MAINE ROAD DIARY - SUMMER '94

This diary covers the events from the end of the '93/94 season in May until the start of the '94/95 season in August.

MAY 1994

Monday 9th

Tony Coton is voted Supporters' Club Player of the Year. Rae Ingram is voted Young Player of the Year. Steffan Karl returns to Germany,

Tuesday 10th

Steve Lomas plays for Northern Ireland in a B-international against England at Hillsborough. Richard Edghill comes on as substitute for England and is subsequently named in the squad for the U21 Tournament in Toulon.

Monday 16th

Defenders Terry Phelan and Alan Kernaghan are included in the Republic of Ireland squad for their World Cup warm-up matches against Bolivia and Germany.

Friday 20th

City report record season-ticket takings of £2,000,000; over half of the capacity of Maine Road for next season is now taken by season-ticket holders.

Saturday 21st

Terry Phelan and Alan Kernaghan are named in the Republic of Ireland's World Cup squad. Niall Quinn will also travel with the party.

Tuesday 24th

City part company with youth team coach Terry Darracott and chief scout Bobby Saxton. Jimmy Frizzell takes Saxton's place.

Wednesday 25th

Colin Bell is appointed as youth development officer, working alongside Terry Farrell.

Thursday 26th

Heritage Minister Peter Brooke turns town City's request for extra time to turn Maine Road into an all-seater stadium.

Saturday 28th

The Manchester Evening News names Tony Coton as their City Player of the Year based on marks given for performances over the season.

JUNE 1994

Wednesday 1st

Richard Edghill flies home with a groin injury after playing one game for England in the Toulon Under-21 Tournament.

Thursday 2nd

Andy Dibble agrees a new 4-year contract. City are rumoured to have had a bid for Jürgen Klinsmann turned down by Monaco. It later transpires that Klinsmann turned down City because they were unlikely to qualify for Europe.

Friday 3rd

City announce that they will be banning away fans from Maine Road for the first half of next season, as a result of the rejection of their appeal for a year's grace to redevlop the Kippax. Steve Lomas comes on as substitute for Northern Ireland in a friendly against Columbia in Boston.

Saturday 11th

Another cap for Lomas in another friendly, this time against Mexico in Miami.

Saturday 18th

Terry Phelan plays for the Republic of Ireland in their victory over Italy in the World Cup Group E match in New Jersey.

Monday 20th

City sign 17-year old Irishman Ray Kelly from Athlone for £30,000

Wednesday 22nd

Following in his father's footsteps, Nicky Summerbee signs for City from Swindon Town for £1,500,000

Thursday 23rd

Next season's fixtures are announced, the first game being against Arsenal at Highbury. The Maine Road pitch is to be widened to 77 yards as City intend to play with two wingers.

Friday 24th

A second caution in two games for Terry Phelan in the 2-1 defeat against Mexico in Orlando rules him out of Eire's final group match against Norway.

JULY 1994

Monday 4th

Former City favourite Neil McNab becomes City's youth team coach. The Republic of Ireland lose 2-0 to The Netherlands in Orlando, ending their interest in the World Cup. Terry Phelan is at fault for the first goal.

Saturday 16th

The senior squad reports back for training. Paul Lake, Carl Griffiths and the younger players had already been back a week.

Wednesday 20th

City are landed with an additional £700,000 bill for the removal and treatment of contaminated soil from beneath the old Kippax Street Stand. City switch their bank account from the Royal Bank of Scotland to the Manchester-based Co-operative Bank.

Thursday 21st

£5,000 worth of playing kit is stolen during a break-in at Maine Road.

Friday 22nd

Goals by McMahon, Walsh, Summerbee and Griffiths see City through to a comfortable 4-1 victory over an Isle of Man XI in the first game of the Okell Brewery Tournament.

Sunday 24th

City are beaten 3-0 by Oldham Athletic in their second game of the tournament on the Isle of Man.

Sunday 31st

In the first leg of their Norwegian tour, City beat 3rd Division side Falk SK 4-0, with goals from Summerbee, Rocastle, Rösler and Walsh.

AUGUST 1994

Tuesday 2nd

Michel Vonk scores the only goal of the game as City defeat top Norwegian side Rosenborg.

Wednesday 3rd

Back down to earth as City are thrashed 5-1 by relegation-threatened Bodo Glimt, City's consolation goal coming from a Paul Walsh penalty.

Monday 8th

City beat Portsmouth 2-1 at Fratton Park in front of 6,000 fans, Kernaghan & Griffiths scoring for City. Andy Dibble is star man, fending off a second-half bombardment by the home side.

Thursday 11th

In a shock move, David Rocastle is sold to Chelsea for £1,250,000.

Friday 12th

City's longest-serving director, Chris Muir, quits the board.

Saturday 13th

City lose 4-2 at Maine Road in a friendly against Feyenoord. City are 2-0 up at half-time through two Keith Curle penalties but are outclassed in the second half.

Wednesday 17th

Alan Kernaghan is allowed to join Bolton Wanderers on a month's loan, to help end his Maine Road nightmare.