Manchester City

[BOBBYPERU]

Are there any other City fans on here besides me , who cannot wait for the season to start, and are laughing their b******s of at all the jealous supporters of the "big four" poor clubs, because their comfort zone is about to be gatecrashed.

[Androcles]

Bobby,

As a City fan of many years, after many false dawns, I'll believe it when it happens! (Will be delighted if it does!)

[Kidd72]

I like many others can't wait for the football season to start, but I would like maybe Everton or Villa to break the deadlock of the top four. 22 pts. seperated Man City and Arsenal quite a gap.
I don't think you'll close that as easily as you tent to think.

[topman9thnov]

i totally agree bobbyperu hahahahahahahahaha watch out the top 4 your comfort zone is there no more.

[tonyav]

with mark hughes managing them lol, they will finish in their usual mid table position.

[joggerjayne]

I'm not a fan of a Big Four team ...

I'm a fan of a

"struggled to stay in League One by winning our last game"

team.

But I say Good Luck to Manchester City.

I think the Big Four has become a tedious phenomenon.

I think there are 2 vulnerable teams in the Big Four ...

1. Arsenal ... they used to be wealthy, because they had �30m in the bank. Now, that won't even buy them one world class player.

2. Chelsea ... a small team with a big owner. If Abramovitch gets bored with his little bule toy, they will fade back into the middle rankings, which is Chelsea's natural home.

Personally, I'll be happy if Brighton manage to stay mid-table this season.

[lesblue]

I bet you are happy. All this money, buying sucess etc etc. Same position as my mob six years ago. Slight difference, Chelsea were already a team in the Champions League, already had a team that was capable of picking up the odd Cup along the way, just needed the cash injection and some fine-tuning. City, on the other hand weren't even good enough to qualify for Europe this season, so have a HUGE gap to close. Personally, I think they WILL break into the top four next season, simply because they will have most midweeks free, where the other top sides are playing in Europe.

Watch out, however, there are a few (mostly Man U and Liverpool fans) who will detest everything you achieve, will hate the fact you are now competing on their playing field, won't accept your victories as worthwhile.

I say Good Luck to City, but would also pi$$ myself if it all went t*ts up, and with Hughes in charge that is just as likely.

[topman9thnov]

lesblue what chelsea will never have is fantastic supporters like we have.....dont beleive me check the gates.

[topman9thnov]

well said steve chelsea armchair supporters and always will be no wonder terry wants out.

[lesblue]

What statistics am I supposed to check, topman?? The stats that say Man City's average home gate for the past two seasons is under 43000 in a ground whose capacity is 48000?? The stats that say that Man City were selling UEFA Cup tickets for a fiver last season?? The stats that say that Chelsea have the FIFTH highest average league attendance in English football??

I am not in a position to have a "pop" at City fans about lack of silverware or the fact that they are now the richest club in the World, so, although we have a lot of Johnnie-Come-Latelys, please don't fall into the trap of believing that Chelsea don't have a loyal following. Believe me, success for your lot and you will find more Jump-on-the-bandwagon supporters than you ever thought existed. Believe me, I've been there.

[factor-fiction]

lesblue-
Here are the top 6 for average attendances in 2008/09:
75,304 - Manchester United
60,040 - Arsenal
48,750 - Newcastle United
43,611 - Liverpool
43,162 - Manchester City
41,588 - Chelsea

Note that Chelsea were sixth, not fifth, in the list and were behind Man City.

Now maybe you were talking about total attendances home and away- yes Chelsea had slightly better away attendances than City but still Chelsea were 6th and City 5th:
man u 55,364
arsenal 47,567
newcastle 42,259
liverpool 40,330
man city 39,131
chelsea 38,826

[lesblue]

Thanks for that factor30. But I was talking about ALL-TIME attendances, thus disproving the theory that Chelsea never had any fans before the Abramovic era. I wasn't having a go at City or their fans, and have to agree they have brilliant support. It just gets a bit annoying having to listen to the chants of "Where were you when you were $hit" and the like. Answer, from me anyway, "I was standing in the pi$$ing rain, home and away giving it all for MY TEAM."

[Panic Button]

I expect Man City will be as successful as Real Madrid with all their galacticos.

Mark Hughes to win thesack race?

[toonmilo]

MIckey mouse league the Premiership anyway! ;o)

But seriously, Good luck to Man City, i think they'll possibly break the top four this season. A lot could depend on whether they buy a top class defender or not (i do not count Terry as top class - I hate him and Carvalho is the one that makes him look good sometimes, Maybe Man City should be buying Carvalho instead???), Anyway, if Arsenal can get Eduardo and Van Persie and possibly one more striker signing firing, i still think they will pip Man City for 4th. The top 3 is a given, as it was last season.

Man City may have a problem juggling all their strikers this season, Robinho, Santa Cruz, Tevez etc. But they def need a defender to partner Dunne at the back. What they mustn't do though is lose Stephen Ireland who will be key to a lot of their attacks this season.

My Prediction:
1. Liverpool
2. Man United
3. Chelsea
4. Man City
5. Arsenal
6. Everton
7. Villa
8. Spurs
9. West Ham
10. Fulham
11. Sunderland
12. Blackburn
13. Bolton
14. Stoke
15. Birmingham
16. Burnley
17. Wolves
18. Wigan
19. Portsmouth
20. Hull
21. Newcastle ;o)

[SUSPECT]

I like the way steve said he has stood on the kippax end with city fans. The kippax stand was opposite the main stand .
At one end you had the platt lane stand and at the other the scoreboard or north stand depending how far you are going back.

[factor-fiction]

Yes the equivalent of the Kippax now is the Colin Bell Stand (not, as United fans wanted it to be called, the Bell End.)

[SUSPECT]

factor30 has Colin still got the restaurant near Bury

[Gromit]

I cannot see City breaking into the top four this season. You cannot bring in so many players and expect them to gel immediately. Some of them won't be good buys. A team has to be built slowly. a quick fix will not work.

The lack of European distractions will be an advantage, but not enough this year.

[paraffin]

factor:
I also prefer the "Bell End". It has a certain "ring" to it, n'est pas?

I think Man City fans, though fully entitled to be excited about what could be, should also be slightly cautious. So far, they've managed to sign a few highly priced players certainly attracted purely by the money on offer, not because City's the only club they've ever wanted to play for.

And don't overlook the fact that they failed to sign the likes of Kaka and Ronaldo, plus it looks like they may not even get John Terry.

So, these daft claims of "jealousy" simply don't hold water, because if City had the profile which several others enjoy, players would be throwing themselves at them. But it hasn't happened in spite of their newly found wealth.

Also, I've never been convince that Mark Hughes has what it takes to transform an ordinary club into a great one. Time will tell. PS: I don't support any of the current top four.

[sambro]

ah yes,citys magnificent supporters,lets go back to 15dec 1998, fa cup replay against darlington,they got a huge attendance of 8,598. fantastic supporters,big club,dont make me laugh,you bunch of no marks.