Mark Schwarzer on his one game at City

Mad Eyed Screamer

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Was driving around yesterday and had Talk Sport on - guess it would have been.mid evening UK time.
They had a good interview with Mark Schwarzer covering his career and he spoke about his time at City.

He was playing for Kaiserslauten and fell out with them and hooked up with former City player turned agent Barry Silkman.
Silkman arranged for him to have a trial at City during Steve Coppell's time at Maine Road.
He was selected to play at Bradford City for the reserves and Phil Neal was managing the team. Before the game Neal goes to see the Bradford managsr Chris Kamara and asks him what kind of team is he putting out. Kamara replies a strong team as he has 1st teamers returning from injuries - and then asks Neal why he asked! Neal replies "we have a keeper on trial and have good reports on him so want him to be tested"
Kamara says to himself "thanks for that, I am on the lookout for a keeper, will take a look myself!"

After the game Schwarzer gets a call from Silkman at his Manchester hotel saying he must have impressed as he has received an offer..... "From City?" asks Mark "No, from Bradford" comes the reply. "A loan deal"
Mark says he doesn't want to go on loan but also wants to be fair to City first and see what the response is.
The next day Coppell verbally agrees to sign Schwarzer and says he will sort the contract out and allows Schwarzer to travel back to Germany to gather his stuff up to make the move.
Two days later Coppell quits.
Silkman assures Schwarzer City still want him. A month goes by and no word so Silkman calls Neal and the caretaker manager apologised and said he forgot!
So the contract is faxed over and Schwarzer calls Neal up and asks if it was a joke as "there is an extra '0' missing off the salary..." Neal calls him back and apologises saying it was a typo error....

Before he signs it Silkman speaks with Schwarzer and informs him Bradford were now willing to sign him and make him number 1. Silkman suggests Bradford is a better club to be at as City were in turmoil on and off the pitch. The keeper signed for Bradford - and only played for a few months before a big signing for Middlesbrough - and years later saves Robbie Fowler's injury time penalty to deny City a UEFA Cup spot. Instead Boro took it and went all the way to the final!
 
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Was driving around yesterday and had Talk Sport on - guess it would have been.mid evening UK time.
They had a good interview with Mark Schwarzer covering his career and he spoke about his time at City.

He was playing for Kaiserslauten and fell out with them and hooked up with former City player turned agent Barry Silkman.
Silkman arranged for him to have a trial at City during Steve Coppell's time at Maine Road.
He was selected to play at Bradford City for the reserves and Phil Neal was managing the team. Before the game Neal goes to see the Bradford managsr Chris Kamara and asks him what kind of team is he putting out. Kamara replies a strong team as he has 1st teamers returning from injuries - and then asks Neal why he asked! Neal replies "we have a keeper on trial and have good reports on him so want him to be tested"
Kamara says to himself "thanks for that, I am on the lookout for a keeper, will take a look myself!"

After the game Schwarzer gets a call from Silkman at his Manchester hotel saying he must have impressed as he has received an offer..... "From City?" asks Mark "No, from Bradford" comes the reply. "A loan deal"
Mark says he doesn't want to go on loan but also wants to be fair to City first and see what the response is.
The next day Coppell verbally agrees to sign Schwarzer and says he will sort the contract out and allows Schwarzer to travel back to Germany to gather his stuff up to make the move.
Two days later Coppell quits.
Silkman assures Schwarzer City still want him. A month goes by and no word so Silkman calls Neal and the caretaker manager apologised and said he forgot!
So the contract is faxed over and Schwarzer calls Neal up and asks if it was a joke as "there is an extra '0' missing off the salary..." Neal calls him back and apologises saying it was a typo error....

Before he signs it Silkman speaks with Schwarzer and informs him Bradford were now willing to sign him and make him number 1. Silkman suggests Bradford is a better club to be at as City were in turmoil on and off the pitch. The keeper signed for Bradford - and only played for a few months before a big signing for Middlesbrough - and years later saves Robbie Fowler's injury time penalty to deny City a UEFA Cup spot. Instead Boro took it and went all the way to the final!


Cheers MES, interesting story and somewhat typical of City of that time. One of many that we "just missed out on".

Also, it could have meant that he was the keeper at the time of the 99 Playoff and we'd have missed out on Nicky Weaver legging it around Wembley. Of course, he may have just buggered off to Boro from us instead!!
 
There was a story about Figo City and a taxi. Can’t remember the details though, but it was possible and didn’t happen
 
Supporting City Has more twists than the tiger king. It was Malcolm Alison who recommend Figo to City not sure if it was Swales,kendal or Reid who dithered about the move so we missed out because we missed the deadline to that Portugal had on selling players to foreign clubs. Remember reading an article about it some years ago in the M.E.N.
 

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