aguero93:20 said:They seem to, they got the story of City turning down di Maria first last night "from a senior club official". Knowing how much Soriano hates leaks, that wasn't done without his say so.Rammyblues said:I know we have all knocked the Mirror in the past but maybe its me they seem to have been reasonable about our transfer activity as well, I wonder if they have got the "ear" of our club for information.
gordondaviesmoustache said:Good game to have as your first, mate. The FA Cup had a real buzz around it those days and a 4-0 win on your 'debut' is a....errrrr...... massive result. Also, as you've referred to, Big Mal's return added a further layer of intrigue to proceedings.Henkeman said:gordondaviesmoustache said:The strange thing about that Cup run is that all the rounds were covered on the BBC (via MOTD) except that Palace one iirc. This was most unusual at the time as they only covered three games for each round.
Can't recall if it was on ITV or not, but I do remember we won 4-0 - at least I think I do!
*shuffles off to history section*
Highlights were on The Big Match that evening!
His reception from the fans, given the shocking state his reckless tenure rendered the club in, showed City fans at their generous best and demonstrated that at a football club, good memories should always prevail over bad ones when reflecting upon the past. Otherwise, what's the point?
It would be a lot less than 180 pages if you weren't constantly swelling its contents!franksinatra said:aguero93:20 said:They seem to, they got the story of City turning down di Maria first last night "from a senior club official". Knowing how much Soriano hates leaks, that wasn't done without his say so.Rammyblues said:I know we have all knocked the Mirror in the past but maybe its me they seem to have been reasonable about our transfer activity as well, I wonder if they have got the "ear" of our club for information.
Hopefully those positive articles are no way collected with us providing interesting information as an unbiased impartial press are what we all desire.
We have a 180 page thread of fellow city fans fighting against the perceived injustice of bias within the media.
That's a lovely story mate.Henkeman said:gordondaviesmoustache said:Good game to have as your first, mate. The FA Cup had a real buzz around it those days and a 4-0 win on your 'debut' is a....errrrr...... massive result. Also, as you've referred to, Big Mal's return added a further layer of intrigue to proceedings.Henkeman said:Highlights were on The Big Match that evening!
His reception from the fans, given the shocking state his reckless tenure rendered the club in, showed City fans at their generous best and demonstrated that at a football club, good memories should always prevail over bad ones when reflecting upon the past. Otherwise, what's the point?
Apart from thinking that was normal!
My parents had moved south, and so I only got taken to games when we went back to visit family. That first year I saw maybe 5 games and thought a cup final run was how things were. So I was in tears come the cup final.
A little coda: my father would go to every game for 30 years till he moved south. But in the years since not many at all. So come the 2011 cup final I reminded him that my first ever game was the last season City got to the final, and wouldn't it be nice to watch it together. He said yes it would be lovely and did I want to come round to watch it? "well I could Dad, or you could come with me to Wembley". The silence on the other end of the phone is a special memory.
gordondaviesmoustache said:That's a lovely story mate.Henkeman said:gordondaviesmoustache said:Good game to have as your first, mate. The FA Cup had a real buzz around it those days and a 4-0 win on your 'debut' is a....errrrr...... massive result. Also, as you've referred to, Big Mal's return added a further layer of intrigue to proceedings.
His reception from the fans, given the shocking state his reckless tenure rendered the club in, showed City fans at their generous best and demonstrated that at a football club, good memories should always prevail over bad ones when reflecting upon the past. Otherwise, what's the point?
Apart from thinking that was normal!
My parents had moved south, and so I only got taken to games when we went back to visit family. That first year I saw maybe 5 games and thought a cup final run was how things were. So I was in tears come the cup final.
A little coda: my father would go to every game for 30 years till he moved south. But in the years since not many at all. So come the 2011 cup final I reminded him that my first ever game was the last season City got to the final, and wouldn't it be nice to watch it together. He said yes it would be lovely and did I want to come round to watch it? "well I could Dad, or you could come with me to Wembley". The silence on the other end of the phone is a special memory.
Funnily enough my dad, who's a rag, took me to the '81 Cup Final and was even willing City to win - which would be unthinkable today as he's become consumed with bile for all things City in recent years - which I prefer tbh ;-)
I rang him on the train on the way back from Wembley after the Final in 2011 as I'd remembered my previous FA Cup final visit (didn't go to the replay) and fancied a dad/son moment (as well as bit of piss-taking about the banner) and it was a good job I did, as it was his birthday and I'd completely forgotten! Managed to blag my way through it, I think !
I am so shit at remembering people's birthdays, I really am. It's a really poor part of my make-up.
gordondaviesmoustache said:That's a very positive article, although assuming my occasional role as a pedant, that Francis Lee quote was from his days as a player at the club iirc.The Pope said:http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/no-one-laughing-manchester-city-anymore-4095988?
What is Manuel Pellegrini’s greatest achievement as Manchester City’s manager?
Is it to harness the prowess of a forward line that is as potent as any in world football?
Is it to have taken the club one stage further in the Champions League, establishing them as significant players in Europe?
Or is it the triumph of a second Premier League title? Creating the winning mentality that is becoming second nature at the Etihad.
Yes, the cool Chilean, the master of the understatement, can be praised for all of the above.
But the real skill in Pellegrini’s current class of players has been two-fold.
First, he has managed to keep a dressing room of Galacticos all singing from the same hymn sheet.
More importantly, he has turned Manchester City into one of the most boring clubs in the Premier League.
That’s not a criticism. And I’m not talking about ‘boring’ on the pitch – far from it.
It is a sign of a healthy club when they don’t occupy the front pages of our national newspapers.
Obviously, it hasn’t always been this way. For football folk approaching their middle age, Manchester City were always good for a laugh.
Observers used to look back with fondness at the really good stories which made the rest of the watching football world smile.
You’ll remember them. It started with former chairman Peter Swales, who almost bankrupted the club at the turn of the ’80s with his purchase of a string of players who weren’t really capable of living up to their price tags. Steve Daley, Kevin Reeves and the rest.
That sparked a downward spiral at the club which spawned some memorable tales.
Getty
My way or the high way: Mancini wasn't a fan of compromise
Indeed, it was Franny Lee, shortly after taking over from Swales, who claimed: “If there were cups for cock-ups, then Manchester City’s trophy cabinet would be bursting.”
Me? Well, I particularly admired the one about Steve Lomas.
You’ll remember it. Last match of the 1995-96 campaign. Manchester City came back from two-down against Liverpool, thinking it would be good enough to save them from the drop. Manager Alan Ball orders the midfielder to take the ball to the corner flag, having been given some erroneous information.
Cue a desperate Niall Quinn charging down the players’ tunnel, telling a startled Maine Road that they needed to win the game.
Too little, too late. Manchester City are relegated. Ho ho! We all had a chuckle at that one. There’s been several since then. In 2003, Manchester City became the first team to lose a Premier League game without the opposition (Middlesbrough) having a direct shot on target – Sun Jihai putting through his own goal.
We had the sight of Stuart Pearce taking a stuffed toy – a horse called ‘Beanie’ – to sit on the sidelines with him for good luck. (A man nicknamed Psycho with a teddy?)
The whole episode with Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra ended with former chairman John Wardle having to pay the players’ wages.
It didn’t stop after the Sheikhs took over, either. Chief executive Garry Cook firing off distasteful emails about Nedum Onuoha’s cancer-stricken mum ... to Onoua’s mum.
Then we had Roberto Mancini’s ‘my way or the highway’ dictats. Fireworks from Mario Balotelli on and off the field. And Carlos Tevez driving while disqualified.
Now? Twitter accounts celebrate ‘Boring James Milner’.
VIEW GALLERY
The dressing room is filled with high-class players who appear to enjoy playing for the club – the best of whom have been signed to long-term contracts.
The club means what it says regarding community involvement.
They do not appear to be merely paying lip service to it – although, with a bottomless pit of money to splash around, they don’t have to.
And now they have landed Frank Lampard – the current England captain – on a free transfer from their biggest title rivals. Gift-wrapped.
Pellegrini has either instigated – or been part of all of that.
No nonsensical spats in public, despite Jose Mourinho’s goadings.
A happy camp that knows how to grind out victories. And one that is set to have a decent crack at the Champions League this season.
And you know the best thing of all for England’s champions. Now that Mr Ferguson has departed, their biggest rivals, United, just cannot get it right, can they?.
So, yes, the club has been through the mill. But if there is such a thing as a higher being, he’s currently sat upstairs wearing a sky blue scarf.
Laughing with Manchester City. Not at them.
Henkeman said:gordondaviesmoustache said:I too liked a Kevin Reeves, BTP. He wasn't nearly prolific enough, but he had a great first touch, held the ball up very well for his size and was superb at flick-ons. My favourite player in the early 80's.Bert Trautmann's Parachute said:I enjoyed reading that. I would say that Kevin Reeves was a cracking little player, though. No Kenny Dalglish, but no Steve Daley either.
He scored the first City goal I ever saw live (a penalty), so he's a God of my childhood.