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Some of this has appeared elsewhere now, but I thought I'd share it. Personally, I think this is a bit of very positive news on something the Club is doing.

A few months back I was approached by a couple of members of Academy staff who wanted to give the current crop of 16/17 year olds some background into the Club's history.

Obviously, all football clubs should do this as a matter of course but the fact is that they don't.

I met up with the guys, we talked through ideas and then we created a series of sessions to last throughout the season. The plan was that these would focus on all key aspects of our history, supporters, club colours, and so on.

Earlier this week we staged the first one. We talked with the players about the birth of the Club; took them to the site of St. Mark's Church in West Gorton; went to Gorton Park (where the Club played in 1882-1884 when it was more commonly known as Donkey Common or Queens Road); visited the site of the old Hyde Rd ground; then went to the stadium where they went in the dressing room, up the tunnel and also looked at the exhibition on the plans for the new training facilities.

We talked about the way City and football developed; about the fact that City achieved major success before most of the other modern day giants (before Utd, 26 years before Arsenal, 51 years before Chelsea...European success before Liverpool); we talked about the Club having to get fans out of the crowd to make up teams; the conditions and life of the first players and so on.

I believe what we did yesterday was pretty innovative for a football club. Others do bits on their history, but most tend to pay lip service to it. I'm not aware of any club that takes their potential future stars walking around the areas of their birth.

The session also demonstrated to me that people often assume high-profile Premier League football clubs and their players think only about the modern day but City are clearly trying to ensure that their future stars understand the significance of the Club to its community, and the importance of each period of its history.

Future sessions have been planned and we will cover all areas of the Club's history and topics such as Supporters.

This is the sort of thing every football club should do. It gives players an understanding and empathy with the fans and, of course, the city of Manchester.

With many focusing on all the negatives surrounding the Club, its players, directors, and its perceived wealth, there are some very real positive activities going on.

Paul Lake joined us on the session and it was very clear that the Club had never done anything like this when he was a player (and I guess they've never done it at all during any previous regime). Incidentally - I'm sure everyone already knows this - Paul is also a great ambassador for the Club.

Hopefully, the story will make its way on to the website soon. Part of the day was filmed and should appear on the site later this week/early next week.

I should add that I was very impressed with the way the Academy lads behaved and acted. The future is bright.

Ah, nostalgia's not what it used to be.... :)

Nice post, mate I wonder if they would add a clip or two of that plonker David Pleat dancing in his white shoes on our pitch to the boys education, we never want to see that sort of thing again.

Hazy2 wrote:Nice post, mate I wonder if they would add a clip or two of that plonker David Pleat dancing in his white shoes on our pitch to the boys education, we never want to see that sort of thing again.

I've not included it so far but maybe there's a case for it. I did tell them about 1996 and Ball's idea to keep the ball in the corner, while Quinn ran down the touchline telling the players to open up play (plus Quinn's apology on MOTD) - all part of a discussion on players.

good luck with this gary. It sounds like the club has thought it through and came to the right man.

There's a thread elsewhere on here about how a disproportionately high number of our past Academy graduates have ended up involved in different forms of criminal and antisocial behaviours, irrespective of their levels of success in football; Barton, K Etuhu, BWP, Vidal, Timms, Tandy, Sestanovich, Esdaille-Biney for starters

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Fantastic to see that the current regime is trying to plant the new kids feet back on the ground and remind them how lucky they are and what a responsibility they carry. Keep it up!

I'm impressed with this. It's something all clubs should do (but bollox to them), I'm only interested in the fact that our club has come up with a great idea & a useful counter to the anti-City propaganda, which preposterously suggests we don't actually have any history.

Thanks for the info Gary, keep up the good work.

This is really something we should be proud of and applaud the club for. What the club means to the wider community and who and what they're representing is important if we want our playing staff to understand the significance - and be proud of - of the shirt they wear.

Gary, any idea who's idea this was?

Guy Debord wrote:This is really something we should be proud of and applaud the club for. What the club means to the wider community and who and what they're representing is important if we want our playing staff to understand the significance - and be proud of - of the shirt they wear.

Gary, any idea who's idea this was?

Over the years there have been many similar suggestions so it's difficult to properly record whose ideas came first etc.

What I can say is that I was approached a few months back by a couple of the Academy coaches with the idea. They'd discussed it within the Club and someone, not certain who, suggested they contact me. We met up and went through their idea. I added my own thoughts and, after quite lengthy chats, research etc. we came up with a season long programme of sessions.

The Academy guys discussed it with their bosses and ultimately with Garry Cook, who was delighted by all accounts because it fitted with his strategy and plans and the long term aims (everyone should pop into the exhibition at the stadium on the new training facilities because ultimately this is one small part of where the Club wants to be).

After lots of preparation and planning the first session happened this week. After the session a few of us were interviewed, so hopefully more info will appear on the website soon. I've probably already said too much because, in truth, we're still at the early stages of all this, but I do think it's something that proves the Club isn't solely focussed on buying expensive stars - the future lies with Academy players educated in City's history and helped to become fully rounded individuals. This history angle is only one small piece of an enormous amount of education and work put into the Academy by lots of quality individuals.

It's stories like this that really reinforce my belief that the club is being run by the best possible people. Well done city!

Excellent idea/application by the club ... good work Gary, well in fella

I love this initiative!
Many thanks for sharing Gary!

The subject of the fans should be an interesting learning experience...

really pleased to hear the club doing a lot to preserve and promote their history and roots. the one thing i really wish all the players could have seen, past present and future, is the young and middle aged me failing to hold back tears as the winner went in the cup final as the weight of 35 trophyless years was lifted off their backs!

It's been put on the OS now. Well in gary, well in City.

As well as edited highlights now appearing on the OS "The Academy Past & Present", I've added a link via my facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GaryJames4

This is only a fraction of what we said and did that day, but hopefully it gives a feel for how it went.

We completed the second session yesterday. A very enjoyable day focusing on supporters.

I did a presentation on Supporters (including stuff like... Poznan, The Trawler 12, Blue Moon, Bananas, City On The Hill, "Who Said City Couldn't Play" 1930s, 1 million people on the streets for homecoming parade, average attendances, record crowds - 5 of Manchester's top eleven are for City home games at Maine Rd, only 1 is for a Utd home game at OT, the 11th highest crowd, plus a couple of Utd's at Maine Road).

This was all performed at Ricky Hatton's gym/leisure centre in one of the boxing rings. Then we did a Q&A with Ricky about being a fan.

Apart from the fact we're doing this the best thing for me was that this time Brian Marwood and Patrick Vieira came along and participated in it all. I think that demonstrated the significance of what we're trying to do. Last time Paul Lake did an excellent job helping us get the history over and this time it was Brian, Patrick and Ricky.

Part of it was filmed, so I'd expect something to appear on the MCFC website at the right moment.

Excellent stuff, cheers Gary for the update, great read

Really truly top stuff.

It'd be great if the first team did this too. Any plans Gary?

dazby wrote:It'd be great if the first team did this too. Any plans Gary?

Always hopeful.

You wouldnt get that much time to do this in a prem match...but even still..what a fuckign cracker!!

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