12 years ago today... the 8-1

Gary James said:
Firstly, it's worth pointing out that I'm not the club's researcher - I'm not employed by them, so every thing I do is in my own, unpaid time. People often think City employ me in some capacity but they do not. Anyway, in terms of that period I did write a lot about it in Manchester The City Years and other stuff I've done. There are loads of angles to it. Thaksin definitely believed he had the money when he arrived; he passed the fit & proper test; John Wardle et al trusted he was the right man to take City forward and when I met him (twice - once he bought 4 copies of Manchester A Football History off me. It turned out one was for Sheikh Mansour's advisors!) he had detailed plans of what he wanted to achieve. Some of his plans were somewhat bizarre (he wanted to create a 'Man City Cologne: the women - some men too - will love a man wearing it'. His words!) but he did have plans.

After he bought City it all began to unravel of course and his assets were seized. I genuinely believe he didn't think that would happen but fortunately for us it did because it meant he'd have to sell.

Leading up to that Middlesbrough game the situation at City was chaotic and somewhat toxic. John Wardle did pay the players wages out of his own pocket (it's worth remembering that Wardle is perhaps the only chairman since Eric Alexander in 1971-73 who has lost money - Swales, Lee & Thaksin all profited from City ultimately. Not certain on Bernstein's financial agreements. Wardle lost millions). Thaksin's plans were falling apart and he was reported as being on the run, but in the middle of all that he found Garry Cook and planned to bring him in. Cook officially arrived after the Middlesbrough game but he was aware he was joining.

Thaksin's greatest achievement was bringing in Garry Cook - that's controversial but when I interviewed Khaldoon et al it was clear that Cook sold the club and a vision to them well. Otherwise they may have bought NUFC, LFC or Arsenal (other clubs get mentioned too).
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An MCFC cologne? that begs the question if you could put this football club inside a bottle, what would it smell of? I'll go for Boddingtons hops.
 
berryblue said:
If there's a colder windier place to build a football ground I'd like to know where it is?
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Our little Academy can be like the interior of a deep freeze in mid-winter. Wind howls in from Asda carpark and the gap between the stands just sucks it in. Yer do need a couple of 'large' specimens in your row to take the brunt of the gale.
 
ancoats said:
thanks gary

sorry if i got the wrong end of the broom ? i thought with you running the old museum thing at city that you was employed by the club ??
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Not a problem - a lot of people think I'm employed by MCFC but I have never been an employee of the club. When I set up the museum it was on a temporary consultancy basis for 2 days work a week for 6 months. It was never extended but I stayed on that basis for a few years but was only ever a contractor. I've provided support to City (and other clubs) on a consultancy basis several times sometimes paid, often unpaid.

I agree that time would make a good book. Maybe one day I'll resurrect The Journey - the story of 2005 to 2011 I'd drafted but never published.
 
The Black Shed said:
An MCFC cologne? that begs the question if you could put this football club inside a bottle, what would it smell of? I'll go for Boddingtons hops.
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When he told those of us in the room at the time we all looked at each other. Person next to me whispered 'Is he thinking about the smell of the old Kippax?'
 
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