WHEN news filtered through that Manchester City had been granted a place in the UEFA Cup next season, it was with a mixture of relief and delight that Mike Summerbee embraced the announcement.

Like all those with Laser Blue blood coursing through their veins, 'Buzzer' was thrilled that his beloved side would soon be rubbing shoulders with some of the top names in European football, following a break of 24 years.

There was, however, also a large sense of relief. Having played in the only City squad to win a European trophy ' the 1970 Cup Winners' Cup ' Summerbee is constantly reminded of those fabled achievements.

During the time he played alongside the likes of Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Neil Young, City qualified for European competition six times in ten years and were never beaten at home by foreign opposition.

Proud record

Where AC Milan, Juventus and Valencia all tried and failed, Chelsea ' in the 1971 Cup Winners' Cup semi-final ' remain the only side to have won a European tie in the blue half of Manchester.

Though Summerbee enjoys reminiscing with supporters about those heady times, he reckons City's current squad now have the chance to give those same fans something different to talk about, with all roads leading to Gothenburg next May.

And while he concedes that topping the Fair Play League may not have been the ideal way to have re-joined Europe's elite, he insists it is an opportunity that few people will turn their noses up at.

'Everything we did should be consigned to history and people should really stop talking about it,' said Summerbee, who saw injury rule him out of the Gornik Zabrze final, thus depriving him of the chance of adding a Cup Winners' Cup medal to an already glittering collection.

'It's time we started talking about what this side of Kevin Keegan's can achieve.

Back in the big time

'He has done a fantastic job and the chance of playing against the likes of Roma, Auxerre and Feyenoord next year will develop the club further. It is not the way we would have wanted to qualify. Of course we wanted to do that through a place in the Premiership.

'But Kevin will ensure we grasp the opportunity and now we can start planning further ahead. I'm over the moon and it fantastic news for everyone.

'It is a massive opportunity and all the better because we have a magnificent new stadium to go and we will be seeing some wonderful talents playing there.

'It is also great for the city. We are back in Europe, Manchester United are in the Champions League again and now when people on the continent look at Manchester, and they will see there are two first-class sides here.'

Can City's current squad bring back the glory days? Have your say.

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