Manchester City

Originally founded as St Marks in 1880, Manchester City underwent a further name change in 1887 to AFC before finally taking their present name in 1894.

They are a club who have experienced modest success in numerous competitions. They have won the League twice, the FA Cup four times, the League Cup twice and the European Cup Winner’s Cup once. However, the League Cup in 1976 was their last major title, and you have to go back to 1968 for their last League triumph.

It has been hard for City fans to watch their bitter enemies, Manchester United, as they have soared to unprecedented levels of success, and the hostility which exists between the two clubs today is as passionate as it has ever been.

The 2007-08 season was a mixed affair for the club. Having shot to one of their most successful starts to a season in history, winning 10 consecutive home matches under the guidance of new coach, Sven-Göran Eriksson, the season petered out somewhat and the club dropped further down the table as the weeks went by. They still managed to reach ninth place by the end of the season, and during the year they also beat Manchester United both home and away, a fantastic double achievement in the derby. But it wasn’t enough to keep the ex-England Manager at the club, and at the end of the season he was relieved of his duties.

Now with Mark Hughes appointed coach, and a place in the UEFA Cup qualifying round as a reward for finishing sixth in the Premier League’s fair play table, the club will be hungry for immediate success this coming season.

For a more detailed account of the club’s history, take a look at this guide.

City of Manchester Stadium

The City of Manchester Stadium was designed for the failed Manchester 2000 Olympic bid, but was eventually built for the Commonwealth Games that took place in the city two years later. For this reason, it is located in the Sportcity area, which consists of numerous sporting facilities built for the games. It is found east of the city centre, and has 2,000 parking spaces.

Before the stadium came into use by Manchester City in 2003, Maine Road was the much-loved home of the club. But any nostalgia over the old stadium quickly made way for pride in their new home, as the City of Manchester Stadium is quite simply one of the best grounds in the country. The 250 year lease that was signed by the club to make the stadium their home means that they will be staying there for some time to come.

The stadium takes the form of a large oval bowl. The two ends are made up of two tiers, and the two sides are made up of three tiers. The seating goes around the entire stadium continuously, but each side has its own name as is the standard custom with stadia.

Originally named the North, South, East and West stands, they have since taken on different names. The West stand was renamed the Colin Bell stand in 2004, the South stand the Key 103 stand due to a sponsorship deal, and the East Stand is known unofficially as The Kippax, as this was the name of the stand in the same position at Maine Road.

There are 68 executive boxes shared out amongst the North, East and West stands, all of which can hold between eight and ten people. The roof is suspended from steel cables attached to towers, and these towers also provide access to the upper tiers.

The stadium has some fantastic features to boast about. With an overall capacity of 47,726, it is the fifth biggest in the Premier League, and the pitch is 105m x 68m, making it the widest in England. In May 2008 it hosted its biggest game to date, the final of the UEFA Cup between Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg, and it is an ideal setting for even bigger games in the future.

The inside of the stadium is packed with amenities, including six themed restaurants inside its grounds and a tunnel passing underneath for use by emergency vehicles. Strangely, it is even licensed for marriage ceremonies, perhaps allowing the most serious of fans to make that special day even better.

In a revolutionary system now being employed in a number of grounds across the country, access to the stadium is through a Smart Card rather than the traditional turnstile, and this allows up to 1,200 people through the gates every minute.

In an interesting development, permission has been given to build an 85 metre wind turbine on top of the stadium to power it and the surrounding homes. Designed by Norman Foster, the turbine will make the City of Manchester Stadium the first in the world to be powered by natural energy.

Contact details

• Address: City of Manchester Stadium, Sportcity, Manchester, M11 3FF
• Tel: 0870 062 1894
• Email: mcfc@mcfc.co.uk
• Click here to visit the official club website.

Getting to the ground

By Bus

The following buses go to Sportcity from Manchester city centre:

• 52, 54, 85, 186, 216, 217, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, X36 and X37.

By Train

The closest train station to the stadium is Manchester Piccadilly, which is about a 30 minute walk away. From here you will find a signposted route to Sportcity, and there will also be stadium stewards positioned along the route to help you.

Another option is Ashburys station. It is smaller than Manchester Piccadilly, but is nearer to the stadium which can be reached by a 15 minute walk. It is situated south of the stadium on Alan Turing Way.

By Car

From the North

Leave the M60 at junction 23, taking a right onto the A662 (Ashton New Road). Carry on past the junction with the A6010 (Alan Turing Way), and you will find the stadium on the right.

From the South

Travelling on the M56, follow signs for the city centre. The road soon turns into the A5103 (Princess Road), and you want to travel along this before taking a right onto the A57(M). Follow the road to the end, and pass the two sets of traffic lights. After these, turn right onto Every Street and carry on to the end. At the end, turn right onto the A662 (Ashton New Road), and you will find the stadium on the left.

From the East

From the M67, join the M60 at junction 24. Travel along the M60 northbound, leaving at junction 23. Exit left onto the A662 (Ashton New Road), and carry on past the junction with the A6010 (Alan Turing Way). You will find the stadium on the right.

From the West

Join the M60 at junctions 12 or 16. Carry on along the M60 around the north of the city, and leave at junction 23. Exit onto the A662 (Ashton New Road) and carry on past the junction with the A6010 (Alan Turing Way). You will find the stadium on the right.

Tickets

Box Office

Tickets can be bought by credit card by calling the following telephone number:

• 0870 062 1894 (Ticket Line Option 1)

It is also possible to email the Box Office for enquiries: tickets@mcfc.co.uk

‘’’Ticket Line opening times:'''

• Monday: 9am – 6pm
• Tuesday to Friday: 8am – 11pm
• Saturday: 9am – 9pm
• Sunday: 9am – 9pm

There is a £1.50 booking fee on all tickets, and there are no refunds for home games on the day that the match is taking place.

Stadium Box Office

You can also buy tickets in person at the Stadium Box Office, and the opening times are as follows:

• Monday: 9am – 5.30pm
• Tuesday: 10am – 5.30pm
• Wednesday to Friday: 9am – 5.30pm
• Saturday: 9am – 1pm
• Sunday: Closed

Away Games

For all away games, Seasoncard holders will receive priority when purchasing tickets. After this, any remaining tickets are then sold to Citycard members, and only if there are any left after this will they go on sale to the public.

Seasoncards

Seasoncards can be bought by phoning the Box Office or through the official website. There is currently a waiting list to purchase a Seasoncard, but for any queries you should email tickets@mcfc.co.uk.

Citycards

Citycards can be purchased for £30. They offer such perks as £5 off six home game tickets, and a greater chance of getting hold of tickets for away games. For full details and to purchase online click here

Ticket Prices

In the tables below, the ticket categories are divided into A, B, C and Seasoncard prices. Where no ticket is available an ‘x’ is shown.

East / Colin Bell Stand Levels 1 and 3

Ticket Type	A	B	C	Seasoncard
Adult	£36	£32	£28	£582
Under 16	£10	£10	£10	£95
Over 65	£21	£20	£19	£368
Disabled	£21	£21	£21	x
16-17	x	x	x	£296
18-21	x	x	x	£406

Colin Bell Stand Level 2

Ticket Type	A	B	C	Seasoncard
Adult	£38	£34	£30	£626
Under 16	£10	£10	£10	£95
Over 65	£22	£22	£22	£401
Disabled	x	x	x	x
16-17	x	x	x	£296
18-21	x	x	x	£406

North and South Stand

Ticket Type	A	B	C	Seasoncard
Adult	£30	£27	£23	£461
Under 16	£10	£10	£10	£95
Over 65	£16	£14	£13	£236
Disabled	£16	£16	£16	x
16-17	x	x	x	£296
18-21	x	x	x	£406

First Team Squad

1. Andreas Isaksson
Date of Birth: 3.10.81
Nationality: Swedish
Isaksson arrived at City in August 2006 from Rennes. The goalkeeper’s early City career was blighted by a string of injuries, and his involvement was limited until he came on as a second-half substitute in December 2006. He made his first full start a couple of months later in February 2007, but on his first home start in March 2007 they lost to Chelsea 1-0. As Joe Hart has taken the top goalkeeper position, Isaksson was limited to just six appearances last season. One of these included the last game of the season against Middlesbrough which was lost 8-0.

2. Micah Richards
Date of Birth: 24.6.88
Nationality: English
England international Richards joined up at City from Oldham Athletic when he was only 14, and went through the Youth Academy. He made his name in the 2005-06 season, which he capped off by scoring in injury time in an FA Cup Fifth Round match against Aston Villa. The defender is known for his eye for goal, and even has an international goal against Israel. He signed a five-and-a-half year contract in February 2008, and will be a regular player at the club for a while to come.

3. Michael Ball
Date of Birth: 2.10.79
Nationality: English
Ball joined City in January 2007 from PSV Eindhoven, and soon became a favourite at the City of Manchester Stadium. He got his name on the score sheet in only his second appearance for the club, a 3-1 victory over Preston North End. Since then he has comfortably made the left-back spot his own, and made 35 appearances last season.

4. Nedum Onuoha
Date of Birth: 12.11.86
Nationality: English
Onuoha signed his first contract with City in November 2004 after coming through the Youth Academy. He has suffered from numerous injuries, and as such has not enjoyed as many games as he would have liked. However, his five-minute goal in his first England Under-20 match against Russia suggests that he has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, his season ended early when he suffered a dislocated shoulder against Chelsea in April, but he will be hoping to make more of an impact on the new season.

6. Michael Johnson
Date of Birth: 24.2.88
Nationality: English
Johnson performed well in the FA Youth Cup in the 2005-06 season, and graduated from the Youth Academy into the first team on October 21st 2006 at the age of 18, when he was chosen to play in an away game at Wigan. He got his name on the score sheet in the second game of last season in the victory over Derby, but ended up missing two months of the season due to injury.

7. Stephen Ireland
Date of Birth: 22.8.86
Nationality: Irish
Ireland rose through the Youth Academy, making his mark on the first team in the 2005-06 season. Since then the attacking midfielder has become a first-team regular, and has also been playing for the Ireland national team since February 2006, scoring his first goal for them in October 2006 against Cyprus. He signed a new five-year contract at the beginning of last season, a year which saw him score four goals, including a spectacular volley against Reading in November.

8. Geovanni Deiberson Maurício Gomez
Date of Birth: 11.1.80
Nationality: Brazilian
The first Brazilian to sign for City, Gomez arrived at the club in July 2007. Having previously played for Barcelona and Benfica, the attacking midfielder made an immediate impression by scoring the second goal of the opening day victory against West Ham. Despite that, he is usually used more as a substitute, and was limited to 23 appearances last season with a total of three goals.

9. Emile Mpenza
Date of Birth: 4.7.78
Nationality: Belgian
Mpenza arrived from Al Rayyan in Qatar in the February 2008 transfer window, in a deal which would only last until the end of the season. He made his debut for the first team on March 3rd against Wigan, and made his first full start in a game against Chelsea. His strong performances and three goals led to an extension of his contract to three years.

11. Elano Blumer
Date of Birth: 14.6.81
Nationality: Brazilian
Blumer was the second Brazilian ever to sign for the club, arriving one month after Gomez. The attacking midfielder can also play out wide and as a right-back when needed, and he scored in the 3-1 victory over Newcastle in September. The Brazilian international is renowned for his quick footwork, and became the top scorer at the club last season with 10 goals.

12. Darius Vassell
Date of Birth: 13.6.80
Nationality: English
Vassell joined City in July 2005 for £2 million, and has since made a strong impression at the club. His performances during the 2006-07 season were so impressive that he became linked to a number of other clubs, but decided to stay with City. His City career then saw a bit of a slump as injuries frustrated him, but Eriksson’s arrival gave him a boost. It was with Eriksson that he made his 2002 debut for England, in which he also scored, and he has since enjoyed a successful England career.

15. Martin Petrov
Date of Birth: 15.1.79
Nationality: Bulgarian
Petrov left Atletico Madrid in July 2007 to join City for £4.7 million. He began to score straight away, managing to put two past Fulham in September and another one past Newcastle the following week. He had a successful season, with the only low point being a red card he received for kicking Leon Osman of Everton in February, which led to a three-match ban.

16. Vendran Corluka
Date of Birth: 5.2.86
Nationality: Croatian
Corluka joined the side just before the start of the last season. The Croatian national can play at right-back, centre-half and in a central midfield role, making him an important member of the squad. He managed to clock up 41 appearances in his first season, and capped it off by putting in a few solid performances for his country at Euro 2008.

17. Jihai Sun
Date of Birth: 30.9.77
Nationality: Chinese
Jihai Sun has been at City since February 2002. Although he only made eight appearances in his first season, he did manage to get the accolade of becoming the first Chinese player to score in the Premiership, when he was on target in the 2-0 win over Birmingham in October 2002. The defender only made 16 appearances last season, but is regarded as a committed member of the squad whenever he plays.

20. Felipe Caicedo
Date of Birth: 5.9.88
Nationality: Ecuadorian
By the time Caicedo had arrived at City in the January 2008 transfer window from FC Basle in Switzerland, he already had 15 internationals and two goals behind him. He made his debut in the 2-1 victory over Manchester United in February 2008, but failed to get any goals last season as his contribution was limited to various substitute appearances.

21. Dietmar Hamann
Date of Birth: 27.8.73
Nationality: German
Hamann played for Liverpool and Bolton before arriving at City in July 2006. His first season was plagued by injuries, but he has managed to stay fit since then, and last season became a first-choice player. He is popular with the fans, being awarded the ‘Player of the Month’ award in August and September, and he was the last player ever to score at the old Wembley, when he scored for Germany with a free kick in 2000. Last season he signed a new one-year contract which will last until February 2008.

22. Richard Dunne
Date of Birth: 21.9.79
Nationality: Irish
Dunne has been with the team since October 2000, when he was bought for £3 million. He is hugely popular with the fans, previously winning the Official Supporters’ Clubs Player of the Year four years in a row, and is one of the key members of the squad. The solid defender is also a regular for the Ireland national team, and in the 2006-07 season he played for every minute of every game. He is an ever-present at the club, and the 2-1 win over Manchester United last season marked one of his standout performances.

24. Javier Garrido
Date of Birth: 15.3.85
Nationality: Spanish
Garrido left Real Sociedad to join City in August 2007. The young Spanish defender arrived with a wealth of experience, as at 22 he had already played three seasons in Spain. Although not the first choice left-back, with Ball taking that honour, his ability to play in the left of midfield makes him a useful asset, and he put in 29 appearances last season, the first in his four-year contract.

‘’’25. Joe Hart'''
Date of Birth: 19.4.87
Nationality: English
Hart joined up with City in May 2006, arriving from Shrewsbury Town on a £1.5 million contract. He made his first-team debut a whole four months later, on October 14th 2006, and managed to keep a clean sheet. When Eriksson took over as manager, he was so impressed by the young goalkeeper that, just before Christmas 2007, he made him the number one choice. Now Hart is destined for great things, and he even managed to make his full England debut as a substitute against Trinidad & Tobago.

27. Benjani Mwaruwari
Date of Birth: 13.8.78
Nationality: Zimbabwean
Not many players get the opportunity to make such an important debut as Benjani, but when the striker arrived from Portsmouth in the January 2008 transfer window for £3.87 million, he was given a first start in the derby against Manchester United. When he then scored the first goal of the 2-1 victory, he had already become a legend. He also managed to score a goal against his old side Portsmouth, but out of respect to his old team he refused to celebrate.

28. Gelson Fernandes
Date of Birth: 2.9.86
Nationality: Swiss
The previous Swiss Under-21 captain arrived at City in July 2007 from Swiss club FC Sion. He made his full debut against Portsmouth in November, and scored his first goal for the club against Newcastle in a 2-0 victory. The midfielder, who now plays for the national side, made 32 appearances last season and got two goals.

29. Valeri Bojinov
Date of Birth: 15.2.86
Nationality: Bulgarian
Having joined up with the club last summer for an undisclosed fee, the Bulgarian international striker suffered a nightmare start to his City career when he suffered a cruciate ligament injury six minutes into his second game, the derby against Manchester United. Out for five months, he managed to fight his way back in the reserves by the end of the season and he will be hoping to make a real impact this season.

36. Daniel Sturridge
Date of Birth: 1.9.89
Nationality: English
Sturridge has long been a member of the City reserves, where he has put in some strong performances, including a memorable goal in the April Youth Cup Final in 2006 and a hat trick against Bolton reserves. Injuries have prevented his progression as he would have liked, but he did manage to play for the senior team last season, and even got a goal against Derby County.

38. Shaleum Logan
Date of Birth: 29.1.88
Nationality: English
Logan is a product of the acclaimed Youth Academy, and put in some stunning performances for the reserves before making his full debut in the Carling Cup win over Bristol City. He signed a three-year contract at the beginning of last season, but has since been on loan to numerous teams.

Manager

‘’’Mark Hughes'''
Date of Birth: 1.11.63
Nationality: Welsh

Hughes enjoyed a successful playing career, during which he played for such great teams as Manchester United, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea amongst others. However, it was at Manchester United that he enjoyed the most success, where he got the nickname ‘Sparky’ and became a legend at the club. He was also a regular member of the Welsh national squad, with whom he managed to get 72 caps and 16 goals over the years.

The successful striker became the Welsh national coach in 1999, even though his playing career still took him to Everton and Blackburn. The national side were going through a bad run of form, but in the five years that Hughes was in charge he managed to accomplish a great deal, taking them to the brink of qualification for Euro 2004, before finally losing out to Russia in the qualifiers.

Following this, he then went back to manage old club Blackburn for the 2004-05 season, whom he stayed with for four years. He enjoyed success at the club, taking them to the UEFA Cup and three consecutive FA Cup semi-finals to further increase his credentials as one of the top managers in the Premier League. He also built up a reputation as a good businessman with an eye for bargains, bringing in a number of players for reasonable costs, including Roque Santa Cruz (£3.5 million) and David Bentley (£500,000).

Despite enjoying success at Blackburn, when Sven-Göran Eriksson was sacked at the end of last season, and Avram Grant was released from Chelsea, Hughes’s name was one of the ones linked to both of the jobs. In the end, he was confirmed as the manager of Manchester City on 4th June 2008, and the fans wait to see if he can increase upon the success of last season.

Chairman

‘’’Thaksin Shinawatra'''

The Manchester City chairman has often been reported as a controversial figure, due to numerous corruption and human rights criticisms by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

The ex-Prime Minister of Thailand, who had enjoyed a landslide win in 2001, was ousted in September 2006 by a military coup whilst he was in New York, and he was forced to go into exile in Britain. Previously a successful entrepreneur, Shinawatra saw a chance to buy an English football team whilst in exile, and attempted to purchase both Fulham and Liverpool.

But it was Manchester City whom he finally got his hands on in July 2007 with an accepted bid of £81.6 million, and he swiftly appointed Eriksson as manager. He has since lost the favour of many fans by sacking the ex-England national coach, and Hughes will be under pressure to deliver as the new appointment.

Club Honours

Domestic

• ‘’’League:''' 1936-37, 1967-68
• ‘’’Second Division Champions:''' 1898-99, 1902-03, 1909-10, 1927-28, 1946-47, 1965-66, 2001-02
• ‘’’FA Cup Winners:''' 1904, 1934, 1956, 1969
• ‘’’League Cup Winners:''' 1970, 1976
• ‘’’Charity Shield Winners:''' 1937, 1968, 1972

International

• ‘’’European Cup Winners’ Cup:''' 1970

Records

• Most appearances: Alan Oakes (668)
• Top goalscorer: Eric Brook (178)
• Player with most League goals in a season: Tommy Johnson (38, Division One, 1928-29)
• Oldest player: Billy Meredith (49 years, 245 days)
• Youngest player: Glyn Pardoe (15 years, 314 days)
• Record attendance: 84, 569 (versus Stoke City, March 3rd 1934)
• Record transfer fee: £13 million (Nicholas Anelka from Paris Saint-Germain)