MAINE ROAD DIARY - SPRING '96

This diary covers the events from the start of March '96 to the end of the season in May.

MARCH 1996

Friday 1st

Georgian striker Mikhail Kavelashvili of Russian champions Spartak Vladikavkaz trains with City and could well be signed next week.

Saturday 2nd

Steve Lomas scores a late equaliser to save a point for City in a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers at Maine Road. To nobody's great surprise, ALan Shearer is tha Blackburn scorer.

Monday 4th

Alan Kernaghan returns from his loan spell at Bradford City and is in the squad for the visit to Highbury as cover for the suspended Keith Curle. In their first match at Wincham Park, the reserves lose 1-0 to Huddersfield Town. MCIVTA 173 has two reports plus other opinions of the Blackburn match, news of the possibly imminent signing of Mikhail Kavelashvili, details of the MCIVTA subscribers' meeting prior to the home game against Sheffield Wednesday plus various opinions on a range of topics.

Tuesday 5th

City lose again in London, this time a 3-1 defeat at Highbury. John Hartson, rumoured to be a City transfer target in February, hits two goals and Lee Dixon the other as Arsenal overwhelm a City side which is evntually thankful to Eike Immel for keeping the score down. Gerry Creaney scores City's lone reply.

Wednesday 6th

City sign former Swiss U21 international Giuseppe Mazzarelli on loan until the end of the season and he plays in the reserves' 1-1 draw with Burnley at Wincham Park.

Thursday 7th

MCIVTA 174 is the biggest edition to date, weighing in with five views of the Arsenal game, a detailed report of the Blackburn game and a brief report of the match featured in the film Escape to Victory, shown on British television over the weekend. There's also news of Kavelashvili and Mazzarelli, another attempt to raise an MCIVTA football team and opinions on Gio Kinkladze, singing sections, sponsors, the team, survival chances and ugly players!

Friday 8th

With no match on Saturday, City nip over to Ireland to play a friendly against Athlone Town. Much to the Blues' embarrassment, the Irish side come out with a shock 2-1 victory against what is virtually City's first team. Garry Flitcroft is the scorer for City..

Sunday 10th

The News of the World runs a story involving Nicky Summerbee and United's Lee Sharpe is sex and drugs romps with a teenage girl.

Monday 11th

The newspaper allegations are denied by both player and club. MCIVTA 175 has a report of the Athlone match, transfer speculation involving several players, reports of the lurid newspaper allegations from the weekend, a collection of humorous football quotes, plus opinions on all the usual topics.

Tuesday 12th

A Nigel Clough goal just before the break is enough to earn City their first point in London since 1994. Ruud Gullit had given Chelsea the lead earlier in the half; the game almost swings City's way when Gio Kinkladze hits the bar in the last minute but the score remains Chelsea 1 City 1. New Swiss signing Giuseppe Mazzarelli makes his début as a substitute for Nicky Summerbee.

Thursday 14th

MCIVTA 176 has two reports of the Chelsea game, the result of February's Player of the Month poll, news of an MCIVTA football team, a (shock! horror!) visit to Old Trafford, lots of opinions (particularly on dodgy referees), a few humorous items and a Why Blue from Richard Allen.

Saturday 16th

City beat Southampton 2-1 in a crucial relegation battle. Two goals from Gio Kinkladze (the second a Goal of the Season contender) give City a comfortable half time lead but the Saints pull a goal back through Paul Tisdale and have another effort controversially disallowed in injury time. Georgian striker Mikhail Kavelashvili agrees to join City, who must now obtain a work permit before the March 28 deadline.

Monday 18th

MCIVTA 177 has four reports of the Southampton match plus numerous other people enthusing over that goal. There's also news of Mikhail Kavelashvili's imminent signing and that Eduardo Abazaj has returned to Benfica following his two-month loan period, the announcement of the Quiz Page on the City-WWW, miscellaneous opinions and a Why Blue from Helena Murtagh.

Wednesday 20th

The Department of Employment grant City a work permit for Georgian striker Mikhail Kavelashvili, who could make his début in the match against Bolton Wanderers on 30th March.

Thursday 21st

City accept a £3.2 million bid for Garry Flitcroft from Blackburn Rovers. MCIVTA 178 includes news and opinions on the Flitcroft and Kavelashvili deals, a report from the Platt Lane Correspondent, part of an interview with Paul Lake from Goal magazine, a eulogy to Gio Kinkladze from the Daily Telegraph and another version of Wonderwall.

Friday 22nd

Scott Hiley's loan deal is made permanent; Birmingham City are paid £250,000 for him though the fee could rise to £500,000 depending on appearances. Keith Curle is found guilty of misconduct by an F.A. disciplinary panel investigating remarks he made to referee Paul Alcock following the recent game at Goodison Park. He is fined £500 and warned about his future conduct. At a press conference in Blackburn, Garry Flitcroft's transfer to Rovers is completed.

Saturday 23rd

Yet another pointless trip to London, this time a 4-2 defeat at West Ham. A goal either side of half time from Iain Dowie and one each from Dicks and Dani sink the Blues; Keith Curle has a penalty saved by Ludo Miklosko, Steve Lomas is sent off for two bookable offences and the only bright spot is Niall Quinn's brace of goals after replacing the out of sorts Uwe Rösler in the second half.

Sunday 24th

Several Sunday newspapers report interest from the Milan giants Inter and A.C. Milan in Gio Kinkladze. Rumour has it that City could be offered around £7 million for the brilliant young Georgian. City say that he's not for sale at any price.

Monday 25th

MCIVTA 179 is another bumper issue with two reports of the West Ham game, lots of opinions on the sale of Garry Flitcroft, some transfer rumours and a Why Blue from Marc Stein.

Tuesday 26th

Francis Lee denounces rumours that City are set to triple Gio Kinkladze's wages and claims that there's a dirty tricks campaign being run by another Premiership club to try to unsettle the player. The youth team crash out of the F.A. Youth Cup, losing 3-1 at home to Wimbledon but there's better news for the reserves who beat Middlesbrough 2-1.

Wednesday 27th

It's not a good night for City's international players: Steve Lomas plays for Northern Ireland in their 2-0 home defeat by Norway and Niall Quinn & Alan Kernaghan play for the Republic of Ireland in their 2-0 home defeat by Russia. Quinn hits the bar and has a goal disallowed though. There's better news from Cyprus: Mikhail Kavelashvili plays in Georgia's 2-0 win over the Cypriots.

Thursday 28th

It's transfer deadline day and City finally complete the signing of Mikhail Kavelashvili from Russian champions Spartak Vladikavkaz. The fee is £1,400,000. Gerry Creaney goes on loan to Oldham Athletic until the end of the season. MCIVTA 180 has a report of Mikhail Kavelashvili's performance for Georgia in Cyprus, a couple of short reports on the youth team's exit from the F.A. Youth Cup, all of the day's transfer news, details of the first training session for MCIVTA F.C. plus various opinions of the Garry Flitcroft transfer

Saturday 30th

Niall Quinn gives City a great start by scoring in the second minute but John McGinlay equalises to ensure that the points are shared at Burnden Park. Nicky Summerbee is sent off for two bookable offences and Scott Hiley breaks a bone in his foot that will keep him out for the rest of the season.

APRIL 1996

Monday 1st

City's reserves draw 2-2 at home to Aston Villa. MCIVTA 181 includes three views of the Bolton game, injury and suspension news, a report on City's training methods, another on the London Blues' recent social gathering, opinion on Mikhail Kavelashvili and a review of Issue 8 of CITY Magazine.

Wednesday 3rd

The MCIVTA team finally manage to secure a contact at the club to get "Official" news.

Thursday 4th

MCIVTA 182 has news of the official news source, injury and fitness news for various players and miscellaneous points and opinions.

Saturday 6th

Mikhail Kavelashvili makes a scoring début for City as he equalises Eric Cantona's early penalty but United beat City 3-2 with goals from Andy Cole and Ryan Giggs. Uwe Rösler is City's other scorer.

Monday 8th

A terrible Easter weekend for the Blues is completed by a 3-0 thrashing at Wimbledon. Robbie Earle scores twice and Efan Ekoku wraps it up with the third goal. MCIVTA 183 includes two reports of the derby and some early opinions on the Wimbledon match, news of the possible introduction of a "singing section" at Maine Road, plus opinions on City's declining fortunes.

Wednesday 10th

City's reserves lose 3-0 at Leicester City

Thursday 11th

The reserve team's home fixture against Grimsby Town is postponed as the visitors cannot raise a team. MCIVTA 184 is the biggest edition to date, with details of meetings on Saturday before the match and Sunday for MCIVTA F.C., three reports of the Wimbledon match, four reports of the derby (including a view from the Red perspective), the result of the March Player of the Month poll, a view from the ticket office plus a multitude of opinions on what has gone wrong and what to do about it.

Saturday 13th

Uwe Rösler's second-half goal earns City a valuable three points against Sheffield Wednesday at Maine Road. City have the best of the game but look very nervous and nearly concede an immediate equaliser to Mark Pembridge; fortunately he chooses to shoot straight at Eike Immel rather than pass to the unmarked David Hirst. Martin Phillips misses a great chance to wrap the game up 5 minutes from time but City manage to hang on for an important victory.

Sunday 14th

The first ever gathering of the MCIVTA F.C. squad takes place at the Armitage Centre, Fallowfield.

Monday 15th

MCIVTA 185 has two reports of the victory over Sheffield Wednesday, a report of the MCIVTA F.C. get-together plus comments & opinions on recent performances, Alan Ball, newspaper stories, the ticket office and our chances of Premiership survival.

Thursday 18th

MCIVTA 186 features various comments made by Francis Lee during the week, plenty of opinions, particularly on Uwe Rösler and Alan Ball plus of course the continuing debate on whether or not City will stay up.

Friday 19th

Michael Brown is called into the England U21 squad for the first time.

Monday 22nd

There's a 2-1 win for the reserves at home to Port Vale. MCIVTA 187 is a brief edition which concentrates on Alan Ball and his relationship with the players. Former City chairman Peter Swales is rushed to hospital after suffering a major heart attack.

Tuesday 23rd

Michael Brown makes an impressive début for England U21 but cannot prevent Croatia U21 winning by the only goal at Roker Park.

Wednesday 24th

It's a miserable night for the City players involved in friendly internationals: Northern Ireland (Steve Lomas) lose 2-1 to Sweden in Belfast, the Republic of Ireland (Niall Quinn) lose 2-0 in the Czech Republic, Wales (Kit Symons) lose 2-0 in Switzerland and Georgia (Gio Kinkladze) are thrashed 5-0 in Romania. Mikhail Kavelashvili misses this game as he is settling into his new home in Manchester with his family.

Thursday 25th

MCIVTA 188 has rumours linking City with Georgian sweeper Kachaber Zchadadze, news of a testimonial for Wrexham's Cliff Sear that will involve City, various opinions of Alan Ball and the sale of Garry Flitcroft plus the ongoing dispute between Ball and Uwe Rösler.

Saturday 27th

City grab their last chance to achieve a league "double" in 1995/96 with a surprise 1-0 victory at Aston Villa. Steve Lomas' header is diverted into his own goal by veteran defender Paul McGrath for the winning goal. However, wins for Southampton and Coventry mean that City stay in the bottom three and are favourites to join Bolton and Q.P.R. in the Endsleigh League. Oasis play the first of two 40,000 sell-out concerts at Maine Road.

Sunday 28th

Oasis fill Maine Road again.

Tuesday 30th

At an F.A. disciplinary hearing in Leeds, Keith Curle is cleared of a misconduct charge relating to incidents in the game against Newcastle United at Maine Road in February. Newcastle's Faustino Asprilla is found guilty on two counts, is fined £10,000 and is suspended for one match. MCIVTA 189 includes news of Curle's hearing, a report of the Villa match and various opinions.

MAY 1996

Thursday 2nd

Former City chairman Peter Swales, aged 63, dies in Wythenshawe Hospital after failing to recover from his heart attack the previous week. MCIVTA 190 has news of this plus transfer speculation involving strikers Gerry Creaney and Uwe Rösler, a review of Issue 9 of CITY Magazine, a couple of reviews of the weekend's Oasis shows plus opinions on City's Premiership survival chances and a few humorous items.

Sunday 5th

City fight back from two goals down to earn a point against Liverpool but it's not enough and the Blues are relegated. A Steve Lomas own goal and a deflected Ian Rush shot give Liverpool a 2-0 half time lead before an Uwe Rösler penalty and a goal by Kit Symons give the Blues hope. However, it's not to be.