Eastlands impresses UEFA

Chris Bailey

June 14, 2005

CELEBRATION TIME: England's women in action at Eastlands

EASTLANDS could be in line to host a major men's final after successfully staging the opening game of the women's European Championships.

Blues financial wizard Alistair Mackintosh believes that the tournament will leave a lasting legacy for both City and the game as a whole.

Sportcity was the venue when England defeated Finland in front of more than 29,000 fans - a record crowd for a women's match in Europe.

And UEFA officials were so impressed with the stadium and the organisation that they indicated bigger games could be coming the Blues' way in the near future.

"It went tremendously well," said Mackintosh. "When we missed out on the 2007 UEFA Cup final we were given encouragement for the future, and that was re-iterated at the recent international."

The Championships have also brought the club closer to Manchester City Ladies, who play in the FA Premiership North Division, and Mackintosh is determined those ties will grow even stronger. He said: "We hope that seeing the skill levels and commitment of the England side, and the fact there are lots of people out there who will support the game, will stimulate lots of young girls to want to take it up.

"That's why we have taken steps to integrate City Ladies further into the club, in terms of using our facilities at Platt Lane and also our coaches.

"We want close links between them and our community scheme, because the future lies in taking the message out to schools and clubs and getting youngsters interested.

"I would support fully the full-time women's game, but we must make sure that it is not just for women's teams affiliated and allied to Premiership clubs.

"No one should overlook teams such as Doncaster Belles, who have done so much to develop young talent and promote the women's game. If there is to be a restructuring of the women's game, then it should be inclusive and not exclusive to Premiership sides and elite clubs."

| Submit Comments | Comments (20) |

Showing comments 1 to 20 and replies | View All

Lee Speed, Shell OT (14/06/2005 at 10:14)

There is no place in my opinion on this web site to be reporting on the joke that is Women's football....

J, Manchester (14/06/2005 at 10:21)

Get back in your cave, Lee.

Tony, Blackley (14/06/2005 at 10:29)

Lee, don't be such bigot. I saw some ball skills in those games that would put Danny Mills to shame.

As for all these venues at the CoMS...fantastic. But when are we going to see some of the money spent on New Players Mr Wardel!!!!!

paul, Stockport (14/06/2005 at 10:38)

i'm a lay-dee

Blue Hasslehoff, G's (14/06/2005 at 10:42)

I think maybe the women should change the kit to something a little more skimpy then play on a very muddy pitch??? That would be entertainment!!!

Roey, Chadd (14/06/2005 at 10:56)

Have they got any strikers we can loan ????????

Bluesox, Armacao de Pera, Portugal (14/06/2005 at 11:42)

Macintosh a financial wizard? Are you sure about that! Is this the limit of the 'major investments' he is supposedly working very hard to bring to the club?

MR GLUM, GASWORKS END (14/06/2005 at 11:49)

Just changing the subject a bit, but this article describes Alistair Mackintosh as a 'financial wizard'. There could well be more MUEN mischief making here, especially with the various increases of income and the lowering of the wage bill to assist our 'manageable debt'. So maybe this wizardry works like this: AM waves his magic wand over our transfer fund and says "now you see it ... now you don't!"

JamCity, Stuck in bolton (14/06/2005 at 11:56)

women's football is more entertaining than watching most premiership games(make of that what you will!). As for Eastlands it's a nice looking impressive stadium that deserves big games. It's also sterile and boring, has no atmosphere and isn't a patch on the feeling of passion of Maine Road.

Jeff Jones, Office, eating corn flakes (14/06/2005 at 12:06)

Applying for post of WinterGreen applicator!!!

Stretford Blue, stretford manchester (14/06/2005 at 12:06)

I watched one game, all the way through. But at the end of the game....no one swapped shirts?!?!?! I was gutted and won't be watching anymore.......spoil sports!

Jeff Jones, Office, waiting for new fixture list (14/06/2005 at 12:08)

Dear Editor, please accept my application for post of team Ralgex applicator!

chris, wythenshawe (14/06/2005 at 12:23)

FINANCIAL WIZZARD ????
This is the man who has been traveling round the world at City's expense trying to drum up and investor/buyer.
All we have had so far is intrest from a Tug Boat builder
from Sweeden. It has puzzled me for some time as to why when we have the logistics in place, stadium, fan base, moderatly sucessful team that no one see's us as a good investment. Perhaps he should place an advert in Loot it would be cheaper.

MG, Burnage (14/06/2005 at 12:40)

Guess "financial wizard" must refer to the fact that, despite reported debts of B#62m, we haven't had the recievers in. That's magic if you ask me.

sanks, Stockport (14/06/2005 at 13:25)

Macca's a free agent now, maybe he could play for the ladies team. No one could tell the difference!

Curly, weatherfield (14/06/2005 at 14:43)

jamcity, here here, coms is a souless bowl and i for one would go back to maine road at the drop of a hat.

Matt, Droylsden (14/06/2005 at 16:13)

Curly I agree Main Road was home and The City Of Manchester Stadium just feels cold nothing like that warm feeling of togetherness and excitement you used to get a Main Road, I remember getting beat 5 nil by the gunners when Henry skinned Dunne, yet we never stopped singing now you could hear a pin drop even the derby is quite. I enjoy going to Mary D's as much as the game now bring back the real fans and let us stand up and sing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Number Six, The Village (14/06/2005 at 17:19)

Before every game my mates young son & I always try to guess the attendance & are very rarely (if ever) more than 2,000 out. Watching the opening game on TV I was staggered to see it was given as 29,000 as I had it at 15 to 20,000 at most. Womens football? Why not? Why should anyone be denied the opportunity to enjoy the game? Don't expect me to watch it regularly though!

ted knott, droylsden (15/06/2005 at 13:22)

YES I miss Maine road and whenever I pass the old site and look around it brings tears to my eyes thinking of the memories it gives me from first going their as a wee boy April 2nd 1956 that day we defeated Sunderland 4-2 and a few weeks after we won the FA Cup,the place was a institutional palace surrounded by a labrynth of terrace houses.However we have to move on we have to accept it became antiquated almost every other team were moving to newer stadia or investing heavily in existing stadia development,Maine road simply didn't have the space nor the cooperation of the residents in the area,moreso in my opinion the M/c City council are anti MCFC but thats another story.Eastlands meanwhile is a magnificent stadium and is designed so it can be extended to 60,000 still a long throw back to the initial 80,000 capacity which again in my opinion the council downgraded it to protect Uniteds monopoly of being allocated the BIG games. I still think our FA should at least give us a semi final and certainly an U/21 fixture because I'm sure the COMS is better equipped than the Riverside for instance and anyway it would attract bigger crowds than Boro's stadium,YES it impresses Uefa but our F.A. seem to overlook it mainly because of the EYESORE across the CITY in TRAFFORD!

Lenny, longsight (16/06/2005 at 00:52)

Of Course UEFA should be Impressed with COMS. Why do they kick City out of the UEFA Cup.
When UEFA decided to let Liverpool defend their Champions League victory, they cut one of the three English team places, and three other teams (one Russian and two Kazakhstani) out of the 2005-6 UEFA Cup.

Why do they think that playing in the UEFA Cup is not important to these teams, and to their obviously not rich nations?

They wanted to continue with their agreed overall allocations of seven places to England Spain and Italy- which was decided on their clubs' previous success. Surely England deserve more now than Spain? Surely Russia deserve to increase their allocation, not have their teams eliminated.

Look at UEFA.com website- look who is on their Executive Committee. They meet every two months. They meet next in Manchester at COMS from midday Friday 17 June to midday Saturday. The following meeting will be too late.

Blues fans should turn up and try to meet UEFA Excom members b�" and say that they should re-instate the teams they have eliminated from the 2005-6 UEFA Cup.

Tell FA member Geoffrey Thompson that he's not just there for the free lunch but to support this just demand!

()

Report

Manchester City