Manchester City Football Club - Once in a blue moon: life, love and Manchester City

This is the best book you will ever read. So much so that it is certain to have a profound effect on the intellectual world many years into the twenty-first century. It is a literary masterpiece of pure comedy genius that any self-respecting football supporter would queue up to purchase; plus an extra copy just in case.

Authors mother

It wont even make it onto Ebay.

Authors sister

I dont remember any of that.

Authors best mate

I dont remember anything.

John Eaton

Read it and weep.

Tommy Muir, Chairman MCFC Supporters Club (Cheadle Branch)

RA 9300 9284 4GB

Worthy Independent Mega Productions (WIMP) in association with Leon Yelyab Productions.

With special thanks and appreciation to Mr John Maddock.

My good friend Noel Bayley once told me that, Everyone has a book inside them. This is mine.

For Jane, Katy, Molly, Sam and hopefully a new shed.

*Certain names have been changed in order to avoid potential embarrassment to all of us.

Mark Bowden; Terry, Tracey, Ben & Megan Hyland; Phil, Jennifer, Josh and Emma Knowles; Noel Bayley; Joanne Gilsenan (ne ONeill); Gavin ONeill; John & Joanne Eaton; Neil, Judith, Matthew, Stephanie & Biff Burrows; John Maddock; Peter Barnes; Darren Hendley; Ian Greenwood; Emily Greenwood; Gary, Frank, Ben and Callum Tipper; Jim, Sarah, Adam & Beth Grant; Johnny Copper; Andrew Charlie Charles and Joe & Olivia Charles; Flynny, Sue & Chloe; Stewart, Julie, Michael, Vicky & Ashley Freeman; Mark, Julie, Joesph & Rebecca Taylor; Sean, Catherine & Anna Durden; Janet Evrington; Football Tony & Christopher Morehead; Sean and Pete Morehead; Mark Todd; Pat, Mike, Thomas & Vicky Boden; Shirley & Frank Hendley; Dave Clee; Mike Relph; Rita Relph; Graham Moore; Pete Moore; Sheila Moore; Ron Frohlich; David Frohlich; Lilly, Joel & Hugh Frohlich; Pete Gillespie; Dave Blinkhorn; Stephen Dodds; Alan Sparrow; Phil Borrows; Ian Thorpe; Russ Bell; John Kettlewell; Lee Jenkins; Kevin Cummins; Janet Royle; Ian & Ted Prince; Jim & Helen Yates; Steve Annette; Jerry Sweeney; Khalid Ahmed; Roger Fielding; Mike Iveson; Craig Ainsworth; Phil Elgee; Jaine Duffy; Gulderen Harwood; Bernard McAlinden; Deb & Dave Harris; June Kenny; Geoff Garrett; Mrs Garrett; Lynn & Paul Star; Kevin Clarke; Geoff Smith; Graham & Sue Lister; Kevin McLaren; Gary Lawlor; Steve Graham; Dave Graham; Harry Boyle; Lee Crewe; Mark Proudlove; Kevin Cook; Gary Blissett; Joe Lawson; Big Ian Eastaugh; Steve, Ann & Lara Maher; Dave Littlewood; Tesco Ian Shelmerdine; Paul Templeton; Keith Clare; Alan Heason; Pete Daniels; Mike McHugh; Neil Watts; Lyn Slamon; Nicky Park; John Troy; Steve Whyatt; Jimmy Johnson; Gill Ferguson; Andrea Grant; Sonja Booth; Suzanne Ellis; Vinny ONeill; Debbie Darbyshire; Nicola Sands; Alan Wright; Dave Beveridge; Barry Gibson; Stuart Drysdale; Steve Baker; Nicholas Phythian; Paul Sposton; Andy & Jason Smith; Clive, Carl & Clark Smith; Lyn Muir; Andy Mac; Dave and Adam Bracegirdle; Billy Kenny; Dom Cosseron; Colin Baker; Chris, Deborah, David & Natalie Hulme; Tony Collins; Wayne Smith; Alan Ford; Steve Zanft; Ann Ashton; Martin, Jane & Isaac Creavy; Cliff Doyle; Bob Dillistone; Derek Fisher; Karl Shag Hendry; Glynn Sloan; Steve McDonagh; Paul Carey; Jimmy Pannett; Marky Morgan; Vinny Nash; Charlie McCormick; Jock Brocklehurst; Neil Kenny; Ian Salt; Codger; Les Hare; Glynn Sloane; Pete Stringer; Wilf Goodwin; Andrew Haymes; Vinny Unsworth; Barry Hope; Vicky Sugars; Mr Davies; Martin Burns; Graham Bantham; Ian Doyle; John & Alex Scott; Alex Murray; Simon Daysh; Mark Sowerby; Paul Ramsey; Nice Guy Greg; Andy Smallwood; Danny Belston; Riser; Mike Billinge; Paul Billinge; Mark Rosey Burns; Stevie Coward; Steve Shelton; Tony Hawkes & Damo; Hodge; Dave Parr; Steve Wilcox; Andy Fannon; Ian Whitfield; Mark Sellwood; Martin Eaton; Alan Potter; Gary Griffiths; Howard Jones; Jeff Palfreyman; Roy Nutter; Neil Blinston; Simmo; Ole Morten Egedal; Elizabeth Egedal; Jan Sramek; Espen Fodstad; Tor Snsteby; Ketil Aune; Richard Stott; Steinar Sel; Christian De Lange; Egil Svarstad; Ole Fuglestad; Ken Ball; Mark Howell; Nicola Ierston; Tony Jefferson; Nigel Larkin; Warren Heppolette; Stuart Cowley; Pecker & Peckers dad (Pecker Snr); Steve Kay; Mickey Vernon; Mike Greenwood; Paul Davies; Hammy & Dimitch; Richard Isaacs & Andy Smith II (the sequel); Pete the window cleaner; Steve Fox; Jon Vali; Damian Eaton; Chris Braithwaite; Andy Buckley; Fred Eyre; Vincent Turner; Steve Wadsworth; Alan Wadsworth; Joe Lawson; Billy Roddy; Dave Shepherd; Steve Wilcox; David Tomlinson; Pete Johnson; Andy Seddon; Mike Summerbee; Tony Book; Frank Carrodus; Garry Cook; Terry Stanton; Fred and Frieda Stanton; Madge Steele; Muriel Pearson; Blue Peter & Matt Gillings; Sminge & Rob Clements; Rob Dale; Baz Riley; John Dutton; Alan & Mike Derbyshire; Steve Slater; Swiss Family City Fans; Dave Wallace; Gary James; Mark Halsey; Tony Welsh; Paul Phoenix; Alfie Noakes; Bobby Nobby; Ross McFarter; Arch Stanton; everyone and anyone who has ever entertained me while playing for City (and the vast majority who havent); all supporters of MCFC (the only football team to come from Manchester); everyone who has ever been associated with the mighty Lee Athletic Football Club; anyone who ever went to Chorlton High School during the 1970s that didnt victimise me and anyone I might have forgotten (soz). Thanks also to Michelle Tilling, Richard Leatherdale and everyone at The History Press. Finally, mum and dad, Joanne and Julie, Katy, Molly, Sam Gilsenan and my ever-patient and loving wife Jane, without whom I would be a single man and a sad one at that.

The Stranglers, Puressence, The Chameleons, David Bowie, Mew, The Psychedelic Furs, Japan, Magazine, The Smiths, Joy Division, The Sex Pistols, Public Image, New Order, Ride, Embrace, Oasis, The Stone Roses, Morrissey, The Catherine Wheel, The Charlatans, JJ72, Doves, Iggy Pop, Elbow, The Happy Mondays, The Boxer Rebellion, Choir of the Young Believers, BRMC, Longview, VAST, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Kraftwerk, Ultravox, B Movie, Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry, James, OMD, John Foxx, Gary Numan/Tubeway Army, Glasvegas, White Lies, The Buzzcocks, Skids, Marilyn Manson, Love Spit Love, The Longcut, Snow Patrol, HRH Grace Jones, Thirteen Senses, Ash, Bill Nelson, X-Ray Spex, The Killers, The Damned, Visage, Echo and the Bunnymen, Talking Heads, The Mock Turtles, The Fall, Echobelly, Mull Historical Society, The Las, Cast, The Teardrop Explodes/Julian Cope, Mansun, Martha and the Muffins, The Wonder Stuff, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Haven, Interpol, The Sea Horses, The Rolling Stones, Badly Drawn Boy, Nash the Slash, Supergrass, The Verve, Reef, The Pretenders, Pixies, The Rezillos, China Crisis, Kate Bush, Jah Wobble, Immaculate Fools, The Human League, Heaven 17, Penetration, Eels, Bauhaus, Belasco, Fad Gadget, Gomez, The Proclaimers, The Cult, Weezer, Blancmange, Garbage, The Clash, The Ramones, T. Rex, Talking Heads, The Cranberries, Crispy Ambulance, Mercury Rev, Simple Minds, Dead Kennedys, The Sun and the Moon, The Reegs, Blondie, Bow Wow Wow, Stiff Little Fingers, Devo, XTC, The Undertones, Talk Talk, The Ruts, The Jam and The Beatles. Some were better than others, others were better than some, but every goddam one of em gave it a good go and thats the main thing.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Colin Bell, Dennis Tueart, Francis Lee, Mike Summerbee, Tony Book, Georgiou Kinkladze, Shaun Goater, Paul Dickov, Paul Lake, Stan Bowles, Rodney Marsh, Paul Walsh, Peter Beagrie, Niall Quinn, Craig Bellamy, Carlos Tevez, Tommy Muir, David Bernstien, Brian Horton, Paul Power, John Gillespie (