Manchester City Supporters' Trust

The Takeover: Q & A

2007-07-04T18:37:00.000+01:00

After initially announcing that they were in talks on the morning of the AGM last December, the takeover is finally real, with the offer documentation being received by shareholders last week. We have always made it clear that we could not comment on any bid until the details were known but now we do know, as far as the terms of the offer are concerned, what Dr Thaksin has put on the table.

The basic terms of that offer are well known. The bid is being made via a recently formed company called UK Sports Investments Limited (UKSIL). This is owned by another recently formed company called UK Sports Investments Holdings (UKSI). Both companies are controlled by the Shinawatra family and UKSI has provided the money for the bid to UKSIL.

40p per share is being offered to shareholders and, at the time of writing, three of the four major shareholders have given irrevocable commitments to UKSIL and the fourth, BSkyB, have agreed to sell their 9.88% holding. Along with other commitments, UKSIL is now believed to be close to having 75% of the shares of Manchester City. The acquiring of the 55.9% of shares originally promised to UKSIL will actually only take place once the level of 75% is reached. Until then, it is effectively an agreement to sell.

At the same time, it would appear that Sven Goran Eriksson has been lined up as our new manager but this is also apparently subject to UKSIL getting 75% of Manchester City’s shares.

So what are the key issues and the views of the Trust on all this? We have been asked a number of questions about the takeover and will try to answer them as far as we can. We have to make clear that none of the people involved with the Trust are authorised to offer investment advice and that a suitably qualified professional should be consulted where necessary.

Why has this taken so long?
The club made an announcement in early December, on the day of the AGM that they were in talks with parties that may or may not lead to an offer. We know that the board had been seeking investment for some time and believe that at least two consortiums had approached the club some time before that announcement and that one had possibly walked away before it was made. So we are still not clear who the actual party or parties were that they were talking to at that time. However, it seems unlikely that it was Dr Thaksin. He came along much later and there is a clear legal and regulatory framework to be followed, all of which takes time.
Clearly the club could not move forward without some element of certainty and had said they were making plans for next season, in the event that no bid transpired. However, all parties have left it late, with the squad returning for pre-season in a few days and the bid still not certain of success.

Is 40p a share a good price?
The issue of company valuation is extremely complex. There is no single reliable method of valuation but there are some indicators. One is Net Asset Value, which is the value of the company’s assets less its liabilities. In the May 2006 accounts, this figure was just over 70p per share. However, we have had another year end since then and will presumably have made a further significant loss, reducing this figure much closer to the offer price. However football club accounts don’t include the market value of players, plus City value CoMS as though we own it, whereas even though it is a revenue generating asset, we obviously don’t.

It also depends on what you paid for your shares. If you paid £1 then it’s clearly a poor return but not if you paid 20p. Many small shareholders bought their shares in order to have part of the club so are not primarily interested in the price.

Why is this 75% figure important?
Under normal circumstances, the backing of a simple majority of shares is enough to make decisions. So at the AGM when directors or the auditors are up for re-election, it only takes 50% plus 1 share to carry or defeat these motions. However, to do anything more significant usually requires a special resolution to be passed and this can only usually be done with the support of 75% of the shares.

Some of the relevant decisions that would require a special resolution include a proposal to take the company off the stock market and into private ownership and the necessary financial arrangements to formally complete the takeover. So this is why a figure of 75% is usually the point at which the bid becomes unconditional. If that target is not achieved within the offer period then UKSIL can, in theory, walk away from the deal. They could also take what they have and become majority shareholder, with the company remaining as a listed company (unless enough of the minority shareholders agreed to de-list).

What happens if they get 90% of the shares?
Once this level is achieved then UKSIL can force any remaining shareholders to sell at the offer price. Then the supporters will have no further stake in the club and it will be totally owned by Dr Thaksin and his company.

And what happens if they don’t get 90%?
If the 90% level is not reached then any remaining shareholders will remain as minority shareholders and, with the company de-listed from Plus Market, would find it difficult to sell in future. However, they would still have a stake in the club, which is why many people bought their shares originally.

So will we still have the chance to go to the AGM in this case?
This is a good question. Under the recent Companies Act 2006 as far as we understand it, a private limited company won’t have to have an AGM unless it wants to or 10% of the shareholders request it. A public limited company (as Manchester City plc currently is) would have to have one, even if not listed on a recognised stock market.

UKSIL has been registered as a private limited company so can avoid the requirement if it chooses to do so. The offer document has also made it clear that Manchester City will be re-registered as a private limited company once the take-over becomes unconditional. So it’s possible that there will be no further AGMs unless either 10% of the remaining shareholders demand it or Manchester City agree to have one voluntarily.

Are we now debt-free?
As most people know, there were two main debts. One was the £43m in long-term loans (15 & 25 years) secured on future income. The other was the £19.7m loans from John Wardle & David Makin. The offer document has made it clear that these latter, unsecured loans have been re-assigned not repaid. This presumably means that Manchester City plc now owes UKSIL this money, in return for the £17.5m payment from UKSIL to Messrs Wardle & Makin.

In the offer document (Page 63 Paragraph 6.2(a)), there is the interesting information that we were even further in debt than we thought, having borrowed £10m in December 2006 against the Sky payment due in August. It would have been interesting to see the reaction of shareholders to that at the next AGM!

Dr Thaksin was asked about the secured loans in his radio interview and intimated that these would have to be kept as they were for the foreseeable future. There may well be very good commercial reasons for doing this.

As part of this transaction, UKSI has lent UKSIL £40.6m. This presumably covers the £21.6m for shares and the £17.5 payment for assigning the unsecured loans, plus any costs and other incidental expenses. There is interest on this loan of 11.96% per annum but this will only be payable if UKSIL has sufficient income to do so.
Any long-term arrangements won’t become clear until after the take-over has been finalised so it’s currently impossible to answer this question but at this moment it seems that we still owe around £60m, as before, plus the additional £10m.

Can someone else still make a bid?
Potentially yes but this is unlikely as they would need to get over 25% of the shares to stop the UKSIL bid being declared unconditional and it would appear that only 30% at most are uncommitted.

So the only way that anyone could possibly get more for their shares is if UKSIL didn’t get 75% and decided to offer a higher price. However, this looks extremely unlikely indeed, so it’s 40p a share, take it or leave it.

Is the Trust happy with Thaksin Shinawatra as Manchester City owner?
Much has been written about Dr Thaksin in the media and message boards over the last couple of months and we don’t intend to go over old ground. The Thai military government seems determined to land a killer blow on him but he has not currently been convicted of any offence. It is also clear that the determination of the Thai military government to prove something against him is largely politically motivated. The news that the UK authorities are allegedly talking to the authorities in Thailand about the situation is also worrying.

There has also been some speculation that Dr Thaksin will use his ownership of Manchester City to maintain his political profile in Thailand and this is something that worries us. Our club should not be the meat in the sandwich between rival political factions in Thailand. That, and the continued uncertainty about the source of his funds and what action the Thais might or might not be able to take means that, in our view, he represents a potential risk.

That’s not to say that these things won’t get resolved and that he couldn’t do a good job for us though. In a culture where “face” is important, he has a huge incentive to make the club successful. He is also undoubtedly a huge fan of English football and appears to have significant financial muscle, which we desperately need. In his recent interview on Radio 5 Live, he won many people over with his measured and intelligent response to the questions asked (although it would have been interesting to hear the questions that he was reluctant to respond to). As a successful politician and businessman, it may be that he possesses the right mix of skills to finally drive the club forward.

He has made it clear that he will conduct a full strategic review of the club’s operations before making any changes and, if he does so, we would applaud that wholeheartedly. We have made no secret of the fact that we felt the previous board should have been bigger and stronger and there was room for improvement in the way the club was run commercially.

Our timescale for passing judgement is over the next 3-5 years. If in that time we have a successful and entertaining team, an academy at least as strong as the one we have now, a club that is performing well financially and is self sustaining in that respect then the take-over will have achieved the objectives that we have been asking for. The Trust will still continue to ask the questions that we believe need answering and do whatever else we can in order to ensure the club goes in the right direction. We still hope, whoever the owner is, to work with the club, alongside the other supporters’ groups to ensure the interests of our supporters are at the forefront of the club’s agenda.

So, what should we do?
The Supporters’ Trust movement believes implicitly that clubs should belong to their supporters and that the fans are the only true custodians of their clubs. However, it would appear that UKSIL will gain the necessary 75% to make the offer unconditional and that we will have a new owner and manager before too long. Many people, whether they have misgivings or not, believe that this is the only way forward for our club and will sell their shares in order to facilitate this as soon as possible.

Some people, while recognising that the club is going nowhere without significant investment and a new sense of purpose in the boardroom, still hope that they will be able to retain a minority stake in their club and will hold on as long as possible. Therefore if UKSIL fails to get hold of 90% or more of the shares these fans will have a minority stake in the club. This may mean that they would find it much more difficult to sell their shares in the future and have little hope of influencing events. The Trust, which holds no shares on its own account, would still aim to be an umbrella for those holdings.

Clarification of Comments in the Guardian

2007-06-20T11:52:00.000+01:00

Members of the Supporters Trust board are actively involved in local supporters groups, organisations and of course keep abreast of the message boards which are open to use by fans of all clubs.

We also receive much feedback and e-mails from our members and subscribers to our blog from where a number of City fans have told us that if it were a three-way choice they would prefer Ramos or Adriaanse ahead of Eriksson. The feedback we received prior to the comments made to the Guardian on Tuesday afternoon indicated that Eriksson would not be the first choice of the majority of City fans we are in contact with.

We understand that both Ramos and Adriaanse have been approached by City directly, but that Eriksson has not. Reports suggest that Eriksson has, however, been interviewed by Thaksin Shinawatra's advisors Seymour Pierce over the past few days with a view to taking the managerial job should the takeover go ahead. It is interesting to note that Athole Still told the BBC that these reports were "total rubbish".

With players returning for pre-season duty in two weeks, it is vital that a manager be appointed with the right experience to take the club forward, something which the ongoing uncertainty over the takeover is impeding.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 15.6.07)

2007-06-17T16:28:00.000+01:00

This is the weekly article charting Manchester City Plc's share price movements during the last week. The price doesn't usually move very much and not many shares are usually traded, so you can pick up here at the end of each week our summary of the week gone by.

Last week saw a little more share activity than in recent weeks and the share price dropped 5p to close the week at 40p.

The week started with Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife having 21 bank accounts frozen. It was unclear if these bank accounts included other family members or associated. In response to those developments, Manchester City Plc confirmed that they were investigating how they may impact on Shinawatra's possible bid for the company.

By the end of the week there was no further news on progress although there was an interesting announcement which was picked up by many City supporters but not the media.

Anyone following the takeover over the last six or seven weeks, would be aware of Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai lawyer making regular pronouncements about the takeover bid and progress being made. Several times he has mentioned that the takeover should be completed within days or a week etc. Clearly, such pronouncements have not escaped the Takeover Panel's eyes resulting in Thaskin Shinawatra confirming that "Seymour Pierce Limited and Dr Thaksin wish to clarify that Noppadom Pattama is not authorised to speak on behalf of Dr Thaksin on matters governed by the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers and accordingly all of the statement made by Noppadom Pattama should be disregarded." The full announcements can be read here & here.

What lies in store for this week? Who knows but it is becoming clear that something needs to happen soon.

Last week:-
Finishing price (mid): 38p
Bid price: 33p
Offer price: 43p

Share price movement for the week:-
-2p

Volume:-
11/6 0
12/6 0
13/6 2,800
14/6 0
15/6 0

Total volume for the week: 2,800

All information taken from Plus Markets Group

Subscribe To The Manchester City Supporters Trust Newsletter

2007-06-13T20:17:00.000+01:00

Issue 20 of our newsletter will be sent out this weekend.

The newsletter covers up and coming articles, gives a bit more of an insight then we publish here on the blog and will cover what we have been doing over the last month or so. You do not need to be a member of the Manchester City Supporters Trust to receive the newsletter. If you want to receive a copy, please e-mail us at mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk and we will add you to the list.

Reaction To Recent Takeover Developments

2007-06-12T21:57:00.000+01:00

The news over the last 24 hours that Thaksin Shinawatra has been charged in his home country on five counts of corruption, and had financial assets in Thailand frozen, indicates that the proposed takeover is now in jeopardy of failing. We understand that the deal has just a 50/50 chance of going ahead and that decisions will be made in the next 24 hours with Shinawatra still trying to obtain the full financing.

When Manchester City announced on 7 December 2006 that the board were in talks with potential investors, little did anyone realise that six months on the outcome would look like failure from a single bidder. This is hugely disappointing for all concerned, not least the fans and individual shareholders who believed we would be able to attract investment as a number of other premiership clubs have done.

Obviously until an announcement by either Shinawatra to go ahead with his bid, or the Manchester City board to withdraw from negotiations, there is no clear picture as to what the next steps will be. Either way, Manchester City needs to press on with appointing a manager and addressing the immediate matters of squad building and the season ahead.

We strongly believe that success on and off the pitch requires our Club, the shareholders, the community and most importantly the supporters to pull together as one. The Manchester City Supporters Trust will actively support any investor who shares those views and wants to play their part in a successful all inclusive long term partnership.

The Manchester City Supporters Trust must make it very clear that it does not support any current or past bidder for Manchester City Plc. When, or if, a formal bid is made, is the time to assess the suitability of a bidder and their long term plans for our Club.

Whatever may happen we continue to strongly believe and encourage shareholders and supporters, who want to play an active and positive part in the future of our Club, to stand up and be counted. Participating does not have to be via the Supporters Trust, it can be via the magnificent supporters clubs or other worthy supporters groups. The most important thing to remember, is that the key to future success lies in the hands of the supporters and shareholders and their active/ positive participation.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 8.6.07)

2007-06-11T20:00:00.000+01:00

This is the weekly article charting Manchester City Plc's share price movements during the last week. The price doesn't usually move very much and not many shares are usually traded, so you can pick up here at the end of each week our summary of the week gone by.

Last week saw a little more share activity than in recent weeks and the share price dropped 5p to close the week at 40p.

Today saw alot of activity and interest in the current situation but for all the wrong reasons. This morning, Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai lawyer confirmed that Shinawatra would apply to the Bank of Thailand to withdraw funds to purchase Manchester City Plc. A few hours later the Thai Government confirmed that they had frozen 21 bank accounts of Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife whilst also confirming that they were seeking a freeze on their worldwide bank accounts.

In response to this latest development, Manchester City Plc confirmed that they were investigating how today's developments may impact on Shinawatra's possible bid for the company. Interestingly, Manchester City Plc confirmed that they were still talking to other interested parties. If ever there was a time for the "mystery Americans" to show themselves perhaps it is now?

The rest of this week promises to be an interesting one.

Last week:-
Finishing price (mid): 40p
Bid price: 35p
Offer price: 45p

Share price movement for the week:-
-5p

Volume:-
04/6 3,500
05/6 182
06/6 0
07/6 2,500
08/6 10,082

Total volume for the week: 16,264

All information taken from Plus Markets Group

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 1.6.07)

2007-06-03T19:28:00.000+01:00

FIFA To Toughen Agent Guidelines

2007-05-31T17:45:00.000+01:00

Shortly after declaring that FIFA needed to deal with four evils being doping, cheating, corruption and racism, Sepp Blatter was re-elected as president for a further four years.

Also, at FIFA's annual congress it was announced that player's agents would have to adhere to tougher guidelines. FIFA's Jeu Sprengers told delegates that FIFA wanted to define the role of agents more clearly, restrict the activities of unlicensed agents and limit all agents fees for any deals to three per cent.

FIFA currently issues licenses to agents which last indefinitely, but Sprengers said that in future licenses would only be issued for a limited period, with agents having to re-apply after a number of years which have not yet been finalised. "We will also do more to protect under-age players and the role that agents play in their transfers," Sprengers said.

Sepp Blatter added "It is not good when agents take so much money out of football, or are able to take money from both clubs when negotiating a deal. A players's agent should be paid by the player -- but taking over 10 per cent from a deal is immoral in my opinion."

Uwe Rosler Cult Hero - Your Views Are Required

2007-05-31T16:36:00.000+01:00

We were recently contacted by Robin a post-graduate student at the University of Brighton. He's doing his dissertation on German players in English professional football. He's looking for views on Uwe Rosler and his e-mail explains it all:-

"Dear ManCity fans

I am a postgraduate student at the University of Brighton and my MA-dissertation is concerned with fan views on German players in English professional football. At the centre of my research are five players including ManCity's Uwe Rösler (1994-1998) and, of course, Bert Trautmann.

It is vital for my thesis to know especially fom the fan's perspective how and why Rösler became a cult figure in Manchester. I found some stuff about Trautmann, but I could not figure out why, when and how Rösler became a City hero.

As you maybe remember, he came to the club in March 1994 on loan from Dynamo Dresden. At the beginning of the next season he got a proper contract and was already very popular. Fans created an own song for him which ended at the end of the year in the creation of a special t-shirt saying "Uwe's granddad bombed Old Trafford".

I really need to find out how his relationship with ManCity fans started, whether you loved him straight away (maybe because of your positive experience with Trautmann) or because of any special thing that happened. Would be great if you could help in any way (fan contacts, your own experience).

If you know people who might be able to tell me their view, please ask them to write to germanfootballer@googlemail.com. Anyone who answers should, if possible, tell his name, his age, for how long he has been a City supporter and how he follows the team (TV, internet, newspaper, stadium) so that I get an idea of his involvement with the club. I am really desperate and I would appreciate it very much if you could assist me with this problem.

Thank you in advance and best regards

Robin"

A Look At City's Shareholders

2007-05-30T16:47:00.000+01:00

Last week we touched on the amount of shares (in percentage terms) a potential bidder for Manchester City Plc would require to gain control of the company all the way to gaining total ownership. The full article can be read here

Since then many readers have asked us about the shareholdings in Manchester City Plc. We looked at this all the way back in December.

The first four shareholders are well known to most Manchester City supporters and they own (together) 65.71% of the shares. Those four are John Wardle & David Makin who own 29.95%, the Trustees of the S E Boler Settlement (a trust set up by Stephen Boler) who own 18.75%, BSkyB which owns 9.88% and Francis Lee who owns 7.13%.

The next ten shareholders (held in individual and nominee names) own 13.38%. In that list includes the late Peter Swales' wife Brenda together with ex-directors David Holt, John Dunkerley and David Bernstein.

The remaining shareholders number over 5,000 (we are lead to believe that this figure may be over 6,000 now) and they hold the remaining 20.9% of the issued shares.

In summary, only 48.7% of the shareholders are represented on the board of Manchester City Plc with the majority of shareholders not represented.

When we looked at the shareholdings six months ago, we did not include Alistair Mackintosh, Dennis Tueart or Bryan Bodek’s shareholdings as being represented on the board and their total shareholding of 55,358 shares represents only 0.1% of the issued shares.

During our research we did come across some interesting information taken from the accounts. As at 31 May 1998 Dennis Tueart owned 9,800 shares and as at 31 May 2006 he owned 36,258 shares. As at 31 May 2000 Alistair Mackintosh owned 9,100 shares and as at 31 May 2006 he still owned 9,100 shares. As at 31 May 2002 Bryan Bodek owned 10,000 shares and as at 31 May 2006 he still owned 10,000 shares.

As mentioned in our article last week, any potential bidder will need to purchase 75% of the issued shares to be able to de-list the company from Plus Markets, change the memorandum and articles of association and add debt onto the Company a la "Glazer". Loading additional debt onto the Company may also require approval from the secured creditors (the loans secured against future ticket income).

If a potential bidder was able to acquire the four biggest shareholders' stakes they will still require just over an additional 9% from the remaining shareholders (the majority of which we can only presume are City supporters) to reach the 75% mark.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 25.5.07)

2007-05-29T13:03:00.001+01:00

City Takeover Could Take Months Not Days

2007-05-26T14:36:00.000+01:00

There are various rules to observe in a takeover of a quoted company and these set out various steps to be followed and the possible timelines associated with each step.

The first stage will be the formal offer to the board of the offeree company (the one being taken over) by the offeror (the one doing the takeover). This will be publicised via an announcement to the relevant stock exchange.

The next stage involves the production and sending out of the formal offer document to all shareholders. This is a comprehensive document covering all aspects of the offer for the target company. The requirement is that this must be sent out within 28 days of the formal offer.

The offer document will set out various things but these will usually include two key things;

1) The length of time that the shareholders have to respond. This has to be a minimum of 21 days.

2) The criteria for the bid to succeed. Generally this will be conditional on acceptance by either 50.1% or 75% of shareholders. If this level isn’t met then the offeror can walk away from the deal.

So after the minimum 21 days, the offeror will know what proportion of the shareholding they have received acceptances for. If they haven’t reached their target then they can extend the offer period by making an improved offer. They are allowed to extend the original offer period up to 60 (or possibly 70) days but can extend it further with Takeover Panel approval.

At the end of the period, they will count up the acceptances and, if they’ve reached their target, will declare the offer “unconditional”. Any remaining undecided shareholders will then have 14 days to accept or reject the offer. If they haven’t reached the required threshold then the deal is off.

So it’s entirely possible that the whole proceedings could take two months or even longer, from offer to finalisation. If all timescales run to the maximum allowable then it could be close to four months.

However, someone else could also bid and, in this case, the timeline is set back to day 1. So the rival bidder then has to make an announcement and the same considerations apply. So the whole thing could actually drag on for quite some time.

If the deal is for the 29.95% held by John Wardle & David Makin, then this can be done quickly as it is a simple sale of shares and doesn’t trigger a mandatory offer, although there is nothing to stop a bidder from making a wider offer, as described above. However only buying this shareholding will not make anyone owner of the club, merely the largest shareholder.

So the idea that a deal to buy the club could be done quickly is unfortunately somewhat wide of the mark.

City Pull Plug On Inside MCFC

2007-05-25T19:21:00.000+01:00

It was very disappointing to find out this week that Manchester City Football Club had decided not to continue with Channel M’s Inside MCFC TV programme. We understand that whilst Channel M were very keen to continue the weekly show and covering all costs associated with its production, our Club decided to pull the plug after one season.

Inside MCFC provided a great mix of interviews with the manager, coaches, players and former players, previews and reviews of first team matches, highlights of reserve matches and much much more. For those supporters that didn’t see the programmes first time around there was and still is the ability to download episodes to watch again via their website http://www.channelm.co.uk/programmes/index/0/27/inside_mcfc.html

Our Club is not awash with cash for expensive ventures and it is a real shame that Inside MCFC has finished. The programme played its part in providing our Club with increased TV exposure and accessibility to its supporters wherever they are based in the world. Next time you want to watch a reserve match again or catch an interview with a former player on the TV, you might think back to when we had Inside MCFC.

David Johnson, General Manager of Channel M spoke to the Manchester City Supporters Trust "'Inside MCFC was a flagship show for Channel M and understandably the production team are disappointed not to be involved with a second series. However, Channel M and City are parting very amicably so we will still be featuring all the main Man City stories on the live news and breakfast shows. Manchester City will also have a large slice of airtime in our new football documentary programme - The History of Football in Manchester, available towards the end of June on Channel M and www.channelm.co.uk".

Takeover News & Bid Information

2007-05-24T19:39:00.001+01:00

Last Saturday, 19 May 2007, Thakin Shinawatra's lawyer Noppadon Pattama said "What I can say now is we have tendered a bid for the team. We had to be silent because we had to follow the stock regulations as we are trying to buy a listed company" he added "The deal is not formally or legally concluded yet". Pattama also gave quotes to other Far East media saying "Thaksin has officially submitted his bid to buy the football club. There is no any official conclusion yet at this moment, but everything is proceeding well, by the end of this month, everything will be clear."

A matter of hours after Pattama's comments, the English media reported that Manchester City officials had confirmed that they remained in talks with several parties with reference to a potential takeover bid and suggested that City were unaware of a formal bid being made.

Two days later, on 21 May 2007, Noppadon Pattama confirmed that a formal bid had not been made but did say "The formal bid will be made in the next few days and we hope to get a decision by the end of the month". As of today, 24 May 2007, there have been no announcements by the Plus Markets (stock exchange) that a formal bid has been made for Manchester City Plc. Perhaps we can take what Noppadon Pattama says with a pinch of salt?

Since Noppadon Pattama's claims to the media, Wolverhampton Wanderers have been taken over by multi-millionaire Steve Morgan and reclusive billionaire Mike Ashley has acquired 41.6% of Newcastle United, launching a bid in the process.

The takeover bid for Newcastle United serves as a reminder to us all that if or when a formal bid is made for Manchester City Plc certain amounts of shares are required to achieve various milestones, for example:-

1) If an investor acquires 30% or more of a company then they must make a formal bid for the rest of the shares at the price they paid for them
2) If an investor acquires 50.1% then they will effectively have control of the company
3) If an investor acquires 75% they will be able to de-list the company from whichever stock exchange it is registered on
4) If an investor acquires 90% they will be able to forcibly acquire the remaining shares, thereby gain full ownership of the company

There is something else to consider and that is for the majority of companies when you acquire 75% of the shares you will not require the approval of shareholders to undertake transactions. In practice that would mean that, like the Glazers' takeover of the Club down the road, when 75% of the shares are owned debt could be transferred to the company. Also, with 75% of the shares owned changes could be made to the memorandum and articles of association.

Going back to Newcastle United, it is clear that Mike Ashley's bid has taken Freddy Shepherd by surprise. Freddy Shepherd owns 29.8% so without acquiring these shares Mike Ashley will not get to the 75% milestone. It will be interesting to see how the takeover bid for Newcastle United pans out.

Falling Attendances – A Post-Season Update

2007-05-23T17:00:00.000+01:00

In February, we wrote an article in response to a comment by Alistair Mackintosh in a Guardian article. He said that falling attendances was clearly a challenge for the whole of football and that fans have been turned off by inconvenient kick-off times, poor-quality football and the fact that matches can be watched live, for free, in pubs.

The article went on to say “They (the club) accept, though, that outside the top few and the excited newly promoted sides, the remaining Premier League clubs are struggling to maintain crowds paying high prices for the commercialised football experience”.

Having examined the figures, it was clear that some teams outside the top four had actually increased their attendances although, barring Arsenal & Manchester United (who had both increased their ground capacity) there was a small decrease overall. Four teams had suffered significant decreases though and we were the worst affected, with an average attendance down nearly 4,000.

Now we’ve reached the end of the season, we’ve looked at the final figures. These exclude the promoted teams (as there is no proper comparison) and Manchester United and Arsenal, in order to aid like-for-like analysis. The figures are taken from ESPN Soccernet again.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/attendance?league=eng.1&year=2006&cc=5739

Surprisingly, out of the 15 teams analysed, Aston Villa, Fulham, West Ham, Blackburn & Portsmouth all showed an increase in their average attendance compared to 2005/06. Charlton stayed level while Spurs, Chelsea & Everton showed a fall of less than 500. Liverpool lost 675 and Boro 734. As in the last article, four teams showed significant falls. These were Newcastle, Bolton, Wigan and Manchester City. However, Newcastle was a small percentage compared to their overall attendance level so it’s really only the last three teams that showed significant percentage falls.

Once again, we had the biggest numerical fall although home games against Liverpool, Chelsea and the Salford Buccaneers helped to offset the figure of nearly 4,000 in February down to 2,859. Wigan showed a numerical fall of 2,452, which translated to 11.9% in percentage terms and Bolton’s fall was 1,849 (7.3%). All three clubs took some sort of action for next season. Bolton and Wigan reduced ticket prices across the board and of course Manchester City introduced the £95 Junior season card. By all accounts this has sold phenomenally well, as you would hope, but how many of these were new sales as opposed to renewals at the lower price?

If we look at the number of empty seats then Blackburn top the list, with over 10,000 empty seats per game on average; a truly shocking figure. As a consequence, Rovers made swingeing cuts in the price of season tickets. Boro were next, with 7,320 empty seats per game on average and we were just behind with 7,200. Bolton and Aston Villa both had over 6,000 empty seats per game.

As at the April deadline, it is believed that season ticket sales were down by about 25% at around 20,000. But we don’t know how accurate that figure is as the club hasn’t actually told us.

Since the move we had been able to boast the third highest average attendances in the Premiership but this season finds us in sixth place overall. Arsenal have moved to the Emirates so that was an unavoidable occurrence but we now find ourselves behind Liverpool & Chelsea. Next season, if the trend continues, we may fall even further, with Everton, Villa and Spurs overtaking us, as well as possibly newly-promoted Sunderland. Of course, since the end of the season, Stuart Pearce has left and we may be taken over so what impact that may have remains to be seen. We would all obviously love to watch City in a full and noisy stadium.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 18.5.07)

2007-05-20T14:01:00.000+01:00

Shinawatra Makes Bid - Reports From The Far East

2007-05-19T07:52:00.000+01:00

About half an hour ago, Reuters in Bangkok reported that Thaksin Shinawatra had made a formal bid for Manchester City Plc. Thaksin's lawyer commented "What I can say now is we have tendered a bid for the team.". Reuters also reported that the takeover plan involved putting four Thai businessmen on the board of our Club and using our Club's reserve team for Thai national players.

Questions over who the four Thai businessmen are, how plans for using Thai players may affect our pipeline of young talent and what Thaksin Shinawatra's plans are for our Club cannot be answered until full details of the bid are known.

Shinawatra is facing corruption charges in Thailand and reports today suggest that his assets are in danger of being frozen. How this may affect a bid for our Club or his future plans remains to be seen.

Shinwatra has in the past attempted to purchase or invest in Liverpool and Fulham. After Liverpool turned his offer down he was reported to have entered into discussions with Everton.

It is vitally important that the shareholders and supporters of Manchester City hear from Shinawatra why he wants to buy our Club, what his plans are and how the current action being taken against him may have an impact on his plans for our Club both now and in the future.

Takeover Due Diligence Being Undertaken

2007-05-17T22:55:00.000+01:00

We keep hearing and reading that the parties interested in lodging a formal bid for Manchester City Plc are undertaking due diligence and many supporters have contacted us asking us what it actually is. Due diligence can mean different things to different companies; however, for the purpose of this article we will be looking at due diligence in terms of acquiring a business. This article by no means attempts to be comprehensive, it is simply meant to give an overview.

Before making an offer for any business, a process of evaluation should be undertaken on the business being considered for purchase. This evaluation process is called due diligence and once completed should give the prospective buyer sufficient information to enable them to make an offer for the business or decide not to proceed.

Reports indicate that Thaksin Shinawatra’s advisors are undertaking due diligence on Manchester City Plc but it is unclear whether Ray Ranson has been given permission to do this; although he may have been provided with basic information. The “mystery Americans” do not appear to have undertaken any due diligence but could also have been provided with basic information.

Some of the areas due diligence might cover are-

1) A review of the industry (football) and the company’s place in it – is the market growing or shrinking? In respect of the target company, what are its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats? What is the company’s general standing and reputation? What is the nature and extent of competition

2) Ownership – capital structure and voting rights; disposition of shares.

3) Directors – names, ages, length of service.

4) Management and employees – quality of management; ages qualifications and contractual terms of key managers and employees; staff turnover etc.

5) Financial performance (over the last few years) – turnover and profit trends; liquidity / cash flow trends; capital expenditure (player purchases); accounting policies and any audit recommendations; level’s of debt. The latest management accounts and budgets , forecasts and business plans are likely to be reviewed and an audit of the accounting records may also be undertaken.

6) Revenue – a review of the main income streams and distribution channels and any associated contracts, future projections, overseas expansion, research and development.

7) Assets – a comprehensive review of all assets (possibly including independent valuations of property), depreciation costs.

8) Liabilities – all loans, credit agreements, leases and their terms, expenditure commitments.

9) Treasury – review of all cash assets, banking relationships, credit lines.

10) Culture – review of the company’s style of management, business practices, decision-making processes, command structure etc

11) Risk management – review strategies to mitigate risk, insurance policies, contingent liabilities (litigation threats).

The process of buying a company often involves numerous professional advisers, such as: merchant bankers, clearing banks, stockbrokers, accountants, surveyors, insurance brokers, lawyers and tax consultants

This article is far from comprehensive but is meant to give you a brief flavour of the areas that would be reviewed which might go some way to explain how the due diligence process could take some time to complete. Of course there is no guarantee that at the end of it the bidder will make an offer for the company but they should have a very good idea about the company, its financial standing and future prospects.

Official Supporters Club New & Improved Website

2007-05-17T20:34:00.000+01:00

The MCFC Official Supporters Club was formed in 1949 and has over 70 Branches with a total membership of just under 6,000 based in the UK and Overseas.

We've had a link to their website on the blog for some time and recently noticed that it was in the process of being updated. The new and improved website is up and running, if you haven't visited recently or want to find out more, a link is here and a permanent link is on the right hand side of the blog.

Supporters' Trust Has Future Whatever Happens

2007-05-16T22:32:00.000+01:00

A number of supporters have asked us if the Manchester City Supporters' Trust will continue in the event of a takeover. Our answer is that chairmen, directors, managers and players come and go but the supporters will always be there. Therefore, the Manchester City Supporters’ Trust will continue no matter what may or may not happen.

Five of our fellow clubs in the Deloitte “Rich List” are supporter owned and another five have supporters’ trusts. So nothing has changed and we are still working towards establishing a successful supporters’ trust at Manchester City.

Keep watching this space for further news.

City's Big Success Story

2007-05-16T20:03:00.000+01:00

Following Manchester City is a rollercoaster ride full of ups, downs, twists and turns. Coaching team departures, new manager speculation, player departures, players coming in, a player arrest, agent talk, transfer kitty promises, takeover speculation, corruption charges and much "smoke and mirrors" (which we have now come to expect with City) have littered the last few weeks or so. No wonder a media frenzy surrounds City and it will probably continue like that for some time.

Away from the current media circus there is something to be very proud of, something that has underpinned a large part of City for some time now, something that is the envy of many, something that is a big success story; that something is the Manchester City Football Club Academy.

In previous articles we commented that "Our Club’s academy is one of the success stories producing more quality players than most academies in the land and that is a credit to our Club, Jim Cassell and his team." Where our Club would be without the academy no one knows but we could all have a good guess.

It is no secret that when our Club slipped into football's third tier Jim Cassell presented a fifty one page dosier outlining the faults of City's existing set-up and proposed a way forward with a new academy. David Bernstein backed Cassell's vision to the tune of £500,000 and almost nine years on, many feel that it was our Club's best investment.

It's always great to see positive stories about our Club none so then over the last few days. The Times started the week with a good story on Daniel Sturridge and today BBC Online ran a story on the academy whilst interviewing Ismael Miller in the process.

And finally, our Club confirmed that six youngsters had stepped off the Academy production line and signed professional contracts.

Le Coq Sportif Confirmed As New Kit Supplier

2007-05-14T19:17:00.000+01:00

As had been reported for quite some time in the media, on the messageboards and by sportswear chains, our Club today announced that Le Coq Sportif would be the new official kit supplier, after entering into a four year agreement worth a reported £10m.

The new agreement appears to be a good deal at double the value of the current agreement with the outgoing Reebok.

In addition, it was also confirmed that, as part of the agreement fashion brands Sergio Tacchini and Ecko would be supplied to the Club's players and available to supporters. It was also confirmed that Reebok City would be renamed Citystore.

In a good move for supporters, it was announced that the new kit would be competitively priced, so much so that it would be the best priced in the Premiership with adult shirts on sale for £30 and junior shirts on sale for £19.

What do you think?

Schalke - Supporter Owned Club Close To German Title

2007-05-13T22:14:00.000+01:00

Prior to the Manchester City Supporters Trust being formed we published an article about some of the top clubs in the world either being supporter owned or having an active supporters' trust. At that time ten of the world's top twenty clubs fell into that category including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Arsenal. You can read again the full article here

The popular German football Club Schalke are currently the 14th largest club in the world and is also supporter owned. They are tantalisingly close to winning the Bundesliga for the first time in 49 years however, their loss this weekend could be the proverbial "spanner in the works". Anna Kessel from the Guardian wrote an excellent article on them and how they run their club, please take the time to read it here

Charity Race Night For Injured Supporter

2007-05-13T20:32:00.000+01:00

Manchester City fan, Chris Faulkner, suffered a fractured skull on Derby Day and his life was saved by a police officer. Chris lost much blood and underwent brain surgery during which he had part of his skull removed. He has to have another operation to have a steel plate fitted and will be off work for a long time.

Chris and his family have understandably gone through a torrid time and the injury will have lasting effects for Chris who will no longer be able to play sport or fly. Chris is a huge character at his local Prestwich & Whitefield Supporters Branch and Prestwich & Whitefield's very own Don Price is organising a race night for Chris' benefit this Saturday 19 May.

It is hoped that Chris will be attending this event. All City supporters and their families are welcome at the event, the full details of which are below:-

Date: Saturday 19 May 2007

Venue: Our Ladies Of Grace Social Club
Fairfax Road
Prestwich
Manchester

Time Of First Race: 6:30pm

For further details on this very worthy event please contact Don on cathdon.price@virgin.net If you are unable to attend but want to make a donation please e-mail Don for details.

We hope this event is a great success and wish Chris and his family well for the future.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 11.5.07)

2007-05-13T10:20:00.000+01:00

Links Being Updated

2007-05-11T08:21:00.000+01:00

We continually review and update our links to City websites/ forums/ blogs etc. We also have links to sites with reference to wider football issues. If we have ommitted a City link or an interesting football link please send us an e-mail to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk your input and feedback is always welcomed.

If you haven't done so already, please take the time to look at our links to City sites, you might find something new and interesting.

Take Part In A Football Survey

2007-05-11T08:15:00.000+01:00

MCFC Stats are carrying out a poll on the Premiership, the match day experience, live football on TV and football in general, and would like to canvass the opinion of those who really own football… the fans. To take part please click here

MCFC Stats have also started their own blog which can be read here

For those of you who didn't know MCFC Stats is the unofficial Manchester City FC statistics website, their site can be accessed here

Is CoMS Best Modern Building In North West?

2007-05-10T11:57:00.000+01:00

BBC North West Tonight in conjunction with North West Business Insider are running a competition to find the best modern building in the North West. The winner will be presented with the prize at the forthcoming North West Property Awards.

The City of Manchester Stadium has been nominated along with a few other landmark buildings. If you want to take a look at the nominations or vote you can find out more here

Passing Being A Blue Down The Line

2007-05-09T20:27:00.000+01:00

I was born a blue, brought up as a blue and never wanted to be anything else.

At primary school I was surrounded by Arsenal, Liverpool and United supporters but even under much peer pressure never once felt like swapping sides. I was proud of my Manchester heritage and immensly proud to be a blue. Every time I had a chance to stand up and say I supported City I would do. It didn't matter if my football allegiance was laughed at or ridiculed, I knew I was a blue and would be for the rest of my life.

Every time I played football in the playground or for the school team in my mind I was Peter Barnes skipping down the wing, getting the crosses in and scoring the odd goal. It was great being a blue.

My oldest daughter is two and a half and I have already passed on to her what was passed on to me. She has her own City kit and wants to wear the shirt far too much for her mum's liking. For the last six months or so she will shout "CITY" loudly to anyone who asks her who she supports. Despite an element of pressure from her Hammer supporting mum and her Spurs supporting grandad she hasn't wavered. My youngest daughter is six months old and I'm waiting for the time to introduce her to City!

Simon Hattenstone writes in the Guardian today about his daughter who he has passed on his support for the blues to, have a read here

Ollie

Football's Movers And Shakers Meeting In London

2007-05-08T17:00:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow Soccerex holds it's third London Forum at Wembley Stadium. Soccerex is the premier organiser of football "business to business" forums and this forum follows the annual Soccerex conference held in Dubai six months ago.

Soccerex have confirmed that 800 "senior decision makers" will be attending representing 250 football clubs, 100 media agencies, 75 sponsors and 50 leagues/ federations. This year though there appears to be a high level of interest from America with 50 delegates from "across the pond" attending. For example, representatives of the Kraft family, who were bidding for Liverpool before Messrs Hicks & Gillett entered the fray, are rumoured to be attending.

Last year our Club was represented by Alistair Mackintosh and Steve Sayer, Head of Sponsorship and Partnership. If they are attending tomorrow, they will have the following talks/ presentations to look forward to:-

1) Next generation football stadiums - lessons learned and future expectations
2) The big gamble! - the future relationship between football and betting
3) From sponsorship to partnership - how the landscape is changing
4) The future of football - an exclusive "one on one" session with the CEO of the Premier League

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 4.5.07)

2007-05-07T18:48:00.000+01:00

New Kit/ Supplier Unveiled Next Week

2007-05-07T09:06:00.000+01:00

Next week, on 14 May 2007, our Club will be unveiling the new kit supplier and the 2007/08 home kit. Supporters will also have the chance to pre-order the new kit at "special supporter prices".

As previously reported, some time ago JJB Sports confirmed that the new kit supplier will be Le Coq Sportif. We look forward, like the majority of supporters, to seeing the new kit and the accompanying range of leisurewear.

Championship Teams Toil For Premiership Spoils

2007-05-03T21:26:00.000+01:00

There is absolutely no doubt that being a Premiership side means so much from a financial point of view. In a few weeks time both Champions League finalists will collect a large amount of additional revenue however, they will probably not collect as much as the teams stepping up from the Championship to next season's Premiership.

There were a few good articles on this topic in the papers today none more so than in the Times. Read the article here

City Stand Firm Over Derby Request

2007-05-03T21:17:00.000+01:00

The Derby is less than two days away and, if Manchester United had their way, it could be three days away. Our Club’s decision not to accede to their request to delay the kick off by 24 hours should be praised.

Stuart Pearce summed the situation up nicely when saying "We've not made this decision to spite Manchester United, we made this decision because this game has been pencilled in on that date all season. It was brought forward for television, the game has sold-out and could have been sold out many times over so people have made their arrangements. The decision was made on the back of the Everton game last year, where we had letters from City and Everton fans who had already made their arrangements when the date and kick off were moved." The Everton game of course took place at the unprecedented time of 11.15 on a Sunday morning.

Pearce did allude to the fact that actually playing on the Saturday probably benefits Manchester United "Also, it might work in United's favour because it gives them a day extra to prepare for Chelsea next week."

Well done City for thinking of all those supporters who not only have to arrange travel but also those supporters that have to arrange time off from work etc.

Reaction To Reported Thaksin Shinawatra Interest In MCFC

2007-05-01T14:19:00.000+01:00

The Manchester City Supporters' Trust notes with interest the news today that Thaksin Shinawatra has confirmed via his representatives that he has made an indicative offer for Manchester City.

We are not aware of any of Thaksin Shinawatra's proposals or his vision for the future of Manchester City. Until details of his proposals are made public or a formal offer made, we cannot make any substantive comments.

If or when a formal takeover bid is made for Manchester City, shareholders and supporters alike will want to know what the implications are and whether it is in our Club's best interests. We are confident that the team of professionals we have assembled to advise us will be able to scrutinise any offers in detail, raise areas of concern and answer many of the questions that arise.

The Manchester City Supporters' Trust has made it clear, and will continue to make it clear, that it believes the supporters are the real custodians of our Club's best long-term interests and that the best way forward for Manchester City is for the owners and supporters to work in partnership.

We welcome any investment that is genuinely in the long-term interest of our Club and supporters but re-iterate that a substantial shareholding under the umbrella of the Supporters' Trust, held both directly and indirectly, and working with the club management is the best solution.

Manchester City Supporters' Trust

Club Response To Our 10 Questions

2007-05-01T10:30:00.000+01:00

Following the 10 questions posed to the MCFC board last week, we are able to confirm that the Club are aware of the supporters' questions and interest around the takeover situation.

However, due to the City Code governing listing companies and confidentiality agreements in place, the MCFC board cannot obviously respond at present. Preliminary discussions with interested parties are underway and the Club will make further announcements as appropriate.

We would like to thank Mr Mackintosh for taking the time to acknowledge our questions and respond at this busy time.

Barcelona Turned Themselves Around - City Can Too

2007-04-30T22:10:00.000+01:00

FC Barcelona is currently top of La Liga, if they manage to win the title this season it will be their third in succession. Last season's Champions League winners are currently the world's second largest club in the world in revenue terms but they haven't always held that lofty position.

In the Deloitte 2004 Football Money League (which looked at the previous year’s figures) Barcelona were ranked 13th in the World. Manchester City is currently ranked 17th in the world, so not too far away from Barcelona a few years ago.

At the end of the 2002/03 season Barcelona finished the league in sixth place and were seriously down on their luck. Average crowds were in the low 60,000s (well below the 98,000 capacity) and debts of approximately £130m threatened their very existence. Wages were excessive at 88% of turnover (the recommended percentage is 50%) and the Club’s operating loss was approximately £50m.

You will probably know that Barcelona is a mutual organisation, owned and run by its membership. The Club motto “more than a club” reflects its philosophy and status as a symbol of Catalan pride and commitment to democracy and freedom. FC Barcelona explains that their motto defines “the complexities of FC Barcelona’s identity, a club that competes in a sporting sense on the field of play, but that also beats, every day, to the rhythm of its people’s concerns.”

One of Barcelona’s oldest statutes decrees that the Club promotes “social, cultural, artistic, scientific or recreational activities” for it’s club members and citizens of Catalonia. This is one of the main reasons why Barcelona also operates teams in other sports including basketball, handball, roller hockey, athletics, rugby, baseball, volleyball and field hockey.

Almost four years ago in June 2003 the members of Barcelona voted in a new Club President called Joan Laporta who won with an agenda of implementing a radical programme to improve both the Club’s two key principles – spectacular football and social commitment. Following that election, the majority of the Board were replaced and the new Board set about reviewing the Club from top to bottom with the aim of identifying and implementing opportunities to increase revenues whilst controlling costs.

Key appointments were made both on and off the pitch with a series of high earning players moved on. One of the main cost controlling strategies employed, resulted in the introduction of performance related pay throughout the playing squad, not only to incentivise players but also to protect the business model against performances on the pitch. All contracts included fixed and bonus elements, with bonus elements relating to both individual and team performances.

Barcelona’s debt was also restructured with a number of financial institutions, which also gave them the option to borrow additional funds if or when required.

The new board’s strategy didn’t take long to work and by 2003/04 revenues had increased by 37% while player costs fell to 50% of turnover. This strategy has continued to pay dividends both on the off the pitch ever since.

A new and revitalised Barcelona board didn’t just work on the financial and playing side, in 2003 they launched “The Big Challenge” aimed at growing the Club’s membership significantly from the 105,000 members at that time. This was another successfully implement strategy resulting in a much increased membership which as at today stands at 153,315.

In 2003 season ticket prices were increased substantially (20-40%) however, prices have only risen by inflation since then and the most expensive season ticket is still competively priced at approximately £600. Recognising that not all Barcelona supporters attend every game, Barcelona also introduced a scheme whereby they facilitated the resale of up to 5,000 tickets per match with the Club receiving 50% of the proceeds. By the 2005/06 season average attendances had risen to 73,000 and continue to rise.

Where Spanish football differs from Premiership football is the ability for individual teams to negotiate their own TV deals. Barcelona used to receive a minimum £36m a season however, under a new deal will now receive approximately £140m over the next two years. In addition, Barcelona also runs their own TV channel which has over 25,000 subscribers and makes a profit.

Whilst Barcelona do not carry any traditional sponsorship on their shirts (they pay for Unicef to be on their shirts) they do have a 50/ 50 partnership with Nike with reference to all of Barcelona’s merchandising. Barcelona also has a number of commercial partnerships with big brands including Coca Cola and Audi.

Barcelona also continues to invest for the future by spending money on their training facilities, running soccer schools outside of Spain and continue to look at international opportunities aimed at expanding their fanbase.

Whilst our Club has vast amounts of potential to be bigger and better than it is, it will not be another Barcelona however, by studying other clubs both here and abroad perhaps lessons can be learned and changes made for the best of our Club.

Source: various including Deloitte 2007 Money League and FC Barcelona

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 27.4.07)

2007-04-27T18:47:00.000+01:00

This is the weekly article charting Manchester City Plc's share price movements during the last week. The price doesn't usually move very much and not many shares are usually traded, so you can pick up here at the end of each week our summary of the week gone by.

What a week! On 24 April 2007 Manchester City Plc were forced to give a statement to Plus Markets following Stuart Pearce speculating in the media about takeovers and investment. Manchester City Plc also confirmed that it "remains in preliminary discussions with third parties that may or may not lead to an offer being made for the Company."

What followed after that appears to be a "tit for tat" exchange between Ray Ranson and Manchester City Plc with both parties issuing statements about their views of the situation. To the neutral observer it would appear that Ray Ranson has been trying for some time to obtain sufficient financial information & due diligence to enable him to make a formal offer however, for various reasons he has been unable to attain it.

Rumours continue that an anonymous American consortium remain interested and the rumour that the ex-Thai Prime Minister was interested seems to have disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

We ended the week with a quirky situation. Manchester City Plc shares are only traded by one market maker and to a certain degree the price is at their mercy. Following the speculation and rumours, the bid/ offer price was moved to 30p/ 50p yesterday resulting in share activity in Manchester City Plc stopping. With no regulatory reason to suspend the shares it is more than likely that the market maker decided to place the wide spreads as a way to stop speculation and possible loss (to them).

Will there be more of the same next week? Who knows! We'll have to wait and see!

Last week:-
Finishing price (mid): 40p
Bid price: 30p
Offer price: 50p

Share price movement for the week:-
+0.5p

Volume:-
23/4 0
24/4 100
25/4 1,000
26/4 0
27/4 0

Total volume for the week: 1,100

All information taken from Plus Markets Group

Supporters Trust Sends Ten Questions To The Board Of Manchester City Plc

2007-04-25T07:51:00.000+01:00

Following this week's takeover speculation and announcements, we believe that our Club have a duty to inform the shareholders and supporters of Manchester City Plc/ Football Club what is happening.

We have therefore submitted ten questions to the Manchester City Plc Board and look forward to their responses:-

1 When are the board of Manchester City, rather than the manager, going to tell their shareholders what is going on?

2 The board declared they were in talks that may lead to a potential offer back in December. Are any of the parties referred to in that statement still actively talking to the club? If not, will the club give us a timeline showing who they have been talking to and when, in order to justify the claim that we have been in a takeover period since then?

3 Why will you not let the shareholders of Manchester City hear the details of Ray Ranson's offer, when the Manchester United board told their shareholders about the Glazer offer even though they weren't in favour of it?

4 What governance processes are in place to ensure that John Wardle & David Makin are not putting their interests before the interests of the other 70% of Manchester City shareholders?

5 Will the board tell the shareholders what they believe represents a fair offer for the clubs' shares?

6 Is the US consortium proposing a full offer or just an offer for John Wardle & David Makin's shares? If the latter, can the board still justifiably claim to be in a takeover period?

7 There are persistent rumours from well-informed sources that the Chief Executive is involved with the US consortium. Can he categorically deny this?

8 Why are senior players saying the club has no plan and no ambition and were these players given club permission to make these statements?

9 We understand that the club did not discourage the media from linking them with a rumoured bid from Thaksin Shinawatra. Has there been any contact between representatives of Manchester City and Mr Shinawatra?

10 Can the board tell the shareholders what timescale they are prepared to put on the takeover period, given that the continued uncertainty must be damaging to preparations for next season?

Your City. Your Trust.

2007-04-24T22:01:00.000+01:00

The keen eyed amongst you would have seen that we settled on a strapline for the Manchester City Supporters Trust which now appears below the logo on the right hand side and adorns the membership forms.

We hope you agree that "YOUR CITY. YOUR TRUST" sums up nicely what the Manchester City Supporters Trust is all about.

Contact The Manchester City Supporters Trust

2007-04-24T21:44:00.000+01:00

Significant numbers of City supporters are contacting us daily to ask for membership forms, subscribe to our newsletter, ask questions about the trust, enquire if we are still doing presentations to supporters branches/ groups etc. To help deal with all these enquiries we have set up three dedicated e-mail addresses to deal with your specific enquiries:-

All membership enquiries or requests for membership forms should be sent to mcstmembers@hotmail.co.uk

All PR enquiries (including media enquiries) should be sent to mcstpress@hotmail.co.uk

All newsletter subscriptions and general enquiries should be sent to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you.

Expert Views On City

2007-04-24T19:53:00.000+01:00

The Manchester Evening News has today published an article of Henk Potts's views on Manchester City Football Club and the reason why our Club is attractive from an investment perspective. Henk Potts is an equity strategist at Barclays Wealth and his comments/ the MEN article can be read here

On 27 February 2007, our Club announced their half yearly results. At that time, we had an independent accountant review the Club's finances. To read again this great article please click here

Supporters Trust Statement On Ray Ranson Takeover Bid

2007-04-24T19:09:00.000+01:00

The Manchester City Supporters' Trust notes with interest the breaking news today regarding the potential bid for Manchester City from Ray Ranson's consortium, and Mr Ranson's subsequent confirmation of the offer.

The Trust continues to speak to fellow supporters, shareholders, potential providers of finance/ donations, interested parties, various industry professionals and most importantly continue to have the full support and regular input of Supporters Direct, the organisation that assists and supports the establishment and operation of Supporters' Trusts.

We are aware, in very broad terms, of the nature of Ray Ranson's proposals, including his vision for the future of Manchester City Football Club. Whilst the proposals are interesting and appear progressive, we must make it clear that we have not seen any detailed proposals and therefore cannot make any substantive comment on his offer.

The Manchester City Supporters' Trust has made it clear that it believes the supporters are the real custodians of our Club's best long-term interests and that the best way forward for Manchester City is for the owners and supporters to work in partnership.

Therefore we would welcome any investment that we believed was in the long-term interest of the club and its supporters but feel that a substantial shareholding under the umbrella of the Supporters' Trust, held both directly and indirectly, and working with the club management is the best solution.

Manchester City Supporters' Trust

Takeover Speculation Continues At Pace

2007-04-23T19:00:00.000+01:00

The Manchester City Supporters Trust has noticed the continued speculation surrounding our Club. We cannot comment on any of the current investment/ takeover stories circulating until we are aware of the full details or a formal offer has been made.

It is clear that our Club needs investment at the moment but it also needs the right investment to move in the right direction. We strongly feel that our Club requires a long term sustainable plan that fully involves the shareholders, community and most importantly supporters. If, for example, someone wanted to invest in City but didn't want any involvement from the supporters, then you might have to question their motives. It is therefore vital that the the supporters and shareholders interests in the future of our Club are taken into consideration at a very early stage in any investment/ takeover process.

Many shareholders/ supporters have contacted us who wish to pledge their voting rights (known as a "proxy") from their shares in Manchester City Plc to the Trust. In such circumstances the shares remain the property of those shareholders, however an element of power would be ceded to the Trust. Please note that proxying your shares does not affect your right to attend the AGM or any other general meeting of shareholders. What it does, is give the named proxy the ability to cast your vote as part of a block that includes all other shares proxied to that named party. We are currently preparing the documentation to enable this proxy to happen. We will publish an update here and will be forwarding the appropriate forms to the many who have contacted us shortly.

We have also had a number of supporters offering to donate their Manchester City Plc shares to the Trust. We have made our position clear on this before and confirm that this action is not actively encouraged by the Trust. The donation of shares is admirable and would be gratefully received if the donor was adamant with reference to their intent, but for now we would recommend that those shareholders/ supporters who share the Trust's aims (link here) and identify with the Trust's mission statement (link here) consider proxying their shares to the Trust.

Joey Barton And Supporters Trust Ask What Is The Plan?

2007-04-22T20:10:00.000+01:00

For those of you who attended our Open Meeting back in March you would know that one of our areas of concern is the apparent lack of a long term plan at our Club. If there is such a plan in place, it has not been communicated to the shareholders or the supporters.

Following comments by Joey Barton yesterday it would appear that this is also an area of concern for the players. Barton said “There has to be a plan. Everyone seems to have one in place but at the moment it just feels like this club is praying to get the right players in the summer.” Barton also followed this up by commenting to MCFC.co.uk “There has got to be a plan for two, three, four years down the line, maybe even ten. Everyone seems to have that in place, the likes of Arsenal and Man United. It’s no coincidence that we are underachieving at the moment because things are not geared towards us succeeding.”

Following our Open Meeting in March, we expanded on our concerns on 1 April 2007 in an article entitled “What Is Our Club’s Long Term Plan?”. Other Clubs are putting plans in place and communicating them to their shareholders and supporters, our Club should be no different. You can read our full article on the important topic here.

The Manchester City Supporters Trust has no intention of involving itself with "on the field" issues but does have a big concern about certain “off the field” areas of our Club. We want all shareholders and supporters to know our Club’s long term plan and if new investors are being lined up, isn’t it time the shareholders and supporters knew them too?

Premier League Clubs Agree Fairer TV Money Sharing Deal

2007-04-22T18:00:00.000+01:00

According to the Observer today, Premier League clubs have agreed to change the way money from their lucrative television deal is distributed in a bid to stop the growing financial divide between richer and poorer sides becoming even wider. Read the full article here

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 20.4.07)

2007-04-22T16:12:00.000+01:00

FA Centres Of Excellence In Decline

2007-04-20T00:56:00.000+01:00

Our Club’s academy is one of the success stories producing more quality players than most academies in the land and is a credit to our Club, Jim Cassell and his team. This view is held by many and it is clear that other Premiership clubs look at our Club's academy with envy.

Whilst we are in some ways fortunate to have such a great academy, other Clubs and areas of the country are less fortunate to have such a quality set up or indeed access to such a fine facility.

Martin Samuel wrote an interesting piece in the Times about the decline of centres of excellence and how it would affect young players. You can read his article here

City Supporters Worldwide To Join Trust

2007-04-18T19:46:00.000+01:00

City supporters continue to contact us daily to subscribe to our newsletter and register their interest in becoming members of the Manchester City Supporters Trust. Due to the amount of e-mails currently being received we are unable to reply to each e-mail subscribing to our newsletter/ registering interest. Later this week we will be e-mailing all subscribers the trust membership forms and details of the membership packages.

In our e-mailbag recently, we received a question which it is important to answer now:-

"Do you have to be a UK based City supporter to become a member of the trust?"

The answer is a resounding no. All City supporters wherever they live will be welcomed as trust members.

To subscriber to our newsletter and receive details of how to join please send us an e-mail to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

The Highs And Lows Of Supporting City

2007-04-17T18:14:00.000+01:00

We all know that Manchester City is the football club of Manchester and being a City fan is all about enduring a roller coaster ride of emotions. Urbis in Cathedral Gardens, Manchester focuses their exhibitions on city life and so it is quite fitting that an exhibition chronicling the highs and lows of supporting City starts there tomorrow.

The "City Til I Die" exhibition runs until 31 August and has over 200 photographs from around the world telling the stories of many "die hard" fans. Entrance is free and you can find out more information here

Trust To Accept Members This Week

2007-04-16T21:07:00.000+01:00

Later this week we will be sending membership forms and details of the membership packages to all subscribers to our newsletter. If you are already a subscriber we look forward to welcoming you as members soon. If you have not registered and want the forms to be sent directly to you, please send us an e-mail to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you.

City Silence On Season Ticket Sales

2007-04-16T19:14:00.000+01:00

This time last year our Club confirmed how many season tickets had been sold (link here). Today, our Club has issued their annual statement but chosen not to detail how many season tickets have been sold (link here).

Recently Paul Tyrell, our Club's Head of Communications, commented that "No leading club communicates so frequently and on so many levels with their supporters as we do." We look forward to the update on season ticket sales shortly, an issue which we are sure interests the majority of supporters and shareholders alike.

New Kit Suppliers Confirmed

2007-04-16T18:24:00.000+01:00

It would appear that JJB Sports have pipped Manchester City Football Club to the post in confirming the new kit supplier. JJB Sports recently confirmed on their website when next season's replica kits will be available in their stores, and at the same time confirmed the kit supplier for City as a return to Le Coq Sportif. JJB Sports' schedule can be read here

Hopefully JJB Sports' announcement will not affect our Club's PR campaign around the new kit supplier, nor indeed harm the start of a business relationship before it has begun!

Over the last few months we ran a number of articles suggesting that a great opportunity lay ahead for our Club to engage with supporters when the change of kit supplier happened by canvassing their views and opinions. In particular, we felt that supporters could be asked to put forward their designs for the next home shirt with the winning three designs chosen by an independent panel and put forward for inclusion in the choice of home shirts available which would then be voted on by the supporters. This process would ensure that our Club are keen to include their supporters in important decisions that affect them but perhaps even more importantly the first home shirt manufactured by the new kit supplier may become a sell-out/ commercial success.

It seems that such a great initiative to start a new relationship has fallen on deaf ears.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 13.4.07)

2007-04-14T07:58:00.000+01:00

City Links Updated - Take A Look

2007-04-12T00:51:00.000+01:00

Over the last few days we have updated our links to City websites/ forums/ blogs etc. In particular, we have added links to the MCFC Centenary Supporters Association and MCFC Official Supporters Club.

If you love all things City there are plenty of sites out there that will cater for your tastes or thirst for knowledge! Many City supporters put alot of time and effort running sites for us supporters, please take the time to look and support them.

We will continue to review and update the links on this blog on, if we have omitted a City link or an interesting football link please send us an e-mail to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk your input and feedback is always welcomed.

Re-Designed Trust Logo Completed

2007-04-11T22:28:00.000+01:00

Further to our previous article, the Manchester City Supporters Trust logo has been re-designed replacing "Man City" with "Manchester City". We've also slightly changed the colours.

Here it is:-

Trust Membership Coming Soon - Register Now

2007-04-09T20:13:00.000+01:00

In the next few weeks, the Manchester City Supporters’ Trust will be accepting members. There will be many membership packages on offer including adult, OAP, family (two adults & two children) as well as life membership. More news on the individual packages and prices will be published on here soon.

The opportunity to become members of the trust will be offered to all readers of our newsletter. If you want to take the opportunity to be amongst the first to join, please register for the newsletter (if you do not already receive it) by e-mailing us at mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

We look forward to receiving your e-mails.

Best wishes

Manchester City Supporters’ Trust

Manchester City Supporters' Trust Mission Statement

2007-04-09T09:24:00.000+01:00

Now that the Manchester City Supporters Trust is formed and registered with the Financial Services Authority we are working hard on formally launching the trust and opening the doors to take on members. More news on this will follow over the coming weeks.

We are getting new readers and subscribers to our newsletter every week and for those who didn't know already the Trust has a mission statement which was first published on 25 September 2006. Please take the time to read it and if it is something you agree with, perhaps joining the trust is something for you.

"The supporters of Manchester City appear to be increasingly disillusioned about their club and generally feel remote from it. Crowds are falling as fans see themselves as less important than other external stakeholders. We see a democratically constituted Supporter's Trust as the ideal vehicle to try to reverse this, being independent from the club management but ideally working with them, to ensure that the paying fans are recognised as key stakeholders in Manchester City's future.

We want to create a mass-membership organisation, covering every element of our fantastic support, where everyone has an equal stake and whose actions are democratic and transparent. We see a trust as a channel that is run by the fans, for the fans and with the club's best interest at its heart. We also recognise the excellent work that Manchester City already does in the community and wish to support that and spread it further, wherever possible. We do not see the trust as simply a pressure group but do see it engaging with and challenging management where we feel their actions are not conducive to the best interests of the club and its supporters.

We see a trust as the appropriate umbrella for existing shareholdings and also as a vehicle for potentially acquiring further shares, wherever possible. However membership will not be limited to existing shareholders of Manchester City plc but all members will become shareholders in the trust for an affordable subscription, thereby ensuring it is accessible to the widest possible constituency."

We actively encourage input, feedback and questions, please send us an e-mail to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

CoMS To Turn The Air Green This Year

2007-04-08T17:39:00.000+01:00

In these modern times many companies and individuals are making concerted efforts to be "environment friendly" or "carbon neutral" and our Club is no different. Back in 1982 Thomas Dolby was singing about “Windpower” who would have thought that some 25 years later our Club would be installing a wind turbine at our stadium.

Last year, the announcement that the wind turbine would be installed passed many (including the wider media) by and although, at the time, we had every intention of drawing attention to it, we were busy going through our research and development stage and attempting to enter into discussions with our Club on how our “un-radical” idea that our Club, the shareholders, community and most importantly the supporters could pull together as one to play a positive part in the future success of our Club.

The wind turbine at our Club will be erected later this year and should generate enough electricity for the stadium itself with any excess being made available to sell to the local community. Its design is being handled by renowned architect Sir Norman Foster and it will be one of the largest in Europe.

We understand that the idea to erect a wind turbine was not originally our Club’s but they and the Manchester City Council have fully backed/ endorsed the plan. A company called Ecotricity will be installing (which should take approximately two weeks) and will also run it.

Our Club is not the only club trying to do their bit for the environment. Arsenal's stadium has been designed so that it does not need air conditioning and Ipswich are currently running a scheme to become the UK's first "carbon neutral" football club.

Ipswich's groundbreaking project asks their supporters and the wider Suffolk community to pledge energy saving measures in return for various "money can't buy" prizes involving their Club. If their pledges reflect savings equivalent to Ipswich's 3,220 tons of carbon dioxide generated over a season then E.ON their main sponsor has pledged to give a five figure substantial sum to Ipswich's transfer kitty.

We fully intend the trust to be as "environment friendly" as possible, for instance we would prefer to send out our newsletters by e-mail as much as possible. This is just one area and in due course we will give serious consideration to other areas as we evolve.

Please take the time to read the following informative articles:-

Ecotricity's press release with reference to the wind turbine can be read here

Manchester City Council's press release with reference to the wind turbine can be read here

The Times wrote an article about Ecotricity and it's founder which can be read here

Ex-Manchester City player David James draws attention to the wind turbine/ environment friendly initiatives in his Observer article here

More Premiership Clubs To Fall Into Foreign Ownership?

2007-04-08T15:12:00.000+01:00

Two months ago Arsenal Football Club entered into a strategic partnership with the Colorado Rapids (owned by Kroenke Sports Enterprises). It was stressed at the time that such an arrangement would not lead to a takeover of Arsenal.

A few weeks ago activity in Arsenal's shares and a big rise in their share price prompted much media speculation. Again a denial was issued, when Kroenke Sports Enterprises said that they were not about to acquire ITV's 9.9% stake in Arsenal. Arsenal Supporters Trust were also involved in giving a statement on their views surrounding the speculation.

Arsenal, like Manchester City, is quoted on Plus Markets. After the market had closed last Thursday, Kroenke Sports Enterprises confirmed what the media had been speculating about, that they had acquired ITV's stake! Arsenal Supporters Trust then issued this statement "The trust is not automatically opposed to a takeover; we will judge it on its merits and the long-term benefit it brings to Arsenal. However we are opposed to a takeover based purely on the extraction of profits from the club. The AST hopes Kroenke learns from the Glazers' takeover of United and enters into early and full dialogue with the Trust on his plans."

According to reports today, Danny Fiszman a major shareholder in Arsenal has now indicated that he may sell his 24% stake and if this is the case, perhaps this may lead to a takeover of Arsenal after all.

If Arsenal was to be taken over by Kroenke it would mean that all four of the biggest Clubs in the Premiership had succumbed to foreign ownership in the last few years with three of them under American control/ ownership.

For those of you who attended our Open Meeting just over a month ago, you would have heard Sean Hamil talk about his views on the Premiership becoming a target for American investors with plans to possibly turn it into a "franchise" system.

Going back to the takeover speculation that continues apace. Manchester City is not the only club rumoured to be on the verge of foreign ownership. In recent weeks rumours have circulated that Blackburn Rovers are already in talks. John Madjeski, the owner of Reading, has already confirmed in the last few days that he is open to offers. Sheffield United also confirmed recently that they had been approached by foreign investors.

It has been widely reported that our Club continue to talk to American investors however, our Club has never confirmed or denied this. The last statement issued on the subject was back on 21 February 2007 "The Board of Manchester City notes the recent press speculation regarding the possibility of an offer being made for the Company. Further to the Company's announcement on 7 December 2006, the Board of Manchester City confirms that it remains in preliminary discussions with third parties that may or may not lead to an offer being made for the Company. A further announcement will be made in due course as appropriate."

Not many know when our Club will make another statement with reference to these discussions, which we presume are ongoing. Until an update is given or the full details of any potential transaction is known, we (very much like the Arsenal Supporters Trust) we will not be able to accurately assess any proposal.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 6.4.07)

2007-04-08T11:18:00.000+01:00

The Aims Of The Manchester City Supporters Trust

2007-04-06T19:37:00.000+01:00

Trust Representatives Attend Prestwich & Whitefield Supporters Branch

2007-04-05T17:53:00.000+01:00

Last night, representatives from the Supporters Trust attended the Prestwich and Whitefield Branch meeting following Noel Bayley's invite. It was an ideal opportunity to meet face-to-face with a large number of supporters and answer their questions. We had a great time and enjoyed the company.

This is the third supporters branch presentation we have made, and we are only too pleased to attend other similar events - be it supporters branches, groups or other organisations - to explain the Trust formation, Aims & Objectives, activities and to answer questions. If you have a meeting and would like us to attend, please contact us at mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk and we will come back to you.

In the meantime, if you have any questions that you would like answering with reference to the Trust please drop us an email at mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk and we will publish them with answers in our next FAQ.

We look forward to hearing from you.

UEFA Wants Fans To Have Voice Whilst Big Clubs Plan Breakaway

2007-04-03T19:13:00.000+01:00

Two interesting stories have surfaced over the last few days.

Michel Platini/ UEFA have announced plans to give fans an official say in the running of football. More of this story here.

The Guardian, meanwhile, report of a secret meeting of "top" clubs looking to lead a breakaway if UEFA & FIFA "run wild" in their governance of the game. Their story can be read here.

City Supporters Worldwide

2007-04-03T06:52:00.000+01:00

Last year Roy Morgan International's research put Manchester City as the tenth well supported Club in the UK with 886,000 supporters. Their report can be read here. We understand that the worldwide figure has been estimated at 2m.

We are able to track where in the world the readers of this blog are based and this figure recently reached the 100 countries mark. The top countries for reading the blog are:-

1) United Kingdom
2) United States
3) Norway
4) Australia
5) Ireland
6) Canada
7) France
8) Germany
9) Sweden
10) Iceland

We really appreciate your continued support. It is supporters, like you, who want to play a positive part in the future of our Club that will make the Manchester City Supporters Trust successful.

We welcome your queries, input and feedback. Even if you simply want to say "hello" please e-mail us at mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk we look forward to hearing from you.

What Is Our Club's Long Term Plan?

2007-04-01T22:06:00.000+01:00

At our Open Meeting last month we mentioned that we wanted to know what Manchester City's business plans were and for these to be communicated to the supporters and shareholders.

Some years ago David Bernstein talked about our Club's "five year plan" and the vast majority of supporters and shareholders backed it. There has been no long term plan communicated by our Club for some time and perhaps with the current football season coming to an end, the time is right to tackle this important area.

As you may know, a business plan is a written document that describes a business, its objectives, its strategies, the market it is in and its financial forecasts. It has many functions, from securing external funding to measuring success within a business.

In December 2005, the Football Association issued a document entitled "Governance: A Guide To Football Clubs". The introduction of that document sums it up nicely "Good governance (ie good leadership, direction and control) is essential for a football club to be managed effectively and to demonstrate accountability and transparency. In addition, adopting the principles of good governance contained in this Guide benefits football clubs in terms of engaging the trust of all stakeholders. It is in the interest of all clubs and the game that clubs adopt and can demonstrate good governance. Good governance will not itself ensure success, but it should improve a club's management, stewardship and, most importantly, sustainability." The full document can be read here

The FA's guide is just that, a guide, and is not enforceable however, it does make interesting reading on many issues and not just about business plans.

The FA's views on business plans for football clubs are clear "The executive body should prepare and approve a rolling one year business plan, including budget, in detail. Larger clubs may also consider developing a three year business plan in outline."

We are not suggesting that should our Club forumlate a plan that it publishes detailed financial information but there are other areas in a business plan that could or should be communicated to the supporters/ shareholders.

What exactly is the Club's aims and objectives over the next three years? By setting these out we would have a good idea where we our Club is heading or at least wants to head. If we had a three year business plan in place then three years from now we could measure performance on and off the pitch.

We have heard some people comment that football is not a "normal business" or that you "cannot have long term plans in football". To a certain degree that might be right however, football clubs are employing good management/ business principles and business plans are being put in place at other clubs.

One of the Clubs that we have looked at during our research and planning stage was Ajax. Ajax actually have a lot in common with our Club and probably more than you might think. Ajax are a publicly quoted company, they do not have access to large sums of funds (they are self-funding), they do not own their stadium (they own 13% of it) and they have not enjoyed any relative footballing success for quite some years now.

Ajax are not in the world's top twenty richest clubs (in terms of revenue) and as mentioned do not have access to large sums of money. Ajax are though founded on good business principles and as we all know have a youth academy second to none (much like our Club) which underpins everything that they are about.

Last year the board of Ajax published their long term (five year) plan. It makes very interesting reading and a brief summary can be read here. Ajax's board formulated the plan and then set about communicating to their supporters and shareholders. The following quotes have been taken from Ajax's year end accounts which details the plan in full:-

"The 2006-2011 Policy Plan

In the past year, the Executive Board formulated a stratgic policy plan, which was formally approved by the Supervisory Board in May 2006. In this plan, the Executive Board sketched a vision with ambitious targets, strategies and activities designed to bring Ajax to a higher plane on a structural basis.

The aim of Ajax is "To win the UEFA Champions League"

It's targets are:-
1) to win the Dutch league title at least once every two years;
2) to consistently rank among the best 16 teams in Europe;
3) to increase turnover by 5-6% per annum.

The principles on which these targets are based are:-
1) Ajax plays attacking, creative and dominant football;
2) Ajax inspires football fans all over the world;
3) Ajax has an excellent climate for sporting success and a unique youth training program;
4) Ajax has a professional organisation which focuses on quality and continuity;
5) Ajax strives to preserve its historic club culture and is conscious of its responsibility to society.

The success of this plan will be largely determined by the way in which it is implemented, the focus and the consistency of the policy."

Ajax's plan then goes on to detail each of the areas targeted and their views in that respect. The report is too long to list here in full but there are some interesting points they make:-

When talking about success on the pitch Ajax says "Ajax believes it can achieve this, first and foremost, by working with a team that is balanced in every respect, and especially in terms of age, experience and background. This is extremely important consideration when signing new players. The point of departure for picking the first selection is that half the team should be "home-grown" players we have trained ourselves."

When talking about coaching and finding young players Ajax says "If the access to young players stagnates for whatever reason, it will be necessary to call on players from outside Ajax. This is simplified by Ajax's scouting department, which numbers many scouts domestic and abroad...Ajax attaches great importance to the quality of its scouts and the size and structure of its scouting organisation. In order to improve the return, Ajax has made a clearer separation between scouting for the professional football organisation on the one hand and for its youth academy on the other. The position of technical advisor was created for this very reason."

When talking about finances Ajax confirms that "Ajax's financial aim is to break even in operations."

When talking about strategic partnerships Ajax says "...Ajax still has a 51% interest in Ajax Cape Town. This joint venture has everything it takes to become profit-making certainly in light of the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Ajax also continues to invest in Ajax America, a more commercial form of collaboration which mainly focused on the organisation of soccer camps....there is also a technical joint venture in the Netherlands with HFC Haarlem and FC Omniworld, which is especially geared to training young players."

Time will tell if Ajax's long term plan works and in 2011 their supporters/ shareholders will be able to review/ measure progress in terms of that plan.

We strongly feel that it is time for a similar plan to be put in place at our Club. In doing so, the supporters and shareholders would be sold a vision with attainable aims; we are sure such a plan would receive much support at a time when all of us have a role to play in contributing towards the future success of our Club.

As is normal, if you have any questions, input or feedback please leave a message on this article or send us an e-mail to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 30.3.07)

2007-04-01T16:20:00.000+01:00

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

2007-03-30T23:21:00.000+01:00

Our next newsletter will be going out this Sunday night covering recent progress and a look forward to future activities etc. As regular readers already know we do tend to give bit more of an insight/ a behind the scenes looks then we publish here on the blog.

If you want to receive a copy, please e-mail us at mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk and we will add you to the list.

Manchester City Supporters' Trust Officially Registered

2007-03-27T22:58:00.000+01:00

We are delighted to announce that the Manchester City Supporters' Trust achieved registration with the Financial Services Authority today (27 March 2007).

Manchester City Supporters' Trust is now legally constituted and officially open for business.

Further details will be released shortly confirming Membership packages (individual and corporate), share pledges, voting rights and donations.

We would like to thank Supporters' Direct for their invaluable assistance and advice in establishing MCST and look forward to driving the Trust forward to the benefit of Manchester City Football Club, the supporters, the shareholders and the wider community.

Team Of Professionals On Call For Takeover Bid

2007-03-25T17:07:00.000+01:00

Since the summer of last year, the MCFC Supporters Trust Working Party has spoken to and met many professional people and organisations who are very willing and available to help the trust going forward. We recognise that when we are unable to handle something ourselves, then we must have experience and expertise available to us who can. Wherever possible we have tried to utilise Manchester City supporting people/ organisations.

As the formation of the trust has gathered pace we have continued to evaluate our own capabilities and expand this wherever possible. We want to ensure that the trust is proactive and more than capable of handling any issue that may arise. The working party already has much experience/ expertise but we are always keen to add more. The recent appointment of a commercial lawyer with over 20 years experience is evidence of that. Outside the main group we currently have access to lawyers, accountants, bankers, investment managers, football industry professionals and even a QC and we will continue to expand this list.

If a formal takeover bid is made for Manchester City, shareholders and other fans will want to know what the implications are and whether it is in the club’s best interests. We are confident that the team we have assembled will be able to answer many of the questions that arise.

If you have experience and expertise which you would like to offer the Working Party then please contact us on mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk and we will speak to you. We look forward to hearing from you.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 23.3.07)

2007-03-25T15:54:00.000+01:00

Juventus Looking For Premiership Partnership

2007-03-25T15:34:00.000+01:00

According to reports, Juventus are looking to form a strategic partnership with a Premiership club not only as a way of farming out their young talent to other teams for experience but also as a way of developing commercial interests.

Those of you who are regular readers of this blog or attended the Public Open Meeting will know that we feel that our Club should be developing strategic partnerships with non-UK football clubs.

There is much more to football club partnerships then exchanging ideas, exchanging players and hopefully picking up a talented player or two. There can be huge advantages from a commercial aspect to be gained by developing brands, attracting wider support and additional sponsorship etc. There is also much to be gained from the communities and wider areas in which the Clubs concerned are located/ serve. These additional areas are often overlooked but could be just as important to a Club like ours going forward.

Going back to Juventus, it would appear that they have been in talks with Bolton Wanderers, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth however, they apparently favour linking up with Bolton. As reported in previous articles Bolton have been working hard on this area over the last few years and currently have strategic partnerships in Spain, China, South Africa and Iceland. They have also targeted India, the United States, Norway, Egypt and France as other areas in which to develop partnerships.

Five years ago, Bolton were closing to agreeing a link up with Juventus, perhaps this time they will finalise the deal. Any such deal would have an enormous beneficial impact on both Clubs but perhaps Bolton would have more to gain?

Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Charlton Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield United and Tottenham Hotspur have strategic partnerships with non-UK football clubs, our Club does not have one (as far as we know). Such an important issue is not about "keeping up with Jones's" it is about taking progressive forward thinking decisions to develop our Club today and beyond.

As mentioned in previous articles, when the trust is formed and raises funds perhaps the trust could finance or part-finance the development of these types of strategic partnerships which would be beneficial to our Club in so many positive ways and on so many levels.

Read our last article on developing strategic partnerships here

Blatter Says "Football Is Ill"

2007-03-25T11:47:00.000+01:00

A few days ago we ran an article listing comments from Michel Platini and William Gaillard of UEFA with their current views on football. You can read the full article here.

You might have seen that Sepp Blatter, FIFA president, has also been giving his views recently. In particular Blatter said "We have come to a crossroads of football, our football is ill. I see more and more financial interests over-riding people in club football especially."

He then went on to say "Even rich countries they are not capable of providing safe and comfortable stadia and I see that violence is everywhere, including inside the stadia. When you see what happened recently in big stadia, in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, when highly-paid players got involved in fights, which was nothing compared to what we saw later in Valencia. There are many other examples I could mention. Where is football leading to if players are now at each others' throats. What will people think if they see on TV these pictures of major football matches. We must act, and we will raise this at Fifa's next congress."

It is clear that UEFA have a vision for football and want to do something about it. What FIFA's vision is and what they plan on doing about it we will have to wait and see.

Premiership Supporters Trusts In The News

2007-03-25T11:08:00.000+01:00

There are currently eight Premiership football clubs with Supporters Trusts and within the next week or so there will be nine!

During our planning and research stage we looked at all of the Premiership Supporters Trusts and many outside. We continue to continue to keep an eye on them and two in particular were in the news last week for different reasons.

There have been rumours circulating for some time of Arsenal being lined up for a takeover. Their recent partnership with the Colorado Rapids helped the speculation but the activity in Arsenal's shares is the main reason for all the questions being asked. Arsenal, like our Club, is listed on Plus Markets.

Arsenal's share price started the year at £4,900 per share (yes, that's right four thousand nine hundred pounds!) and last Friday closed at £6,450 per share. It would appear that one of the directors has been selling shares and an un-named person/ party have been buying.

With speculation rife, fuelled by the share activity, The Times ran a story last week. As part of their story they spoke to the Arsenal Supporters Trust who commented “It is all very intriguing. We know who is selling, but we don’t know who is buying the shares or why. And the movement in the price has been so rapid that it makes us wonder what is going on. We are not worried, but it is unsettling.” The Times' story is here, not only does it make interesting reading but it again raises the possibility of another Premiership club falling into foreign ownership.

It is conceivable that such a situation (large amounts of share activity) could happen at our Club but at this point in time activity in Manchester City Plc shares is pretty low especially whilst we wait for an update on the takeover/ investment talks. Of course, the price of City shares has increased somewhat of late however, that is not so connected with share activity.

Across London town to Arsenal's rivals a different situation has arisen. The board at Tottenham Hotspur after consultation with the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust had decided to increase season tickets prices! This drew a firm statement from their Supporters Trust confirming that "the Trust Board is totally opposed to any increase in ticket prices." The full statement can be read here. We will have to wait and see what happens there.

Supporters Trusts represent their members and at times must react quickly to situations as they arise. The same will apply to the Manchester City Supporters Trust. Issues will arise that will effect the trust's membership, of that there is no doubt, when that happens we want a trust that can make a quick yet considered response to the situation at hand.

Best wishes

Ollie

CITC In The News/ Community Based Projects

2007-03-24T16:12:00.000Z

It is great to see our Club's "City In The Community" get some well deserved praise in today's Telegraph. The full article can be read here

It was suggested to us, not too long ago, that the Trust might put pressure on our Club to divert funding from funds available for players to our Club's Football In The Community schemes. Not long after that comment was made we clarified that this perception would be wrong and far from the truth. Our Mission Statement is clear (in this regard) and just as relevant today as it was last September when we released it "We also recognise the excellent work that Manchester City already does in the community and wish to support that and spread it further, wherever possible."

Any "Community based projects" undertaken by the Trust will be self-financed whether it be from its own resources and/ or with grants available from appropriate sources. Of course one area that does not need finance is time and many supporters have contacted us to offer their time to the Trust. We look forward to the day when the Trust sets up and runs it's first "Community based project" run by the trust members/ supporters.

We remain very keen to ensure that the Trust plays an active part in "Community based projects" and we have been doing research in this area for some time and plan much much more. We will of course continue to publish updates on here and welcome input, feedback and questions to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

Poor Season Ticket Sales So Far?

2007-03-24T08:44:00.000Z

With the first deadline for renewals having passed on 9 March 2007, it will be interesting to hear how many fans have taken up the early renewal option.

At this stage last year, the club website (link here) announced that some 20,000 tickets had been renewed. This year, early indications and unconfirmed reports suggest that we are down to possibly anything between 10 and 14,000. This season we are supposed to have 27,000 season ticket holders. So, based on that pattern we may only end up with just over 20,000 season ticket holders in all. The pattern of the last few seasons shows that we have attracted crowds of up to 12,000 more than the number of season tickets. So we would be down to average crowds of around 32,000 on that basis.

With several Premier League clubs (including northwest neighbours Blackburn, Bolton, Everton and Wigan) slashing their season ticket prices for 2007-08, City opted to freeze prices whilst keeping the discounted renewal date as early March, a time when most fans are still counting the cost of the festive season, although did drastically reduce U16 season tickets to £95. It will be interesting to hear how many have taken up this option and whether all these previously had season tickets anyway.

Reductions from other clubs vary, with the most expensive seat at Blackburn now £399 down from £595 (average cut 25%); Bolton reducing by an average 10% making their most expensive seat £449 for early renewal; and Everton an average 10% cut. The majority of other Premier League clubs have their early renewal date as end April, a full 7 weeks after City!

It does beg the question whether MCFC have missed a trick by not cutting prices across the board, which research from fans' groups would suggest. After all, with the new TV money coming into play from next season surely the top flight clubs can afford to see a reduction in ticket prices, with the benefit of a larger crowd, better atmosphere, and fans feeling they are being rewarded for their loyal support.

Keegan Talks Football And Money

2007-03-23T07:10:00.000Z

In today's Independent Kevin Keegan has given an interview talking about his latest venture, the state of football and a little on our Club. Rather than tell you all about it, you can read his interview here

Supporters Trust Movement To Roll Into Europe

2007-03-22T22:53:00.000Z

As announced at the annual Supporters Trust conference and reported on here, UEFA are keen to help spread the Supporters Trust movement into Europe.

Supporters Direct in partnership with UEFA is launching a one-year feasibility study in a select number of European countries, with the objective of examining the potential expansion of the Supporters Trust movement across Europe. UEFA is funding the project and the job of project manager has already been advertised

The study is in accordance with a recommendation contained in the Independent European Sport Review "To examine the feasibility of a European Supporters Direct body" and will target a specifically defined set of countries on which the project will focus. Each country will have its own unique political, cultural and legal challenges to overcome in order to assess the potential for a Supporters Trust movement to take hold. A variety of club/supporter relationships exist throughout Europe, with fans having a considerable say in how clubs are run in some cases, and even owning their clubs in others.

The study will concentrate in the first stage on countries which already have an active supporter base. It will be monitored by both UEFA and Supporters Direct, and will run for an initial contract period of 12 months, based at the offices of Supporters Direct in central London. Research will be carried out into football structures (club and supporter ownership models, football administration), together with the social and cultural conditions of the game in each specific country.

"This is a huge opportunity for the development and expansion of the entire Trust movement," said Supporters Direct CEO Phillip French. "We are grateful to UEFA for helping to drive this project forward. It will be a fascinating challenge to see if a European Supporters Direct body has the potential to take hold and influence the structure of fans organisations across Europe. There will be huge logistical and cultural challenges to map out what can and can't be achieved. Thanks to this funding we can now press ahead with the recruitment of a dedicated individual, with the right experience, to project-manage the study over the coming months."

UEFA communications and public affairs director William Gaillard said: "In some European countries there are problems linked to the way fan groups are organised and their activities. Recent events in Italy have highlighted this. The Supporters Direct movement in the UK has proved that it is possible for the responsible fans - ie the vast majority - to organise themselves in a democratic way and engage in a responsible dialogue with their club. In some cases they have also saved their club from liquidation. It is therefore sensible to see whether the good example of the UK in this area - who experienced big problems of their own in the past - can be extended to the rest of Europe."

The end result will be a report recommending next steps for implementation in the countries analysed, as well as recommended next steps for countries which are not covered. The recommendations should highlight how a Supporters Direct/trust model may be created outside the UK in the specifically identified areas and for additional UEFA member countries.

Supporters Get To Choose Kit

2007-03-22T20:00:00.000Z

Over the last few months we have written about the opportunity that lies ahead for our Club to engage with supporters when the inevitable change of kit supplier happens.

We still feel that when the change of kit supplier comes it will give our Club a great opportunity to canvass supporter's views and opinions. In particular, supporters could be asked to put forward their designs for the next home shirt with the winning three designs chosen by an independent panel and put forward for inclusion in the choice of home shirts available which would then be voted on by the supporters. This process would ensure that our Club are keen to include the supporters in important decisions that affect them but perhaps even more important the first home shirt manufactured by the new kit supplier may become a sell-out/ commercial success. What a great way to start a new relationship.

The opportunity for our Club to take such a progressive move is fading fast and perhaps the ongoing takeover talks has some bearing on this. That aside, we did note that Sheffield United have recently managed to successfully canvass opinion of their supporters with reference to their away kit next season. You might not like their choice of a lime green shirt with black trim (supplied by Le Coq Sportif) but at least their opinions were sought and their final choice accepted.

Our previous articles can be read here and here

Platini & UEFA Protecting Football's Future

2007-03-22T19:25:00.000Z

Almost six months ago now I was present at the Supporters Direct annual conference when William Gaillard, UEFA's Director of Communications made it very clear that "football fans are a key stakeholder group in football" and "football is the people's game and at UEFA we want to keep it that way". Those key phrases stayed with me ever since.

It's been less than a month since Michel Platini was elected the new President of UEFA however, it is clear that he feels that same way. On election to his new post Platini made the following speech:-

"Although my election as President of UEFA in some ways stirred up the same emotions I experienced when I won major trophies as a player, my new role is more that of a coach, in the true sense of the word.

My aim is to convince the leaders of European football to share my vision of football. It has been said that my vision of football is romantic or idealistic, but I believe that, in the long term, it is the right way to ensure the survival of our game and maintain its extraordinary popularity.

We should not be seeking instant reward and selling our "products" to the highest bidder, but making sure that our competitions have as wide an appeal as possible and doing everything we can to guarantee that they are attractive both in terms of the quality of play and results that are not a foregone conclusion.

Of course, football needs money. It needs it to improve the education of coaches and, through them, the skill of players. It needs money to improve its facilities, to offer players the best possible conditions and spectators a safe and comfortable environment. It also needs money to develop grassroots football and to fulfil its social responsibilities by contributing to youth education.

On the other hand, football has no use for profiteers, for people who, seeing how successful football is as a business, get involved for their own personal gain. Football has to encourage ideas and knowledge to be shared. It must insist on respect - for opponents and for the referee first and foremost. If it cannot rid society of its ills single-handed, it can at least set an example by promoting solidarity, fair play and fun.

Naturally, you have to be an idealist to believe that the common interest will prevail over personal gain, that the laws of sport will silence the rule of money, that players, clubs, leagues and associations will speak with the same voice. But being idealistic does not mean dreaming; it means wanting to improve things.

By electing me as UEFA President, the majority of UEFA's member associations indicated that they were ready for a change. Now it is up to me to be a good coach and to convey my ideas to the rest of the team."

Last week Platini told Austrian and Swiss media representatives at UEFA headquarters that one of the cornerstones of his philosophy at the helm of European football will be to protect the game's essential values.

Platini said to those present "Football changed enormously (around) 15 years ago because there was the colossal arrival of money through private television. Private TV channels were created and expanded, and they rushed to football matches to acquire the rights. From that moment, people wanted to buy clubs. A new world arrived within football's existing world.

The second aspect was the Bosman verdict - football took off in all directions, and we were missing a 'regulator'. What I want - in a collective manner - is, together with the football family, that we reintroduce a set of rules into the sport in an economic sense.

Football has taken on a different, mercantile dimension, I don't want people to take football hostage. Because such people will sell football like they sell yoghurt - not to make it popular, but to do business.

For 100 years, football was presided over by experienced people with a long career in clubs or associations. In the last 15 years, however, young businessmen have come into football who profit from the game, to make money and a name, and to be known. Football is a product (to them) like any other.

In the middle are people like me, many of whom are sporting people who want to defend certain sporting values and protect the values that we knew. I'm not against business at all, but if business takes football hostage then we (risk) losing everything."

I like what I hear coming from Platini, Gaillard and UEFA, I just hope they have the power to come good on their promises as clearly their vision for the future of football and fans alike are full of common sense and good moral ideals.

Best wishes

Ollie

Professional Training For Directors Of Football Clubs

2007-03-21T19:46:00.000Z

In all walks of life individuals can continue their training whether it be for their own personal development or for job progression or something else. The same applies to company directors and indeed directors/ executives of football clubs.

You wouldn't probably know that the Institute Of Directors ("IoD") is currently running "The IoD Football Direction Programme" which is aimed at directors of football clubs but you might find interesting the areas that the programme covers (this is taken directly from IoD's website):-

"Development of the team is vital both on and off the pitch…

To be the best in the ever-changing competitive global football industry, you need to be fully aware of your duties, responsibilities and potential liabilities. You also need to be prepared to lead at all times.

Just like players and managers, even the best-informed directors need to continually review and improve their own performance as well as that of their team. No matter how well prepared you are initially for your position on the board, investing in personal and professional development is now essential for your future success.

You appreciate the specific issues affecting the global football industry, but do you fully understand what is expected of you in your role as a director? Are you confident that you understand the full impact of corporate governance and how it affects your role? This is where The IoD Football Direction Programme comes in.

Continuous individual development is essential

The IoD Football Direction Programme has been created to help those responsible for the future of the game to fully understand their role and responsibilities, whether in the capacity of running a club or working for an association. The programme aims to help you continue to develop your personal business skills and to ensure that you are fully contributing to the challenge of creating competitive advantage for your organisation.

This programme of development will ensure that you:

- Achieve competitive advantage as the board and as a team
- Have goals in mind for you and the organisation
- Develop personal and business skills
- Are fully aware of your role and responsibilities to stakeholders ranging from fans to shareholders
- Take part in a programme of development that will put you at the top of your league

Here's how.

Achieving competitive advantage as a team

Boards need to operate at full strength and to lead. Reviewing and challenging the way the board operates is an essential component in sustaining growth and improvement. Yet performing under intense scrutiny, coupled with the pressure to succeed, can make it difficult for boards to stand back and look objectively at their performance.

To achieve success and profitability, the board needs to work as a balanced team that takes collective responsibility for key decisions.

Keeping ahead of the game

There is constant pressure on you as a director to stay ahead and The IoD Football Direction Programme will keep you at the forefront of Football Direction policy and practice. This programme comprises a world-leading portfolio of courses developed by directors for directors.

Working with industry experts, we have taken our far reaching knowledge and experience and tailored it for the football industry to create another world leading programme of training and development.

Designed to fit your needs

The topics covered under the The IoD Football Direction Programme are ones are that will be relevant to you and your organisation.

Over a total of five days the programme will investigate issues surrounding:

- The Effective Director
- Finance
- Strategy and Marketing
- Leadership and change

We understand that each part of the football industry deals with different issues and has their own responsibilities, therefore, we will ensure that your programme is tailored to your own particular circumstances.

Once you have been through the programme, you may even consider taking the next logical step which is to study for the IoD's Certificate in Company Direction, a qualification that will demonstrate your professionalism as a senior player."

What Happens In A Modern Day Back-Room?

2007-03-21T19:29:00.000Z

Way back on 21 December 2006 I commented that "Bolton Wanderers are a club that has overtaken us on the pitch in terms of results in recent years but they still do not have the level of finances or fantastic support that we have. Seeing a club of their ilk usurp us in some ways is upsetting but can we learn from them? After all they must be getting something right!

Most supporters would argue that we do not want to see our Club play in the style of Bolton and I agree but Sam Allardyce does have an irritating knack of getting the most out of players (even the journeymen) and getting results (albeit in a mainly unattractive style). Many football professionals acknowledge that whilst Bolton do not have adequate resources to compete at the higher end of the transfer market they have invested heavily behind the scenes.

Sam Allardyce not only has sophisticated technology at his disposal but also has a plethora of professionals with wide ranging skillsets available to his squad. Of course all of this costs money at the end of the day, money which might not be available to our Club at this present time (if indeed the board and Stuart Pearce deemed that such expenditure is warranted)."

Last weekend the Guardian ran an article on Bolton's modern and forward thinking back-room and whilst it has nothing to do with City (unless you believe the "Big Sam" rumours) I still found it to be a good insightful read. You can read the article in full here

Best wishes

Ollie

Formation And Registration Of Trust Imminent

2007-03-19T19:22:00.000Z

Further to our previous posts, we thought you might like to know that we have completed all the documentation required to complete the formation of the trust and register it with the Financial Services Authority ("FSA").

The documentation will be delivered to the FSA (in London) in the next day or so and we expect confirmation of the registration by the end of the month.

We will continue to keep you up to date with all progress via the blog and our newsletter. As normal, if you have any questions, feedback or input please send them to us at mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 16.3.07)

2007-03-18T16:00:00.000Z

Trust Formation Moves To Next Phase

2007-03-16T23:21:00.000Z

The MCFC Supporters' Trust is closing in on being up and running before the end of the season.

As with all things involved in formalisation, there is some red tape to cut through before it exists in its own right. However, we are extremely pleased and grateful with the level of support we have been given from the ordinary fan right up to Supporters Direct in helping us get to that point.

The Working Party will be meeting with a number of people who have offered their help in the next phase of the formation, on Sunday 25th March. We will naturally keep you all up to date with the outcome of that meeting and all other developments.

Please keep reading this blog and sending your input, feedback and queries to MCFCSupporters@hotmail.co.uk

How To Sign Talented Youngsters At No Cost

2007-03-16T20:50:00.000Z

At our recent Public Open Meeting we raised an idea that our Club should hold open days to give trials to young players. As far as we know, no other Premiership club does this.

We thought we'd expand on this idea here; if after reading it you have any comments to make please leave them on this article or send them to us at mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk we always welcome feedback, questions and input.

During our research and planning stage we looked at a few football clubs here and abroad. There was one in particular that jumped out at us and that was Ajax.

Ajax are well known for developing much of their own talent and Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Franck Rijkaard, Dennis Berkamp and Patrick Kluivert are a few of the international players to have come through their ranks. At City we have one of the best academies in the Premiership of that there is no doubt. Many Premiership clubs would pay a small fortune to find out Jim Cassell and his team's secrets to producing so much talent on a regular basis. But could something else be done on top of all the great work they already do?

At Ajax each year they hold a three day "Talent Week" where 1,400 youngsters are able to showcase their abilities in a series of tests and skills. Usually they pick up a player or two for their academy this way. When thinking about this we thought that our Club could do something similar. Before you jump to conclusions or think that every potential young talent has been picked up by Clubs already, please keep reading, there is more to this than meets the eye!

If City were to run a "Talent Week" then they could cover a wider age range than Ajax, perhaps run it for 10 - 18 year olds. This would not only give youngsters unattached to Clubs a chance but those older youngsters released from Clubs would also have a chance. Don't forget, Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips were both released by clubs before being picked up by our Club.

Of course there is more to this than picking up a potential talented player. Such an event would raise the Club's profile locally, nationally and perhaps internationally. Such an event would also benefit Manchester and the community at large.

And of course like most things involved with football there is a commercial aspect. Major sponsors would be attracted to such an event, meaning that our Club would be able to run such an event at no cost (it may even make a profit, which could be donated to charity or given to the Academy).

In short, and without going into too much detail, this would appear to be a "win win" situation for all concerned. We hope that our Club gives our idea serious consideration.

To finish we must take you back to the City of Amsterdam and tell a story of a ten year old boy who took part in Ajax's "Talent Week" in 1993. He was good enough to be picked for a further trial which he passed and then he joined the Ajax academy.

Seven years later he made his debut for Ajax and became a first team regular a season later. For three seasons running he was voted Ajax's most promising youngster. On 6 October 2001 he made his debut for Holland and played in Euro 2004.

In 2005 Ajax sold him for €7.5m to Hamburg where he is now the Captain of their team and recently he has been linked to a "big money" move to Bayern Munich this summer. He was 24 last month and has already played for Holland over 40 times. His name is Rafael Van Der Vaart.

Could there be a "Rafael" in the UK waiting to be signed?

MCFC Supporters Trust Logo Voted In

2007-03-16T19:05:00.000Z

At the recent Public Open Meeting we asked those who attended to vote for your favourite logo (out of four) for the MCFC Supporters Trust. All logos were designed by a professional designer and the overwhelming favourite with just over 50% is below.

After the meeting several supporters asked if we could have "Manchester City" as opposed to "Man City". We have therefore asked the designer to see what can be done to re-design the logo. We'll report on progress as soon as possible.

Here's the logo in it's original state!

How Will A Bid For City Be Structured And Financed?

2007-03-14T07:04:00.000Z

How will a bid for City be structured and financed? That is a question only a few people would know the answer to and that is assuming that there are suitors out there still interested in buying our Club.

Until a formal bid is made and accepted by the board, City's 6,500 shareholders will not know the details of any bid. Down the road, it is well known that the Glazers funded their bid with a lot of debt. The most recent club to accept a bid is Liverpool and whilst it was assumed that a lot of cash would be used it now transpires that this is not the case. David Conn's article in the Guardian today looks at how the Liverpool takeover has been structured and financed, you can read it here

What lies in store for our great Club? Who knows, we will have to wait and see what develops.

Supporters Club Branch Chairlady Joins Working Party

2007-03-12T21:53:00.000Z

We are extremely pleased to announce that Heidi Pickup the editor of MCIVTA and Chairlady of her local Supporters Club branch has joined us on the Working Party. Heidi shares our vision for the proposed trust and brings with her much experience. We welcome Heidi on board.

It is our intention to continue to expand the numbers of the Working Party over time and we are currently talking to interested individuals in this regard. We will also be expanding the numbers of the supporters working on the periphery for "ad hoc" and individual projects etc.

There is still alot more work to do towards finalising the formation and launch of the trust. We remain committed to doing this in the shortest time possible.

We continue to speak to fellow supporters, shareholders, potential providers of finance/ donations, interested parties, various industry professionals and most importantly continue to have the full support and regular input of Supporters Direct, the organisation that assists and supports the establishment and operation of Supporters' Trusts.

Although we publish everything that we are doing on this blog we will not comment publicly about the people, organisations and companies we have been dealing with unless they are happy that we do so.

PR & Media Man Joins Working Party

2007-03-12T21:35:00.000Z

We are extremely pleased to announce that Simon Guest has joined us on the Working Party. Simon runs his own marketing/ multi-media company and has been working with us on the periphery for over six months. During his time helping us Simon's advice and input with reference to marketing, PR and dealing with the media has been crucial. We welcome Simon "officially" on board and look forward to exciting times ahead.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 9.3.07)

2007-03-11T20:40:00.000Z

Your Trust Questions Answered

2007-03-11T19:45:00.000Z

At our meeting last week we answered a few questions and since then we received a few more from various messageboards. The full list of questions and our answers are detailed below, if we have missed any out or you have any additionaal ones, please send them to us at MCFCSupporters@hotmail.co.uk and we will do a follow up.

Q. Is it true that you've got financial backing that allows you to potentially purchase 10 - 15% of City's shares?

A. We have been talking to many shareholders and non-shareholders who are willing to back the Supporters’ Trust and our initial talks suggest that we have the backing to potentially purchase/own 10 – 15% of City shares, if and when they are available to purchase.

Q. If so how much would that actually cost?

A. The price obviously depends on the market at the time of purchasing but we have had an offer of financial backing which is a seven figure sum and several shareholders have indicated their willingness to back the trust with their existing shares, which doesn’t involve any monetary amount.

Q. Where have you got the backing from; whose money is it?

A. We have been asked to keep the identity of these people confidential and we must respect that request. However, they are City fans and we would stress that the Trust is not a front or “stalking horse”.

Q. Is the club aware that you have this level of financial backing?

A. As yet we have not met with the club but we are aware that they are following our developments closely and should therefore be aware of this fact.

Q. To what end are you considering buying shares?

A. One of the aims of the Trust is to provide the fans with a voice and a stake in their club, via ownership of a percentage of the shares. The Trust’s ultimate aim is to gain representation for the fans on the board. However, this would have to be agreed by our membership, who would have the final say.

Q. Is it true that there are approximately 33% of City shares with no board level representation?

A. The figure is actually around 50% as Francis Lee & Sky together have 17% and they do not appear to be represented on the board. The rest of the unrepresented shares (the 33%) are owned by shareholders with an individual stake of less than 3%. These include thousands of ordinary fans who hold the shares, not for financial gain, but to own a small piece of the club.

Q. Do you intend to represent them? Have you actually spoken to these people/got their backing?

A. We have not spoken to ALL shareholders as yet, but we have spoken to some that do not have any board representation. We intend contacting as many as we can in the near future. We can only represent those that want us to do so.

Q. Is Chris Bird and/or Bernstein involved in any greater capacity other than providing the media with ambiguous quotes?

A. Bird and Bernstein are both shareholders in their own right and have supported the Trust vocally, but are just two of the many shareholders we speak to regularly. Neither have any informal or formal role in the Trust.

Q. Is there a concern that a Supporters Trust that owns (potentially) 15% of the club and represents a further 33% (so virtually half the club in total) would be seen as a block to any potential takeover bid/investment?

A. It’s unlikely we would ever get to that overall level. A good figure would be around the 17-20% mark as that should guarantee a Director on the Board (for example Mark Boler currently sits on the Board with around 18.75%) and a holding of this size could block any potential investor from achieving the 90% level of ownership that would enable them to take the company under total control, like the Glazer family have done at United.

Clearly the club needs investment at the moment but we also need the right investment to move in the right direction. If someone wanted to invest in City but didn't want any involvement from the fans, then you might have to question their motives but if someone wanted to invest and was comfortable with the fans owning a slice of the club then obviously we would welcome this person with open arms as long as the investment was sustainable and didn't saddle the club with more debt.

There is another angle to this however. Most deals have a condition that they will only go ahead once they are guaranteed to have 75% of the shares. With the fragmented nature of the Manchester City share ownership, although an investor could get 50% of the shares quite easily, they might struggle to achieve the 75% level. A group that could influence a significant block of shares would actually be very useful to a potential investor.

Again, this is an issue that would ultimately be decided by our membership as it’s a one-member, one-vote organisation where no one member has a greater say than any other member.

Q. Is it only possible for a club to have one Supporters Trust? If not then what would happen if a second was created? Would this dilute your 'power'?

A. Across the football leagues and Premiership there are currently no examples of a club having two Supporters Trusts.

Q. Following on from Colin Savage’s publishing of some financial information via GMR it is rumoured that GMR were put under pressure by the club to never have him (or anyone Trust related) on again. Is this true?

A. BBC Radio Manchester, the Manchester Evening News and other media outlets all have strong relationships with the Club. We understand that these are important relationships, and appreciate the airtime and column inches we have received to date.

In fact BBC Radio Manchester have had both Colin Howell and Colin Savage on their station in recent weeks and the MEN has reported several articles on the trust and we hope to build on the relationship we have with all media outlets.

Q. Is it also true that there was an attempt to ban Ian Cheeseman from the AGM following on from said interview?

A. We are not privy to any discussions that the club may have had with Ian nor can we comment on the arrangements for the AGM. However Ian Cheeseman is a shareholder in his own right and is therefore free to attend the AGM and in fact did so.

Q. Another rumour is that the club has undertaken background checks on all people involved in the Trust, true or conjecture?

A. We understand the Club has been looking closely at those involved with the Trust. While we would have preferred to have direct relations with the club, we welcome any discussion or focus on those involved with the Trust. Any investigation they might do will simply reveal that we are all dyed-in-the-wool Manchester City fans with no ulterior motive other than our passion for our club.

Q. Why doesn't the club like the Trust? What are their concerns/fears?

A. The club has made a commitment to meet with us once we are formally constituted. Again, whilst we would have liked to have had a dialogue as we developed the Trust, we look forward to our first formal meeting in the weeks following March 4th.

Also, we understand that Alistair Mackintosh has an excellent relationship with Phil French, the Chief Executive of Supporters’ Direct.

Q. Will you try and turn us into Barcelona where we vote for the directors and all have a say?

A. Who wouldn’t want to be Barcelona! Seriously, they are a model example of a supporter run club but we're not aiming for a 100% owned fans club but one where we can have a significant shareholding in the fans’ name that gives the Trust the right to vote in a Director to represent their interests and give them a voice at Boardroom level.

Q. If the trust was successful who would represent us on the board?

A. It is up to the membership to vote on who they want to represent them and although we would want someone with the rights skills to put our case at Boardroom level, the final decision would be put to a democratic vote.

Anyone in that position would be there by right, not just as a token presence and we feel it is important that whoever it is has the ability to contribute something concrete at that level.

Q. Would the shares have to be pooled so that the people with them would 'lose’ them to the pool and therefore the rights to attend the AGM?

A. At the moment someone with say £100 worth of shares doesn't have any real say in how the club is run but if the Trust brought together 1,000 shareholders with £100 worth of shares then they have a greater say as a group. People don't have to gift their shares to the trust; they can keep the ownership of them and just proxy the vote to the Trust.

There may also be other ways of achieving the pooling but we will not force anyone to hand over the ownership of their shares unless they genuinely want to do that. Even if you proxy your vote to the Trust, you are still the legal owner of the shares and still have the right to attend the AGM.

Q. Would the trust consider selling any shareholding they build up to facilitate a takeover by someone that was insistent on buying up 100% of the club? Or alternatively, would they use their shares to effectively block such a takeover?

A. As mentioned previously, this would have to be put to the membership to vote.

Q. Would a takeover have a detrimental effect?

A. We would hope for the right sort of investment package, one without massive debts attached but until there is a firm proposal we cannot say.

There is speculation in some quarters that there may be a creeping takeover of Premiership clubs by US sports franchise owners, in order to introduce a similar structure to the one that exists in the NFL, for example. Opinion is sharply divided on whether this would be a good thing or not.

Q. What about the cost involved of becoming a founder member?

A. The average cost of membership throughout the country is around £10 per adult, which seems reasonable. There would also be discounts for Senior Citizens and juniors and possibly a Family package. However, this would all have to be decided upon formation and voted on by our membership.

Q. What about the existing supporters groups?

A. We have tried to make it clear that our aims are totally different from, but do not conflict with, the two main existing supporters’ groups, the OSC & the CSA.

A number of us are members of our local branches and three are very heavily involved with the OSC & CSA via those branches. However, as individuals they also see that the Supporters’ Trust offers something that complements the work that the existing groups do.

The Supporters Groups do a great job on the social side and of course organise tickets and travel for matches but we would like to deal with the club at a different level and would not tread on any areas the existing Supporters Groups deal with.

There may areas where there is some overlap on occasions and we may agree to co-operate or agree to differ. That will be subject to the wishes of our respective members. However we are all City fans and we would certainly resist any attempt to freeze out or favour any one group over another. All the groups are different in character but all offer us a way to get more involved with our club and we encourage fans to do that, in whatever way they feel comfortable.

Q. Can the Trust function without the co-operation of the club?

A. We would hope to co-operate with the club but our existence is totally independent. Those of you who were at the open meeting will have heard Jon Keen, the Reading Trust board member, say that the club were initially sceptical. However, even though they can’t gain influence via shareholdings, they now attend the monthly senior management meeting.

We have heard a similar story from the Arsenal trust. These clubs (and others) have realised that their supporters’ trusts are credible, constructive and serious groups. As we intend to be.

City Left Behind When Developing Strategic Partnerships

2007-03-10T20:04:00.000Z

Those of you who are regular readers of this blog or attended the Public Open Meeting will know that we feel that our Club is missing out on golden opportunities that lie outside of the UK, in particular the development of strategic partnerships with non-UK football clubs.

This week Bolton Wanderers announced that they were expanding their international interests by entering into a five year agreement with Mandela Bay Football Academy, based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The agreement will see Bolton helping develop their football academy which currently focuses on seventy five 16 - 19 year olds however, it is anticipated that this will be expanded. The agreement will see the sharing of information on pitch preparation and coaching methods as well as see local coaches trained to Premiership standards.

Bolton also hopes to develop links with an African Premier League team which will be located in Port Elizabeth after the World Cup is held in South Africa in 2010. The new team would utilise the 50,000 seater stadium being built there and no doubt Bolton would be able to lend their expertise in running such a stadium and the commercial opportunities that exist.

Bolton have been quick in developing strategic partnerships which we have previously reported on and this latest one comes on the back of partnerships with top Chinese side Wuhan Huangelou FC and Spanish Segunda League Side Elche CF. Bolton have also reportedly entered into an agreement in Iceland and have also targeted India, the United States, Norway, Egypt and France as other areas in which to develop partnerships.

Bolton's latest partnership follows an already successfully tried and tested route by non other than Ajax. Ajax are proven producers of talented players via their academy and have done so consistently over many many years. They have an extensive scouting network mainly concentrated on Africa and use Ajax Cape Town (which they 51% own) as part of their breeding ground for young talent.

Ajax do not hide what they are about. In their 2004-2005 annual accounts they make their position clear, when they cannot produce their own talent they buy in players to fill the spots their academy cannot. City are way off of this but perhaps with a little bit more effort in the right areas, spreading our model, strengthening the scouting network, working with other clubs around the world this could be achievable. Not only could a constant production line of quality players be achieved cost effectively but large sums of money could be saved on having to buy in players or pay large salaries to Bosman players to strengthen the squad.

This week also saw Charlton Athletic signing Martin Christensen, a 19 year old current Danish Under 21 International, and for good measure Charlton entered into a three year partnership with his Danish Divison One club Herfolge Boldklub which takes their non-UK football club partnerships to two. Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield United, Bolton Wanderers, Arsenal, Chelsea and Charlton have all developed strategic partnerships (there are possibly more) and it is almost a certainty that there are many more set to follow.

What must be remembered is that there is much more to football club partnerships then exchanging ideas, exchanging players and hopefully picking up a talented player or two. There can be huge advantages from a commercial aspect to be gained by developing brands, attracting wider support and additional sponsorship etc. There is also much to be gained from the communities and wider areas in which the Clubs concerned are located/ serve. These additional areas are often overlooked but could be just as important to a Club like ours going forward.

Other Premiership clubs are developing relationships in Europe, the United States and further afield but our Club does not appear to be looking at this important area. We strongly believe that this is a missed opportunity.

As mentioned in previous articles, when the trust is formed and raises funds perhaps the trust could finance or part-finance the development of these types of strategic partnerships which would be beneficial to our Club in so many positive ways and on so many levels.

To read our previous articles, please take a look at these:-

How Can City Produce More Young Talent? (20.12.06)

Other Northern Clubs Are Doing It So Why Aren't We? (21.12.06)

Is City Missing Out On Golden US Opportunities (10.2.07)

Another US Opportunity Bites The Dust? (12.2.07)

As is normal, if you have any input, feedback or queries please e-mail us on mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

Formation Of MCFC Supporters Trust To Be Fast-Tracked

2007-03-09T07:39:00.000Z

After the unanimous vote in favour of forming the MCFC Supporters Trust we have spoken and met with various professionals, advisors and supporters. Following this we have decided to push forward with the trust's formation as soon as possible. We have already started the process and hope to have it formed and registered with the Financial Services Authority within six weeks. We will, of course, keep you up to date with all progress on here.

The MCFC Supporters Trust will be an IPS (an Industrial and Provident Society). The definition of an IPS by the Financial Services Authority ("FSA") is an organisation conducting an industry, business or trade, either as a co-operative or for the benefit of the community, and is registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965.

When an IPS is formed it must be registered with the FSA and dependent on the size of the turnover of the Trust it will have to be audited by an independent auditor each year.

Supporters Direct will oversee the trust's registration with the FSA and will also cover the costs of the registration. The vast majority of existing Supporters Trusts have opted for this form of structure because of its community orientation, democratic ethos and robust regulatory framework.

The attributes of an IPS are:-

1) Community Orientation - intrinsically part of the framework of the Trust

2) External Regulation - the FSA will not register rule changes that conflict with the requirement to operate for the benefit of the community

3) Robust Constitution - crucial rules such as the Objects, Powers and Application of Profits, may only be altered if there is a 75% majority in favour

4) Effective And Versatile - experience has shown IPSs to be adaptable and powerful in varied circumstances

5) Not For Profit Motive - safeguards against "carpet bagging"

6) Growing Supporters Trusts Movements - offers additional "political" weight and influence in the wider world of football

7) Community Of Mutuals - offers opportunities for additional funding and partnerships with other co-operatives. Provides affinity with other organisations committed to benefiting the local community; and offers reassurance to the supporters and the club of the community orientation and not-for-profit objectives of the Trust

8) Start-Up Grant Funding - as already mentioned Supporters Direct pay for legal costs and expenses subject to eligibility

9) Limited Liability For Members - no need to put your financial security on the line; members are protected

10) Financially Responsible - effective in circumstances where significant sums of money have to be raised by public offer

Please continue to send us your queries, feedback and input to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk and keep up to date with all progress by reading this blog.

MCFC Supporters Trust Newsletter (No 18)

2007-03-06T23:29:00.000Z

Our latest newsletter has just been sent out. When supporters left their e-mail details at the recent Open Meeting there were some that we couldn't quite read. If you haven't received the newsletter or if you want to subscribe, please send us an e-mail to mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk

MCFC Supporters' Trust Is On The Way!

2007-03-05T13:02:00.000Z

A big thank you to all those that attended yesterday's open meeting.

We will be posting at more length during the coming few days but over 150 people attended the meeting which, given the fact it was Sunday afternoon and the weather wasn't conducive to going out, we were happy with.

The meeting involved presentations from Dave Boyle, Deputy Chief Executive of Supporters' Direct, who talked about what trusts were and what their role was. Sean Hamill, a board member of Supporters Direct, lecturer at Birkbeck College and member of the Celtic Trust, talked on a wide range of issues affecting football fans at the moment and the intriguing possibility that we face an American-style, franchise-based future. Jon Keen, a board member of STAR (Supporters' Trust at Reading) spoke about how they had worked their way to a position where they had regular meetings with the Reading senior management team, even though the chairman owns the overwhelming majority of the shares.

Colin Howell and Colin Savage talked about why we needed a trust at City, our draft aims and how we felt these could be achieved.

The fact the people like Sean Hamill and Dave Boyle turned up shows the importance that Supporters' Direct attaches to a trust at Manchester City. They also felt that the attendance was excellent for a meeting of this type, although we would have liked standing room only! However it was interesting to see Paul Tyrrell sat at the back of the meeting together with another of the communications team from the club. They took plenty of notes so now have no excuse for not knowing what we are about or why a supporters' trust is not just another supporters' club.

After a very in-depth Q&A the motion was put that there should be a supporters' trust formed at Manchester City, with the draft aims as set out. The meeting was virtually unanimous in approving this. We will be publishing a response to the questions raised in the meeting and to other questions we have been asked in the near future.

To paraphrase Winston Churchill "It's not the end. It's not even the beginning of the end. But it is the end of the beginning." There's still an awful lot of work to do and we will be shortly announcing of how people can help in carrying out the next stage, which is the formal setting up of the trust.

But once again, thanks to all those who attended, participated and have helped us in the background. We are confident that the supporters of Manchester City will soon get the voice they deserve.

This Sunday 4 March At 2pm - Open Meeting

2007-03-02T21:35:00.000Z

This Sunday 4 March at 2pm we are holding an Open Public Meeting for all City fans and shareholders at the University of Manchester’s Renold Building, Sackville Street Campus, Altrincham Street, Manchester, M1 3BB.

In response to growing concern about the future direction of the club, we will ask fans to back the formation of a Manchester City Supporters Trust. All City supporters are welcome and the meeting will be used to present the principles and philosophy behind the Supporters Trust movement and the national body representing it, Supporters Direct.

Our MC for the event will be James H Reeve. In addition to our very own Colin Howell & Colin Savage talking, we also have guest speakers Dave Boyle (Deputy Chief Executive of Supporters Direct), Sean Hamil (Secretary of the Celtic Trust) and Jon Keen (Press Officer of Reading's Trust) speaking.

At the meeting, we will present our aims and proposals, concerns and ideas as well as allow time for a "question and answer" session at the end to ensure that supporters have their say and raise points that are important. This part of the meeting is crucial and will ensure that the views and concerns of the supporters are known, which can then be used/ addressed in the next phase.

At the end of the Open Public Meeting the supporters present will be asked to vote on the proposal to establish a working party to go ahead and register the Trust. If the vote is successful, the working party will work towards the formal launch of the trust and deal with areas including the drafting of the constitution of the trust, registering it with the Financial Services Authority, open bank accounts, draft membership forms etc.

Assuming the vote is successful the numbers in the current trust working party will need to be increased from 7 to 12. There will be a chance at the meeting for supporters to sign up as additional members and in so doing will be asked to confirm their availability and the skills they have to offer the working party.

A map for the venue can be found here. We look forward to seeing you there.

City Share Price Movements (Week Ending 2.3.07)

2007-03-02T21:15:00.000Z

North West Ticket Prices Are Coming Down

2007-03-02T19:51:00.000Z

Some time ago now Blackburn Rovers' Chairman, John Williams, promised to use part of next season's increased TV income to bring down ticket prices. Today he has been as good as his word when announcing significant ticket price cuts right across the board.

Williams commented ""We believe that the best way to enjoy Premiership football is watching it live in the stadium. We hope these prices will not only retain existing supporters but also attract those who have not been for some time through the turnstiles next season to offer the team even greater vocal backing."

Williams also added "In setting this price structure we have recognised the concerns of supporters who feel that the cost of watching live football has become too expensive. We have addressed this issue and at the same time made sure we remain competitive on the pitch. Fans want to see the best players in action at Ewood Park and for the club to continue to be a force in the Premiership. We will continue to look at different ways to add extra value for season ticket holders as they are the lifeblood of the club."

Mark Hughes also commented on the initiative "The players all want to play in front of full stadiums and it makes a huge difference to them. The supporters really can act as the 12th man and lift the players. I've been lucky enough to play in front of packed stadiums across Europe and I know the positive effect it can have, so it would be great to see Ewood packed every week next season."

Under Blackburn Rovers' new pricing scheme, 5,500 season tickets will be available at £249, while the average for the Blackburn End will fall by 30% from £425 to £299. Blackburn Rovers' most expensive ticket will come down from £595 to £399.

Blackburn Rovers' initiative follows in the footsteps of Everton's announcement this week that 10% season ticket price reductions will be applied if bought before 28 April 2007. Everton confirmed that tickets renewed or bought after that date would remain frozen at 2006/07 prices.

This week has also seen Tony Blair come out in support of reduced ticket prices, gaining much press coverage/ support for the various lower ticket price campaigns currently being run by MEN, the Sun and FSF.

Wigan Match Is Massive - Let's Do Our Part

2007-03-02T07:02:00.000Z

This weekend marks a watershed for our Club; on Saturday we host Wigan in what is now a vital game which should see us pull clear of the relegation scrappers. The alternative does not bear thinking about. Looking on the bright side, the right result could set us on the road to a fantastic season's finale.

Whilst the Cup is an exciting prospect it is absolutely essential that we focus on winning our League games so that we can enjoy the prospects of Cup success. We urge all City Fans to get to the game and give the team maximum support and cheer our boys on to victory.

If you know any fellow City fans that are not planning on attending on Saturday then encourage them to turn up and show their support. Match day tickets can be bought on the day so there’s no excuses.