Factual Old-school City Myths that are untrue

Gary James said:
True. He did not break his neck.
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Are you absolutely sure about that Gary?

My understanding is that he dislocated five vertebrae.
Four were intact but one (the second vertebrae) was cracked.

The injury wasn't diagnosed correctly at the time and the full extent wasn't revealed until he
had an X-Ray at Manchester Royal a few days later. So both a dislocation and a break.

At least that's the version of the story that I've heard.
 
Paul Walsh was really great when he was swapped for Gerry Creaney. From all MCIVTA reports at the time he had completely lost it.
 
We didn't really take around 70,000 to see York away - but it felt like it and of god's sake don't let the Chav's know.
 
Re. Dave Watson not wanting to move - do you guys know Dave or are your comments based on something published at the time or since? I would be interested to hear as I am particularly interested in that summer of 79 - probably more out of nostalgia than anything. He was the best defender around at the time and Werder Bremen seemed an odd club to join, and for a fairly small fee. What was all that about? He would have been ideal for bringing Tommy Caton along to the player he could have become.
 
isab23502 said:
Re. Dave Watson not wanting to move - do you guys know Dave or are your comments based on something published at the time or since? I would be interested to hear as I am particularly interested in that summer of 79 - probably more out of nostalgia than anything. He was the best defender around at the time and Werder Bremen seemed an odd club to join, and for a fairly small fee. What was all that about? He would have been ideal for bringing Tommy Caton along to the player he could have become.
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Yes - I did an Indepth interview with him a couple of years ago. It was published in the mcfc match prog as part of my series of interviews with former players, managers, celebrity fans, fans and others with a story to tell about the club. If all goes to plan the series will continue this year.

I've also interviewed Corrigan, Owen, Caton, Clements, Barnes, Allison, Swales, Book and others about this period. All say same thing about Allison's return (except Allison of course!).
 
I always understood Nicky Butt always wore a long sleeved shirt because he had a City tattoo on his forearm. If he eventually wore a short sleeved one then it was because he'd had the tattoo removed. True?
 
I vividly remember him coming on as a sub for Birmingham City against us and numerous Blues were booing him. An argument started because people were saying he grew up a City fan. He even looked a bit upset as he glanced at the South Stand.

Thankfully I no longer need to know whether it was true or not. It sounded like bollocks.
 
It is a myth,Many years ago he was in the cotton tree one Sunday,he was next to me at the bar,so I asked him the question,he lifted up the sleeves on his shirt.......No tattoo
Nice enough lad,but his hanger-on's didn't like me asking,he got quite upset actually,and threatened to have me "done in"
Happy days......
 
isab23502 said:
Re. Dave Watson not wanting to move - do you guys know Dave or are your comments based on something published at the time or since? I would be interested to hear as I am particularly interested in that summer of 79 - probably more out of nostalgia than anything. He was the best defender around at the time and Werder Bremen seemed an odd club to join, and for a fairly small fee. What was all that about? He would have been ideal for bringing Tommy Caton along to the player he could have become.
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I heard a number of years ago from someone in Nottingham (where Watson is from) who's normally pretty reliable, that his signing on fee at Werder Bremen paid off his gambling debts in Manchester. Nothing too on top or nasty, but it gave him a quick fix to a problem.
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
I heard a number of years ago from someone in Nottingham (where Watson is from) who's normally pretty reliable, that his signing on fee at Werder Bremen paid off his gambling debts in Manchester. Nothing too on top or nasty, but it gave him a quick fix to a problem.
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Sounds like total rubbish. You could ask him of course. His company will forward emails on to him. He was sold because City wanted him to go. The Werder fans loved him and still talk positively of his time there. He has been over for various events since leaving and they love him.

There's an interesting book from around this time written by his wife - My Dear Watson
 
Gary James said:
Sounds like total rubbish. You could ask him of course. His company will forward emails on to him. He was sold because City wanted him to go. The Werder fans loved him and still talk positively of his time there. He has been over for various events since leaving and they love him.

There's an interesting book from around this time written by his wife - My Dear Watson
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Fair enough, Gary. As I said it was from someone who isn't a bullshitter, who's well informed and well connected, who also told me a very interesting story about Stuart Pearce which was subsequently corroborated by a mod on here(!) but good sources can give you bad info. Even if true it's hardly particularly egregious or noteworthy behaviour. For example I do know a certain England goalkeeper in the past had to leave his club because of gambling debts, because I know who he owed the money to! It's not a crime and a gambling debt wasn't even legally enforceable until relatively recently.

Surprised at what you say about his time at Werder Bremen as according to Wiki he only played for them twice!

In any event it was a great shame Watson left. One of the best defenders to play for our club and was still playing for England three years after we sold him.
 
Garrinchas---Dog said:
It is a myth,Many years ago he was in the cotton tree one Sunday,he was next to me at the bar,so I asked him the question,he lifted up the sleeves on his shirt.......No tattoo
Nice enough lad,but his hanger-on's didn't like me asking,he got quite upset actually,and threatened to have me "done in"
Happy days......
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I can't stand wankers who lig on to a local celebrity.
 
It should have been 10.....

Watch the full match again, it should have been at least 12 !!!
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
Surprised at what you say about his time at Werder Bremen as according to Wiki he only played for them twice!
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Good old Wikipedia - source of many an urban myth, but in this case their simple fact needs explaining. He did make a big impression and was loved by fans. So, for interest here's part of the interview I published on Dave in the City prog in December 2009. As with those good folk at the Mirror, please respect copyright. Ta!

When it came time to move on was it your choice?
I told the chairman that if Malcolm was staying I’d have to go. Peter Swales understood but he made it clear I could not go to another English side. That was wise from City’s viewpoint. Spurs were interested again, but while I was on international duty in Sweden officials from Bremen came to see me. They talked things through and I remember discussing it with Steve Coppell and a few other England players. It all seemed fine and I agreed to go. From a footballing point of view it turned out to be a disaster.
What went wrong?
I was sent off in my second game for Werder Bremen. I’d played about 15 games before the league season started and then I was man of the match in the first League game. Then we played 1860 Munich and I was sent off for pushing someone – a 12 week ban! I didn’t even touch him, and when I left the pitch I saw him laughing. He was a cheat and if anything he got me. That killed it for me. We’d moved over there and we’d bought a house. I spoke with Lawrie McMenemy at Southampton and let him know what was happening and he told me not to say anything to anyone. Two days later Southampton made a bid. Bremen had more than doubled their money and everybody was happy.
Despite the sending off the Bremen fans took to you and in one book there’s a 3 or 4 page profile on you. Did you realise you’d made such a big impression?
I was only there a few months but they seemed to take to me. I’ve got that book and it’s incredible. There are guys who played a lot longer than I did but they’ve not got that coverage. I never actually fell out with the fans. At training they used to get huge crowds and I was always signing autographs at the end. Loads of autographs. It was incredible.
 
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