There is a good chance that Manchester City will be playing in the UEFA Cup next season. At the moment England is at the top at UEFA's Fair play table, if they keep that place to the end England will get an extra place for the UEFA Cup. That place will go to the Club that has the best place in Englands national Fair Play league and that isn't already qualified for Europe. City is fourth in the Fair Play league but the three teams above them Man Utd, Liverpool and Newcastle Utd is already qualified. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/2810687.stm
I've heard that the unofficial stats now show that Boro have gone ahead of City after our 2 yellow cards at "der 'pool".
The Fair Play league point is decided by a lot more than yellow and red cards, for example positive play and crowd behaviour. Here is a table from the offical premiership site. http://www.premierleague.com/en/files/publications/fairplay_league_table.pdf If that is correct City is 9 point ahead of Boro. Looks pretty good but if there is one club in the world capable of messing this up it is Manchester City...
You beat me to it!! I've just seen the table! Do you think there's any truth in the rumour that Tiatto's locked in a cage in the bowels of Maine Road!!?
Well, having Tiatto injured most of the season surely helped But I must say that a lot of this fair play league thing is joke. I mean Man Utd being top in the "Behaviour of officials" category! That nice Fergie man... But one should not complain to much when it will be European football at City of Manchester Stadium next year! http://manchestercity.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=914&p=2&stid=8307619
I've never really understood the process where by this UEFA cup spot is assigned, so I surely am not going to complain. Is the awarding of it strictly a one year at a time thing? That is, will all the European leagues start from scratch next season? In any case, the fact that England has won it at least a couple times provides a useful response to those idiots who pretend to be afraid for me upon my (too) rare trips to Manchester. I was going to say 'to Maine Road', but of course, that will no longer be the case.
Finally it is comfirmed, City to play in Europe for the first time since the late seventies. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=268872&cc=5739
I certainly hope they play against my favourite Faroese club (KI)! "Kevin Keegan's side, who have been seeded on their return to European competition after a 24-year absence, could face Total Network Solutions of Wales. Other potential opponents are TVMK Tallinn of Estonia, Etzella Ettelbruck of Luxembourg or KI Klaksvik from the Faroe Islands" http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/3004914.stm
They do face Total Network Solutions; http://msn.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,1860-1094699,00.html
A few years ago, when EUFA admitted Andorra into its club competitions, the winners of very nearly rec level Andorran league usually referred to themselves as 'the Real Madrid fans at Charlie's Restaurant'. However, UEFA apparently deemed this too undignified, or something. By my, Total Network Solutions is no better at all. If they were sponsored by that semi-legendary Texas hair care establishment, they'd be Curl Up and Dye.