Cups For Cock-Ups

Thatchersforearm

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 Jun 2009
Messages
2,213
I have recently done some clearing out and came across the above mentioned book by Ashley Shaw. It was published in 1998 and it was about the period from 'Forward with Franny' through to the relegation to Nationwide Division 2. I have read it before but I have started it again for old times sake. It's a sobering experience to think where we were - when we got hoodwinked by The Mirror into thinking Francis Lee was taking over the club when in reality he only bought 12% - to where we are now.
The book title by the way is taken from a direct quote from Francis Lee during his first spell at City.

'If cups were awarded for cock-ups then you would not be able to move in City's boardroom'

Irony - it's a bastard ain't it?
 
I've just finished reading this book. A mate of mine saw it in a charity shop in Chorlton and picked it up for me. Probably is a correct account of those times but knowing it was a rag who wrote it I did find it a bit condescending at times. I've dragged this thread up,not to do a book review,but to reunite the book with the original owner. The inside cover is "To Nicky" and signed after the message by "Chris". I found it very profound that Chris sentiments say "Here's to 1999,lets make it our year". Of course Chris was meaning the coming year with Nicky,but I found it very perceptive of Chris that 1999 was indeed City's year,that helped propel us to the dizzy heights we are at now. If either Chris or Nicky read this,and would like your book back,get in touch. I could either post it to you or see you at the Brighton game on Wednesday.
 
Last edited:
I've just finished reading this book. A mate of mine saw it in a charity shop in Chorlton and picked it up for me. Probably is a correct account of those times but knowing it was a rag who wrote it I did find it a bit condescending at times. I've dragged this thread up,not to do a book review,but to reunite the book with the original owner. The inside cover is "To Nicky" and signed after the message by "Chris". I found it very profound that Chris sentiments say "Here's to 1999,lets make it our year". Of course Chris was meaning the coming year with Nicky,but I found it very perceptive of Chris that 1999 was indeed City's year,that helped propel us to the dizzy heights we are at now. If either Chris or Nicky read this,and would like your book back,get in touch. I could either post it to you or see you at the Brighton game on Wednesday.
Ooo ya sentimental soppy old sausage! :-D
 
On the same theme picked a book up in a charity shop in Spain last week one euro The original version of Bert Trautmans Steppes to Wembley.
 
Published the year after Cups for Cockups is another title which dealing with our long years in the wilderness. It is by Craig Winstanley, entitled Bleak and Blue with the subtitle "22 years at the Manchester Academy of Football Farce". Beginning in 1976 it deals with the years until relegation as "the good old days" before going onto the period culminating in the 10-1 thrashing of Huddersfield (!) which are "the dark ages", "the temporary respite" of the period up to 1992 before plunging into "the nightmare nineties". There is a splendid section on "the nation's team" (not us, of course!) which he describes (in 1999 of all years) as "not so much a football team as a renowned financial concern and fashion house." But what grabbed my attention all those years ago were the following passages from the intro, "I was a blue baby. As far as the simple game of football is concerned, this blue baby grew up to be a disillusioned and hardened cynic, a fatalist of the most negative disposition, completely paranoid, jaundiced, bitter, peevish and unreasonable. I wasn't always like this...My personality has become inextricably linked with Manchester City Football Club, a giant not so much sleeping as languishing in a persistent vegetative state." I re-read these words again last night to recall what my grandsons simply cannot imagine: that for years no week's work could have been so abominably atrocious that City still couldn't ruin the entire week end, literally without even trying. It is one of Ashley or Craig who sum up the years in the wilderness by pointing out that there was no challenge City couldn't slump to and by identifying the dominant theme of the years: if City ever went into the last match of the season with the merest chance of relegation they seized it with both hands! A whole generation of City fans now have no idea of the psychological damage our club has inflicted on us. How things have changed! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the last ten years Sheik Mansour!
 
Haha. I am I suppose. Put it down to the hot weather and hearing on Friday I'm going to be a grandad for the 5th time due in November.:-)

Congratulations, mate.

Grandchildren are great. Our two are both Blues and the grandson (now eight) was there yesterday and loved it.
 
Published the year after Cups for Cockups is another title which dealing with our long years in the wilderness. It is by Craig Winstanley, entitled Bleak and Blue with the subtitle "22 years at the Manchester Academy of Football Farce". Beginning in 1976 it deals with the years until relegation as "the good old days" before going onto the period culminating in the 10-1 thrashing of Huddersfield (!) which are "the dark ages", "the temporary respite" of the period up to 1992 before plunging into "the nightmare nineties". There is a splendid section on "the nation's team" (not us, of course!) which he describes (in 1999 of all years) as "not so much a football team as a renowned financial concern and fashion house." But what grabbed my attention all those years ago were the following passages from the intro, "I was a blue baby. As far as the simple game of football is concerned, this blue baby grew up to be a disillusioned and hardened cynic, a fatalist of the most negative disposition, completely paranoid, jaundiced, bitter, peevish and unreasonable. I wasn't always like this...My personality has become inextricably linked with Manchester City Football Club, a giant not so much sleeping as languishing in a persistent vegetative state." I re-read these words again last night to recall what my grandsons simply cannot imagine: that for years no week's work could have been so abominably atrocious that City still couldn't ruin the entire week end, literally without even trying. It is one of Ashley or Craig who sum up the years in the wilderness by pointing out that there was no challenge City couldn't slump to and by identifying the dominant theme of the years: if City ever went into the last match of the season with the merest chance of relegation they seized it with both hands! A whole generation of City fans now have no idea of the psychological damage our club has inflicted on us. How things have changed! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the last ten years Sheik Mansour!

Great post.
 

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top
  AdBlock Detected
Bluemoon relies on advertising to pay our hosting fees. Please support the site by disabling your ad blocking software to help keep the forum sustainable. Thanks.