The third issue of monthly City fanzine, Topical City, is out now. If you wish to read it, as you should, then follow this link and click on either the flash or non-flash version of the magazine.
This month I have written an article on the first day of the 2007/2008 season - the first competitive game of Shinawatra's reign at the club - and try to argue that this was the first day in the modern era of the football club. The article starts below and can be read in its entirety in Topical City magazine.
11th August 2007. The opening day of the season had taken us away to East London and a game against West Ham at the Boleyn Ground. As we stepped out of the tube station and into the late summer sunshine, those usual feelings of trepidation and doubt were outweighed by something different, something new.To read on, turn to page eight of the new issue of Topical City magazine.
The previous season had ended with a long slog of drab, hopeless football. Stuart Pearce’s trusty Beanie Horse had run out of luck and City had not scored a home league goal since New Year’s Day. There was a tangible sense of impending doom about the club. If the lucky horse no longer delivered, what hope was there for the season to come?
Step up, the ‘fit-and-proper’ saviour, Thaksin Shinawatra. The FA agreed that our new charismatic owner needed a break from ‘politically motivated’ bitchiness, and the former Thai Prime Minister came in and injected, that vital football fan ingredient, hope into the football club. The week before the start of the season, after showcasing his new football team against Valencia at home (a David Silva goal settled the tie – I wonder what happened to him?), Thaksin treated the City fans to a party in Albert Square. Whilst those who went down into central Manchester after the game were guzzling down the complimentary Thai Green Curry, Shinawatra took the microphone and serenaded the dumbfounded Blues with the club anthem, Blue Moon.
Frank introduced me to MCFC, amidst my rags loving buddies, I will always be grateful for that. Then he introduced MCFC to the shiekh and that helped transfrom the club to what it is today. Say what you want, but the man's a saviour in every word.
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall Human Rights Watch alluding to Mad Frank the Utd fan as 'a human rights abuser of the worst kind.'
ReplyDeleteWell 7 march 2011 21.09, you have no idea what went on in thailand so dont try and comment....Human right abuser of the worst kind hmmmmm i think not and im sure iff he was it would of been proven....
ReplyDeleteBEST REGARD THAILAND
I refused to sell my shares to him and then company law enforced the sale. I knew then that the heart and soul of City, the people's club in Manchester would go when the ownership rested in one person. And I was right. We are not the club we were. Yes we may become more succesful, we may win some silverware, but is it our club anymore? No, and never will be again. It's the expensive toy of a rich family, to do with as they please and the world of football is a sadder place because of it.
ReplyDeleteStrange he was a Liverpool fan - like most Thai's when i was there when he wanted to buy Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteWe shouldn't bandy around comments about human rights abuse that the current and some would say illegitimate regime don't want to pursue that either They are allegations and when you look into them they were things that were supported by the American's.
Thaksin the only leader to have won 2 elections and they don't (the elite) want him back because they know he will win another one.
Thaksin did wonders for City and i for one have to admire him. His unfailing courtesy and his sense in getting out when the Thai regime went for him - but in doing so he got us ownership with the best people in the world to own us.
With my mate and his Thai wife one day we met him at the ground. He was nice to us, but very nice to my mate's wife, asking if she was okay for a ticket and telling her to call next time she wanted to go.
All in he did nothing but good for City and for the majority of the Thai's. The evidence for that is the frequent opinion polls that show he would get re-elected. Also the fact that when the Army ousted him it took them a while to "change" the constitution and even then his successors won and so one by one his MP's were ousted until the so called democratically elected Abhisit has got in. The man who turned the Army on his own people who were peacefully if somewhat irritatingly demonstrating in Bangkok - causing no trouble to most people who reside their.
anonymous (1) - i am the first anon poster, repsonding to the second anon poster.
ReplyDeletefor your info, i know a little bit about thailand and dr thaksin. i also quote reputable sources:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_city/article2176103.ece
don't shoot the messenger
@ ian - so you are basing your view on thaksin on the fact that he asked your missus if she needed a ticket? outstanding :)
ReplyDeletei think hm govt and the pl were instrumental in mad frank's departure. once convicted (not for the human rights abuses, but for other criminal activity) he became unsuitable as pl club owner and had no chopice but to sell, and his uk visa/residency was revoked, but his children allowed to stay in the uk.
meanwhile, dr thaksin is still evading justice and living in in somehwere like cambodia, montenegro or other country that will give him a new passport.
Thaksin is/was undoubtedly a controversial figure, but I think the point of the article is that whatever you think of him, he undeniably was the catalyst that changed City forever - and paved the way for the second takeover and the success that is/was to follow. Again controversial, as the heart and soul of the club have may have been lost or at least have been changed forever
ReplyDeleteThe heart and soul of the club? One that for nearly 40 years was the laughing stock of football. Thaksin changed that forever and the overwhelming majority of City fans will be forever grateful.
ReplyDeleteAnon@7 March 2011 22:38, I do think that the Brit royals and their gov is behind Thaksin's departure. They're quite the buddy with the Thai's own royal family. And from the looks of things, Thaksin stepped on some toes on his way out. Some BIGGGG toes.
ReplyDelete17 Coup d'état has been witness in Thailand for the past, what 60 yrs. Makes you wonder if it's someone's favourite way of taking out 'the guy you don't like'.
So before you go and talk about the good doctor, you might want to visit New Manda (http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/category/thailand/), a site dedicated to studying Thailand's politics in detail. You might change your mind about him.
Do remember that in all of the Coup d'état, one of the charges will always be CORRUPTION. But who is it that was truly corrupt?