Can't believe there isnt a thread on this already, but i thought i'd post it considering that it has made the front page of all national newspapers today. I think its worth posting it on this site aswell considering it is classed as a "business venture" in Manchester.


NEW Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has promised fans the club is safe in his hands - and vowed to bring back the glory days.

The Thai billionaire sent a personal message to Blues supporters in an interview with the M.E.N.

Shinawatra said he has the long-term commitment - and the funds - to make City a major force in football once again.

He said: "I have heard a lot about the club and that it is a very long- established club with a good history and what English people call 'a sleeping giant'.

"I want to make the giant wake up from its sleep."

Shinawatra is facing a corruption probe and allegations of human rights abuse in his home country. As prime minister he initiated a war on drugs in Thailand in which 2,500 people died.

But he insists he is innocent of charges laid against him by political opponents among Thailand's current military leadership and is confident he will eventually be cleared.

He also assured fans the seizure of £1bn of his assets in Thailand will not affect his takeover or his investment in new players. He said: "Don't worry, the money that we plan to use to work with Manchester City I got permission to bring from Thailand a long time ago.

"Bringing that money out of Thailand had been planned several months before this thing happened. In addition, I have friends all over the world I can ask for credit from until I get the justice system to unfreeze my money."

He added: "The club's lease on the City of Manchester Stadium is 250 years. I said I will do the contract extension myself in the next life!"

Shinawatra, 57, a former policeman who made his fortune in telecommunications, became the first foreign owner in City's 127-year history as he completed a £82m takeover yesterday. He was prime minister of Thailand for five years before he was overthrown in a bloodless military coup last September and has since been living in exile in London.

One of his first tasks at City will be to find a new manager. He confirmed that he and his advisers have been in talks with former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson but that no final decision has been reached. But while City fans were relieved the club will now be able to move on after weeks of delay in takeover talks, many remain concerned that the new owner's troubles in his home country may disrupt the club.

Shinawatra said: "Please tell the fans that the events in Thailand are not happening in a democratic way. I was a democratically-elected leader ousted by a military dictator. Now everything in Thailand is under a military dictatorship.

"It will be back to normal when democracy returns to Thailand in December. I hope that justice will prevail after that. But everything they do is politically-motivated.

"The money I have is money that the whole family earned over more than 20 years by working hard. They said that I have made that money through corruption. That is ridiculous."

Shinawatra also defended himself against claims of human rights abuse by Amnesty International over the high number of deaths that resulted from his hard-line anti-drug policy in Thailand.

He said: "I have explained this several times. The policy was clear. We had to get tough, but within the law.

"If you can find drugs in Bangkok as easily as chewing gum or cigarettes, that is not good for the young generation.

"Before I came in, there were about one million people using drugs, and 300,000 addicts. So I cleaned it up by using tough enforcement of the law. I didn't just sit idly and let them sell drugs. And the police got tough. It was tough but under the rule of law."

Shinawatra will install his 27-year-old son Panthongtae and daughter Pintongta as City directors, but has asked three current directors - chairman John Wardle, chief executive Alistair Mackintosh and Bryan Bodek - to stay on the board.

He added: "I believe the continuity that brings is very important to the long-term future of the club. When I run a business, I make sure there are professionals in place to do the job professionally, and that is what I have done here."

Shinawatra is expected to spend up to £50m on new players. He added: "If necessary it may cost £50m, it may cost £30m or it may cost £20m. I will leave recruitment to my advisers, but I know we need two strikers, two midfielders and maybe some others. I will bring some equity and capital to the club so they can invest more on players and other infrastructure if this is necessary.

"The existing players are very good but we have to bring more good players to the club.

"When you want effectiveness you drive for the target and that is my style - strong leadership, not dictatorship."

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5250390,00.jpg

http://images.skysports.com/images/stadia/43.jpg

A filthy-rich saviour for long-suffering City? Grow up

David Conn
Friday June 22, 2007
The Guardian

The timing of yesterday's announcement, that Manchester City's "custodians" are to sell the club to Thaksin Shinawatra and bank millions of pounds of his money on the same day he was charged with criminal corruption in his home country, served to underline Thaksin's advisers' view all along: the fans won't protest.

City's discussions with the former Thai prime minister, who was deposed in a military coup after widespread allegations of corruption and family nest-feathering, have been conducted with the assumption that the club's supporters will not be worried about how Thaksin made his billions, or troubled by the long-standing allegations of human rights violations. They would just want somebody, anybody, to throw money in to buy City a few players "fit to wear the shirt".

Sadly, that seems to be mostly true. A few City fans have read up on Thaksin and decided they would be ashamed if he becomes the owner and chairman of Manchester's self-styled community club - but most want to know only if the former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will be the manager and whether Thaksin will provide enough money to enable City to compete with United in next season's derby.

I was a fan like them back in 1994, standing at Maine Road to welcome a previous saviour, Francis Lee, as the new majority owner to replace Peter Swales. Who knew anything then about money in football, or shareholdings in clubs, or the debts in the accounts? Swales, a vinegary old salt, was finally out and blessed, cherubic Franny, centre-forward from the glory days, was in. "St Francis, the Second Coming", proclaimed the T-shirts.

I interviewed Franny shortly after his takeover and there, in the chairman's office at Maine Road, began my education into the football business - or more precisely into the yawning, at times tragic, chasm between the sentimental, lifelong loyalty fans have for their clubs and the games money men play with them. As an eight-year-old, I kissed Franny's image on television after watching him score a wondrous free-kick in the sunshine. As an adult, I met a businessman. He was planning to make money out of City by redeveloping the Kippax Street Stand, scooping up the Sky TV millions, then floating the club on the Stock Exchange.

I went on my own journey, learning some facts I should have known already: about how the Football Association from the beginning of professional football believed it must preserve the game's sporting soul and introduced astute rules to protect clubs from being financially exploited; then how, when modern clubs floated on the stock market, our toothless FA allowed them to bypass those rules by forming holding companies; that the Premier League was formed in 1992 by 22 First Division clubs, including City, to break away from the Football League's practice of sharing TV money with the 70 in the three lower divisions. Football, contrary to the instinctive feeling of those who love the game and against its own traditions, had become a financial free for all.

City being City, Franny cocked it up. The club was bailed out by John Wardle and David Makin, who might have steered City into a golden age but blew it, too. Now they are accepting £17.5m in part payment of their loans and £7.2m for their shares from Thaksin, who is charged with corruption, has much of his assets frozen and who will use City as part of his profile-boosting campaign in Thailand. There the rural poor, among whom he remains popular, are part of the global TV audience dazzled by the Premiership.

Yesterday's announcement expressed nothing about City being the Manchester club, about pride or heart, nor anything about Thaksin's criminal charges or the cloud hanging over him. Instead City's board said: "The offer presents an opportunity for Manchester City shareholders to realise their entire shareholding in Manchester City for cash, at a significant premium."

Which says it all. Many City fans were rejoicing yesterday as if the club had found another saviour, not caring, as predicted, about Thaksin's background; wanting only his money. Really, City fans, those who are not eight years old any more, should grow up.

Ownership changes

• Feb 5 1994 Francis Lee is appointed chairman after paying £3m for 112,337 shares from Peter Swales and Stephen Boler at £13.35 per share. "Trust me," said Lee, with City in the relegation zone. "I'm sure the fans will help us to get back on top." He resigned in March 1998 and was replaced by David Bernstein

• May 19 2003 John Wardle, the founder of JD Sports and now the largest shareholder with his business partner David Makin, becomes chairman. In 2001 the pair had raised their stake to 29.95%

• June 21 2007 Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra lodges a formal takeover bid of £81.6m and the board recommends shareholders accept it. Offers Wardle and Makin £7.2m for their shares and £17.5m for the £20m they are owed in loans. Thaksin has 55.9% but needs 75% to remove City from the stock market

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_...108675,00.html

http://www.familycourtchronicles.com/news/2005/clowns.jpg

Forward with Franny!! Sven out!!

it'll all end in tears :ohno: it'll be all rosy for 5 years or so then this guy will go to jail and leave a wage bill the size of J.Lo's arse

Nothing to do with me. :lol:

http://i18.tinypic.com/669311k.jpg

Is he fucking mad? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6229436.stm)

Sad that yet another part of manchester is falling prey to dubious globalisation.

Sad that its rather obvious that the true reason for this is possibly to due with certain sharp business practices and moving money about, than support for either football or that club.

That the city council and all those who have had a fiscal part of building the COM stadium have little leverage on the matter

But most of all is the slavish attitude of blues fans who seem to readily sell out their soul in favour a dodgy deal and the dubious slim chance of success

But maybe I am wrong. Now there is always maine road FC.

Here is a picture of Frank taken recently alongside his advisor Keith Harris...

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/1042/thaksinkeithqw2.jpg

Is he fucking mad? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6229436.stm)

yes! (http://www.iransportspress.com/data/images/news/categories/sven.jpg)

You Red b******* are just jealous. :lovethem:

Not much longer to wait now. (thank f***!)

http://www.toffs.com/content/ebiz/toffs/invt/dvd2749/1969%20FA%20Cup%20Final%20%20DVD2749.jpg

Sven has already unveiled his new look team

http://www.ave-it.net/tb11.jpg

I think David Conn's article above has said it all really, success at all costs eh?

FIT AND PROPER PERSON…

James Lawton in the Independent on the laughable Premier League 'test'.

'You might imagine the new chairman of Manchester City is a suitable case for resounding rejection by the quaintly named arm of the Premier League known as the Fit and Proper Persons Test.

'You might think the antecedents of Thaksin Shinawatra would provoke the full majesty of an instrument that sounds as though it was made to sift out candidates who do not perhaps carry all the right credentials for ownership of a club which, for all the despair and the angst it has generated over the years, is still one of the most beloved in the land.

'But then you will probably have to think again. Why? Because Thaksin, the former prime minister of Thailand who has been accused of corruption by the military government that succeeded him and has been regularly in the sights of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and who has just had more than £1bn frozen in 21 banks, has proved himself eminently capable of command to the hierarchy of City and enough of the club's shareholders.

'The proper person, we know well enough now, can be someone like Thaksin. He has the supreme virtue of carrying more than enough of the folding stuff. It is, apparently, the ultimate requirement in an examination which is not so much a moral probe as a financial checklist. Human rights and business practice are simply not part of the equation. Have you or one of your companies suffered bankruptcy in this country? No, well fine, march on. Give us your huddled masses of money.

'Roll up, roll up, the Premiership will take your money and leave the agonising to more gentle souls, who might just wonder how it was that Abramovich was a man of fabulous wealth in his mid-thirties in a society where professors and eminent doctors can go months without being paid? He won himself so many of the mineral rights of the people who authored the October Revolution.

'Naturally, the selling owner of Chelsea, Ken Bates, didn't thrash out the moral imperatives of the man who was about to pay off the club's debts and so substantially augment his own wealth. Premiership football doesn't work like that. It doesn't worry about the origins of wealth; it just counts the money.

'Inevitably, there now must be a sense of working amorality that is quite stunning. Thaksin may have a dubious past, he may be persona non grata in his own country, but he brings the promise of success, of wealth that will make City contenders again. It is the simplest equation: money makes success, money swamps guilt.

'It takes us to the ultimate question. Will the City fans care how their new wealth and power were gained any more than the denizens of Stamford Bridge when mega-signings like Michael Essien and Didier Drogba put on some unanswerable show of power? Did Pompey supporters fret over the background of their owner when they pushed for the once fantasy ambition of European football?

'There are no prizes for the correct answers to such leading questions. They produce only sighs of recognition that football has rarely had a more poignant example of the degree the game has changed than in the annexation of a club which, even more than the late-charging United, was so rooted in the streets of its city.'

Trouble is, statements of outraged morality from journalists might ring more true if they they themselves hadn't all proven themselves happy to take money from the likes of Robert Maxwell, Rupert Murdoch and Conrad Black.

Having said that, no way should a man in Shinawatra's postition be allowed to gain control of a football club.

As much as I don't think Shinawatra is such a bad egg the consequences of his ownership of City could mean that the club itself has the potential to be seized and owned by the new Thai Government if it rules the money he made from the sale of Shin Corp (which he has used to buy the club) was made through corruption. He does himself no favours living in exile and missing his court date next week (which he claims he will be aquitted from.. but refuses to fly back to attend!).

It's a shame for City and I do want this to work out as it could be so great if things were different, but I can see this latest city-drama ending in tears if not blood!

Naturally Roman the Russian and that nice Ken Bates not to mention the Irish chaps what sold the Reds down the pan are really decent chaps with the clubs fans foremost in their hearts.

I don't think it is City fans need to grow up it's people who apparently think football is "clean".

And I'm not eight sadly not even close to it. :lol:

http://www.achrweb.org/Review/2006/116-06.htm

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/10/28/thaila9576.htm

http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/06/thailand060903.htm

I'm a city fan, but I know only too well how most bitter blues would be reacting if this guy was buying any of the rival clubs. Standing up and welcoming this guy with open arms just because he's paid off a few debts and investing some money in the club is pretty disgusting.

City bid for Torres.(£27mill):banana: He will still go to Liverpool, but atleast it shows the intent of Frank and Sven. Let the long-awaited goods times roll. :)

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/newsfeed/?name=Manchester+City

Just got back from Manchester Airport. Managed to shake off the Paparazzi and got this exclusive picture of Sven.

http://images.wikia.com/uncyclopedia/images/thumb/0/0f/Viking-horns-helmet.jpg/180px-Viking-horns-helmet.jpg

the shocking truth is that sven will probably turn around the luckiest, and most fortunate club in the premiership... considering its lack of performance that is ;)

the shocking truth is that sven will probably turn around the luckiest, and most fortunate club in the premiership... considering its lack of performance that is ;)

Stop fishing B4mmy and put your red rod away.

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6041/untitledsinatracopywwgq0.png

I for one welcome our new Thai overlords... looking forward to some Thai curry and chips

Hope Sven feeds some humble pie to the nay sayers

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6041/untitledsinatracopywwgq0.png

will he need a box for mates?

Welcome Sven

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/images.jpg

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/newsfeed/?name=Manchester+City

Lovin'it ;)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1017/888644907_61ba130bb4_o.jpg

Sven welcomes Petrov to City 26/07/2007 14:36

http://picsrv.mcfc.co.uk/?fif=/mcfc/img_502_9547.jpg&obj=iip,1.0&wid=150&hei=150&rgn=0,0,0,0&cvt=jpeg

Class and experience were the key factors in wanting to bring Martin Petrov and Geovanni to City, says manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Bulgarian winger Petrov, who put pen to paper on his £4.7million move from Atletico Madrid on Thursday morning, and Brazilian midfielder Geovanni flanked the Manager at a lunchtime press conference to introduce the new players after City had beaten off competition from other Premier League clubs for Petrov's signature.

Sven said: "I'm sure that a lot of clubs wanted both of them, and I'm very happy that the board and Alistair were able to get them. They will do very well for us, I'm sure about that.

"They are experienced, and it's important that we don't just buy players around 19 or 20 years old. In the Premier League you need class and experience, and these two are top class players. Technically they are very good, Geovanni can play on the right or as a second striker, and Martin's left foot is very, very good."

When asked if Petrov could be likened to Bulgarian legend Hristo Stoichkov, Sven replied: "I don't think you can compare one player to another, he's himself and he will have a lot of chances to show the fans what he can do. I'm very confident that he will be a very good player for us."

City's summer signings have all come from overseas so far, and Sven has promised more new arrivals while saying that nationality is not an issue for him.

"I don't think we are finished signing, there will be more new faces coming in different positions, whether they are English or not I can't say.

"I think that the new owner has shown that he means serious business when he says that he wants to build a strong team, which is not fighting at the bottom of the table but at the other end. This is one way in which he has shown that, and I'm very happy about it."

link here (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pagegid={DBD12D53-8346-431D-A04F-5D0F8664DE80}&newsid=448004)

Dr Thaksin invites you to be part of our ONE CITY at a free concert in Albert Square to be staged after the Valencia game on Saturday August 4th.

Mai Charoenpura, one of Thailand’s most popular entertainers, will be singing live at the event, part of the ONE CITY initiative – MCFC’s commitment to celebrating the cultures and diversity of our city.

Sven-Goran Eriksson, several of the Blues’ first team squad and other special guests will drop in, delicious FREE Thai food will be cooked up on the spot and drinks will also be available.

The evening will follow in the footsteps of previous ONE CITY events, which have celebrated and embraced Manchester’s cultures and diversity.The event kicks off at 6.00pm, following the end of the Thomas Cook Trophy match against Valencia, and will finish at approximately 8.30pm.

Does anyone remember a Thai-village idea for Manchester about a year ago?

Might not have been Thai thinking about it; but I wonder what kind of impact Mr Thaksin will have on things like that.

"We do, oh City we love you!" "We love you City, we do"

:dance:

3 sign today. 1-3 more over the next few days!

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/newsfeed/?name=Manchester+City

I'm a bit worried that all these foreign signings will undermine City's excellent record of bringing local lads through. Wouldnt like City to turn into Arsenal.
City always felt more like Manchester's team ....saying that there are loads of Mancs playing at United arent there?
Ignore me ...i'm talking out my arse.........for a change!

city sign yet more players with unpronounceable names...

I'm a bit worried that all these foreign signings will undermine City's excellent record of bringing local lads through. Wouldnt like City to turn into Arsenal.
City always felt more like Manchester's team ....saying that there are loads of Mancs playing at United arent there?
Ignore me ...i'm talking out my arse.........for a change!

Perhaps, though there were five local lads in the team(s) that Sven put out on Wednesday - three of them, Schmeichel, Onouha, Johnson, in the "first pick" team that started the match.

depends on what decade we are talking about.

I think pre-70's equally so for both United and City.

Seventies and early eighties, very much City, as United became very celtic. This tapered off late eighties for the blues. Many of the better youth players were injured or burnt out due to appalling management, on and off the pitch.

When Fergie took over at United, he re vamped the youth scheme and the fledgings were born.

I know for a fact that United are placing much less emphasis on develeping local talent for various reasons, principally that they feel they are in competition on a global scale and they (as in the Glazer management) realise a 18 year old brazilian commands a greater selling off fee than an 18 year Manc. (eg Rossi 7m, etc).The United scouting team seem more interested in trips to Rio and Reims than cold Saturday mornings in Davyhulme or Denton.

Thus City has been trying to exploit this. A number of the better United scouts have moved across to City and the blues have started organizing themselves better (although that is often not the case historically.)

Personally I cant wait for FC United to competing on this level. Its already started and can only get bigger.

I can't imagine many other foreign club owners getting up on stage like Thaksin did to sing along...

And here it is, by popular demand... Thaksin Sinawatra sings Blue Moon!

EL-ZZIM_Vy4

I can't imagine many other foreign club owners getting up on stage like Thaksin did to sing along...

And here it is, by popular demand... Thaksin Sinawatra sings Blue Moon!

EL-ZZIM_Vy4

Reasons to be cheerful at Maine Road.... sorry Eastlands. And about bloody time to.

Let's hope the team can deliver a good season once they get to know each others name.:lol:

Highlights of the match.

Apparently 28,000 turned up dressed as blue plastic seats. No one told me it was fancy dress though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfJzPnYTqeM

Yeah I hear that elected dictators who have the blood of other sons on their hands do enjoy a good old song.

And of course no proof has ever existed of a direct link between adolf and the death camps before you trail out the Dr T propaganda stuff.

Before this gets into a cyber hoolie forum, do any of you blues think Dr T will add to the size of the City of Manc stadium?

Less seriously, Will Sir Dicky Leese willbe seen in public with the butcher of Thai and how does it hang for all those sky blue and red lefty types who support City, given the curious human rights record of a certain ex politician?

Hitler authorised the extermination of the Jews. Thaksin authorised zero tolerance policing of drugs. Methinks there might be a slight difference in there somewhere...

Yeah I hear that elected dictators who have the blood of other sons on their hands do enjoy a good old song.

And of course no proof has ever existed of a direct link between adolf and the death camps before you trail out the Dr T propaganda stuff.

Before this gets into a cyber hoolie forum, do any of you blues think Dr T will add to the size of the City of Manc stadium?

Less seriously, Will Sir Dicky Leese willbe seen in public with the butcher of Thai and how does it hang for all those sky blue and red lefty types who support City, given the curious human rights record of a certain ex politician?

Not until we win the quadruple. In a word, no! He wouldn't be able to do it anyway without the consent of Sport England,(or what ever they're called) the council and the rent man.

Not that city have been bought up or that they might emulate well at least Portsmouth or Bolton, but that there has been so little debate about the ethics of Dr T.

A number of my bluenosed friends have suddenly forgot their political senses in lapping up all the excitement that a few millions spent on mercenary players brings.

Friends whose politics I greatly respect, who previously would have been the first to point out that people like Dr T is bad news. .

Ok even though a direct order might not have been given, the consequences of his policies resulted in the deaths of 2,500 plus people. But of course dictators never give out direct orders, certainly Stalin, Hitler, Franco et al dont. Its their hench men who do that.

And if City fans did have one thing that was to be admired, then it was their cynicism of the gross commercialism found at United. However this makes them look no different than all the plastic "footie" fans that go to Glazer towers

But I am gutted that Manchester, with its sense of rebellion and sensibility, has welcomed such a fraud without complaint.

I think we can safely say that neither United or City truely represent Manchester anymore.

And should be seen for what they are. Play things for play boys that just happen to reside in Manchester.

Look mate, my human rights have been violated for the last 31 years. Enough said.

The master plan. ;)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kWM9blsr0kI :cry: (turn your speakers on)

That video was so accurate jerb , rows of empty seats :laugh:

That video was so accurate jerb , rows of empty seats :laugh:

You lot are so predictable. :lol:

Well, despite being a mancunian who supports Arsenal (hold them comments), i want to wish Manchester City all the look in the world this season. My god they deserve it after 30 years. The Yorkshire Ripper was still free last time they were doing well. Let's hope they get some silverware, not at the expense of Arsenal of course!! LOL

Well, despite being a mancunian who supports Arsenal (hold them comments), i want to wish Manchester City all the look in the world this season. My god they deserve it after 30 years. The Yorkshire Ripper was still free last time they were doing well. Let's hope they get some silverware, not at the expense of Arsenal of course!! LOL

Don't worry about that there's no danger of Arsenal winning anything.:lol:

Don't worry about that there's no danger of Arsenal winning anything.:lol:

I should hate you for that, but i seem to think achieving 4th place is a success these days. :ohno:

No debate about Dt T's human rights abuses and political corruption.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/4710/hargreavessw1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Shot at 2007-08-10


GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED

Well done City!! Superb win. Great start to the new season, 2-0 win, superb!!

Just noticed, i posted this at 18:30 and at the time of writing it says i posted it at 10:13am??? Spooky!

Elano was looking great today and Hamann looked like a whole new player! What's going on? City aren't supposed to attack!

I've plumbed the depths of my archive, not an experience I care to repeat very often. But to bring a little nostalgia to what promises to be an exciting season for both of the city's football teams. Somewhere I do have the original prints so I could redo the scanning an up the quality.
So City fans here you are:
http://www.toadstone.com/mancity/mancityspin_java_pro.html

Technical notes:
So far I've only tried it in Firefox & Safari.
You can use the A, Z, Shift & Ctrl keys to zoom in and out, likewise the mouse will allow you to drag the image.
If you double click the image it will open in full screen, this is spooky by zooming in and out you can get the feeling of what is was like, use Esc to get out.
There is no restriction on the poles you can pass through them and end up upside down.

Alas United fans I don't have a similar image if my memory serves me right they (Utd) told me to go away (actually a more blunt than that):ohno: . By contrast MCFC made me most welcome and the then Greenkeeper kept a firm eye on what I was doing which to them is a hallowed turf as much as any other ground. I was then given a tour round the establishment. Let me make it clear I do not bare any ill feelings over the matter, business is business and the company I was shooting for were not prepared to pay.

BTW I have devised a method of being able to take a spin during a game from about 50-100 feet above the pitch and it doesn't involve using kites!! Furthermore it could be used for HD video. Mind boggling stuff, anyone got 5-10K to spare? Oh yes we are talking 40meg image capture here. Better make that 15K.:banana:

Peter.

Works absolutely fine in IE7, and is indeed the dog's doodads - ta very much for that Peter

What's the bold bit about Alistair? Dear God.

Saying that, the club has done everything in it's power to get the missing fans back again. New Manager, new players, lower season ticket/ match ticket prices, discounts, singing sections, etc, etc. It's worked to a point but a trophy would help. ;)

Man City lost £11m last season

Manchester City Football Club has posted a pre-tax loss of £11m after a fall in revenues.

The newly-filed accounts for the year to May 2007 show a 7.9 per cent drop in turnover from £61.8m to 56.9m. The £11m loss compares to a £10m profit in 2005/2006.

Club chief executive Alistair Mackintosh blamed the decline on lower match ticket sales and less revenue from concerts.

His statement added: “This year on year fall was primarily due to a £1.9m fall in ticketing receipts and a £1.6m fall in concert revenue with fewer concerts nights being held during the year.”

The figures mark the nadir of the club’s fortunes under previous chairman John Wardle, prior to the transformation which followed the takeover by Dr Thaksin Shinawatra in July 2007. The report says the club has spent £50.6m on signing new players since the year end.

Amortisation of players amounted to £7.3m in the year while the total player wage bill in the period increased to £36.4m compared to £34m the previous year. The operating loss before amortisation of players was 1.4m compared to £5m profit in 2006.

Mackintosh added in his report: “We ended last season with many a tear in the eye as 44,000 scarves were held with tremendous pride at our final home fixture. We started our new adventure with 9,000 supporters taking over Albert Square for a free concert, joyous as Dr Thaksin sang Blue Moon.”

The club’s poor financial performance was matched on the pitch in 2006/2007. City, which employed 216 including players during the season, finished 14th in the Premier League and were knocked out of the FA cup in the quarter finals.

Mackintosh said over the summer of 2007 the club had continued its strategy of signing up “young playing talent on long term contracts”.

He added: “We trust the policy will provide a solid foundation while we also look to sign up top English and international talent.”

In the board room the “highest paid director” took a £20,000 pay cut as his salary fell to £282,000.

What's the bold bit about Alistair? Dear God.

Saying that, the club has done everything in it's power to get the missing fans back again. New Manager, new players, lower season ticket/ match ticket prices, discounts, singing sections, etc, etc. It's worked to a point but a trophy would help. ;)

Man City lost £11m last season

Manchester City Football Club has posted a pre-tax loss of £11m after a fall in revenues.

The newly-filed accounts for the year to May 2007 show a 7.9 per cent drop in turnover from £61.8m to 56.9m. The £11m loss compares to a £10m profit in 2005/2006.

Club chief executive Alistair Mackintosh blamed the decline on lower match ticket sales and less revenue from concerts.

His statement added: “This year on year fall was primarily due to a £1.9m fall in ticketing receipts and a £1.6m fall in concert revenue with fewer concerts nights being held during the year.”

The figures mark the nadir of the club’s fortunes under previous chairman John Wardle, prior to the transformation which followed the takeover by Dr Thaksin Shinawatra in July 2007. The report says the club has spent £50.6m on signing new players since the year end.

Amortisation of players amounted to £7.3m in the year while the total player wage bill in the period increased to £36.4m compared to £34m the previous year. The operating loss before amortisation of players was 1.4m compared to £5m profit in 2006.

Mackintosh added in his report: “We ended last season with many a tear in the eye as 44,000 scarves were held with tremendous pride at our final home fixture. We started our new adventure with 9,000 supporters taking over Albert Square for a free concert, joyous as Dr Thaksin sang Blue Moon.”

The club’s poor financial performance was matched on the pitch in 2006/2007. City, which employed 216 including players during the season, finished 14th in the Premier League and were knocked out of the FA cup in the quarter finals.

Mackintosh said over the summer of 2007 the club had continued its strategy of signing up “young playing talent on long term contracts”.

He added: “We trust the policy will provide a solid foundation while we also look to sign up top English and international talent.”

In the board room the “highest paid director” took a £20,000 pay cut as his salary fell to £282,000.

I'm fairly certain that £36.4m was the total wage bill - not the player wage bill.

But still it shows that the club was heading rapidly for the exit marked "this way to oblivion via Leeds, Derby and Sunderland" when Thaksin made his move. And since that - in its turn - would not have happened without the new broadcasting deal, I suppose we ought to thank Murdoch too.

Not the most savoury couple, but there you are.

Actually I suspect Thaksin has got his money's worth out of City (what value winning an election in Thailand?), and we have certainly had our money's worth from him.

But now, I suspect, he will be looking to move back to Thailand to join his lady wife (It takes a certain degree of class to fly off 10,000 miles to watch a footie match while leaving your wife under arrest; but not, surely, a trick that can be repeated without serious deterioration in domestic harmony).

Which means that MCFC really ought to be looking to balance the books (albiet it a rather higher level of income and expenditure than heretofore). But I don't think Alister is the one for the job.

Nerd. It all went wrong when DB was forced out over the RF transfer. KK won the day and JW backed him.

Is that what initially happened, jerbs?

City posts losses but scores on debt
By James Chapelard


Despite posting losses of £11m last season, Manchester City Football Club remains a beacon of financial resilience in the debt-ridden Premier League.

Newly-filed accounts for the year to May 2007 show a 7.9 per cent drop in turnover from £61.8m to £56.9m, caused by lower ticket sales and less pop concert revenue.

The loss compares to a £10m profit the previous year, when the figures benefited from the £21m sale of Shaun Wright-Phillips to Chelsea.

Shortly after the period covered by the latest accounts, former Thai Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra bought the club for £81.6m. Of this £21.6m went to shareholders and £60m went to underwrite debt.

Before the takeover Manchester City had two main debts, £40m in long term loans secured on future ticket sales and £19m owed to directors John Wardle and David Makin. The £40m debt, known as “loan notes”, has to be repaid over 15 to 25 years.

After the takeover Wardle and Makin's loans were transferred to Shinawatra's UK Sports Investments Ltd and, according to the club, have now been repaid.

In the current financial year the club has spent £50.6m on new players but a Manchester City spokesman declined to say how that spending had been financed. But even if this was all borrowed money, the club would still be one of the least indebted in the top flight.



Seeking refinancing



In comparison, Manchester United has debts of £660m, with annual interest payments of £42m, and Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have secured a £350m refinancing, which will cost £30m in annual interest payments. Manchester City's director of communications Paul Tyrell said: “Thaksin did not borrow any money. He made it clear in the offer document he was purchasing the football club with his own money. We are at the opposite end of the spectrum from leveraged buyouts. We do not owe vast amounts to the bank.”

To add to their good fortune the club have a 250 year lease on the City of Manchester Stadium from Manchester City Council. Last year they paid just £1.8m in rent and since August 2003, when the agreement was put in place, the city has received £8m.

John Samuels, professor of business finance at Birmingham University and author of The Beautiful Game is Over, said Manchester City's finances were healthy because of the lease agreement.

He said: “They are doing very well in terms of finance. But you would if you had a ground for almost zero costs and an owner with a huge amount of wealth. Man City was very lucky with the lease.”

All the posted articles are from Crains. Get a copy. Weel worth it.

Steve Brauner: Only a radical rethink will put airport back on course
Change will mean cutting fees and, inevitably, cutting costs


Manchester Airports Group is a big business with big problems.

The low cost carriers, which have supplied almost all growth in passenger volumes over recent years, have developed a business model which has favoured smaller airports with substantial spare capacity and lower fixed costs.

Manchester Airport enjoys no competitive advantage over these airports, which with established major low-cost airline bases, are well-positioned to continue to capture a high proportion of passenger growth in the future.

In other sectors, particularly long haul, increasing liberalisation is challenging Manchester Airport's ability to grow and exacerbating the competitive dominance of Heathrow.

The second major trend is in consumer behaviour. The advent of the low cost carriers, combined with the consumer empowerment brought about through the use of the internet has resulted in sophisticated and demanding buyer behaviour where price has become the major determinant of choice.

This effect has led both to the breakdown in traditional catchment area boundaries, and to a shift in the balance of power between airports and airlines.

Who says? Manchester Airports Group (MAG) itself. The five paragraphs above are taken word for word from its own submission last April to the Civil Aviation Authority on the subject of price controls.

Since then, things have got worse.

The mergers of Thomas Cook and MyTravel as well as Thomson and First Choice will almost certainly mean fewer short haul charter flights from Manchester in summer 2008.

In November TUI Travel, which owns Thomson and First Choice, said it was cutting capacity by 12 per cent and Thomas Cook is cutting the former MyTravel business back by 23 per cent.

Maybe the two MAG directors who resigned recently simply got irresistible offers from their new employers.

Or maybe the failure to earn a bonus last year, which cost them each more than £30,000, was also a factor.

If the latter was the case, it would suggest that those with access to the best information on MAG's performance and prospects do not expect a dramatic turnaround any time soon.

Annual passenger numbers at Manchester are expected to be flat at 22.3 million this year and the latest half-year figures actually revealed a fall of 1.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, smaller airports have been recording double digit growth, including MAG-owned East Midlands, which boosted passenger numbers by 13 per cent to 4.7m in 2006.

Manchester's recent success in securing more flights from Ryanair and the first ever flights from Easyjet are a sign that the airport needs to change. Change means cutting fees to airlines and, inevitably, cutting costs to maintain levels of profitability and that all important dividend to the local authority shareholders, which was held at £25m in the latest interims.

New business from the low cost carriers is not so much a bonus for the airport as something it desperately needs if it is to compensate for the potentially crippling reductions in holiday charter business.

MAG's problems would not be solved overnight if it was bought by a private sector operator.

Peel Holdings would no doubt love to own it, but they would face the same problems as anyone else.

Peel is still losing money on its own airports operation despite rapid passenger growth at Liverpool John Lennon and generous EU funding of its new terminal building there.

Competition between the two airports has been great for consumers but the fact that five million passengers now pass through JLA annually underlines the scale of Manchester's missed opportunity.

Many of those people would be flying from Manchester had the airport done things differently in the 1980s and 1990s.

There were two big mistakes: conducting an unrequited love affair with British Airways; and building T2 too far from the runways to attract the low cost carriers.

It's easy to say these things with the benefit of hindsight, but the root of Manchester Airport's problems is that its legacy has left it unsuited to face the challenges of the present and the future.

The arrival of Ryanair and Easyjet are an indication that, at last, the penny has dropped about the need for a radical rethink of the business model.

But much more is required before the airport can begin to pilot a course which will take it forward in the 21st century.

From the club website. Can we have two strikers and goals now Sven.

Club to install new video screens 31/03/2008 16:15

You might notice something different next time you’re at the City of Manchester Stadium watching the Blues take on Chelsea…no scoreboards!
The Club can announce that it has invested in two 60m2 video screens for next season, which will be installed at the City of Manchester Stadium in time for the UEFA Cup Final on May 14.

Work is already underway and the screens will be installed at the northwest and southeast corners of the Stadium – replacing the existing electronic scoreboards –including the scoreboard sponsored for the last three years by Timpson.

Due to the work required, the current scoreboards are being removed and the Stadium will be without scoreboards for the final three matches of the season. The Club would like to place on record its thanks to Timpson for their support.

In a further technological advancement, the Club has also invested in an electronic LED perimeter advertising system. The system will be installed during the summer along the north, east and south stand sides of the Stadium.

The system has been purchased from industry leading Italian manufacturer SIM srl, who have similar installations at a number of top European football stadia, including Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, Hamburg’s HSH Nordbank Arena and the Stadio Olimpico, home of A.S. Roma and S.S. Lazio.

The system has been purchased from industry leading Italian manufacturer SIM srl, who have similar installations at a number of top European football stadia, including Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, Hamburg’s HSH Nordbank Arena and the Stadio Olimpico, home of A.S. Roma and S.S. Lazio.

Doesn't mention who had it installed first does it. :|

Doesn't mention who had it installed first does it. :|

Surely you can't be refering to United Andy? United may have won numerous trophies, but their scoreboards have always been crap.

Surely you can't be refering to United Andy? United may have won numerous trophies, but their scoreboards have always been crap.

Scoreboards? I was talking about the pitch side advertising. Had them for about 3 years now. btw you can't use them in Europe but you lot wouldn't know about that. :)

Hoping your boys win to jrb, Chelsea got beat the other night so you do have a chance. You have my support for once but only for 90 mins.

Congratulations to the boy blues

MCFC 3 - Chelsea 1.

- and an excellent, open, match (marred only by a bad foul on Tripper right at the death).

This team is a joke.

Ah hahahahaha

i agree with you frank sidebottom man

I would hope that this is a message from the players to the owner that he is a fucking twat.

I would hope that this is a message from the players to the owner that he is a fucking twat.

my thoughts exactly

I've only got 30 years left until I die. Time is running out Frank.

PS. You'll have even less time if you don't sort this f***ing mess out.

I would hope that this is a message from the players to the owner that he is a fucking twat.

Indeed, as a Red, I laughed out load at the final whistle, but as it sunk in a bit, I thought how much Thaksin has messed things up with the air of uncertainty at the club.

Sacking Sven will be a huge mistake.

If they miss out on the UEFA spot, then the fans will most definately see red (and not in a supporting Man U kinda way)

I would hope that this is a message from the players to the owner that he is a fucking twat.


I don't, because it is fucking unprofessional if true.

The players should be playing for the fans first, not Sven.

I think city have lost out on the UEFA spot too thanks to a red card yesterday?

I think city have lost out on the UEFA spot too thanks to a red card yesterday?

A red card loses you 3 points, and we were around 10 points ahead of them at the start of the game.

So that alone won't mean much.

They should rename "fair play" to "not trying"

I don't, because it is fucking unprofessional if true.

The players should be playing for the fans first, not Sven.

Fuck professionalism.
If i was in a job where i had a good manager, who i liked, and then the owner, on a whim, comes and sacks him for little or no good reason i too would be pissed off and would probably do everything i could to fuck up his business for him.
I'm spiteful like that though.
The owner has shown no loyalty to his staff so why should they show any loyalty to him?

Sven won't win anything at an English club, there are too many better managers than him.

Fuck professionalism.
If i was in a job where i had a good manager, who i liked, and then the owner, on a whim, comes and sacks him for little or no good reason i too would be pissed off and would probably do everything i could to fuck up his business for him.
I'm spiteful like that though.
The owner has shown no loyalty to his staff so why should they show any loyalty to him?


I disagree with Thaksin's decision, but to say there is "no good reason" is stretching the matter. 4 wins in the last 19 games is relegation form.

Sven won't win anything at an English club, there are too many better managers than him.

I would say there is one better than him, maybe two, and three or four the equal of him.
Given the chance he could get City European football which, in the current scheme of things, is the best all but three teams can hope for.

I've never been a fan of his. He gives city a bit of glamour but they need someone who visibly does not like losing.

Arsene Wenger would make a great City manager, he knows how to wind Fergie and Benitez up and he can get good players for cheap.

it probably was related to the thai fella's meddling, but i don't think the performance was intentionally shit, more like the confusion and uncertainty created at the top's gone and affected the players' confidence on the field, and once three or four have gone in they've thought fcuk it, nothing to play for, the manager's going anyway, i'm taking my holiday early.

WTF?

http://dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/44612/Firing-squad


Tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra has put Manchester City’s entire squad up for sale in the latest twist to his bizarre behaviour.


Thai billionaire Shinawatra, who is already set to sack manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, is apparently so disgusted with the team’s performances in the second half of the season that he wants a massive clear-out, including young stars such as Micah Richards, Michael Johnson and Joe Hart.


The news of the impending fire sale throws City even deeper into turmoil and will further antagonise fans, who staged a mass demonstration against Shinawatra last week.

Let the Thai authorities lock him up before it's too late.

WTF?

http://dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/44612/Firing-squad

Don't worry Jon.

Manchester City slam allegations regarding the Chairman 16/05/2008 11:55

The Club have taken the unusual step today to issue a statement regarding reports in some of this morning’s national newspapers.

The stories suggested that our Chairman, Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, has put the entire first team squad up for sale and has written a critical letter to all the players regarding their performances this season.

Dr Thaksin exclusively told mcfc.co.uk “There is absolutely no truth to this story or any of the allegations. I appreciate the progress and performance of the whole squad, managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson, this season.”

Dr Thaksin also confirmed that other claims in the story of Deputy Chairman John Wardle apologising to players for selling the club were also without any foundation.

Last night Dr Thaksin dined with Sven together with the City players and staff at sponsor Singha Beer’s dinner to promote the game with the Thai All Star team in Bangkok on Saturday

Manchester City spokesman Paul Tyrrell said, “We are currently taking legal advice regarding these news reports and will pursue those who continue to run or repeat this false story and its allegations without the Chairman’s rebuttal.”

Tim Oscroft

All

That has got to be absolute bullshit, there is no way that will happen! Is there?!

Its not unheard of
I seem to remember Burnley doing it - offer for sale anyone and everyone in the off season.
The difference in this case is that there are some decent players in the City team which other teams might poach as apposed to Burnley who just sat waiting for the phone to ring for 3 months!

Its bullshit anyway - probably planted by a pissed off City fan (which is pretty much all of them i'm guessing).

Fair play.

Were all going on a European tour. :banana:

http://flipin.org/hankyawareness/Beach%20Hanky%20Head.jpg

Uefa qualification confirmed
By - 16/05/2008 13:59
After a week of speculation, it was confirmed on Friday that City had qualified for next season's Uefa Cup.


City finished sixth in the in the Fair Play table - below Everton and above Fulham - but qualified for the competition because all the sides above them had qualified for European football by other avenues.

Among the teams City could be pitted against when the draw takes place on 27th June are Wales' The New Saints, who were previously known as TNS - the team the Blues played in the first qualifying round in 2003.

Other potential opponents are two teams each from Luxembourg, Estonia and the Faroe Islands as well as four teams from Ireland including Cork City.

Commenting on the news, Sven-Goran Eriksson told mcfc.co.uk:

"It's a step in the right direction because the target for this Club in the future is to play in the Champions League, and the UEFA Cup is a very good school to learn about European football.

"It's a confirmation that we are a good team, but also a team that we behave well on the pitch, we are good with the referees and we try to follow the rules as much as possible. It's like a bonus for us."

The first qualifying round begins on 17th July and ironically it looks like City will be unable to play the home leg at Eastlands, with plans in place to re-lay the pitch following June's Bon Jovi concert.

Possible alternative grounds are Elland Road or Huddersfield's Galpharm Stadium.

MCFC have qualified for next season's UEFA cup

(via the fair play back door).

So (with a lot of luck) we might even have the opportunity to eat our words regarding the uniquely poor behaviour of Rangers fans in a euro final.

MCFC have qualified for next season's UEFA cup

(via the fair play back door).

So (with a lot of luck) we might even have the opportunity to eat our words regarding the uniquely poor behaviour of Rangers fans in a euro final.

Not jumping the gun, but the final will be held in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, home of Fenerbahçe. One final to avoid mi thinks.

TwSI_M0tXwQ

Looks incredible

UFEA do pick some stupid grounds. We have Istanbul, Moscow, Rome. All shit holes.

UFEA do pick some stupid grounds. We have Istanbul, Moscow, Rome. All shit holes.

Old Trafford?

Old Trafford?

You trying to be funny?

you mentioned three UEFA 5 star stadia, I mentioned one, and no, I wasn't trying to be funny, I've been to old trafford several times, both in the corporate areas, and as an away fan and was singularly unimpressed. (Although I've been to worse) and to be honest, I like the Stadio Olimpico better, so If you're calling Rome and that stadium a shit hole, then I feel well within my rights to call trafford and old trafford the same.

YMMV

Am sorry but you don't have a clue. Not a clue. If your saying that concrete shell with only plastic bits attached for seats competes with OT, your just trying to wind me up. United fans are spoilt at Old Trafford.

UFEA do pick some stupid grounds. We have Istanbul, Moscow, Rome. All shit holes.

not forgetting Athens. no turnstiles, no bogs, no refreshments, no tv screens, no nowt!

Am sorry but you don't have a clue. Not a clue. If your saying that concrete shell with only plastic bits attached for seats competes with OT, your just trying to wind me up. United fans are spoilt at Old Trafford.

a bit too spoilt andy! :lol:

Not jumping the gun, but the final will be held in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, home of Fenerbahçe. One final to avoid mi thinks.

a place to send the mother in law as Ian Botham would say! only joking! :lol:

Looks like Sven is off to Mexico?

Agent: Sven close to Mexico move
May 25 2008

Agent Juan Carlos Padilla believes Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson will accept an offer from the Mexican FA to coach the national side.

Padilla claims that the Swede has already agreed terms on a two-year deal to lead Mexico to the 2010 World Cup, and that the offer is the former England manager's number one choice as his Eastlands future looks in increasing doubt.

"We already know what the Mexican FA are looking for - we'll accept their terms if they call us again," Padilla told Mexican newspaper La Jornada from Manchester.

He added: "If the Mexican FA decide to take him, he will be their coach and the Mexican national team will be his number one choice.

"It's a contract up to and including the next World Cup, after that we'll see what happens. But for the moment it's a two-year contract."

Padilla rubbished suggestions that Eriksson, who has managed in Italy and Portugal, would have trouble adapting to life in Central America.

"Eriksson speaks five languages. He speaks Portuguese, Italian, English, Swedish and German," he said.

"So if you take Portuguese and Italian, put them together and exert a bit of effort, you can speak Spanish in two months. So there'll be no language barrier.

He added: "He wants to have many Mexicans involved, such as team doctors, physios, etc. He knows he has to adapt to the culture, not that it has to adapt to him."

No bar to City's Ronaldinho-Deco fantasy

Manchester City are in pole position to capture Barcelona's playboy double act of Ronaldinho and Deco - according to reports.

French newspaper L'Equipe claims that City are now the only remaining serious bidder for the services of Ronaldinho, who has previously been linked to AC Milan, Chelsea and Man Utd.

But the 28-year-old ex-world player of the year has not seen action since March amid rumours that his alleged off-field partying antics rendered him unfit to train with the rest of the squad.

The report claims City have offered £23million (30m euros) to Barcelona for the Brazilian with an annual salary of over £7.5million to the player - which would smash the club's wage structure, working out at almost £150,000-a-week.

Deco, 30, is also available this summer and City are also thought to be in the running to land the Brazilian-born Portuguese playmaker who was been known to accompany Ronaldinho on his nights out in the Catalan city.

Ronaldinho is a work out joke, no thanks. 150,000 a week for that joker? FFS.

Ronaldinho is a work out joke, no thanks. 150,000 a week for that joker? FFS.

That would be hilarious if Luke Chadwick#2 ran out on to the pitch at COMS. I would piss my self.

Shades of George Weah springs to mind. What a success he was.
He probably thought Liberia was safer than Moss Side. Didn't he ask for a pickup truck with 10-20 body guards as part of the transfer deal.

Traveling down Princes Parkway. George is in the middle somewhere.

http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/2371621.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19390335F8FA9CA92A6F5B948F78FBC7BFF9930FDCFC4C15FBB

If Ronaldinho ever got back to his 2003/04 season form i would pay 150k a week for him!

No way will this happen though, never

It's a fix! Bloody UEFA. ;)

Euro booster for Blues
Chris Bailey
27/ 5/2008

CITY have been handed a major boost in their quest to make significant progress in next season's UEFA Cup.

The Blues will be ranked above FA Cup winners Portsmouth and seeded all the way through to the group stage.

That should ensure the Fair Play League's nominee a smooth passage through the two congested qualifying rounds and even the first round proper when the likes of Everton, Portsmouth and Spurs enter the fray.

Despite only one appearance in a European competition in more than a quarter of a century, City have a high enough UEFA co-efficient - the complicated mathematical formula on which seedings are based - to be considered one of the top sides in the early ranking.

When they kick off in the Northern Section in the third week of July, City will be graded the number one side which should help them overcome the potential problem of playing their home leg in Yorkshire as Eastlands is put back together after a summer concert from American band Bon Jovi. It seems certain that City's latest Fair Play league adventure, following the 2003 escapade under Kevin Keegan that ended at the third hurdle at the hands of Polish side KS Groclin- Dyskobolia, will kick-off at the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield where the Giants are playing Super League.

In all there are 73 teams alongside City in the first qualifying round which is split, for ease of travelling and on economic grounds, into three sections, Northern, Central-East and Southern-Mediterranean.

Draw

When the draw is made in Nyon on June 27, the Blues now know that they will face a team from Lithuania, Estonia, Iceland, Luxembourg, Faroe Islands, the Republic of Ireland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

The draw throws up the possibility of a repeat of five years ago when City's first foray back into European competition saw them play Total Network Solutions from Wales. Now renamed the The New Saints they are one of the 14 teams in the opposite half of the draw. So, too, are Cork City, St Patrick's Athletic, Glentoran, and Cliftonville as well as Welsh side Bangor City.

The others that City could face are now confirmed as Flora Tallin and TVMK Tallin from Estonia, Akranes from Iceland, EB Streymour or B36 Torshavn from the Faro Islands, Vetra Vilnius from Lithuania and finally Racing FC from Luxembourg or that country's recently crowned cup winners CS Grevenmacher.

Should City, as expected, leap over the first hurdle they then join the likes of CSKA Moscow, Besiktas, AEK Athens and Scotland's Queen of the South in the second qualifying round.

Again that round is split into three sections with the Blues current co-efficient of 30.996 making them the top ranked of the 22 sides in the North group ahead of Germans Hertha BSC.

They can be thankful, though, that they are not in the Southern region second qualifying round that features the likes of Besiktas, Levski Sofia and AEK Athens who are all in possession of a higher co-efficient that the Blues.

When it comes to the first round proper, there will be 80 teams still left in the competition half of whom will go out before the group stage.

AC Milan are easily the top rated team by UEFA followed by Sevilla, Valencia, Benfica, CSKA Moscow, Spurs, Hamburg and Ajax, but if all goes to plan City will be seeded in the top 30 below Everton, though above Pompey and will not have to face another English side.

Once the 80 teams have been halved they are drawn into the eight groups from which 24 will qualify for the knockout stage where they will be joined by eight sides eliminated from the Champions League at the group level.

Planning for next season's UEFA Cup final is well advanced with the decider destined for the Sukru Saracoghu Stadium the home of Turkish side Fenerbahce on May 20, 2009.

A total of 122 clubs will start the competition which is set for some streamlining next season.

No!

Manchester City move to tempt
boss Hughes from Blackburn

Last updated at 8:28 PM on 31st May 2008

Manchester City have made the first move to persuade Mark Hughes to quit Blackburn and become £3 million-a-year manager at Eastlands.

They contacted Rovers officially yesterday and requested permission to speak to the Welshman on behalf of City's Thai owner, Thaksin Shinawatra.

The move confirms it is the end of the road for Sven Goran Eriksson as Manchester City boss after just one year in charge.

The former England manager had it confirmed yesterday that his contract had been terminated.

The Swede is now expected to move to central America and agree an offer to steer Mexico to the World Cup finals in South Africa.

It would be a major coup for Shinawatra if he and his senior aide, Pairoj Piempongsant, could make former Manchester United star Hughes, 44, an offer he cannot refuse.

But Hughes is also among the serious contenders for the Chelsea job. He is high on the hitlist of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to replace Israeli manager Avram Grant.

If Ronaldinho ever got back to his 2003/04 season form i would pay 150k a week for him!

No way will this happen though, never

2004-5 wasnt a bad season either. remember that goal he scored against chelsea in the champions league.

Hughes.

I repeat once again. No! No! No!

City. A club going sideways, some would say backwards.(again)

How reliable is the Mail? Surely not?

Manchester City land Hughes and Shinawatra plans £200,000-a-week deal for Ronaldinho

By Lee Clayton Last updated at 11:22 PM on 02nd June 2008

Manchester City will step up their ambitious plan to bring Ronaldinho to England when senior board members fly to his family home in Brazil at the weekend.

Sources here close to owner Thaksin Shinawatra revealed that members of City's Thai board are expected to meet Ronaldinho face-to-face in Porto Alegre.

Thaksin's private jet has been placed at the disposal of the City party. Should City pull off the spectacular coup, the transfer would be the most dramatic in the history of the Barclays Premier League.


Mark Hughes, who should be confirmed as City's new manager within the next 48 hours, would be able to pair Ronaldinho with £20million centre forward Jo in an all-Brazilian attack next season.


Sven Goran Eriksson formally parted company with the club yesterday and will become Mexico's new coach, while Hughes was given permission by Blackburn to talk to City after the two clubs agreed on compensation.


There will be other signings, too, as Thaksin opens his chequebook to support his new boss.


The latest development follows a series of meetings between Thaksin's right-hand man Pairoj Piempongsant and Ronaldinho's brother and chief negotiator Roberto De Assis.


A clandestine visit to City's stadium two months ago was first revealed in Sportsmail after the parties had been introduced by the influential transfer broker Kia Joorabchian.

City's extravagant ambition has been laughed off around the football world - but that would be to underestimate the determination of their Thai owner and his new executive chairman, Garry Cook.


Talks have opened with the player's major sponsor Nike, along with other possible investors who may help finance the exorbitant wage demands.


Ronaldinho, it is claimed in Spain, wants around £200,000-a-week to leave Barcelona. Such a deal would make him the highest-paid player in England - dwarfing the £135,000-a-week paid by Chelsea to England captain John Terry.


It is no coincidence that Cook is joining City from Nike, where he was a brand president and with whom Ronaldinho has a long-term contract.


City have been given clearance from Barcelona to open detailed talks. A pay-as-you-play deal could be thrashed out with club and player, with performance-related bonuses for a forward who has scored an impressive 70 goals in 145 La Liga games.


A source in Spain said: "Ronaldinho is showing a growing interest in going to England and while there is still much negotiating ahead, it is possible. Also in City's favour is this: Who else can afford him?"

Hughes has given his cautious approval to the pursuit of the 28-year-old, who has been considered the best player in the world for several seasons.


Hughes will want to know whether Ronaldinho can still deliver and if he has the physical know-how to cope with the pace of the Premier League.


He will also want assurances about the Brazilian's fitness. Ronaldinho has recently fallen from grace at Barcelona, where his general match fitness has been called into question following a series of disputes with the now departed coach Frank Rijkaard.

During an injuryravaged final season, Ronaldinho missed the Champions League semifinal against Manchester United, when Barcelona failed to score in either leg.

However, he was World Player of the Year for the second time only two years ago and City believe that, under Hughes, his fire can be rekindled.


Initial talks have even taken place on the shirt Ronaldinho will wear - City's No 10 - and how the club will cope with the commercial pressures of such a signing.


Barcelona's club shop, for instance, was dominated by Ronaldinho dolls, keyrings, posters, games and his own range of kits and balls.


He is also one of the faces of EA Sports computer games and remains a popular 'brand' because of his range of tricks.


The City board, however, know the deal will only work commercially if Ronaldinho is delivering on the pitch.


Sportsmail has learned that Ronaldinho has already been exchanging positive texts with City's new Brazilian capture, the 21-year-old striker Jo who will wear the No 14 shirt next season.


Even the most positive of Thaksin's aides believed City would lose out eventually to AC Milan, but that trail has gone cold. De Assis went to Thailand two weeks ago to see if City were still keen on his brother. Chelsea were expected to sign Ronaldinho following talks in London before the January trasnfer window but they, too, have stepped away from the negotiating table.


Sources claim his wage demands were "too much even for Roman Abramovich".


City, however, hope a clever deal involving sponsors will restrict their liability.


Despite City's lack of Champions League football - they will instead play in the UEFA Cup next season after qualifying through the Fair Play League - Ronaldinho is said to have been 'very positive' about their approach.


In a recent poll in Asia, he was still voted the No 1 player in the world, ahead of Milan's Kaka and Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo.


City, who have plans to develop their status in the Far East, where they trail United and Liverpool considerably, will hope Ronaldinho's signing can help drive global shirt sales.

"The deal is still at the possible stage, rather than the probable stage," was the word from Spain last night. '"But it seems that anything is possible with the type of money City are ready to pay."

For Hughes, who has been used to dealing with bargain buys at Blackburn, the tantalising prospect could be one of the reasons why he is keen to move to City. He had two years left on his £1.5m-a-year contract at Ewood Park and Rovers' demand for compensation in the region of £2m was agreed with City as a condition of allowing him to begin talks.


But Thaksin showed last summer that he is not frightened to splash out millions, as he bankrolled Eriksson's teambuilding to the tune of £50m, which produced a ninth-place finish.


The Swede flew to Mexico City last night after his abrupt exit from Eastlands and is expected to be confirmed as Mexico's national coach today.

£200,000 a week for Ronaldinho! you could get Ronaldo for that! and i dont mean fat Ronaldo! :lol:

:lol: Come on City wake up. Its not worth it, for that type of money forget Ronaldinho, you could get Kaka, Messi, Ronaldo. Infact for that type of Money your better getting two top strikers. Villa, Torres, Huntelaar, Berbatov or Fabiano. More than likely none of them would sign for city.

Hughes.

I repeat once again. No! No! No!

City. A club going sideways, some would say backwards.(again)

beg to disagree there jerb.

The criticism of Spanky is that he could simply be Pearce or Royle redivivus, but I think (and have for several years) that he is a lot cleverer than that; and he certainly seems to be able to recognise and foster natural goal-scoring talent - something we have missed for many years.

I can't say I'm happy to lose Sven after (on balance) a successful season; but Hughes looks to me like the best option as a replacement. .

:lol: Come on City wake up. Its not worth it, for that type of money forget Ronaldinho, you could get Kaka, Messi, Ronaldo. Infact for that type of Money your better getting two top strikers. Villa, Torres, Huntelaar, Berbatov or Fabiano. More than likely none of them would sign for city.

It's a business move, not a football move, much like Beckham's move to LA. Ronaldinho simply sells better than most of those. The idea is to emulate the impact the likes of Beckham had for United in Asia. It actually makes sense from a long term point of view as he could provide a huge boost for sales of merchandise.

Welcome aboard Spanky!

beg to disagree there jerb.

The criticism of Spanky is that he could simply be Pearce or Royle redivivus, but I think (and have for several years) that he is a lot cleverer than that; and he certainly seems to be able to recognise and foster natural goal-scoring talent - something we have missed for many years.

I can't say I'm happy to lose Sven after (on balance) a successful season; but Hughes looks to me like the best option as a replacement. .

Nerd.

My concern about Sparky (cringe :lol:) is the nearly man tag, similar to Joe Royle, Kevin Keegan and a host of other semi-successful managers we've had down the years. They have all taken City so far, but weren't capable of taking us that one step further.(top four, Europe, domestic and European trophies) Yes he will get us into the top six, perhaps the top four, but I don't think he is capable of winning us a domestic or European trophy before Frank's patience runs out. However, now he is the new manager I will back him and support him all they way. Hopefully he will prove me wrong.

BTW. The Rags have been at it all day. He's just using Citeh before he moves to us in 2-3 years time. :blahblah:

How Ironic.

"It's yours Mark."

http://d.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/ng/sp/empics/20071228/11/615129442-soccer-barclays-premier-league-manchester-city-v-blackburn-rovers-city.jpg

Mark Hughes is a mard-arse cunt.

I was glad he was at Blackburn because it just gave me one more reason to hate them.

I will now resent City winning.

I understand now. I'm crying with joy. :cry:

Fellow blues(and reds), read on.

Mail online.

EXCLUSIVE: Dr Thaksin gives Sportsmail an amazing insight into his Man City dream
By Lee Clayton Last updated at 9:19 PM on 04th June 2008

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Tales of the unexpected: lunching with the former prime minister of Thailand in China and hearing in detail, for the first time, his plans to sign Ronaldinho for Manchester City.

Let's clear up the choice of location first. Why here in Beijing instead of Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai homeland? It's safer this way (we don't need to be shadowed by his personal armed guard the size of a football team nor to perfect the trick of booking a series of restaurants for the same time, then swapping at the last moment so his enemies don't provide an alternative ending to the cheese and port).

Just now, my wife asks me to stay away and, if I have to go to Thailand, not to stay for long,' explains Thaksin. 'We have intelligence that there may be more danger.'

He has survived three car bomb attacks and six assassination attempts. 'I should be a man who drives around in a nice sports car, not an armoured car,' he adds with a smile.

Even here, almost five hours of flying from his home, the Lincoln Navigators of his security unit skillfully flank Thaksin's car on his way to a business meeting.

After avoiding real bombs in the Far East and dodging verbal grenades in the North West, where the Manchester locals have been restless, losing 8-1 to Middlesbrough on the last day was not how the season was meant to end.

Now Mark Hughes has been captured from Blackburn, an appointment that will surely go some way to restoring calm. Well, at least until the Ronaldinho carnival comes to town.

Thaksin has invited Sportsmail for this rare private audience at a secluded escape about 50 minutes outside China's Olympic City. The exact location is best kept a secret, just in case. You never know who might be reading.

Today, he wants to explain for the first time why you would give a new manager more than £50million, see him complete the double over Manchester United, finish ninth in the Barclays Premier League, qualify for the UEFA Cup (admittedly through the back door) and then axe him after one season.

Also, in this wide-ranging interview, Thaksin - I am advised to call him Dr Thaksin before we begin - talks about the ambitious pursuit of the former world player of the year, the future of Micah Richards and his long-term ambitions for Manchester City, including the appointment of new executive chairman Garry Cook from Nike.

Cook may not score goals, select the team or even yet support the club (he's a Birmingham fan by birth) but Thaksin believes he is a 'special signing, a football man who will inspire great things by leading from the front'.

Any more special ones planned, Doc? 'Ronaldinho - you know, he is a great player. Whatever the club in your heart, you would want to see this player in England, wouldn't you?'

True, but this is crazy talk. Who will pay the wages? 'It is not a risk. Sponsors will contribute. It will not damage our wage structure. Garry and Pairoj, my chief advisor, they are taking care of this transfer. I am very excited.

'I am 59 next birthday, so I am not a man who can wait for many years to see my dreams come true.'

How will City know the Brazilian doesn't just want to take the money? 'Ronaldinho is 28. He has much still to offer, he is a star. You need a combination of new players, existing players, quality, young and old.

'I admit also you need a player who is more than just winning the match. You need a star who can play on the pitch, but who can achieve much more for the club. Ronaldinho is that player.

'I am hearing good things about his hunger. I have spoken to his brother (his agent). Ronaldinho wants the new challenge, the chance to play his best football again, to return to the days when he was really, really famous. The magic is still in his boots. Let us hope we can bring him.'

City will also announce the signing of Jo, a new breed of Brazilian. 'He will cost a lot of money,' continued the City owner, who has agreed to pay £20m. 'But he is fast, he is a goalscorer; he will be special and a very good player in the Premier League.'

Eriksson has left the building, with a rather tasty pay-off. Here's why, according to Thaksin. 'I want you to know that Sven is a good man. I brought him to the club and supported him with investment (more than £50m spent last season) and we still have a good friendship.

'But I want this club to advance faster, much faster. Sven is a good football general, but we need more. We must play with more consistency, much more urgency. In the second half of the season, the slide was too bad, too much. We lost 8-1 at Middlesbrough! The shame of that.'

City supporters will know that the players had downed tools by this point, seemingly disputing the treatment of their manager. Thaksin begins to throw his arms around and raises his voice.

'The team stopped playing! They stopped working! I could not take this. I understand you cannot win every game. A football is round; it does not bounce along a straight line. I can accept the unpredictable, but not such a fall. We had to make a change.

'Mark Hughes is an excellent appointment. The players need to be motivated, instead of playing like people who are not being paid any money!'

He pays his money, he does his homework: Thaksin has researched the past and family background of every City player. 'I have heard of Premier League players with a garage full of sports cars and almost a girlfriend for each one. That is no way for an athlete to behave. He should be in the training ground, working.

'We need a culture of discipline at our club,' he continues, hinting that Eriksson was too weak. 'I want strong leadership from the manager, motivation for young men and I want players who can cope with that.

'If not, they can go. I want players who work hard to make their luck, not players who are lazy. We are not a selling club, but I want players with talent, who will exercise and improve. I want desire and commitment.

'Some may fit, some not. That is a decision for the new manager. Look, you cannot all live together for ever. Some will go, but not our best young players.

'We will pay the best for the best and to the best. That is my strategy, which is why I want a player like Ronaldinho. We need to breed success. Right now, we have a negative cash flow, but within two years we will be making money. You will see.

'The supporters, I hope, will also see what I am trying to do. They have loved the club longer than me, but I am with them because I have invested my money, a lot of money.' Most recently the £4.6m paid to Blackburn for Hughes and his coaching team.

'There are times when I wish I could be closer to the fans and to talk to them, but they will have to trust me and to see that, instead of words, I show them my intentions with actions.'

Richards, sought by Manchester United is staying. 'He is our star. He will not leave,' says a determined owner with £900m in reserve to back up his promise. Will the other team in Manchester be as lucky keeping their star attraction?

'You can see why other teams want Cristiano Ronaldo. Watch him in the penalty box when the ball is arriving. He comes alive, he wants the ball, he does not wait for it like some others. He makes it happen,' says Thaksin, illustrating his words by flashing his head at an imaginary ball.

It can be a surreal fantasy talking football with Thaksin (but he has the money to make it reality) so it would not have surprised me if he had declared Ronaldo to be his next transfer target, right there and then over the organic chicken soup.

Don't worry Fergie, he didn't. Blackburn's David Bentley is a more realistic purchase. 'Every owner of a Premier League club has a duty to play Englishmen in his team.

'We won the Youth Cup this season and I am very proud of the young men (he reels off at least six names and descriptions of players who may soon appear in the City first-team squad) and the staff there, like the academy director Jim Cassells.

'There should be at least five English at the core of every team. We are the English Premier League,' he adds. His English is fluent, mastered during his years studying for a doctorate in criminal justice in Texas.

A decent knowledge of the law has come in handy during the turbulent past two years during which he spent 17 months in exile and his vast fortune was frozen.

'That is why I bought a football club, to give myself a job after I was the subject of a military coup,' he explains simply. How does he respond to those who say he should never have been allowed to own City, given the persistent criticism of his human rights record?

First, he tells me he is revered by many in Thailand for making medical attention available to all Thais - even the poor from the rural areas - for the first time, at a cost of less than 50p.

'It didn't go down well with everyone,' he reports. 'The dentists, for instance, had so much work. Some people had never been to a dentist in 60 years and suddenly everyone could afford treatment. I paid them more money, but maybe not quickly enough.'

He also launched a national lottery, fought an HIV/AIDS crisis, built a new Bangkok airport and stabilised a creaking economy. But what about the corruption allegations? Untrue; a smear campaign, he responds.

What about the reports of almost 3,000 killings in an aggressive offensive against drugs? 'Sometimes, as a leader you must have an angry face. In the past, I have ignored these allegations published in the Thai media, with whom I have no relationship. The foreign media has since picked them up and this is damaging. Now you are asking me these questions and I am happy to answer.

'These figures you have read are not true. They are figures created by the military. I was not a ruthless dictator. No. There have been investigations: The Premier League, for example, has ways of investigating these matters, I welcomed the Fit and Proper Persons Test for new owners for that reason.'

He is now free to return to his homeland in return for agreeing to stay out of politics for five years and to concentrate on his 'football interests'.

That's another sticking point with the critics - the fact that 40 per cent of clubs in the top two divisions are now in the hands of foreign owners - but he has little sympathy with their concerns.

'Clubs do not collect enough revenue from TV and advertising. If they want to try to challenge the top four, if they want the best players, they need people with deep pockets.'

He is here for the long term, too. 'Tell the fans from me that they cannot love the club more than me. We have the same goals and they will understand me now.

'Mark Hughes, Garry Cook, Jo, maybe Ronaldinho. They will see by the new season.'

Thaksin may be guilty of football decisions triggered by a sense of urgency and a crazy, infectious will to see City walk with the giants, but his pockets are deep and his desire is fierce. Doctor Do-Little he isn't.

I hope Hughes does you over but I don't know what it is but I have this feeling of good luck to him. I think hes more of a theres a good job and good money, more than oh no its City or Liverpool. I don't think any reds we'll boo him or chant anything bad about him. They just hope he stays neutral and does the job what's asked of him. Lose to United 2 twice a year and finish 10-8th. Then he can move on. When Sven signed I was hearing from loads of City fans that he wasn't good enough and I was like you guys have a good man. Didn't have any hard feeling etc feel the same about Hughes.

Can somebody tell me how to pronounce Jo?

Is it Joe? Yo? Ho? maybe even something else.

I've got a meeting tomorrow morning with somebody I know to support city - and I don't want to look like a moron in pre business banter. (cue somebody feeding me a deliberate mispronunciation)

Can somebody tell me how to pronounce Jo?

Is it Joe? Yo? Ho? maybe even something else.

I've got a meeting tomorrow morning with somebody I know to support city - and I don't want to look like a moron in pre business banter. (cue somebody feeding me a deliberate mispronunciation)

Article about Joan. Click on youtube link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvFcuaFCzrk

Think it's just Jo. (plain and simple)

Why City's new £20 million Brazilian man is no ordinary Jo
By Ashley Gray Last updated at 9:42 PM on 04th June 2008

Looks can be deceiving when it comes to Joao Alves de Assis Silva, the Brazilian striker who thankfully goes by the more simple moniker 'Jo'.

At first glance, Manchester City's record signing appears to be a 6ft 2in beast of a target man. His gangling gait suggests he is better in the air than with the ball at his feet and his wild hair gives the impression he is an extrovert.

None of these assumptions about the 21-year-old arriving at Eastlands from CSKA Moscow for £20million are true. Jo took the increasingly familiar path from Brazil to the former Soviet Union little more than two years ago, when he signed for £3.5m from Corinthians where he played alongside Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

But while many South Americans freeze up in the cold climate - such as City midfielder Elano while at Shakhtar Donetsk - Jo was a revelation.

Operating best as a second striker who drops deep to exploit gaps and run at defenders, he scored 44 goals in 77 games. Average in the air, he has pace and good close control, with a rasping left-foot.

Not that life in Moscow was easy. He lived with his mother, who cooked up a flavour of home, and wife Claudia Santos, who told how they endured racial abuse.

'Once, we had lunch at McDonald's and coffee was thrown at us by a Russian who does not like blacks,' she said. 'On the streets, locals make the sign of a cross at us. Now we have to eat out discreetly.' Jo has been capped once by Brazil, against Turkey last June.

At the Under 20 World Cup he was played in a traditional centre forward's role - not his favoured position - alongside AC Milan wonderboy Alexandre Pato. But Jo believes the worldwide exposure of the Barclays Premier League will help him to gain regular call-ups.

'Who would not want to play in England?' said Jo after hearing of City's interest. 'In my opinion, Manchester City are one of the top six clubs in England.'

City were not the only ones interested but others stalled when CSKA insisted they would not do a deal for less than the striker's £20m release clause.

Money is not an issue to the Russian club, they just can't keep hold of players who want to leave. Everton were keen, Valencia made an approach in January, Real Madrid and Inter Milan showed interest and AC Milan were advised to take the plunge by Leonardo, their former Brazil star who advises the club.

But Kia Joorabchian, the businessman who owns a share of this summer's hot property and was responsible for bringing Tevez and Mascherano to the Premier League, advised the striker on taking the next plane to England.

Now all he has to do is prove he's no ordinary Jo.

Off the pitch no other club in the world can touch us. Never a dull moment. :lol:

Time to concentrate on the pitch. Bring on the new season. :)

Thank you JB. Just plain and simple Joe it is then.

Why not sign the equally ordinary named Brazilian pair of "Fred" from Olympique Lyon and "Alex" from Chelsea! Whatever happened to Brazilian footballers that had really long names!

:hahano: Don't laugh just yet.

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/788/signingssmallrb2.jpg

Jo looks like he has the same goofy teeth as Ronaldinho and Ronaldo (the Brazilian one!). I tell you, if you sign the pair you should set up a stall outside Eastlands selling joke goofy teeth! you would make a fortune! :lol:

Jo looks like he has the same goofy teeth as Ronaldinho and Ronaldo (the Brazilian one!). I tell you, if you sign the pair you should set up a stall outside Eastlands selling joke goofy teeth! you would make a fortune! :lol:

I'd rather set up a dental practice.

Oh God, that would be such a 'MASSIVE' signing.:shocked:

Who would have thought Ronaldinho would even contemplate signing for little Ciddy. :happy: Apparently nobody knows our name. ;)

I know it's all paper talk. Then again.

Today's fairy tale. Reuters.

Manchester City hopeful of landing Ronaldinho

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/788/signingssmallrb2.jpg

Reuters.

English Premier League club Manchester City say they are hopeful Brazilian striker Ronaldinho will be playing for them next season.

Speaking on BBC Radio on Sunday, the club's chairman Garry Cook said Barcelona had given City clearance to talk to the player over a switch to England.

"We have people in Brazil," Cook said."We are nowhere near completing (a deal) but Ronaldinho wants to show that he is one of the greatest footballers in the world.

"The Manchester City fans would love to see him kick off the new season with us and I am holding out hope on that happening."

Former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, 28, has been told he is free to leave Barcelona after a disappointing season at the Nou Camp.

Manchester City, owned by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, named Mark Hughes as their new manager this week after Sven-Goran Eriksson left by mutual consent on Monday.

Even if we fail to sign him, I think the publicity it's brought to the club is pretty priceless. It's being covered by news agencies around the world on a daily basis.

Oh God, that would be such a 'MASSIVE' signing.:shocked:

Who would have thought Ronaldinho would even contemplate signing for little Ciddy. :happy: Apparently nobody knows our name. ;)

I know it's all paper talk. Then again.

Today's fairy tale. Reuters.

Manchester City hopeful of landing Ronaldinho

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/788/signingssmallrb2.jpg

Reuters.

English Premier League club Manchester City say they are hopeful Brazilian striker Ronaldinho will be playing for them next season.

Speaking on BBC Radio on Sunday, the club's chairman Garry Cook said Barcelona had given City clearance to talk to the player over a switch to England.

"We have people in Brazil," Cook said."We are nowhere near completing (a deal) but Ronaldinho wants to show that he is one of the greatest footballers in the world.

"The Manchester City fans would love to see him kick off the new season with us and I am holding out hope on that happening."

Former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, 28, has been told he is free to leave Barcelona after a disappointing season at the Nou Camp.

Manchester City, owned by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, named Mark Hughes as their new manager this week after Sven-Goran Eriksson left by mutual consent on Monday.

But wouldnt you rather have young, talented and hungry David Bentley or Morten Gamst Pedersen brought over from Rovers. Ronaldinho is surely more known for his nightclub exploits these days rather than what he can produce on the field.

Bell Pottinger no longer working with Thaksin Shinawatra

Wednesday, 11 June 2008

John Butters, a director of Bell Pottinger North, has confirmed to How-Do that his agency is no longer working with Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra, but has quashed a report saying that his team were ‘ditched’.
Butters spoke to How-Do last month about the brief that his team had received from the controversial ex-Prime Minister of Thailand, noting at the time that it was a short term contract to do with football issues and, essentially, how they were impacting on his client’s reputation in the North West.

Now that these ‘issues’ (which it's fair to say largely revolved around the dismissal of Mr Eriksson) have faded from the front pages to the back it appears as though BP’s brief has come to an end.

“I’ve seen something in the papers that said we were ‘ditched’,” explained Butters, “but that’s absolutely not the case.”

“We have fulfilled the terms and objectives of the contract, which as I told you before was short term, and dealt with it successfully.

“I believe someone else has now been brought in to advise Dr Thaksin, but that’s a different brief.”

That someone else is Phil Hall, the ex-editor of the News of the World and a genuine power-player in the sports media world, with clients such as Chelsea, West Ham and Portsmouth. His brief is believed to be broader than BP’s specific ‘fire-fighting’ task.

Butters added that his agency had now been advising Shinawatra “for about a year, on and off” and was “always on hand” for future assignments should they be called upon.

Good! His interaction and involvement with the fans was zero.
A typical business man who didn't give a shit about the supporters. Apparently he wasn't liked and probably won't be missed by many at City.

We now have Cook who is already building bridges with the fans and saying all
the right things. Infact he said more in his first press statement ragarding the fans than Mackintosh did at any point in his cloak and dagger career at City.

Man City chief executive leaves job


Manchester City Football Club chief executive Alistair Mackintosh has left the club following in the footsteps of coach Sven Goran-Eriksson.

The club said in a statement on its website that Mackintosh left “by mutual consent”.

Mackintosh, who had been at Manchester City for 12 years, had effectively been demoted following the departure of Eriksson earlier this month.

The club, which has already replaced Eriksson with former Blackburn manager Mark Hughes, recently appointed Garry Cook to the new post of executive chairman. Cook was appointed by the club’s owner Thaksin Shinawatra.

“I would like to thank Alistair for his decade of service to the club. He took us through a period of great change and progress, particularly the move from Maine Road to our home here at The City of Manchester Stadium,” said Cook

What a load of Bolloxs. If that's the case he should put a drugs trafficker and a firing squad on the badge.

From the Guardian.

Former Thai PM knows what's crest
Manchester City's billionaire owner Thaskin Shinawatra is planning to change the club's crest to make them more marketable in the Far East.

Shinawatra, who is Thailand's former Prime Minister and now lives in a £4.5million mansion Weybridge, is believed to want to incorporate Thai symbolism into the badge.

That could mean elephants or a half-man half-bird garuda replacing the traditional golden eagle. Jesus!

advertisementThe 58-year-old is determined to make Manchester CIty bigger than it's more illustrious neighbours Manchester United and has plenty of resources, despite £1billion of frozen assets in Thailand.

Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup two years ago and now resides in Britain, with another pad in London.

His other interests apart from football include golf and karaoke and sacking succesful managers :nuts:

That's what you get with a power crazy nutter!

What a load of Bolloxs. If that's the case he should put a drugs trafficker and a firing squad on the badge.

From the Guardian.

Former Thai PM knows what's crest
Manchester City's billionaire owner Thaskin Shinawatra is planning to change the club's crest to make them more marketable in the Far East.

Shinawatra, who is Thailand's former Prime Minister and now lives in a £4.5million mansion Weybridge, is believed to want to incorporate Thai symbolism into the badge.

That could mean elephants or a half-man half-bird garuda replacing the traditional golden eagle. Jesus!

advertisementThe 58-year-old is determined to make Manchester CIty bigger than it's more illustrious neighbours Manchester United and has plenty of resources, despite £1billion of frozen assets in Thailand.

Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup two years ago and now resides in Britain, with another pad in London.

His other interests apart from football include golf and karaoke and sacking succesful managers :nuts:

The story is from the Epsom Guardian (not the Manchester/London paper of that ilk); and comes from the Sunday Mirror, who have a track record of fabricating anti-Thaksin reports. Though, that said, I cannot in all honesty say that I would be totally surprised if Frankie were to want to change the club crest - which, lets face it, has no great history or tradition behind it.

Looks like Frank is getting his money back. :)

Thaksin cases facing collapse
Constitutionality of charter questioned

KING-OUA LAOHONG


The Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) has admitted that it is highly likely all the corruption investigation cases against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his cabinet will collapse due to the questionable constitutionality of the 2007 charter.


The remark appears in the ASC's final performance report as it heads for dissolution on June 30. The panel indicates that the charter's questionable constitutionality was a major obstacle to achieving its mission and a key tool for Mr Thaksin to exploit and foil all the ASC's legal actions against him, his family and his government.


The Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) that toppled the Thaksin government on Sept 19, 2006, formed the ASC to take Mr Thaksin and his government to task for alleged corruption. The status of the panel was legalised by the 2006 interim charter, but not by the 2007 constitution.


The present charter does not authorise an organisation set up by the coup council to exercise any power related to the justice system.


Mr Thaksin has asked the Constitution Court through his lawyer to rule whether the ASC was a constitutionally acceptable body.


According to the ASC's final report, if the court rules that the CDR's 30th announcement establishing the ASC should be declared unconstitutional, all the investigations the ASC has conducted against Mr Thaksin and the other members of his government would immediately become null and void.


Mr Thaksin will escape all charges without having to defend himself in court. His 65 billion baht the ASC has frozen will also have to be returned.


Many other cases the ASC has targeted will also have to be dropped. They include those filed against Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej who is being investigated for alleged corruption in the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's procurement of fire trucks and boats worth over 6.6 billion baht.


According to its report, the ASC has investigated 24 corruption cases and found damages to the state worth about 180 billion baht.


Five cases are still under probe by the ASC sub-committees, another five under the ASC's consideration, and four are with the attorney-general.


While two cases are about to be concluded, three others are already in court. Three other cases have been sent to the Revenue Department.


One has been passed on to the Department of Special Investigation and one has been forwarded to the National Counter Corruption Commission.

Don't worry Frank, you in our thoughts.

From Crains.

Court bars Thaksin from leaving Thailand


Thailand's supreme court has barred Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra from leaving the country pending hearings on a corruption case against him and his wife, Thai newspapers reported today.

The former Thai prime minister had planned to travel to China, Japan and Britain in the next few weeks.

But his request to go abroad was not granted because it coincides with the appearance of prosecution witnesses in the case.

Charges against Thaksin and his wife accuse them of breaking laws which ban serving politicians and their spouses from striking deals with Thai state bodies. They deny any wrongdoing.

Telecoms billionaire Thaksin is currently trying to recover around £980m in assets which were frozen when he was ousted in 2006.

Thaksin's lawyer and two legal advisers were jailed last week after being found guilty of an apparent attempt to bribe supreme court officials with £30,000 hidden in a snack box.

Spot on.

From todays MEN.

Comment: Make your mind up Ronaldinho
Chris Bailey , Comment Chris Bailey
7/ 7/2008

ONE of the benefits for a journalist working through the entire football season without a break is that a chunk of holiday entitlement comes along in the summer.

But even when you flee for a week away with the family there really is no getting away from the game in general, and City in particular.

Especially in Northern Italy where, upon learning about my occupation from a loose- tongued fellow guest, the owner of the family-run hotel where I was staying punctuated his spells between reading `Gazzetta dello Sport' and filling up his carafe of wine with the words `Ronaldinho for Milan'.

He didn't speak much English but it was clear that the sports mad proprietor expected his favoured Rossoneri to sign the Brazilian ahead of the Blues.

At which point I found myself saying - under my breath - that I just wish the former world player of the year would quickly join someone and stop the saga of his drawn out departure from Barcelona slowly going around in ever-decreasing circles.

Maybe my wish could be about to come true. A report in the La Stampa yesterday quoted AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani as saying: "Ronaldinho has rejected the offer of Manchester City despite them offering twice as much as we can."

But he followed that by adding: The problem is the wages. For us to be able to afford him, the transfer fee would have to be close to nothing."

Ronaldinho's future has become a soap opera to rival those other hardy summer staples Ronaldo and Adebayor for its diminishing boredom threshold.

Let's be clear that City's owner Thaksin Shinawatra and executive chairman Garry Cook should be praised for setting their sights so high and reaching out for the best that is available.

But at some point, and surely that time is drawing ever nearer, they must say enough is enough.

Decision

The wooing and cooing has to cease its seemingly endless loop and Ronaldinho has to be told to stop fluttering his eyelashes and make a decision.

The Blues have made it perfectly obvious to the extraordinarily talented World Cup winner that they see him as the talisman for a new dawn at Eastlands - the exciting, effervescent hub around which the Blues could mount a sustained bid for a place at English football's top table.

If that kind of respect and adoration, coupled with wages that would make Croesus blink and then rub his hands in anticipation, aren't enough to persuade Ronaldinho to immediately move to the North West of England, then it is surely time to call it quits.

All the stalling and dallying only leads one to assume that City have been used a stalking horse and if so that's a shame because the Blues are better than that.

There are more pressing issues that need addressing in the squad and the Ronaldinho money could be spent elsewhere plugging the obvious gaps in a group that is top heavy with strikers and lacking the depth and balance it will need to fight on four fronts with any degree of sustained success. A dashing right winger to balance Martin Petrov and supply new record signing Jo is a priority with the shortlist containing the names of England internationals David Bentley, Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Turkey's Colin Kazim-Richards.

Recruits

There is also the little matter of a couple of holding midfielders. In the second half of last season, the Blues became too much style and not enough substance. They were brittle and teams battling for their lives took advantage by knocking them out of their elegant style.

Boss Mark Hughes must be allowed to get to grips with that and inject some more steel into the engine room. Once that is done he can set his stall out to bring in more defensive recruits with the full back positions needing cover and an experienced goalkeeper required to complement the youthful brilliance of Joe Hart and Kasper Schmeichel. All of those positions should become a higher priority than signing Ronaldinho.

His signature should be the icing on the cake not the contents of the whole baking tin and while City have given him a deadline to say `yes' or `no' to their offer. It might help everyone get a clearer picture if that was brought forward so that everyone can focus on the good of the team as a whole.

City is bigger than any one player even if he was once the best on the planet. Make your mind up Ron - sharpish!

Thaksin goes on trial in Thailand

The corruption trial of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has begun in Bangkok, almost two years after he was overthrown in a coup.

Mr Thaksin and his wife face charges related to a Bangkok real estate deal.

The couple deny any wrongdoing, saying the charges of abuse of power against them are politically motivated.

Mr Thaksin, a telecoms billionaire who owns the English football club Manchester City, returned to Thailand in February after 18 months abroad.

The military ousted him in September 2006, accusing him of corruption and abuse of power.

Mr Thaksin has since been living mostly in the UK, but his political allies won democratic elections late last year, facilitating his return to Thailand.

Land purchase

Mr Thaksin, his family and his aides face a number of different allegations. Millions of dollars of his assets have remained frozen since charges were laid.

The case before the Supreme Court relates to the purchase of a plot of land in the Thai capital.

The former prime minister is accused of using his political influence to help his wife buy the land from a state agency at a favourable price.

The couple, who could face lengthy prison terms if convicted, did not attend court, but their lawyer sounded a positive note.

"We are confident that our evidence will be enough to prove in the court that Thaksin and his wife are not guilty," Anek Khamchum told the AFP news agency.

But the courts have shown surprising tenacity in pursuing this first case, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok.

The government has tried to weaken the case by arguing that the military-backed bodies which investigated Mr Thaksin had no legitimacy.

The courts have ignored that, and have even intervened to reverse other government decisions.

Many observers in Thailand are calling this a judicial revolution - where the courts are quietly being asked by the traditional elite to act as checks on the power of elected governments.

Mr Thaksin's own prospects dimmed significantly when three of his lawyers were jailed last month by the Supreme Court for offering a cash bribe in a cake box, our correspondent adds.

At the very least, Mr Thaksin's chances of making a political comeback are looking slim, our correspondent says.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7494664.stm

Am sure more will come out over the next few days....

Great article from the Times. And it could actually happen? Surely it's still paper talk?

Shameless meets The Wicker Man
The ecologists were right, the world is changing. The summers are getting shorter, it's science fact. It seems like only yesterday that we were getting unnecessarily baton charged by the Cleveland SS, sorry constabulary, at The Riverside yet our first competitive game (although I use that term in the loosest possible sense) is less than a week away. Where did all the time go?

This being Manchester City, it's been a fairly eventful pre-season. Our chairman is back in Thailand facing corruption charges, whilst some of our fans have seemingly become overnight experts in the intricacies of the Thai judicial system. Sven, of course, was unceremoniously dumped after a disappointing end to a season which had started with such promise, and has been replaced by Mark Hughes. My previous column was fiercely critical of the appointment, but I'm starting to warm to the man (admittedly it's only gone from sub-zero to tepid, but that's progress of sorts).

There's been a boardroom shuffle too, with St John Wardle and Chief Exec "Red Al" Mackintosh leaving the club, whilst Paul Tyrell has been conspicuous by his absence, somewhat ironic given that his job is Head of Communications. In their place come Garry (two R's, goddammit) Cook, having been headhunted from Nike, and 27 other members of the Shinawatra family, but we'll have no accusations of nepotism. OK?

Cook's appointment in particular has generated much excitement amongst City fans, which seems bizarre when you consider that he is, essentially, just another suit. In fairness to Cook, he has conducted himself fairly impressively in his dealings with the media thus far, although he is prone to the odd case of foot-in-mouth disease which affected previous incumbents. Francis Lee conducted his first AGM at Manchester Airport (as "this is where flights to Europe depart from"), whilst Peter Swales vowed to make us a bigger club than United. Cook, for his part, boldly stated that we "need to build a bigger trophy cabinet". As we've not won a trophy of any note for over thirty years, it would've sufficed just to say we need to build a trophy cabinet.

On the playing side we've seen the departure of the legendary Paul Dickov (proving that the old football adage that you should never go back is indeed true), the endearingly inept Sun Jihai and Emile Mpzena, who has joined up with the cast on the set of Predator 3.

The only arrival so far has been Jo, the Brazilian with a short name and large transfer fee. £19m seemed a little excessive for a largely unproven player with only one cap, but I'm not going to complain when we smash our transfer record for an exciting young South American (they have a reputation for being successful in the Premiership, right? Eh? Oh...). Jo's arrival means we now have 63 strikers in the squad, yet no out and out right wingers, with the exception of the Chairman. Arf.

Meanwhile, the on/off Ronaldinho saga coughs and splutters its way into another tedious week, but it seems likely that AC Milan will secure his services. There was a bizarre moment during negotiations where the Milan vice-chairman claimed that they couldn't compete financially with "the likes of Manchester City". The times they are a-changing. In true City tradition, some fans were typically dour about the prospect of signing a 28 year old, two time World Player of the Year. "Ronaldinho? What's he ever done?". Personally I'm disappointed that the deal looks dead, as it deprives me of the opportunity of seeing the buck-toothed genius lining up alongside "Deadly" Darius Vassell. There would've been a beautiful juxtaposition about it.

Next Thursday sees City travel to the Faroe Islands for a glamour tie against European giants EB/Streymur (the only team I can recall that have a forward slash in their name; if they're willing to defy all standard naming conventions with such casual abandon then we shouldn't underestimate them. They're clearly gung-ho mavericks). It's a notoriously difficult place to get to, not that that's deterred some. A group of City fans, to their eternal credit, have gone to the lengths of hiring their own trawler to get to the game (http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=79344&start=0). Cue numerous nautical ditties, such as "City, we're on the ship again" and "Faroes, Faroes, we are the Trawler Boys".

The team are based in the rural village of Streymnes, population four hundred. Quite how they'll react to the invasion of 500 Mancunian pissheads remains to be seen. It'd make for a fascinating sociological experiment. I'm surprised Channel 4 aren't there. I imagine it'd be like an episode of Shameless meets The Wicker Man, although a recent relaxation of the local drinking laws means they're a boisterous drunken lot apparently. Maybe the culture clash won't be so marked.

The game will see the first appearance in the latest bastardisation of a kit. Who comes up with these designs?! It's time to name and shame the culprits, we'll hound them out of house and home. The away shirt is particularly bad, with a preposterous "bubble" design on the red stripes. It's as though two stoned work experience kids at Le Coq Sportif were left to their own devices, dicking about with Photoshop. "Huh-huh, mess about with the hue and saturation, they'll never notice...".

Ridiculously, the return "home" leg is to be played at Barnsley's ground Oakwell. The reason? Bon Jovi (apropos of nothing an anagram of our £6m striker Bojinov) played at The City of Manchester stadium this summer and the pitch is still being repaired. Ironically, yet depressingly, Jon Bon Jovi has now spent more playing time on the Eastland's turf than Valerie. It seems absurd that we were unable to find a suitable venue even in our own county, despite the abundance of local clubs. Christ, even Edgeley Park would've sufficed. But bloody Yorkshire? Surely there must've been somewhere a little more civilised and progressive to play the game. Streymnes, for instance.

http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2008/07/shameless-meets.html

-------------------

Also from the Times.

Manchester City close in on Ronaldinho deal

Gary Jacob, Oliver Kay
Manchester City were close to reaching an agreement with Barcelona last night to sign Ronaldinho for about £22 million, after their long pursuit of the former World Player of the Year. The Brazil forward, who will arrive in Barcelona for preseason training today, has been offered a four-year deal that would make him the highest-paid footballer in England.

Thaksin Shinawatra, the City owner, has said that signing Ronaldinho would be an opportunity to put the club on the map. But, although City are confident of concluding a deal with the Catalan club, Ronaldinho’s arrival is by no means a formality. City fear that news of an impending deal may have been leaked by Ronaldinho’s camp in an attempt to force AC Milan to bid for the player and match the contract offered by the Barclays Premier League club.

Roberto de Assis, the player’s brother and agent, has previously said that Italy was the forward’s more likely destination. Although Milan have offered Ronaldinho a two-year contract, they have made their interest known to Barcelona only via the media – and City remain the only club to have made a serious bid. Barcelona want to sell Ronaldinho to fund the probable transfers of Alexander Hleb, who would cost £12 million, and his Arsenal teammate, Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo forward.

Ronaldinho’s relationship with Barcelona has deteriorated to the point where he said that he did not want to return to preseason training with the club. Barcelona have also been angered by the player, who has two years left on his contract, making himself available to play for Brazil in the Olympic Games in Beijing next month.

City live against them whalers on Satsuma, Thursday, 7.30pm I think.

Double check. :happy:

Who will Ronnie pick? (probably Milan) Galliani has been shouting his mouth off over the last few days, while Cook, the Thai's and City have kept counsel. Watch this space.

Some interesting news away for the buck-teeth assassin.

Blues announce partnership with Seatexchange.com 15/07/2008 18:00

Manchester City has today announced an exclusive multi-year partnership with leading online secondary ticketing company, Seatexchange.com.

The partnership also includes the development of the Official Manchester City Seat Exchange, an exclusive service for Manchester City Seasoncard holders to sell, and Citycard holders and other qualifying supporters* to buy tickets for home Premier League fixtures at the City of Manchester Stadium. The service will go live at the end of July.

Supporters will be able to view prices, ticket availability and exact seat locations 24 hours a day via Seat Exchange, offering access to tickets in the best locations, even for matches that have officially sold out.

The official partnership comes after Seatexchange.com signed multi-year partnerships last season with Premier League football club Aston Villa, Scottish Premier League champions Celtic FC, and Guinness Premiership teams Bath Rugby and Bristol Rugby.

“We are delighted to welcome Manchester City to our growing portfolio of UK sports teams as the first step in establishing Seat Exchange in Europe. The secondary ticketing market represents a great opportunity for leading football clubs to make tickets available for supporters, while still retaining control over ticket sales and protecting their fans,” said Dave Gorman, CEO of Seatexchange.com.

“As Manchester City’s Official Secondary Ticketing Partner, Seatexchange.com will open up those opportunities. This is a win-win situation for supporters and the club. Our service offers supporters the chance to purchase tickets at face-value and for season ticket holders to be reimbursed for games they cannot attend.

“Manchester is at the forefront of both music and sport and Manchester City, with its excellent heritage, new stadium, and terrifically loyal supporters, makes the ideal partner for Seatexchange.com.”

Manchester City Executive Chairman Garry Cook added: “We are constantly striving to offer the highest levels of service and freedom of choice to our supporters. The secondary ticketing sector is a new sector and we are delighted to form a partnership with a market leader like Seatexchange.com

“We have been impressed by their professionalism and the level of service they offer in this field and are delighted to be able to provide our supporters with a safe and secure environment in which to buy and sell tickets.

"This will increase the opportunity for fans to attend matches at the City of Manchester Stadium and allow Seasoncard holders the opportunity to sell their tickets for matches they can’t attend. We look forward to working with Seatexchange.com to provide this new service and further strengthen our relationship with our fans.”

To celebrate the launch of their partnership with Manchester City, Seat Exchange are also offering supporters the opportunity to win tickets for the Club’s 1st Qualifying Round UEFA Cup fixture against EB/Streymur from the Faroe Islands on Thursday 31st July at Barnsley’s Oakwell Stadium.

For more information, click here >

*Supporters that hold a Seasoncard, Citycard or Accesscard or are a member of the LIVE4CITY scheme shall be entitled to purchase tickets listed by Seasoncard holders. Terms & Conditions apply.

City live against them whalers on Satsuma, Thursday, 7.30pm I think.

Double check. :happy:

respect to Scall and the rest of the trawler boys

- now that's what I call real supporters

http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=12812&type=1&area_id=12

City live against them whalers on Satsuma, Thursday, 7.30pm I think.

Double check. :happy:


Santana Sports 1
18:55
Live: Eb/Streymur vs Man City
Live Uefa Cup action as Manchester City kick-off their season earlier than expected with a trip to the Faroe Islands in this 1st round Qualifier. With some new signings on board new manager Mark Hughes will expect nothing less than against win in his first game in charge

Linky... (http://setanta.com/en/UK/TV-Listings/)

respect to Scall and the rest of the trawler boys

- now that's what I call real supporters

http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=12812&type=1&area_id=12

Shipping Forecast @ 8.00 today:

FAEROES WEST OR NORTHWEST 5 TO 7, BECOMING VARIABLE 4 IN SOUTHWEST LATER. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, DECREASING MODERATE OR ROUGH LATER. SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD

Shipping Forecast @ 8.00 today:

FAEROES WEST OR NORTHWEST 5 TO 7, BECOMING VARIABLE 4 IN SOUTHWEST LATER. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, DECREASING MODERATE OR ROUGH LATER. SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD

Ha, Skipper didn't fancy the high seas with a bunch of City fans in a force 7 - can't think why :dance2:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7510033.stm

Citeh versus the Ham-burger boys on Channel 5, 3pm this afternoon, if any blues are interested.

Citeh versus the Ham-burger boys on Channel 5, 3pm this afternoon, if any blues are interested.

No body cares.

No body cares.

You obviously do Andrew. :lol: Don't forget, the megastore closes at 5.30pm.

You obviously do Andrew. :lol: Don't forget, the megastore closes at 5.30pm.

Well United are playing Oxford today am sure no one gives a shit about that. Theres also some game in Africa being played.

About the Megastore I have been looking for the opening times, can't find them anywhere because am after getting a new red shirt with European 08 Champions on. :)

Citeh versus the Ham-burger boys on Channel 5, 3pm this afternoon, if any blues are interested.

Nice one mate:banana::cheers: Was just checking the sky channels last night for friendlies over the weekend ( bloody boxing season is over too ) and forgot to check five. Excellent, seems like months since Euro 2008 finished. Will Jo play?

Nice one mate:banana::cheers: Was just checking the sky channels last night for friendlies over the weekend ( bloody boxing season is over too ) and forgot to check five. Excellent, seems like months since Euro 2008 finished. Will Jo play?

No. He's currently with Brazil in China. (Olympic Games)

Sorry jrb been workin all day and most of tonight can you just let me no how shitty got on today please mate??? Not been able to get the results anywhere! :ohno:

It ain't looking good for old blue eyes.

From Crains.

Conviction for Thaksin could mean FA sanctions
By James Chapelard


The FA Premier League would reassess Thaksin Shinawatra's suitability to own Manchester City Football Club if he is convicted of a criminal offence in Thailand.

He is facing four charges in the Thai supreme court, all of which he denies, with verdicts expected in September. A single conviction, however, would prompt fresh scrutiny under the Premier League's fit and proper persons test.

A Premier League spokesman told Crain's: “It is an ongoing test. We will look into it. If there are developments we will look at them.”

Under Premier League rules, UK convictions for fraud, corruption or tax evasion — or “like offences” in foreign courts — mean that a football club director or shareholder would no longer be considered a fit and proper person. Once deemed not fit and proper, a director or owner has to be asked by the Premier League to resign from the board and give up his financial interest in the club.

If the person fails to resign and the club fails to remove him, rule D10 says the Premier League board “shall have power” to suspend the club from the competition.

Although the test has been in place for a number of years no owner has yet been asked to sell his stake in a club. The Premier League said it could only take action over convictions, not allegations.

Asked whether Thaksin would be asked to give up his shareholding in the club if convicted, a Premier League spokesman added: “We are talking hypothetically at the moment. We would have to look at that situation and examine the law book. We would have to seek legal counsel to see what is reasonable and permissible.”

Thaksin passed the fit and proper persons test when he bought the club in summer 2007.

FA-registered lawyer Lindsey Bell, of JMW Solicitors in Manchester, said: “They are going to have to look at it. If he is convicted and if the offences are similar to the schedule of offences, I think he would be disqualified. With a high-profile matter like this they would have to be seen to be doing the right thing.”

Bell said Thaksin may argue that the Thai supreme court was not “competent” because the charges were brought for political reasons. Four charges against Thaksin are now being considered by the supreme court.

Two new ones added last week involve allegations of malfeasance in relation to a government lottery and allegations that the former Thai prime minister arranged soft loans while in office to enable the Burmese military dictatorship to buy telecoms equipment from his Shin Corp conglomerate.

Politically motivated


Other supreme court charges include the alleged abuse of power for the benefit of family businesses and a charge that he helped his wife Pojaman buy government land in central Bangkok for a third of its value. Thaksin and his wife deny any wrongdoing and insist all charges against them are politically motivated.

Thaksin was dealt a heavy blow last week when Pojaman was found guilty by a lower court of evading 546m baht (£8.2m) in tax following a 1997 shares transfer in Shin Corp. She was sentenced to three years in jail but released on bail pending appeal.

The Nation, an anti-government (and therefore anti-Thaksin) Bangkok newspaper said last week's verdict against Pojaman “effectively means that Thaksin has lost”.

The Manchester City owner returned to Thailand in February to try to clear his name and recover £900m of assets frozen by the military junta who ousted him as prime minister in a bloodless coup in 2006.

He now has to seek permission to leave the country and has been granted permission to travel to China and Japan this week.

A spokesperson for Thaksin said on Friday that the couple would not be seeking asylum abroad and had faith in the Thai justice system, which has asserted its independence in recent months to the surprise of political analysts.

“I can assure you that Mr Thaksin will return to Thailand as scheduled, after attending the opening of the Olympics in Beijing on August 9 and 10,” spokesman Pongthep Thepkanchana said.

Thaksin denies plan to sell Manchester City

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/3451/23257743wr2.jpg

Thaksin Shinawatra called Manchester City executive chairman Garry Cook today to deny reports that he plans to sell the club.

A club spokesman told the Press Association: “It is not true to say Thaksin Shinawatra is selling Manchester City. He spoke with Garry Cook this morning, and those were the sentiments he echoed in very strong terms.”

Thaksin has contacted business associates about investing alongside him, but is said to be “dismayed” that this has been interpreted as a plan to sell up.

Thaksin, deposed as Thai prime minister by a military coup in 2006, bought Manchester City in summer 2007. In February this year, he returned to Thailand after his political allies won a general election.

He hoped to clear his name and recover around £900m in frozen assets from the sale of his Shin Corp telecoms business to Singapore sovereign wealth fund Temasek.

But his enemies have mobilised against him, and he now faces four charges in Thailand’s supreme court relating to a land deal, changes in the law which allegedly boosted his business interests, the launch of a state lottery and a telecoms deal with Burma. Thaksin denies all the charges.

Verdicts are expected in September, and there is no right of appeal as the supreme court is the highest judicial authority in Thailand.

Last week Thaksin’s wife, Pojaman, was jailed for three years for tax evasion by a lower court but released on bail pending appeal.

The couple have been given permission to travel to China this week for the opening of the Olympics, and then to Japan. Thaksin’s spokesman last week denied that he plans to go into exile rather than returning to face the court.

It's all gone tits up.

Franks in China.
Cook is meeting him.
Hughes has gone mad.
Charlie is going to Spurs.
Ireland is going to Sunderland.
The boards are full of rumours regarding the club being fucked.
Stories apparently coming out in the press next week.

Something's never change.

never do business with South East Asian despots! mind you, i can hardly talk with these pair of twats ruining Liverpool. i prefer the good old days when Liverpool were run by the unassuming John Smith and City were run by the straight as an arrow Peter Swales.

never do business with South East Asian despots! mind you, i can hardly talk with these pair of twats ruining Liverpool. i prefer the good old days when Liverpool were run by the unassuming John Smith and City were run by the straight as an arrow Peter Swales.

That's the general consensus amongst the fans now Paul. Unfortunately it's too late. We welcomed him with open arms last year, now we have to suffer the consequences. Unless he wins his trial and get's his money back, he's pretty much skint. City owe huge amounts of money on transfer fee's. Most of the players have been bought on the never, never and those clubs will eventually want their money. Apparently the club owes Frank a bob or two as well. Jeez!

It's another f*** up I'm affraid. There's never a dull moment off the pitch at City is there. (apart from when you of open the trophy cabinet and the door's fall off and all you see in emptiness)

We haven't got a pot to hold up, nevermind to piss in. :lol:

Some of the storm clouds are lifting. Ireland staying.(not that bothered)

Charlie boy is staying. :banana: :cheers: Every City fan to a man want's him to stay. The guy is class and young. Had a great first season and looked great in Euro 2008. Spurs thought they could get him on the cheap.(less than what we originally paid for him) Well.....(I don't normally swear fully on SSC) FUCK OFF SPURS!! Go and shove your money up your arse! :lol:

PS. Hughes has had a heart to heart with Charlie. He must have told Frank and Cook, "If he goes, I go."

Story here. http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Premier+League/Manchester+City

According to the Mail, Frank has done a runner and is back in England. You couldn't write a script like this. Pure entertainment. Pure Man City. :lol:

Thaksin snub for Thai trial
By IAN LADYMAN

Last updated at 10:54 PM on 10th August 2008

Comments (0) Add to My Stories
Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra was back in London last night after refusing to return to Thailand to face trial on corruption charges - further harming his chances of ever releasing £800million of frozen assets in his home country.

With City manager Mark Hughes desperate for funds to strengthen his squad, Thaksin's refusal to head to Bangkok from Beijing yesterday could have drastic knock-on effects for the new Eastlands boss.

It is understood that Thaksin is expected to claim political asylum in England, which is likely to keep him out of jail but will leave his money locked up in Thailand.

Thaksin fled to the west when he was first overthrown as Prime Minister two years ago. He returned home last February confident that charges against him would be dropped and his money released.

Heat on Cook to deliver new players after Corluka is sold to Spurs
Manchester City 1 AC Milan 0

But the conviction of his wife Potjaman last month sent shock waves through Thailand - and indeed through City - as it became clear the Thai authorities were not prepared to give Thaksin and his family an easy ride.

Thaksin was due to board a flight home last night from Beijing, where he has been with executive chairman Garry Cook, but instead flew to England and he will meet City officials today.


Sportsmail revealed last week that Thaksin is exploring ways of selling City and it is now understood that he has held talks with one interested party about selling a minority stake.


However, no progress has been made.

With Croatia defender Vedran Corluka's move to Tottenham finally being called off yesterday and Stephen Ireland also remaining at the club, Hughes must now find other ways of raising the money needed to pursue targets such as Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz.

Certainly, all is not well behind the scenes at City and midfielder Ireland had to be summoned from an afternoon shopping trip to play in Saturday’s friendly against AC Milan as his club’s difficult pre-season descended in to high farce.

Despite initially being named in the squad for the game, Ireland was under the impression that he was not needed in the squad after being informed of interest in him from Bolton and Sunderland.

The 21-year-old was told - or at least presumed - he had no need to attend the game but it now appears Hughes did not know Ireland was not turning up and subsequently ordered his staff to track the player down in the run up to kick-off at the City of Manchester Stadium.

It is understood that City goalkeeper Joe Hart eventually managed to contact Ireland on his mobile phone and Hughes' assistant Mark Bowen told the Republic of Ireland midfielder to report to the stadium as soon as possible.


Ireland came on as a substitute in City's 1-0 win and Hughes played down the incident. Hughes said: 'I am not quite sure what all the Stephen Ireland rumour is about.

'There was a bit of confusion about Stephen before the game against Milan, but I had a word with him before the game and explained my interpretation of it. It has been sorted out and I explained my understanding of it.


'At this time of the year a lot of agents are flying around and at times some are of a view that they can start to exercise some interest in their clients. Anything we have said in regards of Stephen has been misinterpreted and people have run away with it.

'He is staying. Absolutely he is staying. Sunderland has been mentioned, but there has been no contact in that respect.'

From Crains.

Thaksin flees into exile in UK


Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra today confirmed that he has skipped bail and gone into exile in the UK.

Thaksin sent a hand-written fax to Thai television stations this morning, accusing his political opponents of trying to "finish off" himself and his family.

He also apologised to the Thai supreme court, where he and his wife Pojaman were due to appear this morning to face charges relating to a land deal before Thaksin was deposed as prime minister of Thailand by a military coup in 2006.

Thaksin said: "I must apologise again for deciding to come to live in England. If I am fortunate enough, I will return and die on Thai soil, just like other Thais," he said. Thaksin said his enemies “don't care about the rule of law, facts or internationally recognised due process,"

Thai political observers said his hand was forced when Pojaman was found guilty and sentenced to three years jail for tax evasion two weeks ago. Shortly after the verdict the couple were given permission to travel to Japan and China for the opening of the Beijing Olympics.

As later as Saturday, their supporters were saying they would return, pointing out that Thaksin and Pojaman were booked on a Thai International Airways flight from Beijing to Bangkok on Sunday night. The couple never boarded the plane, however, and flew to London instead.

The Thai establishment will not be sorry to see Thaksin go. The stock market rose 3.3 percent amid hopes that his departure will ease political tensions which have led to street clashes in recent weeks between supporters and opponents of the ex-prime minister.

Thaksin’s decision to flee means it is highly likely he will be tried and found guilty in his absence on at least one of the four corruption charges he faces in the supreme court.

In turn, this means he would fail the FA Premier League’s fit and proper persons test and would be forced to resign as a director and sell his stake in Manchester City, which he only acquired in summer 2007.

Both Thaksin and his wife deny any wrongdoing.

EXCLUSIVE: City in crisis as Shinawatra forced to borrow £2m from ex-chief Wardle just to pay the players

By Ian Ladyman
Last updated at 12:11 AM on 12th August 2008


The shocking extent of Thaksin Shinawatra’s financial difficulties at Manchester City can be revealed today as it emerged that only last month he had to borrow £2million from former chairman John Wardle to pay staff wages.

Sportsmail can reveal that Wardle, who resigned in protest at Thaksin’s reign on July 9,was so concerned City staff were not going to be paid that he agreed to loan the club’s owner £2m for the third time in less than a year.

Although Wardle has been repaid and no staff wage payments were missed, it is clear City are operating on a hand-to-mouth basis each month. There are fears within the club the problem will soon recur, with Wardle no longer around to bail Thaksin out.

Barclays Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore is demanding urgent talks with Thaksin, who fled Thailand to avoid facing corruption charges.

He said: ‘We are clearly going to have to establish the status of his return to England and where that leaves him in regard to the legal process in Thailand.

‘Our rules are clear that somebody has to be convicted of something to fail the “fit and
proper person” criteria and, until someone does, he still falls within our rules. But there is no point in having this test unless it is meaningful, as we have always said it is, and it has to be applied.

‘We need to make sure that, if somebody is guilty of something, we will deal with it.’

It is understood that if Thaskin is convicted in his absence, the Premier League
would investigate whether they could force him to relinquish control of City.

Last night Wardle would not comment, but he is known to be distraught at the manner in which the club he sold last summer are struggling under Thaksin’s leadership.

Thaksin has invested considerably less of his own money in City than first thought and has been seeking fresh investment while relying more heavily on other borrowed capital.

Meanwhile, City manager Mark Hughes faces a struggle of his own to gain direct control of transfer policy after a weekend in which he came into confrontation with the club’s new chief operating officer, Paul Aldridge, over the proposed transfer of Stephen Ireland to Sunderland.

Hughes was said to be incandescent when he learned Ireland was not at the City of Manchester Stadium for the club’s friendly against AC Milan on Saturday and blamed Aldridge for allegedly trying to engineer the transfer.


Furious: Mark Hughes is angry at player matters apparently being taken out of his hands Aldridge, formerly at West Ham, has denied this and the club have insisted that the blame for the embarrassing affair lies at the door of agents.

Nevertheless, it is understood Hughes has made it clear to the club over the last 48 hours that he must be left in control of transfers if he is to continue in the job he took on in June.

Bookmakers have slashed the odds against Hughes being the first managerial casualty of the season over the last day or so and although there is not thought to be much likelihood of the former Blackburn boss quitting, he is said to be shocked at the manner in which the club is run.


The official line from City on the Ireland situation, and indeed Vedran Corluka’s aborted transfer to Tottenham, is that Hughes was in the loop throughout and has not been undermined.

But Spurs are so angry at the way they feel City messed them about over Corluka that they were considering legal action last night against their Premier League rivals. With the Croatia defender having undergone a medical and agreed personal terms at White Hart Lane, the transfer was about to go through until City pulled out on Sunday.

Last night the Premier League revealed that although Spurs’ transfer documents had been completed and submitted, City’s had not. This should leave City in the clear.

City are also known to be in negotiations for two new players, though given the financial turmoil now gripping the club, they are unlikely to involve large sums if players cannot be shifted out first.

As revealed in Sportsmail yesterday, Thaksin is back in London after refusing toreturn to Thailand to face trial on corruption charges.

From An Alleged Employee Of Manchester City



Vital Manchester City received the following article from a disgruntled Man City employee, although the origin cannot be verified.

'I'm sorry to say this, as a life long fan and - for the last few (for me at least) unforgettable months - employee, MCFC as we know it is finished. Here are the FACTS, for those who really want to know. Thaksin is, as of midnight 10th August 2008, an international fugitive.'

'He now has to be found guilty of corruption in Thailand in his absence, offering no defence. Extradition requests will surely follow.'

'The Premier League will then have to find him short of the fit and proper ownership rules (and believe me, the pressure for that from fellow 'members' has been growing since June).'

'Thaksin is trying to palm off City onto whoever will now take it, an insolvent mess of a business, completely incapable of sustaining itself.'

'The truth is that the only interested party (until recently) - Wardle - is not now able to bail City out now, he can't come close on his own and no partners have been found. The wage bill and commitments due on the last 2 years' transfers have spiralled out of control.'

'The Corluka affair is the last straw - I personally worked on the deal and can assure anyone interested that he has already been transferred to Tottenham. Spurs have this evening started legal action, and he will be barred from playing for City following an injunction in the courts tomorrow.'

'Personally I expect Hughes to then resign on principal (he has no choice now, he is on record as saying that he will have final say on all transfers). Many wont believe any of this, but a few will.'

'I am very close to this situation (readers will never know who I am or how close - a few would know my name but it isn't appropriate to for me to come 'out') - trust me, I am close enough to know what has happened in the last fortnight, I am p*ssed off with it (as a fan, and as someone who has worked hard for the club during the last 18 months or so) and it must be said, a little drunk.'

'I am posting this message on a few sites - apologies for those that keep reading it, but I want City fans to know what is happening. The sad truth is we are finished, and that as a result, the PL will be facing its biggest challenge since inception within two weeks of now.'

Points deduction?

Latest Man City Forum Posts

http://www.manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=119701

from the Mail, who (to our shame) now appear to be City's journal of record. Clearly there are difficulties on finance - but the Ireland and Corluka transfer mix-ups now seem to have been resolved with both players wanting to stay at City.

EXCLUSIVE: City in crisis as Shinawatra forced to borrow £2m from ex-chief Wardle just to pay the players

By Ian Ladyman
Last updated at 12:11 AM on 12th August 2008

The shocking extent of Thaksin Shinawatra’s financial difficulties at Manchester City can be revealed today as it emerged that only last month he had to borrow £2million from former chairman John Wardle to pay staff wages.

Sportsmail can reveal that Wardle, who resigned in protest at Thaksin’s reign on July 9,was so concerned City staff were not going to be paid that he agreed to loan the club’s owner £2m for the third time in less than a year.

Although Wardle has been repaid and no staff wage payments were missed, it is
clear City are operating on a hand-to-mouth basis each month. There are fears
within the club the problem will soon recur, with Wardle no longer around to bail
Thaksin out.


Barclays Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore is demanding urgent talks with Thaksin, who fled Thailand to avoid facing corruption charges.


He said: ‘We are clearly going to have to establish the status of his return to England and where that leaves him in regard to the legal process in Thailand.

‘Our rules are clear that somebody has to be convicted of something to fail the “fit and
proper person” criteria and, until someone does, he still falls within our rules. But there is no point in having this test unless it is meaningful, as we have always said it is, and it has to be applied.

‘We need to make sure that, if somebody is guilty of something, we will deal with it.’


It is understood that if Thaskin is convicted in his absence, the Premier League
would investigate whether they could force him to relinquish control of City.


Last night Wardle would not comment, but he is known to be distraught at the manner in which the club he sold last summer are struggling under Thaksin’s leadership.


Thaksin has invested considerably less of his own money in City than first thought and has been seeking fresh investment while relying more heavily on other borrowed capital.

Meanwhile, City manager Mark Hughes faces a struggle of his own to gain direct
control of transfer policy after a weekend in which he came into confrontation with the
club’s new chief operating officer, Paul Aldridge, over the proposed transfer of Stephen
Ireland to Sunderland.

Hughes was said to be incandescent when he learned Ireland was not at the City of
Manchester Stadium for the club’s friendly against AC Milan on Saturday and blamed
Aldridge for allegedly trying to engineer the transfer.


Aldridge, formerly at West Ham, has denied this and the club have insisted that the
blame for the embarrassing affair lies at the door of agents.

Nevertheless, it is understood Hughes has made it clear to the club over the last 48 hours that he must be left in control of transfers if he is to continue in the job he took on in June.

Bookmakers have slashed the odds against Hughes being the first managerial casualty of the season over the last day or so and although there is not thought to be much likelihood of the former Blackburn boss quitting, he is said to be shocked at the manner in which the club is run.


The official line from City on the Ireland situation, and indeed Vedran Corluka’s aborted transfer to Tottenham, is that Hughes was in the loop throughout
and has not been undermined.

But Spurs are so angry at the way they feel City messed them about over Corluka that
they were considering legal action last night against their Premier League rivals.

With the Croatia defender having undergone a medical and agreed personal terms at
White Hart Lane, the transfer was about to go through until City pulled out on Sunday.

Last night the Premier League revealed that although Spurs’ transfer documents had been completed and submitted, City’s had not. This should leave City in the clear.

City are also known to be in negotiations for two new players, though given the financial turmoil now gripping the club, they are unlikely to involve large sums if players cannot be shifted out first.

As revealed in Sportsmail yesterday, Thaksin is back in London after refusing to
return to Thailand to face trial on corruption charges.

Thaksin's fast exit compounds City's on-pitch troubles

Oustanding questions over club owner and several players put Hughes' side in turmoil

By Ian Herbert
Tuesday, 12 August 2008

It wasn't quite the pre-season preparation Manchester City had in mind for the man who is supposed to be bankrolling an assault on the upper reaches of the Premier League. The club's chairman, Thaksin Shinawatra, was holed up in a London hotel yesterday after flying directly from Beijing to London to skip bail and avoid corruption charges of which he is now rumoured to be convicted in his absence over the next few months. The Premier League will then take Home Office advice before deciding whether he is a fit and proper person to own a club. He might even be removed under Britain's 103-year-old extradition treaty with Thailand, now that an elected government runs that country.


The jitters at City have not been helped by a sense that the club have problems on the playing side as well, though those are not as profound as they might seem. Stephen Ireland is not leaving and no offers have been received for him, despite the player's agent calling City's new chief executive, Paul Aldridge, and suggesting that since two clubs were interested he should perhaps be stood down for Saturday's friendly with Milan. The powers of persuasion of City's manager, Mark Hughes, have also proved critical in Vedran Corluka's U-turn on a move to Tottenham Hotspur, which has left the London club fuming.

But City could have done without the unexpected turn of events in Bangkok, which have seen the Thai judiciary prove far more obstinate than Thaksin expected when he returned to Bangkok from his last period of British exile, in February, to defend his name and reclaim £800m of frozen assets.

Rumour had been rife since the conviction last week of his wife, Potjaman, that they would flee and the ease with which the couple were granted permission to leave the country to attend the Olympic Games suggests he first cut a deal with his adversaries, who just wanted him out. Thaksin was known to have been saying goodbyes before leaving for Beijing, where he has been seeking corporate partners for City with the club's executive director, Garry Cook. The large suitcases which the couple took with them were rather a giveaway, too.

Of course, City fans just want to know whether the money has run out for their "Frank Sinatra". Thaksin remains a hugely wealthy individual; owner of the listed SC urban development company which has a large property portfolio in Bangkok and the sale of the family company in 2006 has also left him with major liquid assets. But he was first exiled in such a hurry – by telephone while at the United Nations – that there was insufficient time to clear much money out of Thailand and he has yet to dig deep for the club.

His initial purchase of the club cost him only £21.6m in equity purchase, with £60m of the £81.6m headline figure of the takeover an assumption of existing debt. There was a hint of a lack of readies when down payments on players picked up last season were small, leaving Thaksin with an estimated outstanding liability of £50m on players purchased, most of that repayable in short periods.

And on top of that, Thaksin is known to have spent heavily to rehabilitate his image since returning to the Far East. "It's a fairly mercenary system here and you always had the impression he could buy his way out of trouble," his biographer, Chris Baker said yesterday. Football club ownership seems to have been more than a means of winning publicity back in Thailand for an individual who almost bought into Liverpool. But whether he can afford to maintain his interest remains to be seen. City fans only take heart from the fact that their owner is a supreme entrepreneur. He has identified the global value of City and has been working on sponsorship and brand deals in the Far East with Cook.

The chairman's calamities have taken the club a long way from the aspirations of purchasing Ronaldinho, which now seem a distant dream. Michael Johnson, whose attitude has been a problem to the club for some months, may leave, having refused a new five-year deal which the club had hoped would quell interest from Arsenal and Everton.

The fans' jitters were not eased by a farcical sequence of events on Saturday which gave rise to rumours of Ireland's exit, too. Danny Mills, back from his latest loan spell, at Derby, declared live on Five before coverage of City's friendly against Milan that the Irishman had failed to show up and appeared to be leaving the club, but he was not furnished with some farcical pre-match events.

Hughes, it seems, had told those players not selected for his squad, named on Friday, to expect a text message on Saturday if they had been stood down from substitutes' duties. Ireland, selected in Hughes' first XI, misunderstood, expected a text message and did not turn up when it did not arrive. He was then surprised to find Mark Bowen, Hughes' deputy, on the phone asking why he had not shown.

Corluka's indecision about his future has hardly helped City, either. His Spurs medical had been completed when Hughes told Cook he intended one last attempt to talk him around. On telephoning the Croatian defender in London at the weekend, he discovered that he had a hankering to remain in Manchester despite the greater sum on offer.

Both players are key to City's attempts to progress and the form Valeri Bojinov has shown pre-season also showed why Hughes feels he has gained a free striker. He remains intent on bidding for Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz, too, though Rovers' unwillingness to sell was underlined by Paul Ince's assertion yesterday that no more players would be leaving Ewood.

Hughes' unhappiness at the way City have been cast as a troubled club before the season has even started contributed in part to his arrival over an hour late for Saturday's post-match press conference and Mills was certainly put in his place before that. But Thaksin's notion that his football club will become a challenger to their Old Trafford neighbours seemed a distant prospect last night.

..

Hughes. I'am staying. Thank you. A clear statement of intent. It's a shame the suits inside the club aren't so quick to dispel the tabloid rumours.

Hughes: I won't quit Blues
Exclusive Chris Bailey
12/ 8/2008

MARK HUGHES will not walk out on the Blues.

The City chief has laughed off suggestions he was about to quit because of a row over the possible sale of Stephen Ireland to either Bolton or Sunderland.

Instead Hughes will focus on beating Danish side FC Midytjlland in Thursday’s Uefa Cup qualifying tie and getting off to a fast start in the league at Villa on Sunday.

“There have been a lot of rumours flying around but I am not going anywhere and I don’t anticipate going anywhere,” he stressed in an exclusive interview with MEN Sport.

“There is a job to do here and I am looking forward to it.” Hughes, who only joined the Blues from Blackburn two months ago.

“There is speculation around the club and that has been prevalent since I joined the club but from my own point of view I am very focussed on what I am about and what I aim to achieve here and that means success on the pitch,” he declared.

“Nothing whatsoever has changed in that respect and the football operation hasn’t changed since I signed for the club.

“I am the guy that makes the decisions in relation to the football. All the rumours unsettle the players. Of course they do. We could do without it. That is why I want to end them right now.”

From the Bangkok Post newspaper in Thailand:


Authorities have moved to seize the assets, revoke the diplomatic passports and seek the extradition of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Khunying Potjaman, who have skipped bail and fled to London. The Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) has set up a team to seek the extradition of Mr Thaksin and his wife.


The OAG is also expected to apply for a court order next week for the seizure of the Shinawatra family's assets, worth about 76 billion baht _ mostly now frozen at local banks.


Deputy Attorney-General Chullasingh Wasantasingh is likely to head the extradition team, said Kosolwat Inthuchanyong, an OAG assistant spokesman. The application would be made under the terms of the 1911 Siam-Great Britain extradition treaty.


He said the process should not take long because the possibility of seeking the couple's extradition had been examined in depth before they returned to Thailand early this year.


Mr Kosolwat said the authority to seek their extradition rests with the OAG because the couple fled while being tried in court.


''But if Mr Thaksin seeks asylum in Britain it will complicate matters,'' Mr Kosolwat said.


In a hand-written statement faxed to media outlets, the ousted prime minister claimed he fled overseas because the justice system in Thailand was being meddled with and he might not receive a fair trial.






Deputy Attorney-General Waiyawut Lortrakul, head of the prosecution team in charge of the Assets Scrutiny Committee's cases, said the prosecution had finished drafting the civil suit seeking to confiscate Mr Thaksin's assets.


He expected the case to be lodged with the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions next week.


Mr Waiyawut said the decision to seize the assets was made at a meeting of prosecutors and the National Counter Corruption Commission, which has taken over cases from the now-defunct Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC).


Before the handover, the ASC charged that Mr Thaksin had dishonestly accumulated wealth while in office.


The ASC, which was disbanded in June, had already frozen assets worth 69 billion baht held by Mr Thaksin and his family members in 16 bank accounts.


Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said yesterday the ministry will make it a priority if there is a request by the court or the prosecution to revoke Mr Thaksin's diplomatic passport.


So far, the ministry had not received a request or documents relating to warrants for the arrest of Mr Thaksin and his wife, he said.


''The ministry will look into criteria for granting or revoking diplomatic passports when there is a chance to ensure that it properly observes the law as well as the ministry's directives,'' he said.


Mr Tej said the ministry will consider what actions to take over the extradition process when it has been properly informed of the situation and legal procedures.


Sitthichoke Sricharoen, head of a legal team representing the ASC, said the couple's escape reflects their intention not to fight the charges.


However, they can still defend themselves by submitting their testimony in writing.


He also underlined that the charges against the couple are not political, but criminal.


Dej-udom Krairit, chairman of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, yesterday lambasted Mr Thaksin for attacking the judiciary in his fax.


Mr Thaksin claimed the legal procedures against him were like the fruit of poisonous trees and his cases prejudged.


According to Mr Dej-udom, Mr Thaksin was the poison.


He also urged police to post warrants for the couple's arrests at every port, airport and border checkpoint.

Since Thaksin's missus has already been tried and convicted of tax evasion (fairly so far as one can see), it should not be that difficult to establish a case for extradition.

Thaksin himself is a different matter. Extraditon needs to establish "dual criminality", and on the face of it, that would be unlikely to succeed. What he is on trial for in Thailand, would not generally be a crime in the UK, unless there was evidence of deception or covert personal gain.

Paradoxically, the trial itself makes extradition less likely, as the prosecution had assembled statements in evidence that might have been presented in a British court as prima facie grounds for conviction of wrongdoing. But in the Thai court, these witnesses have all withdrawn or modified their evidence under cross-examination. Indeed had it been a trial under the British adversarial system, the judge would have already stopped it and dismissed the case.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/worldhotnews/read.php?newsid=30079013

Re Bangkok Post... 76 Billion baht = approx £1.2B...Alot more than the press are quoting here.

That's the general consensus amongst the fans now Paul. Unfortunately it's too late. We welcomed him with open arms last year, now we have to suffer the consequences. Unless he wins his trial and get's his money back, he's pretty much skint. City owe huge amounts of money on transfer fee's. Most of the players have been bought on the never, never and those clubs will eventually want their money. Apparently the club owes Frank a bob or two as well. Jeez!

It's another f*** up I'm affraid. There's never a dull moment off the pitch at City is there. (apart from when you of open the trophy cabinet and the door's fall off and all you see in emptiness)

We haven't got a pot to hold up, nevermind to piss in. :lol:

I wonder if Sven's severance pay is to be made up in instalments also! Yeah I did hear that Thaksin signed all last years players on catalogue payments terms (52 weeks at £224,245.60 :lol:).

I remember a similar fanfare in Liverpool last year when one of our American owners, Gillette, announced "Rafa can sign whoever he likes. Even Snoogy Doogy!". Now the owners won't even sanction the signing of Gareth Barry, never mind Snoop!

I'm moving down South. Life and football has to be better down there.

That was shit! Off and on the pitch.

I think i heard the expression 'shower of shit' used.
:ohno:

I think i heard the expression 'shower of shit' used.
:ohno:

Even that doesn't do justice to the apathy off and on the pitch. I've got better things to spend a thousand quid on.(3 season tickets) One more season and then it's a club card. (held a seaon ticket for 30 years) There's always plenty of blue seats spare. (17,000 tonight. Shocking and disgraceful) BTW, I'm not happy.

My team just pootle along being very average and i can live with that but to see a team like City just bounce from one fuck up to another must be very depressing.

My team just pootle along being very average and i can live with that but to see a team like City just bounce from one fuck up to another must be very depressing.

I've had enough Longy. 30 years and not one bit of progress. One step forward and straight down the manhole. I'll see this season through and then it's off to B&Q instead. :lol:

Seven minutes of very, very poor defending cost us 3 goals. Until that point we were the better team. Obviously Boj's injury will now force Frank and Hughes into the transfer market. A striker and a right sided midfield player/winger being the main priorities. Not down, just a little disappointed.(about the mistakes)

As I always say it could be worse. You could be a City fan. Its the truth as well.

As I always say it could be worse. You could be a City fan. Its the truth as well.

Didn't we win today Andrew. Get used to it. Taggart's off in two seasons. :wave:

Didn't we win today Andrew. Get used to it. Taggart's off in two seasons. :wave:

Your going down this season, don't get too cocky.

Your going down this season, don't get too cocky.

50 ball? Make it 100! Fancy it Mr Cockney?

50 ball? Make it 100! Fancy it Mr Cockney?

Cockney? What you on about?

Cockney? What you on about?

Short for Cocky Londoner. Fancy the bet?

Short for Cocky Londoner. Fancy the bet?

I have a strong Mancunian accent and I'll bet you 200 squids that Manchester City go down. There doing a good job already. Lost their first game and now there big money man doesn't have any money.

I have a strong Mancunian accent and I'll bet you 200 squids that Manchester City go down. There doing a good job already. Lost their first game and now there big money man doesn't have any money.

£200 it is. Can I have a witness! BTW. I'm serious. Yes or no?

£200 it is. Can I have a witness! BTW. I'm serious. Yes or no?

:lol: Going DOWN!

:lol: Going DOWN!

I take it that's a no then. So much for your cockiness. :lol:

Chelsea. You know it.

Fuck me- i'll take your stupid bet andy.

In the bottom 3 atm, struggling for money. I ain't as stupid as I look.

From where i'm sitting it seems City have won as many Premiership games as United so lets not make any stupid claims you may live to regret in 37 games time!

From where i'm sitting it seems City have won as many Premiership games as United so lets not make any stupid claims you may live to regret in 37 games time!

I will live to regret? Am not cutting my legs off. :lol:

In the bottom 3 atm, struggling for money. I ain't as stupid as I look.

Deary me. One game gone and Andy's wanking off because Citeh are in the bottom 3. :nuts: As for no money? We've just secured £25-30mill from the banks against the Sky money. (like most other clubs do) You will see us in the transfer market this week.

Andy. Put a plastic megastore bag over your head and give it a rest. :lol:

Deary me. One game gone and Andy's wanking off because Citeh are in the bottom 3. :nuts: As for no money? We've just secured £25-30mill from the banks against the Sky money. (like most other clubs do) You will see us in the transfer market this week.

Andy. Put a plastic megastore bag over your head and give it a rest. :lol:

That's why you haven't been lending money from your chairman to pay wages. :nuts:

That's why you haven't been lending money from your chairman to pay wages. :nuts:

That's why you owe the banks a few hundred million, plus interest. Are you worried? Neither am I.

That's why you owe the banks a few hundred million, plus interest. Are you worried? Neither am I.

Quaking in my boots.

That's why you haven't been lending money from your chairman to pay wages. :nuts:

Andy you lend money to people, not from them.

Andy you lend money to people, not from them.

City have been given a loan of £2 Million from their ex-chairman so they can pay the wages.

City have been given a loan of £2 Million from their ex-chairman so they can pay the wages.

I hadn't realise things were so dire at City Andy. What troubles me is, it's almost certain with the former Thai President staying in the UK and not attending court in Thailand, he will almost certainly be found guilty in his absence. This of course will mean he will not meet the 'fitness to own a UK football club' rule or whatever it's called and will leave Man City very exposed.

I hadn't realise things were so dire at City Andy. What troubles me is, it's almost certain with the former Thai President staying in the UK and not attending court in Thailand, he will almost certainly be found guilty in his absence. This of course will mean he will not meet the 'fitness to own a UK football club' rule or whatever it's called and will leave Man City very exposed.

Well the Premier League will make him sell up. I believe they have just taken a loan of £25 Million so they can buy more players. Am not sure if they have any other debt but I don't believe they do. That means we'll see two types of people buy the club. Either someone who will take on the debt, therefore just running the club not really investing and the other type which is someone who will pay off that debt and start putting big money in like Mr Thai tried to do. I would think most City fans hope is the 2nd type but I can't see that happening. Its all down to what interest they get and at this time no one knows.

Well the Premier League will make him sell up. I believe they have just taken a loan of £25 Million so they can buy more players. Am not sure if they have any other debt but I don't believe they do. That means we'll see two types of people buy the club. Either someone who will take on the debt, therefore just running the club not really investing and the other type which is someone who will pay off that debt and start putting big money in like Mr Thai tried to do. I would think most City fans hope is the 2nd type but I can't see that happening. Its all down to what interest they get and at this time no one knows.

Yes i'm not convinced the 2nd type of buyer will appear even if i hope they do for City fans. I think as the world economic outlook seems to be getting worse by the day now, the wealthy will start to reconsider splashing cash willy nilly without getting a very good chance of a sensible return. Man City also lack prestige and a proven pedigree of success, which will count against them. This of course will prevent many of the best names signing for them unlike the top four clubs. Shame really.

apparently 'dr thaksin' is looking for investors AKA buyers who are willing to plough some money into the club.

So city are up for sale then?

Im not sure about them going down anytime soon Andy, unless they get serious points deductions for going into administration.

But who knows going down could be the worst of their worries, if no-one buys the club then they could have a Gretna Green scenario on their hands. Which would be a shame cos us United fans wouldnt have a second-rate football team to laugh at anymore

apparently 'dr thaksin' is looking for investors AKA buyers who are willing to plough some money into the club.

So city are up for sale then?

Im not sure about them going down anytime soon Andy, unless they get serious points deductions for going into administration.

But who knows going down could be the worst of their worries, if no-one buys the club then they could have a Gretna Green scenario on their hands. Which would be a shame cos us United fans wouldnt have a second-rate football team to laugh at anymore

I don't think they are just yet but it seems something will happen soon.

Thais demand Thaksin return
AP
19/ 8/2008

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the British Embassy in Bangkok today to demand the return of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to face criminal charges.

Manchester City owner Thaksin and his wife fled to Britain last week rather than face the Supreme Court, which has issued warrants for their arrest.

Thaksin was toppled in a 2006 military coup but later returned to Thailand to face several court cases involving alleged corruption and abuse of power.

Police said about 7,000 demonstrators rallied peacefully in front of the embassy, carrying posters and shouting "Thaksin go to jail."

Thailand has not yet requested extradition of Thaksin, who owns several homes in England as well as the football club.

Thaksin still carries a Thai diplomatic passport. He has so far not been granted asylum or special treatment in Britain.

The protesters were led by Sondhi Limthongkul, a key figure of the People's Alliance for Democracy which orchestrated mass street protests leading to Thaksin's removal from office in the bloodless coup.

Last Friday the Supreme Court ruled that a corruption trial against Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman, could proceed even though the couple fled the country.

Thai prosecutors are discussing the possibility of asking for Thaksin's extradition - usually a lengthy and complicated process.

On July 31, the criminal court convicted his wife of evading millions of dollars in taxes and sentenced her to three years in prison. She was released on bail pending an appeal.

Great week to be a blue.

Great, but fortunate win at Midtjylland.

SWP has come home.

Zabaleta is close to signing.

Nice draw in the next round of the UEFA Cup. Omonia of Cyprus.

The only disappointment is the away leg will now be played first on the 18th of September, instead of the 2nd of October. I was going to go for a week as it's my birthday on the 4th of October and take the match in as well. The gypsy course strikes again.

Citeh look like theyre moving onwards and upwards.

Good news, considering only a week ago it was looking like they were going under

3-0. Welcome back SWP!

What a difference 10 days makes. :)

fucking hell city were lookig good today!

not so much of a joke anymore

Before you get excited about take overs.

Amnesty International's 2008 report on the new owners.

A. The death penalty

The United Arab Emirates retains the death penalty. In 2007, at least two people were sentenced to death and in 2006, in the Emirate of Fujairah, a court imposed a sentence of death by stoning on a Bangladeshi national after convicting him of adultery with an unnamed female migrant domestic worker whose origin was not known. She was sentenced to 100 lashes and one year’s imprisonment. The death sentence was subsequently commuted to a one-year prison sentence followed by deportation.


B. Cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment

In all of the Emirates, except Dubai, flogging sentences are imposed on those caught having “illicit sex” and Amnesty International has recorded such sentences against, in particular, migrant workers.3

C. Migrant workers

A draft labour law, issued in February 2007 to streamline employment practices, provides for the punishment of striking workers, but not for the right to organize, bargain collectively or strike. The draft excludes migrant workers, farmers, public sector workers and private security staff.

Domestic migrant workers continue to be denied the protection of labour legislation. Hence, they do not formally have the right to a weekly day of rest, limits on hours of work, paid holidays or forms of compensation.

Allegations of abuse include ill-treatment, including sexual abuse, and non-payment of wages


D. Promotion and protection of human rights on the ground

Incommunicado detention and torture

Amnesty International has regularly raised with the authorities reports of persons – both Emirati and foreign - arbitrarily arrested and held incommunicado for prolonged periods of time, commonly in undisclosed locations where they may face torture and other ill treatment. Those responsible are usually said to be members of Amn al-Dawla (State Security).

Scores were detained for several years and some faced torture and other ill treatment, including by the forced administration – by way of injection – of substances that induce drowsiness and lethargy.

Other forms torture and other ill treatment documented by Amnesty International have included sleep deprivation, suspension by the wrists or ankles, severe beatings to the soles of the feet, the use of electric shocks to various parts of the body, and threats of sexual violence.


E. Women’s human rights

Women in the United Arab Emirates continue to suffer the impact of discriminatory laws and practices which affect most aspects of their life, including marriage and the choice of marriage partner, dissolution of marriage and child custody, and inheritance. Under the nationality law, a woman is unable to pass on her nationality to her children if she is married to a foreign national.


F. Cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms

In the course of 2007, the government failed to respond to UN human rights bodies in respect to requests for access and on individual cases raised in 2006. Citing concerns about trafficking for the purposes of forced labour, in May the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons reiterated a previously unmet request to visit the United Arab Emirates.


G. Restrictions on the right to freedom of expression

There are also reports of restrictions on the right to freedom of expression.

Political parties do not exist in the United Arab Emirates; political dissent is not tolerated and those targeted for arrest include Islamists or those critical of the human rights situation in the country.

H. Harassment of human rights defenders

In recent years prominent human rights activists have faced harassment, including the former President of the Jurists’ Association who was detained twice by Amn al-Dawla (State Security) officials. Upon release, his passport was confiscated.

Oh dear!!!

Does this mean we're having another concert in Albert square?

Hilarious there Grand.

Apparently 2 £30m signings by the end of the day.

Excited.

Before you get excited about take overs.

Amnesty International's 2008 report on the new owners.

A. The death penalty

The United Arab Emirates retains the death penalty. In 2007, at least two people were sentenced to death and in 2006, in the Emirate of Fujairah, a court imposed a sentence of death by stoning on a Bangladeshi national after convicting him of adultery with an unnamed female migrant domestic worker whose origin was not known. She was sentenced to 100 lashes and one year’s imprisonment. The death sentence was subsequently commuted to a one-year prison sentence followed by deportation.


B. Cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment

In all of the Emirates, except Dubai, flogging sentences are imposed on those caught having “illicit sex” and Amnesty International has recorded such sentences against, in particular, migrant workers.3

C. Migrant workers

A draft labour law, issued in February 2007 to streamline employment practices, provides for the punishment of striking workers, but not for the right to organize, bargain collectively or strike. The draft excludes migrant workers, farmers, public sector workers and private security staff.

Domestic migrant workers continue to be denied the protection of labour legislation. Hence, they do not formally have the right to a weekly day of rest, limits on hours of work, paid holidays or forms of compensation.

Allegations of abuse include ill-treatment, including sexual abuse, and non-payment of wages


D. Promotion and protection of human rights on the ground

Incommunicado detention and torture

Amnesty International has regularly raised with the authorities reports of persons – both Emirati and foreign - arbitrarily arrested and held incommunicado for prolonged periods of time, commonly in undisclosed locations where they may face torture and other ill treatment. Those responsible are usually said to be members of Amn al-Dawla (State Security).

Scores were detained for several years and some faced torture and other ill treatment, including by the forced administration – by way of injection – of substances that induce drowsiness and lethargy.

Other forms torture and other ill treatment documented by Amnesty International have included sleep deprivation, suspension by the wrists or ankles, severe beatings to the soles of the feet, the use of electric shocks to various parts of the body, and threats of sexual violence.


E. Women’s human rights

Women in the United Arab Emirates continue to suffer the impact of discriminatory laws and practices which affect most aspects of their life, including marriage and the choice of marriage partner, dissolution of marriage and child custody, and inheritance. Under the nationality law, a woman is unable to pass on her nationality to her children if she is married to a foreign national.


F. Cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms

In the course of 2007, the government failed to respond to UN human rights bodies in respect to requests for access and on individual cases raised in 2006. Citing concerns about trafficking for the purposes of forced labour, in May the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons reiterated a previously unmet request to visit the United Arab Emirates.


G. Restrictions on the right to freedom of expression

There are also reports of restrictions on the right to freedom of expression.

Political parties do not exist in the United Arab Emirates; political dissent is not tolerated and those targeted for arrest include Islamists or those critical of the human rights situation in the country.

H. Harassment of human rights defenders

In recent years prominent human rights activists have faced harassment, including the former President of the Jurists’ Association who was detained twice by Amn al-Dawla (State Security) officials. Upon release, his passport was confiscated.

Oh dear!!!

Sounds a bit like Russia

Sounds a bit like Russia

Some similarities with the US of A aswell!

Berbatov to City, would you believe it haha:lol:

Great week to be a blue. Depends on your location, I know some blues who are contemplating suicide after last week.:)

Some similarities with the US of A aswell!Very perceptive of you and, very true.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/7592272.stm

^

Tottenham have accepted Manchester City's bid of over £30m for Dimitar Berbatov, BBC Sport understands.
Madness...

Welcome to the top five Citeh!.

http://goldenferi.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/blue_moon.jpg

To be honest I don't think Berbatov will come to us. He will stick with United.
Not bothered. There will be plenty of Berbatov's to come this season, next season and the season after that.

Manchester is the new Milan! (or will be)

I think you all should calm down, a decent win at the weekend and a bit of cash splashed on a sulky disruptive player doesn't make for the next Chelsea or Manchester United, simmer down. We've been here before haven't we? City on the up, gonna win the prem etc. Lets just see where you are at the end of the season. I personally wish City well, it would be nice if 2 Manc teams were ruling the top of the table but lets just see.

I'll tell you what. City have made my day. Its made Skysportsnews the most interesting its EVER been! :) We'll still get our man but its so funny to watch these bids come in for David Villa etc and also them lads with tesco bags & duck tape around their heads! :lol:

I think you all should calm down, a decent win at the weekend and a bit of cash splashed on a sulky disruptive player doesn't make for the next Chelsea or Manchester United, simmer down. We've been here before haven't we? City on the up, gonna win the prem etc. Lets just see where you are at the end of the season. I personally wish City well, it would be nice if 2 Manc teams were ruling the top of the table but lets just see.

Please don't tell me to calm down. 30+ years I've been supporting City and the only pot I've seen is the one I've pissed in. Now we have a chance to match the top 4. Apart from Chelsea there isn't another club which can match Citeh money wise now. There isn't a player we can't afford. Yes it will take time, but it won't be 10 or 15 seasons anymore, It will be 2, 3, 4 or 5 seasons at the most.

As that United banners states at the Stretford End, 33 years. Make the most of it, it's coming down very soon. :)

It was interesting that Lee Dixon said on MOTD last night something along the lines "Oh - they have spent £30million so they should do well" - the implication being the more you spend the better you will do. Sadly i think he is correct.

Being a bitter Burnley fan i remember hating Jack Walker for buying Blackburn's success years back. That was the start of teams buying success and i cant say i'm a fan of such things.
Thats why, against my better instincts, i always like to see Arsenal play because they have built a team as apposed to just gone to Transfers R Us and a bought the pick of the crop.
I am happy supporting a financially poor but below average team knowing that the club is in some part still in touch with the community it draws its fans from.

come to the Moss Rose one weekend and know the true meaning of humiliation

There's another club, in the north east, Newcastle it's called, and they used to have a manager called Kevin Keegan and whatever player he wanted he got, no expense spared. He walked away [like he did at city] and left them in £67m debt. Years later he went back and spent some more but alas to this day Newcastle won diddly squat. There's a lesson here. The team is only as good as their manager and back room staff makes them no matter how much is spent. Mark Hughes, bless him, a United legend, but a little light in the trophy dept as a manager. I hope I'm wrong but I see history repeating itself at City over and over again. New owners Yay!! New manager yay! same politics, doh!

How long before the new owners insist on Hughes picking players they wanted to buy? The ego's on these guys with the cheque books can be out of control at times. How long then, before Mark Hughes says "fuck it im off" and Citeh go into meltdown once again. SWP will leave within a season anyway so get the best out of him while you can, and any decent players will follow. Sorry to be a merchant of doom but we've seen/heard all this clap trap before.

There's another club, in the north east, Newcastle it's called, and they used to have a manager called Kevin Keegan and whatever player he wanted he got, no expense spared. He walked away [like he did at city] and left them in £67m debt. Years later he went back and spent some more but alas to this day Newcastle won diddly squat. There's a lesson here. The team is only as good as their manager and back room staff makes them no matter how much is spent. Mark Hughes, bless him, a United legend, but a little light in the trophy dept as a manager. I hope I'm wrong but I see history repeating itself at City over and over again. New owners Yay!! New manager yay! same politics, doh!

How long before the new owners insist on Hughes picking players they wanted to buy? The ego's on these guys with the cheque books can be out of control at times. How long then, before Mark Hughes says "fuck it im off" and Citeh go into meltdown once again. SWP will leave within a season anyway so get the best out of him while you can, and any decent players will follow. Sorry to be a merchant of doom but we've seen/heard all this clap trap before.

That's what you want to happen Unremarkable. If I was you I'd get down to M&S tomorrow morning and I'd buy a 5 pack of briefs. Your going to need them sooner, rather than later.

Re Fergie. He was one match from the sack. The rest is history. He has bought the best players season after season. Re, Berbatov. Newcastle bought crap, that's why they failed.

Hughes picks the players. End off. SWP to leave within a season. Don't be silly. Citeh to go into meltdown. You really are deluded. These guys are in for the longterm. Read the MEN tomorrow and you will find out.

I'll remember that post and remind you of it when they implode, and despite what you think, It's not what I want to happen it's just a case of same old same old..yadda yadda yadda. I genuinely DO want city to do well but I fear it won't happen in my lifetime. Lets hope the new owners are of better stock than your last :) no doubt you were gettin all hyped up when he took over too. Like I said history repeating itself, bet their shares are up this evening though. Ah well, we'll see.

As that United banners states at the Stretford End, 33 years. Make the most of it, it's coming down very soon. :)

Hope your right jrb , City have embarrassed Manchester to many years ,, its very exciting for City now the Arabs have bought up .

Personally i think it will be great for the city as a whole , having 2 clubs punching there weight in Europe .

Fun times ahead ,, derbies might actually get spicey again :)

I'll remember that post and remind you of it when they implode, and despite what you think, It's not what I want to happen it's just a case of same old same old..yadda yadda yadda. I genuinely DO want city to do well but I fear it won't happen in my lifetime. Lets hope the new owners are of better stock than your last :) no doubt you were gettin all hyped up when he took over too. Like I said history repeating itself, bet their shares are up this evening though. Ah well, we'll see.

This is different. There is no baggage with these Middle East investors, apart from their Louis Vuitton suitcases. They are also multi-billionaires, not multi-millionaires like Frank was.

Hope your right jrb , City have embarrassed Manchester to many years ,, its very exciting for City now the Arabs have bought up .

Personally i think it will be great for the city as a whole , having 2 clubs punching there weight in Europe .

Fun times ahead ,, derbies might actually get spicey again :)

I'll let that one go H. Your right about one thing. You might actually win a match against us now you've signed Berbatov. On second thoughts. :lol:

I wonder what this will do for East Manchester.

I can't imagin the now-richest club in the world, being sat in a 'poverty-stricken' region. (according to the pro-super casion peple)

-Super-duper MCFC tram station.
-Ecotricity turbine go ahead.
-Input into the prospective BMX park/Opera house/whatever development.

Also, lets assume in 5 years, City are indeed a top 4 team. Are 47,726 chairs adequate?

Interesting times.

Quick one.

When was the last time City outbid United for a player, regardless of the outcome? No, we won't get Berbatov, his heart is set on United and Champions League football, but it is a 'MASSIVE' sign of intent. The
ex-richest club in the world has just been outbid and probably forced to pay an extra £5 mill for Berbatov by City. If I was Gill and a United fan, I really would be worried about the future.

I wonder what this will do for East Manchester.

I can't imagin the now-richest club in the world, being sat in a 'poverty-stricken' region. (according to the pro-super casion peple)

-Super-duper MCFC tram station.
-Ecotricity turbine go ahead.
-Input into the prospective BMX park/Opera house/whatever development.

Also, lets assume in 5 years, City are indeed a top 4 team. Are 47,726 chairs adequate?

Interesting times.

Apparently they are already talking about developing the super casino site and redeveloping the stadium when City become successful. Their words, not mine. We shall see.

No baggage. Erm I think that might be the understatement of the year JRB.

Sorry for being an lefty on this issue. But at least Dr T was elected before he committed his human rights abusers. Which is something that cant be said for the UAE political system.

I wonder where this will fit into the new owner's world view.

2006

City have just paid a four-figure sum to join Stonewall's Diversity Champions scheme. Firms on the list follow policies designed to recruit and retain gay members of staff, such as banning offensive language in the workplace and to persuade some of Britain's estimated 3.6 million gays and lesbians to spend their 'pink pounds' with them.

Perhaps this might give you an idea.

2008

UAE president's brother beat man with belt over 'gay insult'
The brother of the president of the United Arab Emirates has been found guilty of beating with his belt an American man who he thought had suggested he was gay.

Nice people. Welcome to Manchester!!!!

No baggage. Erm I think that might be the understatement of the year JRB.

Sorry for being an lefty on this issue. But at least Dr T was elected before he committed his human rights abusers. Which is something that cant be said for the UAE political system.

I wonder where this will fit into the new owner's world view.

2006

City have just paid a four-figure sum to join Stonewall's Diversity Champions scheme. Firms on the list follow policies designed to recruit and retain gay members of staff, such as banning offensive language in the workplace and to persuade some of Britain's estimated 3.6 million gays and lesbians to spend their 'pink pounds' with them.

Perhaps this might give you an idea.

2008

UAE president's brother beat man with belt over 'gay insult'
The brother of the president of the United Arab Emirates has been found guilty of beating with his belt an American man who he thought had suggested he was gay.

Nice people. Welcome to Manchester!!!!

That's the price of footballing success I'm affraid. I'm sure if you asked City fans, 100% of them would still have the UAE owners in charge.

£32.5m for Robinho! Would be well funny if you nicked him from under Chelski's noses!

Hands ov Berbatov!! ;)

£32.5m for Robinho! Would be well funny if you nicked him from under Chelski's noses!

Hands ov Berbatov!! ;)

Beat me Chogs. This is potty! Not sure I want him. Is he good enough for City? :lol:

Robinho. Apparently we have now moved for him after Berbatov is close to sihning for United. Apparently there might be others as well. SSN live.

Perhaps you didnt hear David Conn on BBC Five Live this morning.

I know a couple of Blues round here in Prestwich who looked through me as if their soul had been robbed, when I talked to them after work.

But thats Prestwich. I doubt the issues of human rights abuses, institutionalised anti semitism and anti gay bigotry, stoning of prisoners will matter to the average blue in Oldham or Hyde.

Might even think they are a great idea...............

Perhaps we can look forward to a decent Arab culture museum in Manchester, like Mitterand established in Paris??????

Perhaps you didnt hear David Conn on BBC Five Live this morning.

I know a couple of Blues round here in Prestwich who looked through me as if their soul had been robbed, when I talked to them after work.

But thats Prestwich. I doubt the issues of human rights abuses, institutionalised anti semitism and anti gay bigotry, stoning of prisoners will matter to the average blue in Oldham or Hyde.

Might even think they are a great idea...............

Perhaps we can look forward to a decent Arab culture museum in Manchester, like Mitterand established in Paris??????

Like I said HP, most football fans only care about their football team. That's the truth.

Perhaps that is true.

Perhaps most Germans didnt care about Hitler as long as long as he provided for bread and circuses.

But I will end my words here.

As unlike in the UAE, we can express the view in public, to agree to disagree.

Apparently they are already talking about developing the super casino site and redeveloping the stadium when City become successful. Their words, not mine. We shall see.

That is one of the most interesting rumours of the day for me. That the football club/Hydra Properties would look to purchase the stadium and surrounding land from the council.

Could this actually happen? I guess this question falls under Nerd's area of expertise - would legal agreements signed with sport england/the government/lottery prevent such a sale or perhaps trigger punitive clawback payments?

If not, how much would the sale raise and how could the council spend it?

Football Club Owners In Being A Bit Dodgy Shocker!

30/40 years ago it was pork butchers or scrap metal dealers running British football.
Same dodgy characters now but with just more zeroes.

I think it's all great, Hughes must be feeling like a new man in the last couple of weeks... good luck to city... back to the good old days :)

I wonder what this will do for East Manchester.

I can't imagin the now-richest club in the world, being sat in a 'poverty-stricken' region. (according to the pro-super casion peple)

-Super-duper MCFC tram station.
-Ecotricity turbine go ahead.
-Input into the prospective BMX park/Opera house/whatever development.

Also, lets assume in 5 years, City are indeed a top 4 team. Are 47,726 chairs adequate?

Interesting times.

A large mosque

We've got the tallest minarets in the league

BLUE ROBINHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

....well... he's in at 32.5 million. How much is he gonna be on the fantasy footy though... I reckon I'll have torres out for a swap :)

well done city

:cheers:

jrb In the end Manchester United always come out on top. Always! Ask Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea, Leeds and Liverpool. Roman spent £600+ Million and he still hasn't won what hes really after. LOL through at all the City fans. Its one player and they are acting like they have won the league! :lol:

yeah but they have 4 Brazilians now, and I can see it all coming together for them... City have a great record against Utd.... but having two great clubs for Manchester is great! I think it's making this season look like a really exciting one, I'm glad I kept my Sky Sports and Setanta going now :)

jrb In the end Manchester United always come out on top. Always! Ask Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea, Leeds and Liverpool. Roman spent £600+ Million and he still hasn't won what hes really after. LOL through at all the City fans. Its one player and they are acting like they have won the league! :lol:

United will only be on top while Fergie is in charge. Once he retires, you won't be so successful.


LOL through at all the City fans. Its one player and they are acting like they have won the league! :lol:

That just shows how bitter you are Andrew. Even now you can't leave it. Remember this Andy. If it's true that we put in a bid for Berbatov, we have just put another £5 mill onto your debt. It was probably a smoke screen for Robinho anyway. While you've been scratching around and pissing about with Berbatov's fee for the last six weeks, we went straight in with a £34mill bid for Robinho and got him. That's Robinho. Do you get it Andy? You don't do you? Wake up and smell the coffee. There's a new football club in town. It's the richest football club in the world and it's going to rock the big four to their foundations and that includes Stretford United. Cheer up matey! :lol:

Somebody help Andy out please. He's making a fool of himself. He doesn't understand what has happened today.

PS. Spot on B4mmy!

I think City got the better deal.
Berbatov is good but he aint £30m good.