Why Does Ricky Hatton Want Us To Be Rubbish again?

[Didsbury Dave]

Do I miss the days when I watched Richard Dunne (yes, Richard Dunne) being flanked by two security staff, holding umbrellas up for him so he didn't get wet walking to his already running car (so it was lovely and warm) after we got fucked over by Leicester at home 3-0?

Do I miss the days of Derek Parlane and Duncan Davidson?

Do I miss City not scoring at home for half the season and then watching our dimwitted manager put our goalie up front?

DO I FUCK!!!!!!!

I love watching our team of mercenary, uncaring , unmanageable misfits more than I could ever have imagined. I thought it would be good but never this good. So no, if you don't mind, I don't want to be rubbish again!

Great post. With regards to the team, when I see the likes of Zab, Vinny and Hart in the tunnel, urging each other on, looking focussed and mean, my heart fills with pride. They are MY City, much more than the likes of Corradi and the other journeymen.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be...

 

[Bozzie]

Funny things 'tourists'.

Last two matches I've sat next to, two blokes from Melbourne at the Newcastle match and on Sunday two guys from West Virginia who have made a 5 day pilgrimage to Manchester to watch the Derby and the Moscow game. All four were smashing lads and particularly the two American guys who are committed City fans and who were just 'blown away' at attending their first game in the flesh. When I asked them "why City"?, one of them said they'd grown up playing 'soccer' and identified themselves with City because of our 'history' (I didn't have the heart to piss on his fries and tell him we had none). He'd started out with nothing and had gradually worked his way up in life, to the point where he could afford the time/money for a trip to Manchester just to indulge his passion for City and he saw City as a club that reflected his values. Strangely I've also sat next to two Russian guys this season who unfortunately had problems in the personal hygiene department but there you go.

 

[Timperley_blue]

I had a season ticket from 1988 to 2010. I averaged around 10 aways per year and had followed City properly since 1982. I can regale anyone with stories of tear-ups, away days, all-dayers, joy and disappointment. I survived school and work when City were poor and they were the opposite. City was, for the most part, my life.

But things change. As a boy, my paper round funded my love and hobby. As an adult my full time job it did the same but provided far less value and left me with little disposable income. I had kids and while I long to take them to the match as my Dad did before me, I frankly find it too much of a ball-ache to plan what we will be doing several weeks in advance. My Dad used to say "fancy the match this afternoon son?" and off we went.

I love City more than most things in life and don't regret a single moment or penny spent. But having seen us win the FA cup and two titles I have closure. So much so me and my closest friends did not cheer at Wembley in 2011, we simply stood and wept as the players collected the trophy. None of us needed to say anything but we knew it was over. The thing that we had longed for more than anything was now reality. For me, following QPR in 2012, there was simply nowhere else to go.

I pick and choose now and last season attended only 3 games. Each time I go and I sit next to a stranger in a replica kit, and I pay £4 odd for a pint, and i look around our incredible stadium, and i watch world class players playing the football I dreamed of as a kid I desperately try to ignore the City of my youth but I can't. And it gives me an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach.

And that makes me sad.

 

[Silva_Spell]

The atmosphere in the stadium these days is dog turd and it needs fixing but this isn't a City problem ...it's an English Football problem.

The all seater stadium is at the core of the atmosphere issue as well as the pricing problem. All 3 are linked and English football needs to learn from leagues like the Bundesliga and force through Safe Standing. A season ticket at Bayern costs as little as £100 ffs. Bayern Munich

As far as some fans preferring the old days, a large part of that is probably down to preferring to be in your 20's - early 30's combined with the matchday atmosphere problem. Anyone who'd rather now be supporting a City with Lee Bradbury upfront has mental issues

 

[johnnytapia]

I would agree with our Noel though about not wanting to expand the stadium. An extra 12,000 seats is not going to make a significant different to the financial turnover of the club and we have to admit that the atmosphere at many home games is somewhat subdued.

I would prefer to have another 3-4 years of building the club, following, more trophies, more world wide appeal - and then once we know there is a significant waiting list and can guarantee to sell out every home game, then expand. Spurs have a waiting list of 20,000 and the Arse, despite their disgusting prices, still have a waiting list of another 15,000 over their current capacity.

And for a Champions league game that is totally vital for us to win and because the 4,000 CSKA fans are not allowed, city are giving away tickets like confetti (I have 2 season card Exec seats and have been offered 8 further free!) and I still doubt it will be anywhere close sold out.

But expansion is already under way, but premature IMO.

If you owned a restaurant that was full (and turning people away)Thursday-Saturday and half full Monday-Wednesday which of those features would define your future plans for your business?

Lofty ambition, or suffocating caution?

Some supporters get too weighed down by our inability to fill our ground for every game. Why should that shape the narrative more than the over-capacity demand for big games?

Think big.

To take the restaurant analogy further:

It was this thinking that sank The Bell-Waldron. A nice bijou-style restaurant, catering for the well-heeled of North Manchester, carrying the name of one of the region’s most famous footballers. And Colin Bell. It went for the glory of european style dining when its cleintele was happy with the mediocre, yet consistent English style. And soon, what was a thriving business, most especially on Saturdays, expanded too rapidly and the terraces, sorry, the tables were empty seven days a week. Finally, in a scene reminiscent of the Germans’ retreat from Stalingrad to the bombed out husk of Berlin, Mickey Dine, in a reverse Barberossa style pincer movement, forced Bell to sell up and moved his betting emporium into the building that had once stood as a monument to Nijinski’s clear desire to bring good basic fayre to the public but was now a sorry reminder of what happens when folk get ideas above their culinary station.

For Bell Waldron, read Etihad. For Mickey Dine read Platini. For fine food, read a cookbook.

 

[johnnytapia]

I would agree with our Noel though about not wanting to expand the stadium. An extra 12,000 seats is not going to make a significant different to the financial turnover of the club and we have to admit that the atmosphere at many home games is somewhat subdued.

I would prefer to have another 3-4 years of building the club, following, more trophies, more world wide appeal - and then once we know there is a significant waiting list and can guarantee to sell out every home game, then expand. Spurs have a waiting list of 20,000 and the Arse, despite their disgusting prices, still have a waiting list of another 15,000 over their current capacity.

And for a Champions league game that is totally vital for us to win and because the 4,000 CSKA fans are not allowed, city are giving away tickets like confetti (I have 2 season card Exec seats and have been offered 8 further free!) and I still doubt it will be anywhere close sold out.

But expansion is already under way, but premature IMO.

If you owned a restaurant that was full (and turning people away)Thursday-Saturday and half full Monday-Wednesday which of those features would define your future plans for your business?

Lofty ambition, or suffocating caution?

Some supporters get too weighed down by our inability to fill our ground for every game. Why should that shape the narrative more than the over-capacity demand for big games?

Think big.

To take the restaurant analogy further:

It was this thinking that sank The Bell-Waldron. A nice bijou-style restaurant, catering for the well-heeled of North Manchester, carrying the name of one of the region’s most famous footballers. And Colin Bell. It went for the glory of european style dining when its cleintele was happy with the mediocre, yet consistent English style. And soon, what was a thriving business, most especially on Saturdays, expanded too rapidly and the terraces, sorry, the tables were empty seven days a week. Finally, in a scene reminiscent of the Germans’ retreat from Stalingrad to the bombed out husk of Berlin, Mickey Dine, in a reverse Barberossa style pincer movement, forced Bell to sell up and moved his betting emporium into the building that had once stood as a monument to Nijinski’s clear desire to bring good basic fayre to the public but was now a sorry reminder of what happens when folk get ideas above their culinary station.

For Bell Waldron, read Etihad. For Mickey Dine read Platini. For fine food, read a cookbook.

 

[moomba]

I would agree with our Noel though about not wanting to expand the stadium. An extra 12,000 seats is not going to make a significant different to the financial turnover of the club and we have to admit that the atmosphere at many home games is somewhat subdued.

I would prefer to have another 3-4 years of building the club, following, more trophies, more world wide appeal - and then once we know there is a significant waiting list and can guarantee to sell out every home game, then expand. Spurs have a waiting list of 20,000 and the Arse, despite their disgusting prices, still have a waiting list of another 15,000 over their current capacity.

And for a Champions league game that is totally vital for us to win and because the 4,000 CSKA fans are not allowed, city are giving away tickets like confetti (I have 2 season card Exec seats and have been offered 8 further free!) and I still doubt it will be anywhere close sold out.

But expansion is already under way, but premature IMO.

If you owned a restaurant that was full (and turning people away)Thursday-Saturday and half full Monday-Wednesday which of those features would define your future plans for your business?

Lofty ambition, or suffocating caution?

Some supporters get too weighed down by our inability to fill our ground for every game. Why should that shape the narrative more than the over-capacity demand for big games?

Think big.

To take the restaurant analogy further:

It was this thinking that sank The Bell-Waldron. A nice bijou-style restaurant, catering for the well-heeled of North Manchester, carrying the name of one of the region’s most famous footballers. And Colin Bell. It went for the glory of european style dining when its cleintele was happy with the mediocre, yet consistent English style. And soon, what was a thriving business, most especially on Saturdays, expanded too rapidly and the terraces, sorry, the tables were empty seven days a week. Finally, in a scene reminiscent of the Germans’ retreat from Stalingrad to the bombed out husk of Berlin, Mickey Dine, in a reverse Barberossa style pincer movement, forced Bell to sell up and moved his betting emporium into the building that had once stood as a monument to Nijinski’s clear desire to bring good basic fayre to the public but was now a sorry reminder of what happens when folk get ideas above their culinary station.

For Bell Waldron, read Etihad. For Mickey Dine read Platini. For fine food, read a cookbook.

The expansion is about adding tables, not changing the menu. Having 12k extra seats (whether they are full or empty) will make no difference to the regular diners.

 

[Bluesince1979]

Let me make one thing clear, I don't for one second hanker after the baron years, not for one second. I was born in 74 so don't remember the 76 league cup win so effectively had to wait until I was 36 to see my team lift a trophy.

However, during those years I had some immense laughs, some cracking days out and some awesome memories. My red mates rarely went to games when they were winning the lot and if they did they'd drive to OT on there own where as I had days like the Blackburn away promotion game when 7 of us piled into an old 5 series BM and had a great day. The play off final too dancing in trafalgar sq fountain. Etc etc etc. so where as my red mates were watching it all on the box I was living it and still say to this day that I had better times than them. Even tho we were shit and winning nowt and they were winning trebles.
I remember beating Newcastle with about 4 games to go (wanchope header) and it meant we were safe from relegation. I jumped up and down that day when Crazy Legs scored just as much as I did when Toure scored to win the FA Cup to end our 34 year wait.

So to conclude, I certainly don't wish we were shit still but in a funny sort of way, and in a very different sort of way I may add, it was just as enjoyable!!!

 

[johnnytapia]

If you owned a restaurant that was full (and turning people away)Thursday-Saturday and half full Monday-Wednesday which of those features would define your future plans for your business?

Lofty ambition, or suffocating caution?

Some supporters get too weighed down by our inability to fill our ground for every game. Why should that shape the narrative more than the over-capacity demand for big games?

Think big.

To take the restaurant analogy further:

It was this thinking that sank The Bell-Waldron. A nice bijou-style restaurant, catering for the well-heeled of North Manchester, carrying the name of one of the region’s most famous footballers. And Colin Bell. It went for the glory of european style dining when its cleintele was happy with the mediocre, yet consistent English style. And soon, what was a thriving business, most especially on Saturdays, expanded too rapidly and the terraces, sorry, the tables were empty seven days a week. Finally, in a scene reminiscent of the Germans’ retreat from Stalingrad to the bombed out husk of Berlin, Mickey Dine, in a reverse Barberossa style pincer movement, forced Bell to sell up and moved his betting emporium into the building that had once stood as a monument to Nijinski’s clear desire to bring good basic fayre to the public but was now a sorry reminder of what happens when folk get ideas above their culinary station.

For Bell Waldron, read Etihad. For Mickey Dine read Platini. For fine food, read a cookbook.

The expansion is about adding tables, not changing the menu. Having 12k extra seats (whether they are full or empty) will make no difference to the regular diners.

I know. My post was firmly tongue in cheek. I’m fully in favour of the expansion. I see it as win-win. We get to have an increased capacity, more opportunities for folk to see City. Increased revenue for the club. It won’t be full for lots of games - couldn’t give a fuck.

As for Ricky and his comments, well, there’s always the old videos to dig out. He can borrow one of mine: “Equalling the Record”. Bought, amidst much excitement, circa 190/91 when we went on a dizzying run of 3 away wins and a draw. The mists of time have dimmed my recollection of who we beat, but Tottenham, West Ham and possibly Notts County spring to mind. The draw came at Luton I think. I was at them all and had a fucking ball, especially when steve Redmond managed to inadvertantly chip his penalty in from a prone position on the ground after taking an almighty tumble as he strode up to the spot. Equalling the fucking record!!! Brilliant, what a coup for the marketing dept. We shoud re-issue it and watch FFP melt away.