Manchester The City Years Kindle edition now available

[Gary James]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

A fine piece of work. I'm a 90s born Blue so it really helped me to get to grips with the years just before I was born. Dad took me very young, aged 3 in 1994, so to get a written insight into the 80s stuff was very much appreciated. It has everything, the beginning of the book in particular shows real depth in research. Good job.

Thanks. Comments like this mean a lot. Sometimes it's very difficult to know how books are received - I tend to move on to my next project straight afterwards and it's difficult to fully understand what people think. Whenever I read something positive it really does help drive me forward and search for the next piece of information, so thanks. Much appreciated.

As I always say, my research into Manchester football continues. There's so much more to uncover or people to interview or things to say. Even though this book contains about 500,000 words it's still only a fraction of what I wanted to say (but no one would have bought a book of a million words on one club!).

Thanks to all those people who have ever read one of my books or listened to my talks - if you've yet to read my books or have read the odd one but not them all then please pester your library to get them in. That way you'll read them for free and spread the word. Thanks.

 

[WEMBLEY76]

On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Just read Joe Mercer - football with a smile,fantastic story,very well written with passion by Gary James.Its fascinating to take a trip back to another era of football and see the respect genial Joe had in the game all through his life.

 

[Gary James]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Just read Joe Mercer - football with a smile,fantastic story,very well written with passion by Gary James.Its fascinating to take a trip back to another era of football and see the respect genial Joe had in the game all through his life.

Thanks for that. It remains the book I am most proud of and enjoyed writing the most. The narrative of the 2011 edition (considerably updated since 1st edition in 1993) is available as a kindle: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joe-Mercer-OBE-Football-ebook/dp/B00AFDGZD8/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364543174&sr=1-3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joe-Mercer-OBE- ... 174&sr=1-3</a>

and the fully illustrated hardback edition is available with free worldwide postage at a discounted price here: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Joe-Mercer-OBE-Gary-James/9780955812743" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Joe-Mer ... 0955812743</a>

 

[saleblue67]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Just read Joe Mercer - football with a smile,fantastic story,very well written with passion by Gary James.Its fascinating to take a trip back to another era of football and see the respect genial Joe had in the game all through his life.

Thanks for that. It remains the book I am most proud of and enjoyed writing the most. The narrative of the 2011 edition (considerably updated since 1st edition in 1993) is available as a kindle: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joe-Mercer-OBE-Football-ebook/dp/B00AFDGZD8/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364543174&sr=1-3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joe-Mercer-OBE- ... 174&sr=1-3</a>

and the fully illustrated hardback edition is available with free worldwide postage at a discounted price here: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Joe-Mercer-OBE-Gary-James/9780955812743" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Joe-Mer ... 0955812743</a>

Gary James, I've left a post on the 1884 1894 start date thread concerning where the first St Mark's games were played. Not in West Gorton at all but roughly where the speedway track ended up at Belle Vue. The location also ties to where the first St Mark's game v Macc Baptists was reported in the newspapers, according to Paul Toovey's book, of "Longsight, near Belle Vue". I have also disclosed the method that I used to deduce this which involved weather reports, match reports and OS maps. Interested to know what you make of my findings.

I am now concentrating on the Kirkmanshulme CC site as I have a theory that this too has been misidentified. I sent you a PM on this last year, you suggested meeting up, I said "yes" and have heard nothing further. In the interests of finding out new information as quickly as possible, and also me not wasting my time if there is something cast iron as to the current thinking on location, what source, if any, do you have on the KCC site being opposite Tank Row? The 1905 OS map shows a cricket ground there but what information do we have that it was KCC that played at that site? In the interests of sharing information, my present theory is that it was Gorton AFC's first season was played at the KCC site which was on the corner of Pink Bank Lane and Kirkmanshulme Lane. The Gorton AFC accounts in Toovey's book showed that they were paid to vacate the property by the landlord [perhaps "the followers of the summer game were very irate"] at the end of the first [short] season and that there were also dressing rooms on the site. I believe that the 1905 Book of Football, some 20 odd years later, simply got the date wrong for the KCC site as it did for the start date of "West Gorton Association Football Club". Put another way, the 1905 Book of Football is generally unreliable as to dates and surprisingly does not mention St Mark's at all. I have identified some dusty archives where the answer may well lie but I lack the time to check it out.

I've not sent you a PM in case anyone else has information that might help, or indeed if my information helps someone else pursuing similar work.

 

[Gary James]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Thanks for that. It remains the book I am most proud of and enjoyed writing the most. The narrative of the 2011 edition (considerably updated since 1st edition in 1993) is available as a kindle: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joe-Mercer-OBE-Football-ebook/dp/B00AFDGZD8/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364543174&sr=1-3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joe-Mercer-OBE- ... 174&sr=1-3</a>

and the fully illustrated hardback edition is available with free worldwide postage at a discounted price here: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Joe-Mercer-OBE-Gary-James/9780955812743" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Joe-Mer ... 0955812743</a>

Gary James, I've left a post on the 1884 1894 start date thread concerning where the first St Mark's games were played. Not in West Gorton at all but roughly where the speedway track ended up at Belle Vue. The location also ties to where the first St Mark's game v Macc Baptists was reported in the newspapers, according to Paul Toovey's book, of "Longsight, near Belle Vue". I have also disclosed the method that I used to deduce this which involved weather reports, match reports and OS maps. Interested to know what you make of my findings.

I am now concentrating on the Kirkmanshulme CC site as I have a theory that this too has been misidentified. I sent you a PM on this last year, you suggested meeting up, I said "yes" and have heard nothing further. In the interests of finding out new information as quickly as possible, and also me not wasting my time if there is something cast iron as to the current thinking on location, what source, if any, do you have on the KCC site being opposite Tank Row? The 1905 OS map shows a cricket ground there but what information do we have that it was KCC that played at that site? In the interests of sharing information, my present theory is that it was Gorton AFC's first season was played at the KCC site which was on the corner of Pink Bank Lane and Kirkmanshulme Lane. The Gorton AFC accounts in Toovey's book showed that they were paid to vacate the property by the landlord [perhaps "the followers of the summer game were very irate"] at the end of the first [short] season and that there were also dressing rooms on the site. I believe that the 1905 Book of Football, some 20 odd years later, simply got the date wrong for the KCC site as it did for the start date of "West Gorton Association Football Club". Put another way, the 1905 Book of Football is generally unreliable as to dates and surprisingly does not mention St Mark's at all. I have identified some dusty archives where the answer may well lie but I lack the time to check it out.

I've not sent you a PM in case anyone else has information that might help, or indeed if my information helps someone else pursuing similar work.

Neil, this is excellent. Send me a PM with dates when we can meet and lets go through it all. Much appreciated. Last July when we communicated I was in the final difficult stages of my book, so apologies for that. The discussions about Longsight CC and Kirkmanshulme CC were appreciated.

I look forward to meeting and comparing notes. Anything that can help our understanding the better. There are so many elements of MCFC's history that need to be researched further and so it is very pleasing to hear your views. Thanks to archives opening up that have previously been inaccessible that much clearer information is coming forward all the time. Very happy to meet and share. Thanks Gary

 

[ovosam89]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

can anyone please upload this as an ebook? would love to read this, kinda hard for me to afford this and i'm living in Asia, would do anything to read this book :(

 

[DiscoSteve]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

can anyone please upload this as an ebook? would love to read this, kinda hard for me to afford this and i'm living in Asia, would do anything to read this book :(

so you asking us to deny one of our fellow members payment for his work? (shakes head in despair)

 

[ovosam89]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

sorry, i'd wait and buy it

 

[Gary James]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

can anyone please upload this as an ebook? would love to read this, kinda hard for me to afford this and i'm living in Asia, would do anything to read this book :(

The book is available at a discounted price and post free to a worldwide location here: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Manchester-City-Years-Gary-James/9780955812774" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Manches ... 0955812774</a>

2 sections of text have been made available on a trial basis for the Kindle. One covers the early years and one covers 2009-2012:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City-Years-1857-1892-ebook/dp/B00C1MDLA6/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366030387&sr=1-2&keywords=manchester+the+city+years" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City ... city+years</a>

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City-Years-2009-2012-ebook/dp/B00C2Y2LZ4/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366030478&sr=1-5&keywords=manchester+the+city+years" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City ... city+years</a>

 

[Gary James]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

An update for anyone interested in obtaining the hardback edition of Manchester The City Years. The book is now down to its last couple of hundred copies and these are likely to sell out soon. MCFC have some at their City Stores and branches of Waterstones should have a supply - if you don't see it ask and any Waterstones branch will be able to get it in quickly. The National Football Museum have a small supply as well.

WHSmiths won't stock the book as it's often stolen when they have it!

If you buy over the internet then Amazon have copies (use the link on Bluemoon's history page as that will help fund this forum - <a class="postlink" href="http://bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/History/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/History/</a> ) as do most other online retailers such as Waterstones.

If you're outside of the UK the easiest/cheapest way of getting the book is via the Book Depository. They tend to have it discounted and also have it post free around the world, so if you're in USA, Australia etc. you should get it for less than the UK cover price of £25 (they must lose money on postage because it costs a lot to post due to its weight): <a class="postlink" href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Manchester-City-Years-Gary-James/9780955812774" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Manches ... 0955812774</a>

For more information on the book, sample pages etc. have a look at my facebook: <a class="postlink" href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150796330997816.396386.289818652815&type=3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 815&type=3</a>

Also, text only sections are available for Kindle at less than £2 each. If you want to sample some text to see what the book's like then you can get a free sample or buy these 30,000+ word sections for less than £2 each here (the roots of the Blues): <a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City-Years-1857-1892-ebook/dp/B00C1MDLA6/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373528869&sr=1-2&keywords=manchester+the+city+years" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City ... city+years</a> or here (The story of 2009-12): <a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City-Years-2009-2012-ebook/dp/B00C2Y2LZ4/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373528895&sr=1-3&keywords=manchester+the+city+years" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City ... city+years</a>

If you can't afford to buy any of my books or simply don't want to spend that sort of money on a hardback book then please pop into your local library and borrow any of my back catalogue. Libraries can and will order books in from others around the country. Use the libraries - they're free (though may not be for ever!).

Finally, thanks to all BM regulars over the years who have helped me with my research or have bought my books. Some of you have helped inspire me at times; some of you have kept me sane during despairing moments; some have encouraged me to keep going with my research and writing at times by their comments and actions. I'm now in the middle of a long phase of detailed research for another project which is likely to mean I won't publish a book for several years. Thanks to everyone who has helped and those that continue to help along the way.

 

[WEMBLEY76]

On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Any Blue who likes a good read would love this book,its a real treasure of City facts and history,great to dip into and research our history.For the cost
of a ticket to the City party,get this long lasting and no cheese reference to the Blues.You will not be disappointed.Its well written and easy to read.

 

[Gary James]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Any Blue who likes a good read would love this book,its a real treasure of City facts and history,great to dip into and research our history.For the cost
of a ticket to the City party,get this long lasting and no cheese reference to the Blues.You will not be disappointed.Its well written and easy to read.

Thanks for the comments. Much appreciated.

 

[Walkbustaxi]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Any Blue who likes a good read would love this book,its a real treasure of City facts and history,great to dip into and research our history.For the cost
of a ticket to the City party,get this long lasting and no cheese reference to the Blues.You will not be disappointed.Its well written and easy to read.

Well said.

I got it last year but knowing the happy ending I decided to put it away for a rainy day. Naturally I started reading it after the FA Cup final/Mancini's sacking week and had it finished by June.

For me reading this book put the events of May this year into perspective and made me realise that whatever manager and players we got in for 2013/14, the club is in great shape for the long term future when you compare it to the not too distant past.

Seriously, parts of this book are scary. The feeling of dread I felt as Mercer and Allison's relationship falls apart and Peter Swales appears from nowhere during the infighting was like reading a thriller. You know what's happening but you can't do anything about it.

It's the same through the 80's and 90's, the story becoming more a psychological horror. In my case the 90's were brought back with vivid memories of specific games, while whole other chunks of seasons still haven't come back to me due a combination of abuse/shellshock/denial. I trust Gary's documenting of it all, that it did actually happen after all no-one could make this stuff up.

The good news at this point is that you already know we're only a decade or so away from the good times starting. We're all going through hell and we'll all keep going.

The other thing I got from the book was facts I didn't know. My personal favourite being the story of George Smith. He's currently known as our oldest surviving player but has a great story that I won't spoil here.

To sum up there's too many things in The City Years to recommend in one post.

Whether you read the lot, pick and choose eras or just look at the pictures, every City household should have a copy of this book.

 

[Gary James]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Any Blue who likes a good read would love this book,its a real treasure of City facts and history,great to dip into and research our history.For the cost
of a ticket to the City party,get this long lasting and no cheese reference to the Blues.You will not be disappointed.Its well written and easy to read.

Well said.

I got it last year but knowing the happy ending I decided to put it away for a rainy day. Naturally I started reading it after the FA Cup final/Mancini's sacking week and had it finished by June.

For me reading this book put the events of May this year into perspective and made me realise that whatever manager and players we got in for 2013/14, the club is in great shape for the long term future when you compare it to the not too distant past.

Seriously, parts of this book are scary. The feeling of dread I felt as Mercer and Allison's relationship falls apart and Peter Swales appears from nowhere during the infighting was like reading a thriller. You know what's happening but you can't do anything about it.

It's the same through the 80's and 90's, the story becoming more a psychological horror. In my case the 90's were brought back with vivid memories of specific games, while whole other chunks of seasons still haven't come back to me due a combination of abuse/shellshock/denial. I trust Gary's documenting of it all, that it did actually happen after all no-one could make this stuff up.

The good news at this point is that you already know we're only a decade or so away from the good times starting. We're all going through hell and we'll all keep going.

The other thing I got from the book was facts I didn't know. My personal favourite being the story of George Smith. He's currently known as our oldest surviving player but has a great story that I won't spoil here.

To sum up there's too many things in The City Years to recommend in one post.

Whether you read the lot, pick and choose eras or just look at the pictures, every City household should have a copy of this book.

Thanks. I really appreciate these comments. Writing a book of this size takes time and effort and it's difficult to gauge how people will feel about it when it comes out. Also, you never know how it's going to end because when I started to get this version prepared City still hadn't won the FA Cup never mind the League, so it's always a gamble. Comments like yours really do help and are appreciated. Thanks.

I would add that if anyone wants to sample the text to get a feel for the book then there are 2 sections available as Kindle books (each contains over 30,000 words) for less than £2 each. You can even view sections of these for free. My publishers have put the first section and the last of the book here: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City-Years-1857-1892-ebook/dp/B00C1MDLA6/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373790947&sr=1-2&keywords=manchester+the+city+years" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City ... city+years</a> and <a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City-Years-2009-2012-ebook/dp/B00C2Y2LZ4/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373790979&sr=1-3&keywords=manchester+the+city+years" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manchester-City ... city+years</a>

Or borrow the book from the library - it's free and most libraries are happy to order the book in if it's not held locally.

 

[Walkbustaxi]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Thanks. I really appreciate these comments. Writing a book of this size takes time and effort and it's difficult to gauge how people will feel about it when it comes out. Also, you never know how it's going to end because when I started to get this version prepared City still hadn't won the FA Cup never mind the League, so it's always a gamble. Comments like yours really do help and are appreciated. Thanks.

It does help the reader though knowing that it finishes on a high, even if like you said you weren't to know that when you started. It could've been worse mind, if you started a year later it would have had a more downbeat finale!

If I remember correctly The Greatest City came out when Keegan was manager? I wasn't a great reader back then and by the time I'd got to the modern era we were halfway through Pearce's tenure so I gave up and didn't finish the book.

Any autobiographical or historical book you read is a snapshot of a window of time and unless it's a book about someone or something that's a long time been and gone then the chances are the story is still happening long after the book has been written. In this case it was a happy ending to a great book of our clubs ups and downs. In a future update it will be the end of a chapter with hopefully more chapters of success to follow.

Gary, I've seen the sections on Amazon but can you get the whole book for Kindle? It's my sisters birthday soon and I want to get it her as a present.

 

[Gary James]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

It does help the reader though knowing that it finishes on a high, even if like you said you weren't to know that when you started. It could've been worse mind, if you started a year later it would have had a more downbeat finale!

If I remember correctly The Greatest City came out when Keegan was manager? I wasn't a great reader back then and by the time I'd got to the modern era we were halfway through Pearce's tenure so I gave up and didn't finish the book.

Any autobiographical or historical book you read is a snapshot of a window of time and unless it's a book about someone or something that's a long time been and gone then the chances are the story is still happening long after the book has been written. In this case it was a happy ending to a great book of our clubs ups and downs. In a future update it will be the end of a chapter with hopefully more chapters of success to follow.

Gary, I've seen the sections on Amazon but can you get the whole book for Kindle? It's my sisters birthday soon and I want to get it her as a present.

The 1st edition of Manchester The Greatest City came out midway through the 1997-98 relegation season and yet sold out (almost 6,000 copies) within 6 months. The 2nd edition came out following promotion in 2002 and, again, sold out 6,000 copies within a year. In comparison with Manchester The City Years, the Greatest City has had over 4 times as many copies produced and sold at a faster rate (although we are down to the last 200 books). Maybe less people read today; maybe more are interested in City's history when we don't really have a present to be proud of; maybe there are a lot more City books now and people are less prepared to spend £25 on one book (the original Greatest City cost £24.95 in 1997; The City Years is 5p dearer 16 years later but can often be found for less on internet sites which never really happened in the late 90s)?

In terms of ebooks... I'd love to see a full ebook of the entire content with images and so on but the copyrigh, image rights and agreements that would have to be reached to distribute an ebook of that size and image content mean the retail price would be too high for most to buy. I'm pretty certain few would buy an ebook at more than £10 never mind the near £20 that ebook retailers would have to charge to ensure their mark-up.

A text only version is possible but it still contains 500,000 words. It's an area my publishers are looking in to and something I do want to see happen, but no timescales yet. It would help with those outside of the UK interested as well as local fans.

In the meantime, anyone outside the UK can usually find copies, post free, available for worldwide delivery at <a class="postlink" href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Manchester-City-Years-Gary-James/9780955812774" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Manches ... 0955812774</a>

EDIT: If I ever do update The City Years I'd probably end a chapter with the dismissal of Mancini - it's a better point than after winning the title for a history to end because it would allow some analysis of his reign but would also mark the next stage in City's development (whether positive or negative).

 

[Gary James]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

I heard last night that there are now only 170 "Manchester The City Years" left in the warehouse, although there will be another 100 or so out in bookshops and so on, so it seems to be going quicker than I expected only the other week.

I know some people won't buy hardback books (and only this week I've had a journalist from one of the 'quality' papers ask for a free copy even though his newspaper have had a couple and still not given the book any kind of plug in their paper!), but unfortunately a paperback edition won't be produced and an ebook incorporating all the photos would prove to be exhorbitantly priced for an ebook. There may be a text only kndle version at some point though.

 

[Bilboblue]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

I heard last night that there are now only 170 "Manchester The City Years" left in the warehouse, although there will be another 100 or so out in bookshops and so on, so it seems to be going quicker than I expected only the other week.

I know some people won't buy hardback books (and only this week I've had a journalist from one of the 'quality' papers ask for a free copy even though his newspaper have had a couple and still not given the book any kind of plug in their paper!), but unfortunately a paperback edition won't be produced and an ebook incorporating all the photos would prove to be exhorbitantly priced for an ebook. There may be a text only kndle version at some point though.

Gary, I bought a copy of this, and to be honest fella, I think it's the sort of book that should never be brought out in paperback form.

It's a book that should sit proudly on any Blues bookshelf.

I loved it, and highly recommend it to anybody still dithering..... get your other half to buy it early for you for Christmas!

 

[Anonymous]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

bought this for my dads bday present.

i thought i'd have a look whilst i was sat on the loo, ended up with a numb arse as i couldn't put it down.

i'm going to ask to lend it when he's finished.

 

[largyschool]

Re: On sale now - Manchester The City Years

Not a DVD. But I camer across this youtube video - recalls the 2012 Premiership last day (4mins):

<a class="postlink" href="http://youtu.be/wMAR8jzQDU0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://youtu.be/wMAR8jzQDU0</a>

Thanks for info on Manchester The City Years.