It's All Mick McCarthy's Fault

There aren’t many City legends bigger than Big Joe Corrigan, so it was a real delight to receive a short video message from Joe today about the release of my new book ‘It’s All Mick McCarthy’s Fault’

A true gent and a top man. Many thanks, Joe — hugely appreciated.

It's All Mick McCarthy's Fault: The story of a boy who needed a football team - and found one: Amazon.co.uk: McCarthy, Mark: 9798197650191: Books

Buy It's All Mick McCarthy's Fault: The story of a boy who needed a football team - and found one by McCarthy, Mark (ISBN: 9798197650191) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk

 
Who remembers the Manchester City Clubcall line?

As a young Blue growing up in the south, I rang it constantly to get my City fix. Unfortunately, my parents weren't quite as enthusiastic when the phone bill arrived...

Here's a short extract from Chapter 2 of It's All Mick McCarthy's Fault.

"Unfortunately, in the South there was virtually no media coverage of City at the time — especially in the old Second Division. My updates came via Teletext or the City Club Call line. Match or Shoot magazines were football heaven back then, and I’d spend my hard-earned paper round money on them the second they came out on Saturday mornings.
One day I came home from school to find the TV and video missing from my bedroom. Mum had sold them to pay the phone bill I’d run up. She didn’t look too impressed.
“There’s something wrong with you,” she said. And she meant it.
I would risk my life — or at least that’s how it felt — ringing that club call number. Nobody told me, or if they did, I didn’t care, that it was a premium-rate line. One pound something a minute… or per second, it felt like. I didn’t know what that really meant, and even if I had, I wouldn’t have cared. All I knew was that it gave me information about my club, my City.
I’d get up in the middle of the night and creep to the phone. The old rotary phones made so much noise as you dialled. I carefully dialled all the digits — 0898 121191 covering the dial with a tea towel to muffle the sound so I wouldn’t wake anyone.
Then I’d listen. For what felt like hours. Completely unaware of the damage I was doing to my mum’s bank balance.
So, I was hardly surprised when Mum decided to sell my things that day. I tried to deny it, of course, but the phone bill told its own story.
I remember listening to a full ninety minutes of a pre-season game in Sweden. We won — so it wasn’t all bad.
Many years later, I was having dinner with Mum, talking about life and the past, when she finally revealed the three-figure total of that phone bill.
It’s amazing I’m still here to tell the tale. Sorry, Mum"

Do you remember Clubcall?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Its-All-Mick-McCarthys-Fault/dp/B0H32GVW71/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0








clubcall.jpg
 
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0800 was free phone and still is.

If you called 0800 11112 as stated it would have called Childline before you got to the last digit. "That's Life".
 
City_Shirts said:
Saturday 17th December 1983 - Mick McCarthy City debut at Cambridge United

Any blues at this one recall the day ?

View attachment 194253
Click to expand...
I went, was an early start as I got the train. Got confronted by a mob of spurs fans on Piccadilly early morning who had played at the swamp night before.
Had a wander around various pubs in Cambridge and then paid the most I had ever previously paid for a league away game £5 for a seat. it felt well dear at the time ha ha.
 
City_Shirts said:
Who remembers the Manchester City Clubcall line?

As a young Blue growing up in the south, I rang it constantly to get my City fix. Unfortunately, my parents weren't quite as enthusiastic when the phone bill arrived...

Here's a short extract from Chapter 2 of It's All Mick McCarthy's Fault.

"Unfortunately, in the South there was virtually no media coverage of City at the time — especially in the old Second Division. My updates came via Teletext or the City Club Call line. Match or Shoot magazines were football heaven back then, and I’d spend my hard-earned paper round money on them the second they came out on Saturday mornings.
One day I came home from school to find the TV and video missing from my bedroom. Mum had sold them to pay the phone bill I’d run up. She didn’t look too impressed.
“There’s something wrong with you,” she said. And she meant it.
I would risk my life — or at least that’s how it felt — ringing that club call number. Nobody told me, or if they did, I didn’t care, that it was a premium-rate line. One pound something a minute… or per second, it felt like. I didn’t know what that really meant, and even if I had, I wouldn’t have cared. All I knew was that it gave me information about my club, my City.
I’d get up in the middle of the night and creep to the phone. The old rotary phones made so much noise as you dialled. I carefully dialled all the digits — 0898 121191 covering the dial with a tea towel to muffle the sound so I wouldn’t wake anyone.
Then I’d listen. For what felt like hours. Completely unaware of the damage I was doing to my mum’s bank balance.
So, I was hardly surprised when Mum decided to sell my things that day. I tried to deny it, of course, but the phone bill told its own story.
I remember listening to a full ninety minutes of a pre-season game in Sweden. We won — so it wasn’t all bad.
Many years later, I was having dinner with Mum, talking about life and the past, when she finally revealed the three-figure total of that phone bill.
It’s amazing I’m still here to tell the tale. Sorry, Mum"

Do you remember Clubcall?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Its-All-Mick-McCarthys-Fault/dp/B0H32GVW71/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0








View attachment 194198
Click to expand...
I feel your pain mucker. We had the same problem in our house. It got that bad that my dad bought a fuckin payphone :-D 10p every time you wanted to phone anyone. Thing is, I knew where he hid the key for it so I did get free phone calls but I'd stopped the clubcall shit at that point because I didn't want a leathering.
 
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The Lightbowne Cowboy said:
I feel your pain mucker. We had the same problem in our house. It got that bad that my dad bought a fuckin payphone :-D 10p every time you wanted to phone anyone. Thing is, I knew where he hid the key for it so I did get free phone calls but I'd stopped the clubscall shit at that point because I didn't want a leathering.
Click to expand...
Different times for sure !
 
Feeling very humble and proud of the short journey It's All Mick McCarthy's Fault has been on so far. The reviews coming in have genuinely meant the world to me.

If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, I’d be incredibly grateful if you did. Available now on Amazon via the link below.

Thank you for all the support so far and please please a review to continue to help it grow

It's All Mick McCarthy's Fault: The story of a boy who needed a football team - and found one: Amazon.co.uk: McCarthy, Mark: 9798197650191: Books

Buy It's All Mick McCarthy's Fault: The story of a boy who needed a football team - and found one by McCarthy, Mark (ISBN: 9798197650191) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk

IMG_7076.jpeg
 
City_Shirts said:
Thanks so much for supporting mate
Click to expand...
I'm loving the book.
You've brought many childhood memories back for me, as i went to a school in St Albans when i was 10/11 for a short period.
Got shipped off to an aunts do there from my home in Heywood as my mum and dad separated.
Remember lots of Spurs fans in that school and a good player on the team in a dippers shirt.
But i was the only one in a city top, but can't remember getting any shit.
Probably because 1 i was only going to be there for a term and 2 i was pretty decent at football as a kid and immediately got in their team. Was called up on stage in the assembly to be named MOTM for the previous night's victory in a semi final, which had me proper blushing as a hall full of wannabe cockneys clapped away at me lol.
Your book brought all this back for me, cheers
 
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