from 1/6/10 over 20 years.
    
    We repaid Bank loans and overdraft of £467,000 on 1/9/05 and £2.2 million of the short-term loans mentioned above on 27/7/05. SWeeP money coming in handy!
    
    The securitised loans comprise:
    £30.3 million repayable in annual instalments (straight line £1.2 million p/a) over 25 years at fixed interest rate of 7.27% (£2.2 million p/a early years) and £13.7 million repayable in annual instalments (straight line £913k p/a) over 15 years at fixed interest rate of 7.57% (£1 million p/a early years)
    
    So then total debt is actually £107.7 million including the £42,500 of finance leases - ouch! and only £65 million excluding finance leases, but really only £57 million excluding finance leases and cash in the B/S.
    
    The key thing here is that external debt is down from £50 million as at 31/5/04 to £46 million at 31/5/05 of which a further £2.7 million has been repaid since the year end.
    
    The finance lease debt is a long-term accounting calculation based on the value of the stadium less the long-term finance lease cost, so I'm not too excited about it as it relates to the stadium. Next point.
17. The Stadium was valued on a depreciated replacement cost of £152 million as at 1/5/04 by Dunlop Heywood, and is being amortised at 'estimated useful economic life'. Erm which is what then (appears to be about 75 years given £1.94 million depr last year)? Basically it ain't worth that but the B/S would look s**te without it(!) and they can legally put it in the accounts at that figure. The real value is the alternative use value, which in Bradford is not £152 million and who would give a f$*k if it ever came to that?

In summary, a reasonable set of accounts, and post year end known events/improvements (salary savings, SWeeP sale, debt repayment, reduced player amortisation, additional concerts in summer) should see the next set improve drastically. Debt is manageable at present but we don't have much leeway and Makin/Wardle remain crucial to this and deserve our full support. The hard bit has been done, we just need to stay in the Premiership and see these kids blossom into future stars (worth a fortune) albeit knowing we may have to sell the odd one or two as we go along.

I need a beer now.

OPINION: MORE ANORAK STAT ATTACK

Anorak's Final League Position Prediction 2005-6

Oh dear, the wheels have come off City's chances of getting into Europe this season. With any more injuries then we will be really struggling. So it's time for SP to step in and make some good buys in the transfer window to stop the rot.

The first prediction (p1) replaces last season's score with this season's score (with the relegated clubs replaced by the equivalent promoted clubs). According to this measure we'll finish on 50 points, which means we finish 10th.

The second (p2) is a rolling average that averages how we've done so far over the rest of the season. This is calculated as follows, where gr = games remaining, gp = games played, and p = current points total:
p2 = gr/gp * p + p
p2 = 18/20 * 28 + 28 = 53 points - 2 points less than last year in 8th spot

The third (p3) is a rolling average based on the points obtained from the last 6 games played. This is calculated as follows, where ls = points in last 6 games, gr = games remaining, and p = current points total:
p3 = ls/6 * gr + p
p3 = 7/6 * 18 + 28 = 49 points - mid table (10th) but only consolidation at best.

The following table indicates how our form has changed over the season, with the columns specifying:

• result last season (and the points obtained)
• result this season (and the points obtained)
• +/-/NC = change from last season
• g = gr/gp = games remaining divided by games played
• p = current points
• ls = points from the last six games
• 1, 2, 3 = each points prediction (and league position)

December 2005

Boro     (A) 3-2[3]0-0[1]+1 g=18/20 p=28 ls=07 l=50(10) 2=53(08) 3=49(10)
Chelsea  (H) 1-0[3]0-1[0]-3 g=19/19 p=27 ls=06 1=49(10) 2=54(08) 3=46(11)
Wigan    (A) 3-2[3]3-4[0]-3 g=20/18 p=27 ls=07 1=52(08) 2=57(07) 3=50(10)
B'ham    (H) 3-0[3]4-1[3]NC g=21/17 p=27 ls=07 1=55(07) 2=60(05) 3=52(08)
WBA      (A) 0-2[0]0-2[0]NC g=22/16 p=24 ls=07 1=55(07) 2=57(07) 3=51(10)
Charlton (A) 2-2[1]5-2[3]+2 g=23/15 p=24 ls=07 1=55(07) 2=61(04) 3=51(10)

November 2005

L'pool   (H) 1-0[3]0-1[0]-3 g=24/14 p=21 ls=07 1=53(08) 2=57(07) 3=49(10)
B'burn   (H) 1-1[1]0-0[1]NC g=25/13 p=21 ls=10 1=56(07) 2=61(04) 3=63(04)
Fulham   (A) 1-1[1]1-2[0]-1 g=26/12 p=20 ls=09 1=56(07) 2=63(04) 3=59(05)

October 2005

Villa    (H) 2-0[3]3-1[3]NC g=27/11 p=20 ls=09 1=57(07) 2=69(04) 3=61(04)
Arsenal  (A) 1-1[1]0-1[0]-1 g=28/10 p=17 ls=07 1=57(07) 2=65(04) 3=50(10)
West Ham (H) 2-1[3]2-1[3]NC g=29/09 p=17 ls=10 1=58(05) 2=72(04) 3=65(05)
Everton  (H) 0-1[0]2-0[3]+3 g=30/08 p=14 ls=10 1=58(05) 2=67(04) 3=64(04)

September 2005

N'castle (A) 3-4[0]0-1[0]NC g=31/07 p=11 ls=10 1=55(07) 2=60(05) 3=63(04)
Bolton   (H) 0-1[0]0-1[0]NC g=32/06 p=11 ls=11 1=55(07) 2=70(04) 3=70(04)
Man Utd  (A) 0-0[1]1-1[1]NC g=33/05 p=11 ls=12 1=55(07) 2=84(02) 3=77(03)

August 2005

P'smouth (H) 2-0[3]2-1[3]NC g=34/04 p=10 ls=14 1=55(07) 2=95(01) 3=89(02)
S'land   (A) 2-1[3]2-1[3]NC g=35/03 p=07 ls=14 1=55(07) 2=89(02) 3=89(02)
B'ham    (A) 0-1[0]2-1[3]+3 g=36/02 p=04 ls=12 1=55(07) 2=76(04) 3=76(04)
WBA      (H) 0-0[1]0-0[1]NC g=37/01 p=01 ls=12 1=52(08) 2=38(17) 3=75(04)

Notes:
[1] 2004-5 Season: Points: 52 Goal Difference: +8 League Position: 8 last5=11, last4=8, last3=7, last2=4 last1=1
[2] Last season's relegated teams are replaced with:
18 Crystal Palace = Sunderland
19 Norwich City = Wigan Athletic
20 Southampton = West Ham

OPINION: OFFENSIVE CHANTS

Regarding the 'open letter from our fans to our fans' published in the programme for the Chelsea game, you may be wondering why the fanzine King of the Kippax (motto: for the fans, by the fans - sound familiar?) is not included in the message - or any other fanzine for that matter. Well, we are wondering too! We only knew of the 'campaign' because Heidi had the good grace to contact us when the club failed to do so, and we agreed to include something in the next issue of KOTK (not on sale yet).

Just for the record, we have been campaigning against the singing of that song since issue 8 of KOTK (January 1990), and the use of the word 'Munich' as a derisory term for a United fan - more to do with the club's cynical exploitation of the tragedy than any mockery of the victims - has been discussed within the pages of KOTK from every angle over the years. This is part of what appeared as a back page feature 16 years ago:

Frank Swift... An England international
With agility, speed and strength
Picking up the ball with one hand
Then kicking it full length.

His 'keeping was quite masterly
Well, that's what they all say
It's always been my sorrow
That I never saw him play.

Frank retired when at the top
To be a sports reporter
With good wishes from all fans
And every Blue supporter

But on a fateful flight in '58
Just carrying out his job
Along with other football folk
Frank's life was cruelly robbed

So, when you stand there at that game
in February this year
And all those so-called 'soccer fans'
Shout and curse and swear

And tho' it's hard to bottle up
The passion, hate and pain
And altho' they don't deserve respect
Treat 'em with disdain

Don't get back at 'em this way
'Cause we know right from wrong -
Please remember and respect Frank Swift...
Don't sing that dreadful song

OK - it's no work of poetic genius, but the sentiment is there. And respect to all who died in the Munich air disaster, whether they were football stars or not, it was an avoidable tragic waste of life.

In crowds of 40,000+ shouldn't we be able to drown out the sound of a few cretins who, in true 'awkward sod' tradition will probably shout even louder than usual in reaction to this current campaign? Maybe the stewards who work so hard every game trying to get people to sit down in the seats they've paid for could now divert their attention to the singers of that song and politely ask them to stop offending the rest of us?

REQUEST: DERBY TICKET WANTED

I know it's a long shot, but by some kind twist of fate I will be back in the UK for the derby game.

If anybody has a spare ticket for the derby game I would love to snap it up. Fingers crossed.

REQUEST: ABERDONIAN BLUES

Thanks to MCIVTA's story of City Calendars being put in front of other teams in an Aberdeen shopping mall, not only am I delighted to say they were all sold but a few City fans in the area emailed me in an attempt to get together to watch live City games in Aberdeen.

On the strength of this, if anyone reading who lives in the Aberdeen area and would like to watch the derby game later this month with fellow City fans, please send me an email.

If you have a pub in mind, I welcome suggestions.

Happy New Year to City fans all over.

RESULTS

31 December 2005

Aston Villa           0 - 0  Arsenal               37,114
Charlton Athletic     2 - 0  West Ham United       25,952
Chelsea               2 - 0  Birmingham City       40,652
Tottenham Hotspur     2 - 0  Newcastle United      36,246
Liverpool             1 - 0  West Bromwich Albion  44,192
Manchester United     4 - 1  Bolton Wanderers      67,858
Middlesbrough         0 - 0  Manchester City       28,022
Portsmouth            1 - 0  Fulham                19,101
Sunderland            0 - 1  Everton               30,576
Wigan Athletic        0 - 3  Blackburn Rovers      20,639

League table to 31 December 2005 inclusive

                             HOME          AWAY        OVERALL
                    P  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F  A  W  D  L  F   A   GD Pts
 1 Chelsea         20 11  0  0 28  6  7  1  1 15  3 18  1  1  43   9  34  55
 2 Manchester Utd  20  6  3  1 20  6  7  2  1 20 11 13  5  2  40  17  23  44
 3 Liverpool       18  8  1  1 16  4  4  3  1 10  5 12  4  2  26   9  17  40
 4 Tottenham H.    20  7  3  1 17  7  3  4  2 12 11 10  7  3  29  18  11  37
 5 Wigan Athletic  20  6  1  4 16 14  5  0  4  9 10 11  1  8  25  24   1  34
 6 Arsenal         19  8  0  1 20  4  2  3  5  7 11 10  3  6  27  15  12  33
 7 Bolton Wndrs    18  5  2  1  9  2  4  2  4 14 16  9  4  5  23  18   5  31
 8 Manchester City 20  5  2  3 13  7  3  2  5 14 15  8  4  8  27  22   5  28
 9 Blackburn R.    19  5  1  2 13  9  3  2  6 11 15  8  3  8  24  24   0  27
10 West Ham United 20  4  1  4 14 12  3  4  4 12 15  7  5  8  26  27  -1  26
11 Newcastle Utd   19  4  3  1  8  6  3  1  7 10 15  7  4  8  18  21  -3  25
12 Charlton Ath.   18  3  1  6 11 16  5  0  3 12 11  8  1  9  23  27  -4  25
13 Aston Villa     20  3  3  4 11 12  2  4  4 12 17  5  7  8  23  29  -6  22
14 Middlesbrough   19  3  5  3 15 17  2  1  5  8 11  5  6  8  23  28  -5  21
15 Fulham          20  5  2  2 15 11  0  3  8  8 18  5  5 10  23  29  -6  20
16 Everton         20  2  1  6  5 14  4  1  6  6 16  6  2 12  11  30 -19  20
17 West Brom A.    20  5  1  4 16 12  0  3  7  3 17  5  4 11  19  29 -10  19
18 Portsmouth      20  2  4  4  6 11  2  1  7  9 20  4  5 11  15  31 -16  17
19 Birmingham City 19  1  2  6  7 14  2  2  6  6 15  3  4 12  13  29 -16  13
20 Sunderland      19  0  3  8  7 21  1  0  7  7 15  1  3 15  14  36 -22   6

MCIVTA FAQ [v0506.02]

[1] 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

[2] What are MCIVTA's publishing deadlines?

Deadlines for issues are nominally 6pm, Monday and Thursday evenings bu email. Unfortunately we cannot accept email attachments.

[3] 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.

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

The official club web site can be found at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/

[5] What supporters' clubs are there?

Manchester City FC recognises three supporters' clubs: The "Official Supporters Club" (http://www.mcfcosc.com/); the "Centenary Supporters' Association" (http://www.reddishblues.com/CSAWebsite/CSA.htm) and "The International Supporters' Club".

[6] Where can I find out about the fans' committee?

The Fans' Committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. The Fans' Committee has been relaunched as "Points of Blue". It has appeared on the club website as a minor entry under "Fans Zone".

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

The GMR pre and post match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/gmr/sport_intro.shtml.

Live match commentaries and archives of games, reports and interviews can be found at http://mcfc.videoloungetv.com/do/preLogin?clubSiteCode=MCFC&CMP=AFC-003.

[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. Useful sites for North American viewers are http://www.foxsportsworld.com/named/FSW/Index/Soccer, http://www.soccertv.com/, and http://www.livesoccertv.com/.

[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://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,289893,sid9_gci213262,00.html

[10] 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/

[11] Can I buy shares in the club?

Yes you can: Shares in Manchester City PLC are traded on OFEX. The latest prices can be on found the OFEX web site http://www.ofex.com/ (registration required) or in the business section of the Manchester Evening News.

[12] Where can I find match statistics?

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

[13] Where can I find a list of City-related websites?

Try Wookie's Lair: http://www.wookieslair.com/modules.php?name=Web_Links

Heidi Pickup, editor@mcivta.city-fan.org