Manchester City are set to meet the 60 year old fan who finds himself at the centre of a storm that threatens to jeopardize the extensive supporter engagement efforts made by the club since ownership changed hands just over three years ago.

The club will hope that an investigation into the ejection of an older fan, at the match against Aston Villa on Saturday 15th October, will help to calm tensions around the perimeter of the singing sections at the Etihad stadium ahead of the next home game against Wolves on Saturday 29th October.

Mario Balotelli scored a fantastic opener in Manchester City's match against Aston Villa , only for events off-the-pitch in the East Stand at the Etihad Stadium to interrupt the flow of play shortly afterwards.

For it was shortly after the goal was scored that stewards, working for the stewarding company Showsec, took the decision to eject a 60 year old man in line with the club's policy on persistent standing.

In a heartbeat, one older supporter found himself at the centre of a growing tension between supporters and stewards that has its roots in Manchester City's well-intentioned attempts to improve the atmosphere at the stadium through the creation of a singing section.

Shocking YouTube video footage appears to show that it was the actions of one steward in particular that triggered the emotional reaction of surrounding supporters who rallied to the older fan's cause.

NB: This video contains strong language and is not suitable for viewing by minors or in an office environment

After the decision is made to eject the older supporter, he is heard saying,”I've done nothing wrong, why are you screaming at me?” All whilst being man-handled by a policeman and a steward.

The video then becomes unclear due to the growing disturbance in the crowd.  When the video returns to the suppporter he is then heard saying,“I take 5 tables a day for heart problems.”

Promptly after revealing his condition, a steward that appears to have been observing the incident from further away, decides to climb over several seats in an escalation of the incident that sees the older fan dragged away from his seat.

The video closes with a disturbing image of the man lying on the ground at the front of block 109, as police and stewards stand in a circle seemingly unsure of what to do next other than wait for medical staff to arrive.

In a statement sent to MCFCfans by Greater Manchester Police, Chief Superintendent Gerry Donnellan said: "Just before half time during the match between Manchester City and Aston Villa, club stewards and security requested the assistance of GMP as, in line with their rules, they were asking a man in the crowd to leave the ground because he refused to sit down.

"Officers only assist if there is a breach of the peace or if there is a likelihood of a breach of the peace occurring and in this case there was one; stewards were struggling with the man and other people in the crowd.

"The man was arrested on suspicion of causing a breach of the peace, but de-arrested when the breach of the peace had ceased.

"He was seen to collapse and paramedics attended, where he was given a clean bill of health.

"Two men were arrested on suspicion of common assault after incidents with stewards. One was later charged and one was given a Fixed Penalty Notice.

"The force's Professional Standards Branch has received a complaint from a third party and will respond in the appropriate fashion in due course."

At this stage it is not known who has lodged the complaint to the police following the incident.  Based on anecdotal evidence, there are many possible complainants due to the fracas that took place as a result of the incident.

The incident requires a full and transparent investigation backed by the courage to act

The uproar after the incident was unprecedented in recent times at the club.  The club, already engaged in a variety of other public relations matters, was deluged with letters and calls from irate supporters.

Immediately after the incident, MCFCfans called for an investigation into the matter that was picked up by the natiional press (Guardian article).  The club promptly confirmed that an investigation would take place and communicating to MCFCfans issued this statement, “The Club have invited both the older fan and a FSF representative to discuss the matter in person and the meeting will take place in the coming days.”

The Football Supporters Federation, known for tirelessly following up incidents of this nature and in support of more vulnerable supporters, stated to MCFCfans,“We welcome the club’s decision to investigate the incident in Block 109 during the Aston Villa game and to interview the supporter involved. We would be happy to assist in that process in any way which would be helpful to the parties.”

MCFCfans understands that the older fan has accepted the offer of a FSF representative to be present at the meeting with the club, something that may go some way to re-assuring all supporters that a fair hearing will take place.

So far so good, and the club deserves to be given the opportunity to investigate the matter fully.

The incident raises many questions. The questions that are consistently raised by witnesses to the incident are:

- Why was an older, apparently vulnerable, fan chosen for ejection, whilst so many other fans standing around him and on the same row were also presumably eligible for ejection?  What process is in place to decide who is ejected?

- Once the older fan had highlighted his heart condition, why was the incident escalated by the lone steward?  What training and procedures are in place in such a situation to ensure that vulnerable fans with medical conditions are treated with care?

The investigation at the very least should provide re-assurance to supporters that there are processes in place, checks and balances, incident reviews, learning and re-training, governance that involves senior club officials outside the seemingly closed circle of stadium security and its contracted stewarding company Showsec.

In short, could the incident have been handled differently?

Showsec for their part confirmed that they are co-operating fully with the investigation involving their client Manchester City, but were unable to comment specifically on the details concerning the ejection.

Thoughts will turn to the long-term solutions...

The current investigation should rightly focus on the specific circumstances surrounding the older fan.  But this is unlikely to solve the problem of block 109.

Peter Fletcher, the club's Stadium Security and Safety Manager, finds himself in the unenviable position of attempting to balance club policy, ground regulations, licensing laws, and supporter safety.

It doesn't take long perusing supporter forums to know that Mr.Fletcher is not altogether popular, in particular with fans seated in the singing areas and adjacent blocks.

But it was presumably him that gave his blessing to the singing sections in the first place. So does he now find himself in a no-win situation?

The club's statement went on to state, “More generally, whilst the Club has adopted a collaborative approach with fans wishing to stand in certain areas, it remains the case that persistent standing within Blocks 109 and 119, which border the singing section, remains contrary to the policy for this season, a fact which was clearly communicated by letter to supporters in those areas prior to the first game of the season.

The Club continually review policy and procedure across all areas, as is the case following this incident.  We will also be seeking to gauge the views of fans adjacent to the singing stand in the coming days and weeks to assist with planning for next and future seasons."

The statement shows a genuine desire by the club to engage with supporters to find long-term solutions for the singing sections and areas around them.

The FSF, knowing the history behind block 109 can play a vital role and went on to confirm their involvement to MCFCfans, “We have arranged to meet the Club next month to discuss a range of issues related to standing at the Etihad Stadium and the Club’s approach to this. We welcome the Club’s willingness to meet and note that the introduction of the singing area is a more progressive approach to this issue than is the case at some other clubs. However, there are clearly issues to be addressed relating to the management of standing in adjacent areas.”

It could now be said that leadership by the club needs to be matched by leadership from the fans.  The FSF can fill some of this role, but perhaps the club also needs to find other ways of bridging the gap between the 'men in suits' and the supporter in the stand by inviting willing volunteers and supporters representatives to the debate.

One fan in block 109 did take a lead recently when carrying out a survey of 100 fans in block 109.  The survey revealed that 90% in the block wanted to stand/sing all game, 8% during moments of excitement, and 1.2% wanted to be seated.

Many supporters may say a conclusive result, but those who wish to be seated will still wish to be heard.

As far as all parties in the debate are concerned, actions will speak louder than words.

Is Safe Standing the future?

It's ironic that all of this should take place so recently after the Hillsbough debate in the House of Commons.

The FSF's Safe Standing campaign is one of the recognised national attempts to solve the wider issue, which in their words can be summarised as,”It is clear that many supporters have a strong desire to stand.” The campaign, officially supported by The Liberal Democrats, states, “The FSF believes that football supporters should have the choice to stand in a Safe Standing area, if they so wish. Stadiums would retain seated accommodation for those who wished to sit.”

Do you support Safe Standing?  

What is your view on City's singing section and where it should be located?  

And have you been impacted by the persisent standing policy?

MCFCfans

Speculation abounded in other parts of the Etihad stadium that a stray away fan may have been identified and held responsible for the activity, which prompted a number of stewards and police officers to surround block 109 in the East Stand.

Footage released on YouTube was the first shocking indication that the incident was actually completely avoidable. An older fan, complaining of a heart condition, appears to be singled out as part of the ongoing standing debate at the club.

The reaction of Manchester City and Showsec, the stewarding company, so far is alarming. The Manchester Evening News reported a City spokesman as saying, “A supporter who was persistently standing was politely asked to sit down by stewards, following complaints from supporters. After refusing to co-operate with the stewards, the police intervened to help eject the man.

"The man refused to leave, prompting a small number of surrounding supporters to become aggressive to both the stewards and the police. The man in question was evicted and a further two men were arrested for assault."

This response masks a much deeper suspicion that has angered fans as to the apparent singling out of an older, apparently vulnerable, City fan who has no doubt been a life-long supporter of the club through thick and thin.

Showsec have issued the following statement, “Showsec’s operational role at Manchester City Football Club falls within the club’s match day operation. In this instance we were directed by the club to eject a supporter for persistent standing, which contravenes the ground regulations and followed repeated complaints from other supporters in the area.

The ejection was carried out in line with the club’s policy and upon the gentleman’s refusal to leave the ground we requested the support of Greater Manchester Police in order complete the process. The company will continue to support the policies of the club and any eschewing investigations.”

This statement does at least confirm that it was the Club that sanctioned the ejection of this supporter.

So the following questions must be answered:

• what was the process followed that led to the singling out of an older, vulnerable, fan from the ground when so many others in the block and in the away end were also standing?  what records are kept of such decisions and what governance is in place to review them at board level?
  

• what communications took place between the control room and the stewards in the block before, during, and after the incident, especially once the fan had advised his heart condition?

• what investigations are now underway at the club in order to give all parties a fair hearing in this matter?

The Football Supporters Federation (FSF) confirmed to MCFCfans that they have been deluged with phone calls, e-mails, and contact from angry fans since the incident. The FSF chairman is now likely to take up an earlier offer to meet the club, and fans can provide Amanda Jacks, who deals with Policing & Stewarding with statements if they witnessed what happened (contact details avaialble on the FSF website here), anonymously if requested.,

We can only hope that the discontent generated by this shocking incident do not spill over into tomorrow evening with its special singing stand arrangements.  With the world watching, all supporters would be well-advised to rise above it and enjoy the game tomorrow night in the knowledge that formal representations are clearly being made on behalf of the fans.

MCFCfans

Paul Lake, commenting exclusively to MCFCfans on the signing of Sergio Aguero ahead of the release of his new book,”I’m Not Really Here,” said that it would be a dream as a City fan to see Carlos Tevez playing in the same side as Aguero, but he went on to add, ”I’d be surprised if that happens.”  

Paul Lake, never a man to shy away from hard work himself, commented on the appeal of bringing Argentinian stars to the Etihad stadium, ”you get the impression from Pablo Zaboleta and Carlos Tevez that their work ethic is immense, that has a knock-on effect.”

Lake emphasised the importance of inserting Aguero straight into the pre-season action with City in order to achieve a settled side with the new signings as quickly as possible.  Aguero, who is married to one of Diego Maradona’s daughters, will wear the No.16 shirt at City and may well see his first action in this weekend’s pre-season Super Cup tournament in Dublin where City play an Irish XI followed by Inter Milan. 

MCFCfans captured Sergio Aguero’s first experience of meeting City fans outside the Etihad stadium during his contract negotiation process. 

It remains an open question, however, as to whether Tevez can forge an exit with goal.com reporting today that talks were held with Inter on Thursday as fresh attempts are made to work an exit for the unsettled player.  Ironically, any deal may hinge on whether United make a formal bid for Inter playmaker Wesley Sneijder.

See Paul Lake's video interview with MCFCfans by clicking here

The Manchester City Hall of Fame and Blues legend is just days away from having the incredible story of his challenging life picked up off the doormats of Manchester City fans all over the world.  The pre-release response to the book has been phenomenal, with journalists and readers reporting tears and much emotion having read what is a deeply moving but ultimately inspiring account.   

MCFCFans – Click here to vote on Where City finish will in the league this season?

   “I’m Not Really Here” is released on August 4^th published by Century - click the book cover above to buy or here to buy 

Follow @MCFCfans

Produced by Kirsty Malcolm for MCFCfans

Sergio Aguero became Manchester City’s club record signing and emerged after signing his contract to an excited crowd of supporters at the Etihad stadium yesterday.  MCFCfans caught the mood with exclusive footage of Kun making a point of dealing with every single request from fans to sign autographs and take pictures, with two delightful junior Blues over the moon at securing his signature.

  Sergio has his picture taken with a junior Blue

City fans demonstrated their excellent command of Spanish, though Sergio was clearly briefed to not respond to questions. However, when City fan Norman Burkitt asked,"how are you?" in Spanish, a smiling Sergio replied, "bien!"  Life-long City fan Burkitt is now on his way to Dublin hoping to see Sergio play for the first time in a City shirt, whilst his daughter Jasmine appears in the BBC3 documentary series,"Small Teen Bigger World," on Monday at 9pm.

Aguero remarked on his Twitter feed some last night,"I'm already a City player. I'm happy to be in this club and in this town. Thank you all for the welcome and the reception!!!"

Comment below with your ideas for a Kun chant !!

Twitter: @MCFCfans

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Produced by Kirsty Malcolm for MCFCfans

Sergio Aguero has become become Manchester City’s club record signing and arrived to an ever-growing crowd of supporters  at the Etihad stadium today.  The deal is believed to be worth in excess of £35 million in order to trigger the release clause in his contract with Atletico Madrid, which spares the Madrid side the potential embarrassment that would have followed any move to Real.

Supporters began gathering at the Etihad stadium from the moment Twitter feeds began reporting his arrival at London’s Heathrow airport today.  A medical was followed by further meetings and negotiations, before a smiling Sergio Aguero emerged from the City @ Home building to make his way to the Colin Bell Stand.   

Sergio happily signs for two very happy junior Blues

There he made a specific point of dealing with every single photo and autograph request from the waiting fans over a period of half an hour or so, a true gentleman.

So what do we know about the 23 year old “Kun” from Argentina?  Born into a large and poor family, he’s a prolific goalscoarer with arguably more of a killer instinct for goal than Carlos Tevez, albeit with a weaker shot, having scored 74 goals in 174 appearances at Atletico. 

He is a loyal player and still loves his first home club Independiente, a club that stands to benefit from a slice of the transfer fee and where he has a lifetime box. 

Off the pitch he is the husband of Giannina Maradona, the youngest daughter of Diego Maradona.  It is likely that City, with the future so rooted in youth development, will keep an eye on his son Benjamin.  Just two years old, the young man is reported to be an extraordinary talent with the round ball himself.  Kun is also reported to be very close friends with a certain Lionel Messi.

His English is unlikely to be much better than Tevez, but with British Airways now offering a direct flight from London to Buenos Aires, who knows maybe Carlos, Kun and Pablo can fly back and forward together in order to get around the homesickness clause that may well have been included at Mancini’s insistence!

All eyes now on his first appearance....and what will his chant be?!

MCFCfans

Manchester City ventured into Vancouver for the second match of their US tour, a match that only went ahead following the herculean efforts of Vancouver Whitecaps staff and fans who spent hours clearing the Empire Field pitch of water following a deluge over the weekend.  Paul Barber, Whitecaps CEO, explained in an interview on Team 1040 radio in Vancouver that the club had probably sold the city out of screen wipers that were used to help clear the pitch. 

The company that the club hired to lay a natural grass pitch on top of an artificial surface, standard practice in the US for such exhibition games, described it as,” probably their best ever installation,” according to Barber.  The heavens opened moments after that conversation took place in Vancouver. 

Hats off then to the Whitecaps for making the game a reality for the 24,074 sell-out crowd, and it must have been ‘hearts in mouths’ time when Yaya Toure was taken off injured on a worsening pitch, with reports since making it very clear that it was caused by catching another player’s foot.  City players were put to the test with a cruel goal from the Whitecaps that took a wicked deflection off Stefan Savic after half an hour, before John Guidetti equalised for City in the 68^th minute. 

Earlier in the day Ryan Ruocco on ESPN New York radio had been discussing the huge boost that soccer in North America had received from the Women’s World Cup, with the USA disappointingly falling to Japan on penalties in front of 13.5 million viewers.  Penalties he said were like,” a home run derby,” and no way to finish a competitive soccer match.  As word spread that the Whitecaps game against City would be decided on penalties in the event of a draw, up stepped a much-loved City favourite who is determined to make his mark on this US tour – Shaun Wright-Phillips.  Five minutes from time Wright-Phillips produced a rasping thunderbolt into the top left hand corner that was reminiscent of many of his long-range efforts of old.

SWP caught the online headlines early in the tour for what was undoubtedly the best planking effort displayed by a member of the City squad posting their efforts online.  A goal to finish off Club America was followed in Vancouver by the decider to ensure City notched up a confidence-boosting comeback from a goal down.  It has so far been tough to pick out the stand out performers on this tour, but if Shaun Wright-Phillips can adapt his play to the kind of passing game he is beginning to show then it will be a sign of a top player maturing in his trade. As Micah Richards quotes in his daily blog today, ”A class goal from a class guy,” and to view SWP’s humble post-match comments we would have to agree.

The City team have arrived in Los Angeles in preparation for their next match against LA Galaxy on Sunday, with the Galaxy first concentrating on their match tonight with Columbus Crew.  A clean sweep of wins on this US tour would be a fantastic start to pre-season.

@MCFCfans

This article is dedicated to the Real Way Down project :

Visiting ‘22 charities in 22 countries in 22 weeks’ the ‘Real Way Down’ is an expedition through human suffering and kindness. The project will support each of our partner charities through the production of promotional videos, as well as through financial donations, and in this way offers both immediate and long term support. The series of films will be broadcast on the ‘Community Channel’, as well as via our multiple media partners, and with other such initiatives, hopes to use innovation and creativity as a powerful tool within development. To DONATE CLICK HERE

    Click book cover to buy now

A perfect storm for a perfect player

Sports journalists are clamouring for a copy of Paul Lake’s new book, “I’m Not Really Here,” and on turning the last page we can understand why.  Paul Lake made his first team debut for Manchester City in January 1987, having played in City’s FA Youth Cup winning side of 1986.  His signature was chased by no less than Alex Ferguson, Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, and George Graham, and he was hailed as a future England captain by the late Bobby Robson. He then went on to suffer from a catalogue of misfortune with knee injuries and woeful medical support that can at best be described as lazy and at worst negligent.  Universally liked in the football industry, Paul Lake is set to release his memoirs, excellently co-written by his wife Jo, of a deeply moving and inspiring account of a man taken to the brink as he faces losing the game he loves. 

MCFCfans is to publish a series of articles in the lead up to the release of the book on 4^th August 2011 by Century (part of The Random House Group).  

Book signings planned City Store (Etihad Stadium) 25^th August and City Store (Arndale) 26^th August

Twitter: MCFCfans

The Ultimate MCFC FA Cup Final Viewing Guide

In two days we aim to produce the ultimate Global FA Cup Final Viewing Guide for Manchester City fans all over the world, including pubs, bars, parties and roundabouts for those actually going to the match.

COME ON THEN BLUES GET YOUR PUBS AND MEETUPS ON HERE!!

London

The Green Man – Dagmar Avenue, Wembley, HA9 8DF (Wembley Park / Wembley Central / Wembley Stadium Rail)

If you are planning to go to the match then this boozer will be bouncing before kick off.   Once again designated as a Manchester City pub, it will open from 9.30am with food, beer garden, marquees, and portaloos all available. Numbers in the car park are being restricted by the police this time and the doors will close once the quota is reached.  So get there early!

The Roundabout – near the Green Man on Empire Way (A479)

No it isn’t a pub, it is literally a roundabout!  A bloke called Kevin Beresford published a book called “Roundabouts of Great Britain” in 2004 after getting mailbag full of people’s favourite roundabouts.  Surely if he published it now City fans would vote the roundabout at Wembley as their No.1.  There are so many fans planning to base themselves here that you’ll probably have to get there early as well!

The Greyhound – 324 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA9 6LL (Wembley Stadium Rail / Wembley Central)

Not reported as the most desirable of boozers but got a vote of confidence for Blues atmosphere before the semi-final.

The City Pride – 28 Farringdon Lane, EC1R 3AN (Farringdon)

Tony (aka Tueartsboots) is working with the landlord to open the pub early for  pre-match build up and set it up for a post-match drink-up afterwards.  The City Pride has fast become the Blues base for London-based City fans with regular attendances of over 50 or so for big games.  Expect it to be rammed for this one. It has a large downstairs  with several plasma screens (inc at the bar as you wait for your pint) and good-sized upstairs as well. Definitely a good one to go to if you don’t have a ticket.

The Railway – corner of West End Lane and Broadhurst Gardens (right next to West Hampstead tube)

This is a well-trodden pre-Wembley boozer at one of the key outposts slightly off the beaten.  Right next to West Hampstead tube, it is just 15 mins away on the Jubilee line to Wembley Park.  The duty manager was convinced it would be Red for the Semi-Final.  How wrong he was.  It was jam-packed with Blues before and after the match with a cracking atmosphere. It will be Blue again.

Manchester

City Square – City of Manchester Stadium

A lot of fans were frustrated at the box office falling over themselves to sell tickets for City Square when they couldn’t get through to buy the actual match tickets.  But this is a leading option if you’re staying in Manchester.

There are loads of other options so please could Blues who know of at least 30+ fans meeting up to watch the game in a boozer write in rather than us listing out every boozer in town!

Perth, Australia

Blues seeking a boozer – get in touch

Brussels, Belgium

The 6 Nations Bar, 48-50 Rue Gretry, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

New York, USA

The Mad Hatter Saloon & Beer Garden – 360 Third Ave

The only place to be in New York for the final.  Even Garry Cooke has been here before.

Now let's get the rest of the world sorted!!

  The Roundabout is a hot favourite for the Final !!

We have made it to the FA Cup Final!  What a feeling it was to beat United in the Semi.  One of the best games I have ever been to as a City fan.  There is just that nagging feeling now though.  Stoke is a big ask and it never feels great to be the favourite as a City fan.  But that won’t stop an unprecedented pre- and post-match party as the City giddy-o-meter explodes past the red zone.

MCFCfans returns setting itself the one week challenge of producing the most comprehensive MCFC Global FA Cup Final viewing guide incorporating research from everywhere and feedback from readers.  Let’s hear it from fans going to the match and from around the world planning to watch on TV in order to create the best blue-bouncing atmosphere across the globe.  Put your pubs, bars, underground parties, and (hopefully) after-match celebration ideas down by commenting on this article or by going to our FA Cup Final page here.

This FA Cup Final will again produce the good-humoured MCFC way to party, so now is the chance to nail all of the plans being made after the Semi was such a success.  One of the biggest differences with the final would appear to be the large number of fans that will actually stay in London this time, which should make for a great after-match drink up whatever the result.

We’ll update the list below on a daily basis next week with all of your feedback coming in.

MCFCfans

London

The Green Man – Dagmar Avenue, Wembley, HA9 8DF (Wembley Park / Wembley Central / Wembley Stadium Rail)

If you are planning to go to the match then this boozer will be bouncing before kick off.   Once again designated as a Manchester City pub, it will open from 9.30am with food, beer garden, marquees, and portaloos all available. Numbers in the car park are being restricted by the police this time and the doors will close once the quota is reached.  So get there early!

The Roundabout – near the Green Man on Empire Way (A479) – can someone confirm?

No it isn’t a pub, it is literally a roundabout!  A bloke called Kevin Beresford published a book called “Roundabouts of Great Britain” in 2004 after getting mailbag full of people’s favourite roundabouts.  Surely if he published it now City fans would vote the roundabout at Wembley as their No.1.  There are so many fans planning to base themselves here that you’ll probably have to get there early as well!

The Greyhound – 324 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA9 6LL (Wembley Stadium Rail / Wembley Central)

Not reported as the most desirable of boozers but got a vote of confidence for Blues atmosphere before the semi-final.

The City Pride – 28 Farringdon Lane, EC1R 3AN (Farringdon)

Tony (aka Tueartsboots) is working with the landlord to open the pub early for  pre-match build up and set it up for a post-match drink-up afterwards.  The City Pride has fast become the Blues base for London-based City fans with regular attendances of over 50 or so for big games.  Expect it to be rammed for this one. It has a large downstairs  with several plasma screens (inc at the bar as you wait for your pint) and good-sized upstairs as well. Definitely a good one to go to if you don’t have a ticket.

The Railway – corner of West End Lane and Broadhurst Gardens (right next to West Hampstead tube)

This is a well-trodden pre-Wembley boozer at one of the key outposts slightly off the beaten.  Right next to West Hampstead tube, it is just 15 mins away on the Jubilee line to Wembley Park.  The duty manager was convinced it would be Red for the Semi-Final.  How wrong he was.  It was jam-packed with Blues before and after the match with a cracking atmosphere. It will be Blue again.

Manchester

City Square – City of Manchester Stadium

A lot of fans were frustrated at the box office falling over themselves to sell tickets for City Square when they couldn’t get through to buy the actual match tickets.  But this is a leading option if you’re staying in Manchester.

There are loads of other options so please could Blues who know of at least 30+ fans meeting up to watch the game in a boozer write in rather than us listing out every boozer in town!

Perth, Australia

Blues seeking a boozer – get in touch

Brussels, Belgium

Blues known to be getting together here – pub TBC

New York, USA

The Mad Hatter Saloon & Beer Garden – 360 Third Ave

The only place to be in New York for the final.  Even Garry Cooke has been here before.

Now let's get the rest of the world sorted!!

By Dom Farrell, MCFCfans

When David Silva opened his Manchester City account a mere eight minutes into last Thursday's Europa League clash with Salzburg, the feeling of relief was tangible.

The build up to the match was dominated by quotes from boss Roberto Mancini, Nigel de Jong and Silva himself claiming that the former Valencia player's apparent problems in acclimatising to life at City were about to come to an end.

The cruel nature of football can often throw such words back into the protagonists' faces, but when the Silva nonchalantly side-footed Jo's knockdown into the bottom corner, the comments seemed prophetic.

His start to life at City had a number of parallels with the club's stuttering fortunes in the opening weeks of the season - initial excitement and flashes of top level potential, but no definitive impact. 

But Mancini seems to have recognised a stretch of seven games in three weeks as the point of the season where a statement can be made and, in Silva, identified a player who can grasp the moment.

The Canary Islander continued to display the subtleties of his craft three days later as City eased to their second 2-0 win of the week, this time over Wigan in the Premier League.

Newly shorn skipper Carlos Tevez was the star performer at the DW Stadium, opening the scoring with a delightful finish, before laying on the second goal and its associated breathing space for Yaya Toure. 

In the past week Tevez appeared liberated by the Silva’s presence, freed up to roam with the trademark belligerence that has been absence since his horror miss in the defeat to Sunderland. 

A playmaker of Silva's undoubted quality can make football a far simpler game for those around him.

There is an ongoing and understandable wish among City fans for Mancini to give Silva, and Tevez more support in the final third of the field.

In-form England winger Adam Johnson could count himself unfortunate to miss out at Wigan and the prospect of him working alongside Tevez and Silva's burgeoning relationship will surely become too good to ignore.  And this is before the firebrand talents of Mario Balotelli are added to the mix.

The problem is that supplementing the attack will necessitate breaking up the central midfield barricade which is performing with such distinction.  De Jong and Gareth Barry brim with increasing certainty and expression, while Yaya snatched his first City goal at the weekend and is starting to provide the penetration and dynamism that was lacking from the Blues engine room last season.

A difficult decision awaits Mancini in the coming weeks because for all its merits, his current approach is operating within uncomfortably fine margins. A couple of botched chances and Wigan could have been another Sunderland.

It seems perverse to suggest a victory over reigning Austrian champions Salzburg, who boasted a 100% record in last season's Europa League group stage, was less trying than a trip to Wigan. City's previous league outings offer reasons to take such a view.

A haul of one point from a possible six against Sunderland and Blackburn was unacceptable for the ambitious Blues. It represented a stark reluctance to consume the bread and butter that sustains the campaigns of title contenders.

Roberto Martinez' Latics have staggered punch-drunk through the opening rounds of the season, gathering themselves briefly to land a haymaker on Tottenham, so were written off before a ball was kicked.

Additionally, the days’ other games provided a blockbuster between Manchester United and Liverpool and Chelsea’s latest demolition job. 

Against this backdrop, a routine, nondescript win that passes almost without notice is vital. Such wins are the foundations that successful season are built on.

More of the same in the Carling Cup against West Brom on Wednesday night is crucial before City look to derail the Chelsea bandwagon.

One such story concerns the huge dedication of a small number of fans to make the impossible possible.  On Wednesday 25^th August Phil Holme, Tony Griffiths, Alex Channon, Howard Burr will travel to Freetown in Sierra Leone in order to deliver a mini-bus for an aspiring youth football club that was setup as a City supporting club.  Paul Lake, Ambassador for City in the Community will also travel with the party.  They have been helped by the generosity of fans around the world to make it happen.

Here is an abridged version of the story so far as told by Phil Holme of the Portadown Supporters Club branch...

   Armani with future young MCFC Sierra Leone players

In the autumn of 2003 a member of Reddish Branch of the MCFC supporters club completed 30 years as a police officer in Manchester and retired. He then started working in Sierra Leone in West Africa, where his job was to train detectives out there to investigate child abuse.

Sierra Leone has for the past several years been either last, or second to last in the world wealth league tables published every year. Average life expectancy is around 38 years and living conditions for most people are appalling. On top of all these problems the country has gone through a particularly bloody civil war that lasted 11 years and only ended in 2000.

When he arrived in Freetown, the capital City, Tony noticed the usual scattering of people wearing Arsenal, Liverpool and Stretford shirts. It soon became apparent that football is massive in the country and most people follow the English Premier League.

At the end of his first week he was enjoying a beer at a beach bar when a young man approached him by the name of Armani Sheku Kamara who was selling watches, sunglasses etc. He noticed that he was wearing a Stretford lapel badge and as Tony is a dyed in the wool blue he joked with the young man that he could not buy any of his merchandise from a man wearing such an offensive item. Within a short time he agreed to throw the offending item into the Atlantic Ocean and negotiations commenced.

It soon became apparent that not only did he have a good knowledge of Premier League football he also had a good knowledge of the ups and downs of Manchester City. He assured Tony that he was only wearing the offending badge because a customer had given it to him and he promised him that if he could get him a City shirt he would be a City fan for the rest of his life. Little did he know what that conversation would lead to.

In early 2004 Tony returned to Sierra Leone having spent a few weeks back in Manchester, and of course took back with him a City shirt for Armani. Within a few days of receiving the shirt Armani told Tony that he was setting up a Man City Supporters Club in Freetown. When Tony next returned to UK he discussed the Sierra Leone situation, first with Howard Burr the Secretary of the Reddish Branch and then with Alex Channon former Chair of the CSA. It was then that the Sierra Leone Branch of the Manchester City Supporters Club was born.

On Tony’s next visit he was able to take back with him several dozen assorted City shirts donated by City fans over here. They proved very popular and soon were being seen all around the Freetown streets. Soon Armani had formed a Manchester City Football team in Freetown as well as a Junior Man City team. The problem was that they were wearing a red and white striped kit that they had to rent on a match-by-match basis. Following discussion with Lorraine Firth at Manchester City the Club kindly donated a full kit for the team out there. There was also a concerted effort by a lot of Branches to collect as many shirts, boots as possible these were also sent out to Sierra Leone.

Tony Griffiths last visited Sierra Leone in March 2007 and we were proud to hear of many men women and children wearing an array of City shirts around the capital and beyond. The football team formed such a short time ago is going from strength to strength and Armani is something of a local celebrity who is frequently interviewed on national radio in Sierra Leone and works extremely hard to promote Man City for no financial reward.  On 23^rd November 2008 the Man City Youth team appeared in the Sierra Leone F.A. Youth Cup final and WON. Not bad for a team that did not exist 4 years ago. You now can't walk through Freetown without seeing a City shirt and hearing shouts of “City till I die”

Unfortunately the first team had to pull out of the main league last season as it did not have enough cash to fulfil their away fixtures although the league have agreed to keep their place in division two for next season assuming they have funds in place.

The next phase is to try and help make the team financially independent by raising money for a mini bus this doubles up as both transport to away matches, which is one of the most prohibitive costs to the team, and during the rest of the week it becomes a revenue maker by running it as a proper bus in Freetown. This will give two people a job and also raise enough cash to keep the teams running. Also it should provide enough to replace the bus every 10 years.

This is not just another fund raiser - the work being done is changing lives and keeping young people off the streets and giving them a common bond - it is CHANGING LIVES and even SAVING some.

The bus arrived in Manchester on 12^th July where it was liveried up with sponsorship logos including the new MCFC Supporters Club logo. Special thanks to Barclay Signs Ltd from Stockport who did this free of charge. The bus is now on its way to Sierra Leone with all the kit and equipment donated by Man City fans where Tony, Howard, Alex, Paul, Neil Cole from Endemol (who will be filming the whole process) and myself (Phil Holme) will be there to meet and deliver it to MCFC Sierra Leone and Armani.

We can’t thank the Club enough in particular Garry Cook and Paul Lake but everyone has been fantastic, there are too many to mention but our heartfelt thanks goes to EVERYONE who has been involved in helping or donating in anyway whatever. Without you it would not have happened but please remember the appeal goes on.

City as a Club have always been fan friendly. When we were taken over, there were those who thought here we go another rags or chelski etc. Well I’m here to tell you the heart of Man City is in great shape and if anything is going to get even more fan friendly especially with the unification of the Supporters Club. I am proud of my football club (how many can say that in this day and age) long may it continue thank you Sheikh Mansour.

On 28th July a container was loaded with the bus and six pallets of kit, training gear, laptops, books, a kids bike a scooter and a partridge in a pear tree (well maybe not the last one) Alex and Howard were there to lend a hand and Neil was there to film the container being loaded. The long journey began on the 29th July with the container off to Felixstowe where it will be loaded aboard the ship bound for Freetown and is due to arrive on 26th August. We, that is Tony, Alex, Howard, Paul, Neil and myself will be leaving on 25th August for Freetown to meet the ship the following day - here’s hoping it’s on time (everything is crossed).

There is a very busy itinerary whilst we are there Armani has contacted the Minister for Sport and various media outlets that want the story. We will be going to various schools and we will be attending a football game of MCFC Sierra Leone. On the Saturday we will be handing out training gear and kit to the teams at our hotel and on the Sunday it will be the official handover of the bus outside the National Stadium.

So it’s all go from here guys - I reckon we may add just a little water to the docks on the 26th - can't see there being a dry eye so to speak

Thanks again for all your support - and please remember we are still collecting.

Phil Holme

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE BUS APPEAL

Joe Hart’s weekend masterclass at White Hart Lane meant that the latest top flight encounter between City and Tottenham finished goalless.

Nevertheless, goals and excitement have seldom been far away in previous meetings between the sides.

Maine Road played host to what became known as “The Ballet on Ice” in 1968, when City’s championship-winning side featuring the talents of Mike Summerbee, Francis Lee and Colin Bell made light of a snow-covered pitch to win 4-1 with a breathtaking display of attacking football.

Few will ever forget the Blues’ 10-man comeback to win 4-3 in North London in the fourth round of the 2004 FA Cup, but the meeting between the two sides in October 1994 produced an often overlooked classic.

Following that summer’s World Cup in the USA, Tottenham had made a number of eye-catching additions under boss Ossie Ardiles. Romania pair Ilie Dumitrescu and Gica Popescu joined after helping their country reach the quarter finals, while Germany’s Jurgen Klinsmann became one of the Premier League’s first world class foreign imports.

Spurs adopted a cavalier approach under Ardiles, with a forward line boasting the talents of Klinsmann, Dumitrescu, Teddy Sheringham, Nick Barmby and Darren Anderton.  A thrilling 4-3 opening day win at Sheffield Wednesday was followed by chastening defeats at the hands of Leicester and Nottingham Forest, and Ardiles arrived at Maine Road on a miserable autumn day as a man under pressure. 

City were also becoming noted as one of the division’s entertainers.  The relegation-saving run of form under Brian Horton at the end of the 93/94 season had continued, with Peter Beagrie’s wing trickery providing the bullets for burgeoning strike pairing Paul Walsh and Uwe Rosler.  Rosler was absent from the game with ankle ligament damage, leaving Walsh to form a little-and-large partnership with Niall Quinn.

The game kicked off in driving rain, forcing spectators in the partially built and presently roofless Kippax stand to reach for their complimentary waterproofs.

Spurs commanded possession in the opening stages, with Popescu dictating proceedings, but City took the lead when Walsh drove home left-footed from just inside the penalty area after Sol Campbell had failed to deal with Steve Lomas' right-wing cross.

A clever reverse pass from Sheringham undid the City backline, releasing Klinsmann who was felled by the challenge of goalkeeper Andy Dibble inside the box. England forward Sheringham had missed Tottenham's previous three penalties, so Dumitrescu duly stepped up and hammered into the top corner.

The home side's lead was restored when Spurs keeper Ian Walker could only parry Walsh's header from Nicky Summerbee's raking cross into the path of the on-rushing Quinn.

It was three before half-time. Peter Beagrie and Quinn combined sublimely down the left flank before Walsh stabbed underneath Walker for his second of the afternoon.

Spurs were back in the contest shortly after the interval. Klinsmann back-heeled to Dumitrescu whose 20-yard strike took a wicked deflection beyond the hapless Dibble.

But Walsh continued to terrorise his former club, and after a mazy dribble, he left Beagrie wonderfully placed on the left wing. The ex-Everton winger danced around David Kerslake before crossing for Lomas to thud a header home.

The Blues and Walsh were not finished, and the forward completed a torrid afternoon for the young Campbell by pulling him from pillar to post and squaring for Gary Flitcroft to complete a comprehensive 5-2 victory.

The following midweek, a humiliating 3-0 League Cup defeat to Notts County left Ardiles out of work.

City continued their impressive form and were dreaming of a European place. But a collapse after Christmas plunged Horton's side into a relegation battle.

Memorable Easter triumphs over Liverpool and champions-elect Blackburn secured top-flight football for another season, but could not save Horton from an encounter with his P45.

Rob Manford, MCFCfans

The Italian's expensively assembled starting line-up found themselves in the eye of a ferocious storm in the first half hour of the Premier League curtain raiser against Tottenham. 

In truth, if it hadn't been for Hart's heroics, Spurs could have been out of sight. But after winning the backing of Mancini's countryman Fabio Capello in midweek, the Mansfield-born stopper was in inspired form.  Razor-sharp reactions denied Jermain Defoe from close range and every inch of Hart's 6ft5 frame improbably clawed a deflected drive from Benoit Assou-Ekotto out of the top corner. These were just two highlights of a complete goalkeeping display.

In recent history, City have been blessed with some stunning turns from their last line of defence. Tony Coton's performance against Leeds on the opening day in 1993, Nicky Weaver's star turn in 1999's vital promotion clash with Ipswich and Shay Given's debut salvo at home to Middlesbrough come instantly to mind.  In the latter game, Given effectively condemned Hart to a year in exile on loan at Birmingham. His colleague duly knuckled down and has returned to Eastlands to reclaim the goalkeeping jersey by the sheer force of his own endeavors.

Whether Given at 34 has the stomach for a similar fight is questionable. His prickly response to questions about his first-team prospects while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland would suggest otherwise.  An expected appearance against FC Timisoara in the Europa League on Thursday is unlikely to appease an accomplished performer who will not be short of potential suitors.

The initial results of City's goalkeeping conundrum - a richly gifted youngster hungrily pursuing excellence while a revered veteran contemplates his next move - lay bare the pros and cons of Mancini's job in managing a well-stocked and lavishly gifted group.

Carlos Tevez emerged at White Hart Lane proudly displaying the captain's armband. The clear message to former skipper Kolo Toure was that his years to top-level experience do not make his place in the side certain.  Alongside the imperious Vincent Kompany at the heart of City's defence, the Ivory Coast star was spurred on to arguably his best performance for the club.

Mancini's selection in the centre of midfield was less successful. The solution to having a raft of holding midfielders in your squad is not shoe-horning as many of them into your starting XI as is humanly possible. Too often in a sometimes chastening first half, City's central trio of Nigel de Jong, Yaya Toure and Gareth Barry were pushed flat and deep in front of their back four, inviting a constant stream of Spurs pressure and leaving the diminutive attacking talents of Shaun Wright-Phillips, David Silva and Carlos Tevez isolated.

More damningly, adequate cover was not given to full-backs Micah Richards and Aleksander Kolorov as Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale wrought havoc down the flanks for Tottenham. Only when Barry moved to a left-sided midfield position in the second half ahead of substitute Pablo Zabaleta did the wide areas start to look secure.

In the friendly win over Valencia, De Jong, Barry and Yaya were successfully deployed in a midfield diamond. Barry opened the scoring and was joined by Yaya in making a number of penetrative runs into the penalty area, beyond playmaker Silva and Emmanuel Adebayor and Tevez up front.  A week on in North London, Tevez was a lone forward, City's attack lacked focus and even when Mancini's side regained their poise in possession after half-time, their attacking play was devoid of a definite pattern.

This is something the Blues' boss will hope the arrival of Mario Balotelli and the imminent purchase of James Milner remedies. But he must also encourage a dynamism and intent that was lacking on Saturday to allow these players and others to realise their potential in City colours.

Tottenham's first half showing displayed the benefits of a thrusting, attacking 4-4-2 style in the Barclays Premier League, just as the well stocked midfields at this summer's World Cup demonstrated the virtues of a possession-based approach in the modern game.

City have the personnel to undertake either system successfully when their new arrivals have bedded in. Mancini must display greater conviction by using both to win football matches.

Rob Manford, MCFCfans

Enjoy the game!

Rob Manford, MCFCfans

"Tape it, keep it, and if you're a Manchester City fan watch it week in week out."

The countdown to the MCFCfans No.1 video continues ahead of this evening's potential banana skin against Scunthorpe.  This video was very nearly our No.1.  What a night this was at White Hart Lane.  Definitely one of the most incredible games I have ever been to.  3-0 down at half-time I remember buying a Bovril (presumably no booze that night) and having put it on the ground for one second someone kicked it over.  At that moment I thought things couldn't get any worse. In the comedy of having Barton sent off and being 3-0 down it seemed that we were still due to witness something else.  When the first City goal went in I had the genuine feeling we could get a replay.  But no one imagined what would happen next.  One of the best City videos on the internet...watch it week in week out.

CTID.

Click here to see the video

Well it seemed only right on the day of a derby match that we drop the low-rated video trash and stick to a firm derby favourite as we continue our video chart countdown.  This game was one of the most enjoyable games to watch live and has to be up there in many a City fan's top 10.  3-1 would be a tidy result tonight and if the team on paper performs on the pitch then we could have one foot in the final.  Come on City !!!

MCFCfans

Do you ever ask yourself, what will it be like if and when we start winning trophies?  An entire generation of City fans look forward to the moment when City lift their next trophy.  The Carling Cup is a mere three games away.  But do you think that younger City fans are ready to experience winning?!

This is another video that caught our eye for a low amount of views even though it's an interesting video.  Professor Cary Cooper talks about the psychology of City fans with a video that contains some great footage of the stands at Maine Road.  This one deserves more than the 2,954 views it has had so far so we've put it in at No.4 in the MCFCfans video chart. 

MCFCfans