tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45577820441777568422024-03-08T03:32:47.328-08:00The Ascent of ManchesterUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-18128068035328736972013-09-30T00:40:00.002-07:002013-09-30T00:40:18.475-07:00Greater Manchester - the 1992 General Election<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELeaQCtTfRthVumf2PubLksAC5AUsCe14UtkTR9jbhdQGYJd2jc4BnIkvgFWY2l8zCdQJjW0b4U718D2OlG7WgwW38f4ymvaT0iwORbD-4JbubWq51dhD9Th64a7754FbNJ8MdfLcRIg/s1600/92GM+elections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELeaQCtTfRthVumf2PubLksAC5AUsCe14UtkTR9jbhdQGYJd2jc4BnIkvgFWY2l8zCdQJjW0b4U718D2OlG7WgwW38f4ymvaT0iwORbD-4JbubWq51dhD9Th64a7754FbNJ8MdfLcRIg/s400/92GM+elections.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This map shows roughly how Greater Manchester voted in the 1992 general election. It's based on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Parliamentary_constituencies_and_Members_of_Parliament_in_Greater_Manchester">the current constituency map</a> which has changed since then so it's not exact. Generally this is a region where the Labour vote has to be weighed rather than counted, but it used to be a lot bluer than it is now.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Clearly the inner core is red. Salford East (11,000); Manchester Blackley (12,500); Manchester Central (18,000); Manchester Gorton (16,000); Manchester Withington (9,000); Stretford (11,000). These are the five inner-most seats with the difference between the Labour and the Tory vote in brackets.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But it's not a simple case of a Labour core and a Tory periphery. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Withington_%28UK_Parliament_constituency%29">Manchester Withington</a> had been held by the Tories from 1931 until as recently as 1987.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Labour's biggest strongholds were on the outskirts:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wigan (22,000), Leigh (19,000) and Makerfield (18,000) in the far west </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Worsley (10,000), Eccles (13,000) and Bolton South East (12,500) in the near west </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ashton-under-Lyne (11,000), Denton & Reddish (12,000) and Stalybridge & Hyde (15,000) in the east</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heywood & Middleton (8,000), Oldham West (8,000) and Oldham Central & Royton (8,000) in the north/north-east</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Manchester Wythenshawe (10,000) in the south </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main Tory strongholds on the peripheries</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>MORE TO FOLLOW...</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Notes...] </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheadle_%28UK_Parliament_constituency%29">Cheadle</a> was Tories (32,500), Lib Dems (16,700), Labour (6,400). This is of course only the tip of the Cheshire iceberg, now split into Cheadle (8) and Hazel Grove (11) in the south-east corner of the map.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The south-west corner is also strongly Tory here. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altrincham_and_Sale_%28UK_Parliament_constituency%29">Altringham & Sale</a> (1) was Tories (29,000), Labour (12,200), Lib Dems (11,600).</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-53288579148573630302013-08-21T10:41:00.000-07:002013-08-21T11:34:22.425-07:00Irish Manchester in 1991<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.movinghere.org.uk/galleries/histories/irish/images/BL-Irish-Echo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://www.movinghere.org.uk/galleries/histories/irish/images/BL-Irish-Echo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This is a map of Irish settlement in Manchester in 1991 from an old copy of the Irish Echo, available at the <a href="http://www.movinghere.org.uk/galleries/histories/irish/settling/settling.htm#settlement">Moving Here Migration Histories</a> website. The top ten postcodes are:<br />
<br />
1. M14 (2,352)<br />
2. M19 (2,122)<br />
3. M20 (1,972)<br />
4. M32 (1,546)<br />
5. M33 (1,505)<br />
6. M16 (1,454)<br />
7. M25 (1,432)<br />
8. M10 (1,399)<br />
9. M21 (1,325)<br />
10. M13 (1,322)<br />
<br />
M14 is Fallowfield, Moss Side, Rusholme, Ladybarn; M19 is Levenshulme, Burnage, Heaton Mersey, Heaton Chapel, Reddish; M20 is Didsbury, Withington; M32 is Stretford; M33 is Sale, Brooklands; M16 is Firswood, Old Trafford, Whalley Range.<br />
<br />
So the top six postcodes are all clustered around south Manchester.<br />
<br />
M25 (where I grew up) is Prestwich, Sedgley Park, Simister. What used to be M10 (now M40) is Collyhurst, Miles Platting, Moston, New Moston, Newton Heath. These two postcodes are north Manchester.<br />
<br />
M21 is Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Barlow Moor; M13 (as Ian Brown famously sang) is Ardwick, Longsight, Chorlton-on-Medlock. Both postcodes are in south Manchester.<br />
<br />
This clearly shows that the Irish settled, at least in recent years, mainly in south Manchester, around the two football stadiums, Old Trafford and Maine Road, and the university. It follows that despite a widespread perception of Manchester United as a 'Catholic' club (especially from the 1930s to the 1960s), lots of Manchester Irish would support City, members of the band Oasis being the classic example (although we shouldn't forget Johnny Marr from the Smiths).<br />
<br />
It also suggests that the north and south of Manchester are the immigrant areas. The north is actually more of an immigrant area than is suggested in the information above. The Irish World Heritage Centre is located in Cheetham Hill, probably the area of Manchester most defined by various waves of immigration.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-85989532187079877112012-09-15T13:27:00.000-07:002012-10-29T23:58:12.201-07:00Old Trafford and Russian Constructivism<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.gambling-guru.com/images/old-trafford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.gambling-guru.com/images/old-trafford.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've just finished reading the Manchester chapter in Owen Hatherley's <i>A Guide to the New Ruins of Great Britain </i>and was really struck by this passage about getting to Salford:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You could cross [the Irwell] via the swanky bridge designed by instant regenerator Santiago Calatrava but to get the true measure of the place it's best approached through the bleak dual carriageways, retail parks, office complexes and industrial estates of Trafford, where you get to see the bizarre Yeltsin-Constructivism of Old Trafford Stadium, redesigned by local architects Atherden Fuller in the late 1990s. This freakish mix of domineering symmetries and bared structure is heralded by a statue of Denis Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton, the United Trinity locked in embrace. Their faithfully rendered skinny bodies and skimpy 1960s kit contrasts vividly with today's lumbering soccer supermen, leaving them looking dainty and rather camp, with a slight mince to their celebratory pose.</span></b></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I Googled the phrase "Yeltsin-Constructivism" to find out what it meant and came across what must have been <a href="http://nastybrutalistandshort.blogspot.com/2009/06/i-know-its-over.html">an earlier draft of the same paragraph</a>, in which he talks about "the bizarre Yeltsin-Constructivism of Old Trafford, where domineering symmetries, bared structure and outrageously kitsch statues prove the enduring ridiculousness of the world's least interesting football team."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's worth pointing out that in the book itself, Hatherley makes clear his apparent lack of interest in football-in-general when he complains about the conversion of the Urbis building into the National Football Museum: "It's difficult to imagine any fate more depressing."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Luckily, what Hatherley appears to lack in interest in football (and its role in the city's regneration), he makes up for in his architectural descriptions. He appears to be the only person to ever have used the term "Yeltsin-Constructivism" and what a great, unique way to describe what is probably Manchester's most iconic and important building, the centre of a global commercial empire and (despite what Hatherley appears to think) probably the most enduring narrative in world football.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It makes you wonder whether the architects consciously had the idea of some sort of postmodern 1990s form of Russian Constructivism in mind when they redesigned the stadium. Whilst there is no record (on Google) of anyone using the term "Yeltsin-Constructivism," there is a group called the <a href="http://www.newconstructivists.co.uk/">New Constructivists</a>, whose aim is to explore constructivism's "stylistic relevance to the contemporary world in terms of the use of line, planes, precision and formal ordering of visual elements."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article415131.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/soviet-map-pic-mens-350459665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article415131.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/soviet-map-pic-mens-350459665.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This wouldn't have been the first time Manchester United have been associated with the imagery of the Soviet Union, and I don't mean the Red Army's 1974 "<a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/soviet-plan-to-invade-manchester-revealed-415132">plan to invade Manchester.</a>" United fans have long referred to themselves as the Red Army. The Republic of Mancunia has recently become a popular slogan, with its attendant image of clenched fists and red stars (not to mention the occassional hammer and sickle). In a recent article on the football website <i>In Bed With Maradona</i> on <a href="http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2012/9/6/manchester-united-a-lifetime-on-the-left.html">Manchester United's left-wing tendency</a>, I suggested that this may have stemmed from the industrial character of the area around Old Trafford (<a href="http://www.wcml.org.uk/contents/international/cold-war/yuri-gagarin-in-manchester/">visited in 1961 by the cosmonaut Yuri Gargarin</a>).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's hard to imagine any other area in the UK making such a play on this perceived left-wing identity - "red" in more than one sense of the word. The irony is obvious and many have pointed it out in response to the IBWM article. The club whose fans align themselves with the imagery (if not necessarily the politics) of the far left (possibly reflected in the design of the stadium), are also famously successful at global marketing and closely identified with huge sponsorship deals with the likes of insurance giants AON, car manufacturers Chevrolet, logistics firm DHL and watchmakers Hublot. A far cry (as Hatherley seems to be hinting at) from the innocent world of Law, Best and Charlton, modest salaries and sponsorless shirts.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Football is the global sport and Manchester United are its common currency. Its brand strategists have successfully tapped that huge market and Old Trafford is the symbolic centre of what I earlier described and what can only be described as an empire. It stands alongside the Nou Camp, the Bernabeu and the San Siro as a monument to European club football's global dominance. With the term "Yeltsin-Constructivism," Owen Hatherley may have summed up its unusual aesthetic.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-18387138340683544622012-09-13T09:36:00.000-07:002012-09-13T11:07:07.099-07:00A football map of Europe (avg attendances)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.zeemaps.com/pub?group=413621&x=6.040559&y=49.518890&z=14" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZv7ChyWP22yFOjATCMEGUa9pS09Fkg3Y9klttRUj-1drhZpo3G8cJMT5aFWR09VNC1Nb6dMrJvD6u9r4J5Z2l7kqg88vEtehi1eMz5OJAFnmHjx40pSvC0gzATNYzfVQW2SK4uIXxwM/s640/Obrazek+5.png" width="640" /></a></div>
This map shows the 12 biggest derbies in Europe (marked in red), based on combined average attendance figures for both clubs throughout the season, where a derby is defined as a match between two clubs whose stadiums are within 5 miles of each other.* The yellow markers show the 13 individual clubs with the highest average attendance who didn't make the list.<br />
<br />
*The 5 mile criteria allows us to define Arsenal vs. Spurs as a derby but not Arsenal vs. Chelsea (whose stadiums are 6.4 miles apart). Of the derbies (outside London) which would have made the list had the distance criteria been different, Newcastle United vs. Sunderland (10 miles apart), Hertha Berlin vs. Union Berlin (14 miles apart), Borussia Dortmund vs. Schalke (17 miles apart), the Berlin derby is the only one-city derby, but the combined average attendance of the Revierderby would make it the largest in Europe.<br />
<br />
Click on the map or <a href="http://www.zeemaps.com/pub?group=413621&x=6.040559&y=49.518890&z=14">here</a> to zoom in and see the figures.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-56885206959628931162012-09-09T12:57:00.002-07:002012-09-10T03:41:15.598-07:00Manchester derby the biggest in Europe<h2>
Europe's biggest derbies by combined average attendance<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Manchester United<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">75,387<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Manchester City<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">47,044<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">122,431<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Real Madrid<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">74,836<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Atletico Madrid<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">45,236<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">120,072<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">FC Barcelona<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">78,340<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">RCD Espanyol<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">26,826<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">105,166<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Milan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">51,442<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Internazionale<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">47,913<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">99,355<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Celtic<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">50,904<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rangers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">46,324<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">97,288<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Arsenal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">60,000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tottenham Hotspur<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">36,026<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">96,026<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bayern Munich<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">69,000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">TSV Munchen 1860<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">22,898<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">91,898<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Liverpool<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">44,253<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Everton<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">33,228<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">77,481<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">0.6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Benfica<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">42,464<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sporting CP<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">34,490<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">76,954<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hamburg SV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">53,465<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">St. Pauli<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">23,220<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">76,685<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">11<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Real Betis<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">37,405<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Seville<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">35,684<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">73,089<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Roma<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">35,240<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lazio<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">32,444<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">67,687<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chelsea<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">41,478<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fulham<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">25,293<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">66,771<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aston Villa<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">33,873<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">West Brom<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">24,793<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">58,666<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">VfB Stuttgart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">55,090<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stuttgarter Kickers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">3,561<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">58,651<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Juventus<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">37,545<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Torino<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">15,897<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">53,442<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 22.85pt;" valign="top" width="23">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">17<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 111.8pt;" valign="top" width="112">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Feyenoord<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">44,605<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 118.15pt;" valign="top" width="118">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sparta Rotterdam<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 53.15pt;" valign="top" width="53">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">7,089<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 59.15pt;" valign="top" width="59">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">51,694<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 35.15pt;" valign="top" width="35">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<!--EndFragment--></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
The table above shows Europe's biggest derbies based on combined average attendances throughout the 2011-2012 season (i.e. not just for the derby matches themselves but for all matches). I've defined a derby as a match between two teams whose stadiums are within 5 miles of each other. With a combined average attendance of 69,573 the derby between Hertha Berlin and Union Berlin would have made the list but the clubs' stadiums are 14.4 miles apart. I would be very interested to know if there are other derbies which people think would make the list based on these criteria. The stadiums of Borussia Dortmund and Schalke are 17 miles apart but their combined average attendance of 141,739 would make it the biggest derby in Europe. Newcastle United and Sunderland have a combined average attendance of 89,030 but their stadiums are 10 miles apart.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-87706359522693421492012-09-07T16:08:00.000-07:002012-09-07T22:43:56.562-07:00Neville, Giggs and Scholes: United's Modern Trinity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DFq9T4jX2a89ZuLiSf1H83eQbQNQKiLri7Kj5qNlnbozX9Em4TcNQujlAV6iTkhr8-SEc5JhL9gT6YdGzKJz1DsFi3snJplmscdaWdO5imMplXBDXTvhSuD8Ns6pgBFAaEIMkYnuy0Y/s1600/Obrazek+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DFq9T4jX2a89ZuLiSf1H83eQbQNQKiLri7Kj5qNlnbozX9Em4TcNQujlAV6iTkhr8-SEc5JhL9gT6YdGzKJz1DsFi3snJplmscdaWdO5imMplXBDXTvhSuD8Ns6pgBFAaEIMkYnuy0Y/s1600/Obrazek+3.png" /></a></div>
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Manchester United use the language of divine mystery to celebrate the partnership of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton, who helped propel the club to European Cup success in 1968, ten years after the Munich Air Disaster. They each won the Ballon d'Or (Law in 1964, Charlton in 1966 and Best in 1968) and are the core part of a narrative of phoenix-like resurrection which saw United become world football's most famous club. Forty years after becoming the first club to win the European Cup, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2301859/Man-Utd-Holy-Trinity-honoured-with-Old-Trafford-statue.html">a statue to commemorate the 'Holy Trinity' was unveiled outside Old Trafford</a> (in the same year Cristiano Ronaldo became the fourth United player to win the Ballon d'Or).<br />
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After 1968 the club fell into decline and were already relegated when Denis Law (now playing for local rivals City) scored his famous backheeled goal on the last day of the 1973-74 season. Promoted the following season, they won the FA Cup in 1977, 1983 and 1985 before beginning their long march with Alex Ferguson in 1986. Winning the FA Cup again in 1990 provided breathing space as did European Cup Winners' Cup in 1991 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_European_Cup_Winners'_Cup_Final">with an all British-and-Irish team</a> but by the time the first Premier League season got underway in 1992, United had gone 25 years without a league title.<br />
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United had dominated the first five seasons of the FA Youth Cup in the same way Real Madrid did with the first five seasons of the European Cup. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FA_Youth_Cup_Finals_of_the_1950s">The team that won the competition five times between 1953 and 1957</a> went on to become the 'Busby Babes': Duncan Edwards in 1953, Charlton and Edwards in 1954 and 1955, Charlton in 1956. In 1992 a team featuring Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, David Beckham and Nicky Butt won the competition again. The following year Giggs was absent from the team which lost in the final to Leeds but Neville, Beckham and Butt were joined by Gary's younger brother Phil and Paul Scholes. Just as Charlton and Edwards had become part of the '<i>Busby Babes</i>,' these six would become part of the rather more awkward-sounding '<i>Fergie's Fledglings</i>.'<br />
<br />
Ryan Giggs made his debut in March 1991, Gary Neville made his in September 1992 and Paul Scholes made his in September 1994. They now make up three of the top five United players in terms of games played. At the time of writing, Giggs is first with 910 appearances, Scholes third with 699 and Neville fifth with 602. Longevity alone makes them worthy successors to the original 'Trinity.' All three have shown the loyalty of local lads playing for the club they grew up supporting (Giggs from Swinton, Neville from Bury and Scholes from Middleton). Throughout the years, they have provided the core for star players such as Cantona, Keane, Beckham, Rooney and Ronaldo to work around. But what marks them out is their success.<br />
<br />
In 1976 Liverpool became the most successful club in England outright, with nine league titles to Arsenal's eight. They went on to win nine more titles over the next fifteen years. When United won their eighth league title in 1993, Liverpool fans waved a banner: 'Come back when you've won 18." The incredible thing is that this team, with such important contributions from Neville, Giggs and Scholes, did just that and in 2011 United won their 19th league title.<br />
<br />
Gary Neville never enjoyed such heroic moments as Ryan Giggs' <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quI_LkMj4HI&noredirect=1">winner against Arsenal in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final</a> or Paul Scholes' <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f0lRnnIUI0">winner against Barcelona in the 2008 Champions League semi-final</a>. He would never have won the Ballon d'Or but throughout his career he did show the tenacity to become one of the best players in his position. Charlton, Law and Best make up three of the top five United scorers of all time but Charlton won 3 league titles, whilst Law and Best won two. Giggs has won 12 and Scholes has won 10 so far. Neville won 8. Loyalty, longevity but above all success - this is what makes United's modern trinity more-than worthy successors to the originals.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-10233131531488684072012-09-05T20:13:00.001-07:002012-09-05T20:13:29.826-07:00How do Heathrow runway talks affect Manchester?The combined passenger numbers for London's four airports in 2011 are over 130m, just over half of which is accounted for by Heathrow, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic">the world's third busiest airport</a> (although these figures suggest that London is the world's busiest airport city).<br />
<br />
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">London Heathrow<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">69,433,220<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">London Gatwick<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">33,674,264<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">London Stansted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">18,052,843<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">London Luton<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">9,513,704<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />
By contrast, Manchester Airport is the 17th busiest in the European Union with 18,892,756 passengers in 2011 (slightly more than Stansted).<br />
<br />
The distances involved in getting between the "London" airports suggests that the concept of an airport city is always going to be a loose one. The distance between Stansted and Gatwick is 54 miles; Stansted to Heathrow is 42 miles; Heathrow to Gatwick (the core) is around 25 miles.<br />
<br />
Of the busiest airports nearest to Manchester Airport, Liverpool John Lennon (24 miles away) had 5,215,161 passengers in 2011; East Midlands (53 miles away) had 4,215,192; and Birmingham (66 miles away) had 8,616,269.<br />
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Of the other airports in the British Isles, Dublin (18,741,095) and Edinburgh (9,385,245) and Glasgow (6,880,217) are the busiest in terms of passenger numbers for 2011.<br />
<br />
These figures show that the airport map of the British Isles is dominated by London, as we would expect. Manchester and Dublin are the next busiest, the second tier if you like. A third tier would include Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow and Liverpool.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/PIA_747-240BM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/PIA_747-240BM.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
<br />
Manchester is one of only a handful of airports with the runway capacity for the new Airbus A380 megaplanes. The first to arrive at Manchester <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-11148598">did so in September 2010</a> after a flight from Dubai. Soon afterwards, March 2011 saw the news that Emirates (based in Dubai), Etihad (based in Abu Dhabi) and Qatar Aiways (based in Doha) were all <a href="http://www.southalltravel.co.uk/news/UK/90402010/Emirates,-Etihad-and-Qatar-Boost-Operations-to-Manchester.html">putting Manchester at the centre of their long-term strategy</a> amidst signs that Heathrow was running beyond capacity. This is significant when we bear in mind that as recently as June 2012 it was remarked that the Gulf Carriers were "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jun/17/airline-industry-streamline-euro-crisis-fuel-costs">taking over the world.</a>"<br />
<br />
If Manchester can build itself up as a Middle East hub then it looks to have a fairly secure future, with onward connections from there to the Far East. One possible factor in Manchester's success is the link between its football clubs and their growing global fanbase. Certainly the success of the two teams can't be a bad thing in terms of increasing the city's global brand. It helps that in September 2008, Manchester City were bought out by the Abu Dhabi United Group, who have close links with Etihad. In September 2011, it was reported that the Qatari royal family were <a href="http://www.arabianbusiness.com/qatar-royals-linked-fresh-2-4bn-man-utd-buyout-420815.html">interested in buying out Manchester United</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/52077000/jpg/_52077649_img_5485-2400x1600-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/52077000/jpg/_52077649_img_5485-2400x1600-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Manchester Airport is possibly the city's best asset. Located just over 7 miles south of the city centre in the Cheshire commuter belt, what makes it most attractive is the room for further expansion - not just of the airport itself but the businesses that rely on it. <a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2059521_2059701_2059696,00.html">One recent theory</a> suggests that airports will be central to the cities of the future. Even if seaports, railways and motorways will remain strategically important, it's likely that airports will grow in importance and this has recently been recognised by the government.<br />
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Plans for a £6,000,000 Airport City in Manchester (i.e. business park or enterprize zone) <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-13018719">were being talked about in April 2011</a> "the first of its kind in the UK." These <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-16526677">were endorsed by the Chancellor George Osborne in January 2012</a>, who talked about creating "an international business destination to compete with similar locations in Barcelona, Amsterdam and Frankfurt."<br />
<br />
Locally this development can only be a good thing in terms of bringing further investment and jobs to the area. There are misgivings about the fact that a lot of this investment will go in to the already affluent southern outskirts of the city. But the emphatic <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/7778110.stm">rejection of a congestion charge scheme in December 2008</a> is just one indication that the long-term attractiveness of doing business in Manchester city centre may be an issue that needs to be resolved.<br />
<br />
Another long-term factor is the construction of the HS2 rail network. Although it will be many years before this is built, Manchester Airport <a href="http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/transport/s/1410661_manchester_airport_may_be_highspeed_rail_network_hub">has been proposed as a strategically important site for a train station along the route</a>. Would this have the effect of taking business away from Manchester? Would it bring more benefit to London and Birmingham? These are questions which won't become relevant until 2033 if the line does actually get built.<br />
<br />
If it does get built, High Speed rail may offer competition to the airlines itself at least in so far as connections to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt are concerned. However, as we have seen the future of Manchester Airport in particular may lie in the long-distance routes to North America, the Middle East and beyond.<br />
<br />
The more immediate concern is over the government's recent proposals for talks about increasing airport capacity in the South-East, with the controversial idea of a third runway at Heathrow not being ruled out. The fact that such an idea is proving so controversial benefits Manchester but the distances involved mean that Birmingham stands to lose/gain the most from any decision. It's easy to imagine some sort of rebranding of Birmingham Airport as Birmingham London after the construction of HS2. Manchester is well located, further away, to avoid such a scenario and it already has the passenger numbers to justify investment in the Airport City development. Once this is built, Manchester may even be able to market itself as a credible alternative to overcrowded, congested London.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-63109483469382111472012-09-04T10:19:00.002-07:002012-09-04T10:19:38.223-07:00Is it time we had a Manchester Music Museum?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/from-classics-to-madchester-museum-marks-citys-heritage-564264.html">This article from the Independent in May 2004</a> suggests that plans to set up a Manchester Music Museum were being made at the time by a company called "100% Cotton" and implies that the project have fallen through at a later stage due to problems in finding a suitable site or raising sufficient funds. One possibility is that the materials prepared for the museum may have been used for temporary exhibitions at Urbis, e.g. "Sex, Seditionaries and the Sex Pistols" in 2005, and something on the Hacienda in 2007. Now that Urbis has been transformed into the National Football Museum, the city no longer has a space for such exhibits and it's only a matter of time before the growing calls for some kind of permanent gallery or museum documenting the rise and fall of the Manchester Music scene gather momentum.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i3.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article776085.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/British+Design+V&A:+The+Hacienda+recreated+" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://i3.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article776085.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/British+Design+V&A:+The+Hacienda+recreated+" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A recreation of the Hacienda's interior at London's V&A, March 2012</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The importance of Ben Kelly's interior design work on the Hacienda has been made the subject of part of <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hacienda-rebuilt-madchester-nightclub-recreated-776774">an exhibition on British Design (1942-2012)</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The picture above is reminiscent of the recreation of The Cavern in The Beatles Story in Liverpool and any Manchester Music Museum would surely be centred around something similar. Perhaps another room would try to recreate the atmosphere of a Northern Soul all-nighter at The Twisted Wheel, etc. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manchester's tourist numbers <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/03/britain-industrial-cities-tourism-powerhouses">are growing and will probably continue to do so</a>. However the city has to make the most of its unique selling points - this site gets a steady stream of visitors from around the world who've been Googling "Joy Division"; The Smiths also have an extremely dedicated international fanbase (as seen by the unlikely popularity of Salford Lads' Club as a tourist destination); the recent Stone Roses reunion showed that there is a huge demand for Manchester-related musical nostalgia.</span><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The National Centre for Popular Music in Sheffield opened in March 1999 and closed in June 2000</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many feel that the city makes too big a deal of its past musical prominence, a debate which has seen the BBC asking <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17906259">where the next generation of Manchester bands are going to come from</a> and others arguing that the city should be looking forward not backwards, etc. On the news that Peter Hook was releasing a book on his experiences as part of Joy Division, one wag commented that "<a href="http://louderthanwar.com/peter-hook-announces-new-book-promo-tour/">someone should buy that man a milking stool.</a>" This level of cynicism reflects a city unwilling to rest on its laurels, etc. and suggests that any concrete plans for a Manchester Music Museum would be highly controversial, even if "done right" or "done well." Key players would almost certainly include the excellent <a href="http://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/archive/homePage.php">Manchester District Music Archive</a> but the project would probably still struggle to attract funding during a time of economic belt-tightening. Similar projects have failed in the past. The National Centre for Popular Music in Sheffield <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Centre_for_Popular_Music">was closed just over a year after it opened because of low visitor numbers</a>. Ironically (j</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ust as Urbis risked becoming a white elephant until it was converted into the National Football Museum), </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the Millenium Dome was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Music_Experience">converted into the British Music Experience in March 2009</a>. The questions remains: how long before we have a Manchester Music Experience and on what kind of scale would it be?</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-53746753860907176462012-09-04T08:31:00.002-07:002012-09-04T08:31:39.634-07:00New Year's Eve 83/84 - The Smiths' first US gig<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/c-a3OrADOpU" width="560"></iframe><br />
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This video shows Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr talking about the band's first US gig. They had just released their second single <i>This Charming Man</i> in the UK. The gig was at Danceteria in New York on New Years Eve 1983/84. Opening was the venue's hat-check girl, soon to make her UK live debut at the Hacienda in Manchester.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-60362477123076930912012-09-02T07:42:00.000-07:002012-09-04T10:21:16.662-07:00The End of [Manchester Music] History in 1992<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1992, Francis Fukuyama's <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_End_of_History_and_the_Last_Man">The End of History</a></i> was published, arguing that with the collapse of communism three years earlier, human history had essentially reached its end goal (which was liberal democracy). Events would still occur (notably the 11th September 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre in New York) but none of these would radically change the direction of history and politics - Fukuyama's thesis remained the same. The idea that history has a beginning and an end was not new - the philosopher GWF Hegel apparently claimed that history had ended with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Jena-Auerstedt">Napoleon's victory in the Battle of Jena in 1806</a> (an idea which must have been challenged by the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> When charting the rise and fall of Manchester music, it's easy to find a beginning - the choice is between the Sex Pistols first gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in June 1976 or Buzzcocks' release of <i>Spiral Scratch </i>in January 1977 (both of which are interlinked). In theory it would be possible to go all the way back to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32VWELcZUMM">the Hollies</a> but it's easy to see how this is essentially a different kind of music/youth culture. From punk onwards, Manchester was at the forefront with Joy Division, The Fall, New Order, The Smiths, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Happy Mondays and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Stone Roses. Which brings us to Fukuyama's idea of an endpoint - the point after which great music might still be produced but it doesn't change the overall direction of travel, a "post-music" stage if you like.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The big question is whether to include Oasis in a history of Manchester Music. My original intention was to write a history of the years 1976 to 1996 with the IRA bomb of June 1996, almost exactly 20 years after the first Sex Pistols gig. Divided into five equal parts (four-year periods <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/love-will-tear-us-apart-1976-1980.html">1976-1980</a>, <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/blue-monday-1980-1984.html">1980-1984</a>, <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/there-is-light-that-never-goes-out-1984.html">1984-1988</a>, <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/she-bangs-drums-1988-1992.html">1988-1992</a> and 1992-1996) it fitted the NME's list of their top 100 tracks, in which five of the top ten were by Manchester bands: Joy Division's <i>Love Will Tear Us Apart</i> (1980), New Order's <i>Blue Monday</i> (1983), The Smiths' <i>There Is A Light That Never Goes Out </i>(1986), The Stone Roses' <i>She Bangs the Drums</i> (1989) and Oasis' <i>Wonderwall</i> (1995).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The case for including Oasis based on popularity is strong. 1994's <i>Definitely Maybe </i>was the fastest-selling debut album at the time it was released. 1995's <i>(What's the Story) Morning Glory? </i>is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_in_the_United_Kingdom">the fourth best-selling album ever in the UK</a>. But if popularity is taken into consideration, why not focus more on Take That or Simply Red? What began with the Sex Pistols in 1976 and Buzzcocks in 1977 had already finished by the time Oasis arrived. Oasis were like Baudrillard's Simulacrum, a constructed reality cobbled together from what had come before. The classic example is the description of Liam Gallagher as a cross between John Lennon and John Lydon. The Stone Roses may not have been particularly original but Oasis took lack of originality to a new level. As if to make up for this, they went to great lengths to emphasis their support for struggling Manchester City as a sign of authenticity - which itself was a sign that music was now little more than a soundtrack for football in the Premier League era.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If Oasis are post-music, then where did the history of Manchester music end? 1989 was a strong year, with the release The Stone Roses' debut album. 1990 was also strong, with the release of The Happy Mondays' third album (considered the peak of their career). In 1991, there was also a lot going on: 808 State released <i>In Yer Face</i>, The Mock Turtles released <i>Can You Dig It</i>, James re-released <i>Sit Down</i>. In 1992, Manchester music was in decline - something often contrasted with the emergence of the Seattle grunge scene (and perhaps best captured in the UK with Nirvana's 1992 headline slot at Reading Festival).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In this context of decline, the rise of Take That is significant. Created by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Martin-Smith">a former casting agent from the Royal Exchange</a> (who went on to become the owner of three bars in the Gay Village), Take That are rightly considered a Manchester band (even though Robbie Williams is from Stoke-on-Trent and Gary Barlow is from Frodsham, near Runcorn). Their breakthrough came towards the end of 1992, with the release of three singles: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J3U4Ke0SCY">It Only Takes A Minute</a> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in June, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-98w8bO6PXo">A Million Love Songs</a> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in October, <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVBIfSt0lAo">Could It Be Magic</a> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in November. Whilst their previous singles had barely broken into the top 40, these three all made the top ten, and over the next four years they would notch up eight number ones as they become arguably the biggest British band since The Beatles.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If the emergence of Take That represented an endpoint for Manchester music, this isn't to say that Manchester bands didn't produce any decent music afterwards. The Stone Roses' <i>Love Spreads </i>(1994), The Charlatans' <i>Tellin' Stories </i>(1997), Ian Brown's <i>F.E.A.R.</i> (2001) and Elbow's <i>Grounds for Divorce</i> (2008) are just some of the great tracks from the post-music period that spring to mind. But none of these artists changed the direction of music in as significant a way as the bands associated with post-punk/new wave, early indie or acid house. Neither can we say that the emergence of Take That was such a bad thing. Arguably the band's success did as much</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as anything</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to promote the regeneration of Manchester.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 1992 may have represented the end of the Manchester music "grand narrative" but it was also an exciting time for the city. Phase 1 of the Metrolink light-rail network opened between Bury, Victoria, Piccadilly and Altrincham. An unlikely bid for the 2000 Olympics was gaining momentum and generating a spirit of confidence. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Gay Village was growing in popularity. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first season of the Premier League got underway, with Manchester United signing Eric Cantona in November to add to an already strong (though underachieveing) side. Even in the political arena, the recently re-elected Conservative government found themselves in trouble in September when they were forced to remove the pound from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. This was potentially good for Manchester as a Labour stronghold (unlike rivals Birmingham and London).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The relationship between the end of Manchester music and the city's subsequent regeneration is one of the themes in Owen Hatherley's Manchester chapter in his<i> Guide to the New Ruins of Great Britain</i>. For him, the regeneration signalled the death of the music scene but I think there's a strong argument that Manchester music had already run its course before the regeneration began (if only slightly before). If </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">late-92 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take That did represent the endpoint, then what's interesting is the almost-seamless transition between Manchester as a music city and Manchester as a football city (which isn't to say that football wasn't a major factor pre-93 and music post-92).</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-82427777362911559842012-08-31T04:33:00.001-07:002012-08-31T05:03:12.168-07:00She Bangs the Drums (1988-1992)<i>This is the fourth of five posts on the history of Manchester between 1976 and 1996. Each four year period will be covered by a song from <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/manchester-bands-dominate-nmes-list-of.html">the NME's top 10(/100) tracks of the last 60 years</a>: <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2012/08/love-will-tear-us-apart-1976-1980.html">'Love Will Tear Us Apart' (1976-1980)</a>, <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/blue-monday-1980-1984.html">'Blue Monday' (1980-1984)</a>, <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/there-is-light-that-never-goes-out-1984.html">'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' (1984-1988)</a>, 'She Bangs the Drums' (1988-1992) and 'Wonderwall' (1992-1996).</i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Of the great Manchester United team who would go on to win the FA Cup in 1994, the players who began the 1988-1989 season included </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Mark Hughes (who'd made his United debut in 1983), </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Steve Bruce and Brian McClair (who'd both joined the club in 1987). The fourth, Lee Sharpe, made his debut on 24th September 1988 in a 2-0 win against West Ham. The summer of 1988 later became known as '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Summer_of_Love">the second summer of love</a>' as ecstasy and acid house arrived at Manchester nightclub the Hacienda. [The summer of 1989 is also included within this term.] The Stone Roses released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKDPv3ZLDjI">Elephant Stone</a>' in October 1988. The following month</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">, Happy Mondays released their second album 'Bummed,' which featured breakthrough track '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5jkOpsqxjc">Wrote for Luck.</a>' On 30th January 1989, New Order released their fifth album 'Technique,' which contained the single '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kHgMvWmIs4">Round and Round.</a>' </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">In March 1989, A Guy Called Gerald's single 'Voodoo Ray' reached number 12 in the UK. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 15th April, English football was again the scene of tragedy as 94 Liverpool fans died after a crush at Hillborough Stadium in Sheffield (the death toll later rose to 96).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">In around April/May 1989 the Stone Roses released their self-titled debut album, which contained several stand-out tracks, including 'I Wanna Be Adored,' 'She Bangs the Drums,' 'Waterfall,' 'Made of Stone' and 'I Am the Resurrection.' On a dramatic last day of the football season, 26th May 1989, Arsenal beat title favourites Liverpool 0-2 with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jiBIdtUKhs">a crucial last minute goal from Michael Thomas to win the league on goal difference</a>. Manchester United finished a disappointing 11th in the league (having been runners-up the previous season) as Mark Hughes won the PFA Player of the Year Award. Manchester City won promotion from Division Two after finishing second. United were the second best-supported team in terms of average home attendance (36,488), behind Liverpool for a second successive season (38,574), with City now sixth (23,500). United made two important signings in the summer: Gary Pallister from Middlesborough for £2,300,000 on 29th August and Paul Ince from West Ham for £1,000,000 on 14th September.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">On 14th July 1989, a 16-year-old from Staffordshire collapsed and died after taking ecstasy at the Hacienda - the UK's first ecstasy-related death. The next day Simply Red topped the US singles chart for a second time with '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTcu7MCtuTs">If You Don't Know Me By Now.</a>' The Stone Roses played a landmark gig at Blackpool's Empress Ballroom on 12th August. On 9th November, borderpoints along the Berlin Wall were opened to refugees for the first time leading to a peaceful revolution which for many marked the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe. On 13th November, the Stone Roses released 'Fools Gold' which led to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUhXWm8V6C0">an appearance on Top of the Pops</a> with the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKmUIEs10O4">Happy Mondays also performing 'Hallelujah'</a> on the same episode. On 4th December, Electronic (the supergroup featuring Bernard Sumner, Johnny Marr and Neil Tennant) released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_5AJWi-Fiw">Getting Away With It</a>' on Factory Records.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">1990 saw the release of the Ruthless Rap Assassins' 'And It Wasn't A Dream,' <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G6Lzm5SZSg">a reflection on the disappointing reality of life as a black immigrant in the UK</a> by Britain's best rap group (from Hulme). On 29th January, the Taylor Report into the Hillsborough Disaster was published, making recommendations that all first and second division football stadiums should be all-seated. On 11th February, the militant anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was released after serving 27 years in prison, a key turning-point in the history of South Africa. On 31st March, there were violent scuffles with the police during the huge anti-poll tax riots in central London attended by around 200,000 demonstrators. On 9th April, Happy Mondays released their biggest-selling single '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnBi-LNM0Og">Step On</a>' which reached number 5 in the UK (and was even fairly successful in the US). On 14th May, the Charlatans released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhSA8FwdS2A">The Only One I Know</a>' which reached number 9. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Another disappointing season for Manchester United saw them finish 13th, one place ahead of Manchester City. United regained their status as <a href="http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1990.htm">the most-supported club in terms of average home attendance</a> (39,077) ahead of second-place Liverpool (36,589) and fifth-place City (27,975).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Many felt that Alex Ferguson had been close to losing his job when <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHuUYa0sMnU">Mark Robins scored the only goal in a 3rd round FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest on </a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHuUYa0sMnU">7th January</a>. United went on to win the competition after <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkrTEYSTLQs">beating Crystal Palace in a final replay on 17th May</a> with a goal from left-back Lee Martin after experienced goalkeeper Jim Leighton had been sensationally dropped for Les Sealey (making only his third appearance for the club). This bought Ferguson some time but United had already won the FA Cup in 1977, 1983 and 1985, and the main aim was still to win one of the big European trophies and/or the league. On 21st May, New Order released their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_YiG7yN7PY">official England World Cup song 'World in Motion'</a> (their only number one single). On 27th May, the Stone Roses played a huge gig at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mpBD1Gi_0E">Spike Island in Widnes</a>. On 1st July, England beat Cameron 3-2 after extra time to progress to the semi-finals where they would play West Germany. The next day, Stone Roses released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTpxRycvfYs">One Love</a>.' On 4th July, England were <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNZkblqlUJY">knocked out of the World Cup on penalties after a 1-1 draw with West Germany</a>. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 18th August, Irish full-back Denis Irwin made his Manchester United debut in the Charity Shield after a £625,000 move from Oldham Athletic.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 18th September 1990, Manchester finished 4th in the bidding to host the 1996 Olympics (behind Melbourne, Toronto, Athens and eventual winners Atlanta). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 22nd November, Margaret Thatcher resigned as prime minister after 11 years when it became clear that she wouldn't survive beat challenger Michael Heseltine in a second ballot. She was soon replaced by mild-mannered cricket-lover John Major. On 27th November, Happy Mondays released their third album 'Thrills n Pills and Bellyaches' which contained tracks such as '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLh2d-EwzGI">Kinky Afro</a>' and '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2tsJPSJyH0">God's Cop</a>' (about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Anderton">the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, James Anderton</a>, a Christian fundamentalist who saw AIDS as a punishment for gays, prostitutes and drug addicts). Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 led to the joint US/British/Saudi Operation Desert Storm in Iraq (supported by a broad international coalition) in January/February 1991. Again Britain's involement in a war generated support for a new Conservative prime minister despite the fact that the UK was in another severe recession. In February, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykIA2ddd8Bo">808 State's 'In Yer Face'</a> reached number 9 then in March, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGSHIidlesQ">the Mock Turtles' 'Can You Dig It?'</a> reached number 18 and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkz1uLILnFk">James' re-released 'Sit Down</a>' reached number 2. On 8th April, the FA announced plans for a 'Super League' of 18 clubs to replace the First Division, which was welcome news for the bigger clubs.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Ryan Giggs made his full debut for United on 4th May 1991, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARJIhVnXukk">scoring against rivals City in the Manchester derby</a> (or at least claiming a goal which may have come off defender Colin Hendry). City enjoyed their best season in the league since 1978, finishing fifth - one place ahead of United, who were again <a href="http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1991.htm">the best-supported club in the league in terms of average home attendance </a>(43,218), ahead of Arsenal in second (36,864) and City in sixth (27,874). On 15th May 1991, United played Barcelona in the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup at Feyenoord's stadium in Rotterdam. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc-l2dAdw-o">Two goals from Mark Hughes against his former club were enough as United won 2-1</a> and an Alex Ferguson team won the tournament for second time (Aberdeen in 1983 having been the first), notably <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_European_Cup_Winners'_Cup_Final">with an all British-and-Irish team</a>. Mark Hughes won PFA Player of the Year for a second time and Lee Sharpe won PFA Young Player of the Year. On 26th May, USSR right-winger Andrei Kanchelskis signed from Shakhtar Donetsk for £650,000 (to replace Mike Phelan); on 8th August, England right-back Paul Parker signed from QPR for £2,000,000 (allowing Denis Irwin to move to left-back, replacing Clayton Blackmore). With Danish keeper Peter Schmeichel, who signed from Brondby for £505,000 (replacing Les Sealey), United now had a starting line-up capable of mounting a strong challenge for the league: Schmeichel; Parker, Irwin, Bruce, Pallister; Sharpe/Giggs, Kanchelskis, Robson; Ince; Hughes, McClair. All except Robson would be part of the 1994 FA Cup winning side.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 30th September 1991, Simply Red released their fourth album 'Stars,' which contained the tracks '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q0k4OM4WbE">Something Got Me Started</a>' and '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izOdvBmTDh0&feature=relmfu">Stars</a>.' It would go on to be the top-selling album in the UK for 1991 and 1992 (and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_in_the_United_Kingdom">the 13th biggest selling album of all time in the UK</a>). On 24th February 1992, the Charlatans released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXBR96Z8_e8">Weirdo</a>.' Labour leader Neil Kinnock appeared confident when he began his address to a pre-election rally</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">in Sheffield</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> on 1st April with the words: "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TOgB3Smvro">We're alright! We're alright! We're alright!</a>" On 9th April, the Conservatives were re-elected on a high turnout with a 21-seat majority. Although this was down (from 102 in 1987, 144 in 1983, 43 in 1979), it was still bitterly disappointing for Labour, who had won just 11,500,000 votes to the Conservatives' 14,000,000. Kinnock resigned as Labour leader after what was his second general election defeat. He was replaced by John Smith, who promoted rising stars Gordon Brown to Shadow Chancellor and Tony Blair to Shadow Home Secretary.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Manchester United were <a href="http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1992.htm">the best-supported team of the 1991-92 season in terms of average home attendance</a> (44,984), ahead of second-place Liverpool (34,799) and seventh-place Manchester City (27,690). On 12th April 1992, United won the League Cup for the first time with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBqvCj4ps-Y">a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the final</a>. However they lost the next three games in the league itself, which meant that they would finish second, four points behind Leeds United, as City again finished a strong fifth. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">United had now gone 25 years without a league title - in which time Liverpool had won 11 to make it 18 in total (compared with United's total of just 7), meaning Ferguson's side would need to win the league 12 times to beat Liverpool's record. With this in mind perhaps the most significant aspect of the 1991-92 season was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSUqmK3eKhA">United's victory in the FA Youth Cup on 15th May</a>, with a team that included Ryan Giggs (who had broken through to the first team, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year Award), Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and David Beckham.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-70724189787602789122012-08-27T20:38:00.000-07:002012-08-28T12:08:14.145-07:00There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (1984-1988)<i>This is the third of five posts on the history of Manchester between 1976 and 1996. Each four year period will be covered by a song from <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/manchester-bands-dominate-nmes-list-of.html">the NME's top 10(/100) tracks of the last 60 years</a>: <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2012/08/love-will-tear-us-apart-1976-1980.html">'Love Will Tear Us Apart' (1976-1980)</a>, <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/blue-monday-1980-1984.html">'Blue Monday' (1980-1984)</a>, 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' (1984-1988), 'She Bangs the Drums' (1988-1992) and 'Wonderwall' (1992-1996).</i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">The Miners Strike had been controversially called without a national ballot by Arthur Scargill, the leader of the NUM. After the 1981 Labour deputy leadership election and the 1983 general election, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">this was the be the last great battle between right and left. It's tempting to assume that the government and the police were on the right and the miners and the Labour opposition were on the left. But not all the miners wanted to go on strike and Labour leader Neil Kinnock (from a mining family himself) was left in a difficult position, not wanting to endorse the undemocratic actions of the NUM leadership. At</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> Agecroft Colliery in Salford, the last in the Manchester area, <a href="http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1100423_miners_strike__25_years_on">only 120 out of 900 miners initially went on strike</a> and flying pickets had to be sent from Yorkshire to prevent the men from working. Jim Lord, Agecroft's NUM secretary, said he has wanted to strike but the Lancashire had voted three to two against. As a result he was the victim of a violent intimidation campaign by those who had gone on strike and supported the strike action. James Anderton, the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, said that mass picketing and street demonstrations were 'acts of terrorism' by an 'industrial mafia.'</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Having sold Ray Wilkins to AC Milan, Manchester United needed someone to pair with Bryan Robson in central midfield. In August 1984, Gordon Strachan was bought from Aberdeen for £500,000. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMwUCmuND8Q">"The rain falls down on a humdrum town - this town has dragged you down..."</a> were the typically cheery opening lines to the Smiths' new single 'William, It Was Really Nothing' released on 24th August (which reached number 17). In the early hours of 12th October, the IRA attempted to assassinate the entire British cabinet at the Grand Hotel in Brighton (which killed five people and injured many more). Margaret Thatcher gave a defiant speech the following day to the Conservative party conference, telling delegates that: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR1VePIeWbE">"Democracy will prevail!"</a> The Stone Roses played their first gig at the Moonlight Club in London just over a week afterwards, supporting Pete Townshend at an anti-heroin benefit. On 28th January 1985, the Smiths released their haunting 'How Soon Is Now?' with its opening lines: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrvRlI4hlBE">"I am the son and heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar."</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">The Smiths' second album 'Meat Is Murder' reached number 1 after its release on 11th February 1985. Simply Red had a global hit with their debut single '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrUB0g8Vjgg">Money's Too Tight To Mention</a>' which reached number 13 after its UK release on 28th March. On 13th May, New Order released their third album 'Low-Life' which contained single '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcjolqpKR4g">The Perfect Kiss.</a>' Manchester United finished fourth in the league and won the FA Cup on 18th May with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVbUoGm4lw0">Norman Whiteside scoring the only goal in extra-time</a> against Everton (denying them a league/FA Cup/Cup Winners' Cup treble). Manchester City returned to the top flight after finishing third in the Second Division. United were still <a href="http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1985.htm">England's most well-supported club in terms of average home attendance</a> (42,881), well ahead of second-place Liverpool (34,444) and eighth-place Manchester City (24,220). Mark Hughes won the award for PFA Player Young Player of the Year. But the 84-85 season will be remembered for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsadpNQQLIs">the tragic Heysel Stadium disaster in which 39 Juventus fans died in a stampede</a>, with the result that English clubs were banned from European football for five years.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">In September 1985, the Stone Roses released their first single '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b7MRYDaYmI">So Young</a>' which they had recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport with Martin Hannett. On 1st October, Neil Kinnock delivered an epic speech to Labour party conference in which he denounced Liverpool City Council's rate-capping rebellion: "I'll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions. They are then pickled into rigid dogma, a code, and you go through the years sticking to that, out-dated, misplaced, irrelevant to the real needs, and you end in the grotesque chaos of a Labour council - a Labour council! - hiring taxis to scuttle round a city handing out redundancy notices to its own workers." The speech is seen as a key moment in marking the shift of power from the hard-left to the soft-left within the Labour party. The Militant Tendency who had gained control of Liverpool Labour were later expelled.</span><br />
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<a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2008/05/09/maradona460x276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2008/05/09/maradona460x276.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">The 1985-86 football season ended with Manchester United 4th and Manchester City 15th in the league. 22-year-old up-and-coming United striker Mark Hughes was sold to Barcelona for £2,000,000. United were <a href="http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1986.htm">still the top club in England in terms of average home attendance</a> (46,321), ahead of Liverpool (35,271), Everton (32,227) and Man City (24,229). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 16th June 1986, the Smiths released their third album 'The Queen Is Dead' which reached number 2 and contained the track '</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-cD4oLk_D0">There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">' On 22nd June, England played Argentina in the quarter-final of the World Cup in Mexico City. The game is memorable for two goals scored by Diego Maradona in quick succession: one was later labelled 'the hand of God' and the other '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z-qm-Sb_4s">the goal of the century.</a>' England lost 2-1.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Simply Red achieved a number 1 in the US with a re-worked version of '</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG07WSu7Q9w">Holding Back the Years</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">' on 12th July. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span id="goog_320565297"></span><span id="goog_320565298"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>On 18th July, Manchester celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Sex Pistols' gigs at the Lesser Free Trade Hall with a 'Festival of the Tenth Summer' all-day concert at the G-Mex featuring the Fall, the Smiths, New Order, A Certain Ratio, Pete Shelley/Buzzcocks and John Cooper Clarke. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 8th August,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHQNA2wpG38">a cross-channel Ferry was forced to turn back to Harwich</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">after Manchester United and West Ham fans were involved in a mass brawl, which again brought football hooliganism under the spotlight. On 29th September, New Order released '</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnGGkluWtrE">Bizarre Love Triangle.</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">'</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">On 27th October 1986, the London Stock Exchange re-opened after having been computerised and opened up to foreign investors. The financial 'big bang' ushered in a new era of deregulated capitalism in which some people would become incredibly rich and market forces would increasingly be able to operate free of political control. On 6th November, with Manchester United second from bottom in the league, manager Ron Atkinson was sacked. His replacement, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/15580808">34-year-old Alex Ferguson</a>, had won the Cup Winners' Cup with Aberdeen in 1983. In April 1987 Happy Mondays released their debut album 'Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out)' on Factory Records, with its opening track '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiDRoHXCHes">Kuff Dam.</a>' The Smiths released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-HW_2c3JTw">Sheila Take A Bow</a>' on 13th April which was their joint most successful single (reaching number 10, the same position as 'Heaven Knows...' three years earlier).</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wp-content/gallery/young-alex-ferguson-gallery/pa-photos_t_retro-football-photos-sir-alex-ferguson-aberdeen-scotland-man-utd-2210e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wp-content/gallery/young-alex-ferguson-gallery/pa-photos_t_retro-football-photos-sir-alex-ferguson-aberdeen-scotland-man-utd-2210e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Manchester United ended their first season under Alex Ferguson 11th in the table as Manchester City were relegated after just two seasons in the top flight. United's average home attendance was now 50,594, <a href="http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1987.htm">still the best in England</a>, well ahead of second-place Liverpool (36,286) and eighth-place City (21,922). The Stone Roses released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnMiNJL3utw">Sally Cinnamon</a>' in May 1987, their second single (their first as a four-piece - around a year after the departure of guitarist Andy Couzens) showed a marked difference from 'So Young.' Bassist Pete Garner left the band in June and was replaced by Mani, who played his first gig in November. Noel Gallagher has said that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfR6JoDExcc">when he heard 'Sally Cinnamon' for the first time, he what his destiny was</a>. On 11th June, Margaret Thatcher won her third general election with a reduced majority of 102 (down from 144 in 1983), still an impressive victory and a large mandate for further reforms.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">On 20th July 1987, New Order released their biggest hit single so far: '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KUiXtz10Ho">True Faith</a>' reached number 4 in the charts. On 10th August, the Smiths released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5b_V68mQ9k">Girlfriend in a Coma</a>' which, with a chart position of 13, was one of their more successful singles. But it was also one of their last - by the time the band released their fourth album 'Strangeways, Here We Come' on 28th September, they had split up. On 18th October, one of Britain's most influential bands (who had released four albums in four years) were <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaEOwAsgGoA">the subject of a South Bank Show documentary</a>. On Christmas Day, Coronation Street achieved its peak viewing figures as 26,000,000 (or 28.5m according to one source) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvyN9nC7m78">tuned in to watch Hilda Ogden leave the Street</a>.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/37/Morrissey-Viva_Hate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/37/Morrissey-Viva_Hate.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">On 15th February 1988, Morrissey released his debut single <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JenlsnA9-mE">'Suedehead'</a> followed by the album 'Viva Hate' on 14th March, which he had been working on with Durutti Column guitarist Vini Reilly. In Alex Ferguson's first full season in charge of Manchester United, they finished second in the league (behind Liverpool who now had 17 league titles, which was ten more than United). Brian McClair had signed from Celtic in July 1987 for £8,500,000 and Steve Bruce had signed from Norwich in December 1987 for £800,000. At the end of the season </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Mark Hughes was re-signed from Barcelona for a club record £1,800,000. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Manchester City finished 9th in the Second Division, their lowest league finish since 1965. Liverpool were now <a href="http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1988.htm">the most well-supported club in England in terms of average home attendances</a> (39,582), just ahead of United (39,152). City were twelfth with 19,472. On 30th May, the Stone Roses supported James at an anti-Clause 28 benefit at the International I in Manchester. In the audience that night was a 16-year-old Liam Gallagher, who was inspired to start a band of his own.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-32071556114884376112012-08-23T15:58:00.000-07:002012-08-27T20:43:58.600-07:00Blue Monday (1980-1984)<br />
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<i>This is the second of five posts on the history of Manchester between 1976 and 1996. Each four year period will be covered by a song from <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/manchester-bands-dominate-nmes-list-of.html">the NME's top 10(/100) tracks of the last 60 years</a>: <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2012/08/love-will-tear-us-apart-1976-1980.html">'Love Will Tear Us Apart' (1976-1980)</a>, 'Blue Monday' (1980-1984), 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' (1984-1988), 'She Bangs the Drums' (1988-1992) and 'Wonderwall' (1992-1996).</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Members of the close-knit Manchester music scene, particularly those associated with Joy Division and Factory Records, were still in shock at the death of singer Ian Curtis in May 1980. The band's second album 'Closer' was released on 18th July and reached number 6 in the UK. Its cover, again designed by Peter Saville, drew criticism for featuring a picture of a tomb, with the suggestion that the record label were cashing in on the singer's death (although Saville claims that the cover artwork had already been chosen before Curtis killed himself). Directly after Curtis' funeral the rest of the band did what they knew best and went back into the rehearsal rooms to write and practise new material, including the track '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrh5kaWfyMQ">Dreams Never End</a>.' On 29th July, they played at the Beach Club in Manchester with Bernard Sumner taking over lead vocal duties. Afterwards they settled on the name New Order and played in New York for the first time in September. Gillian Gilbert (the drummer's girlfriend) joined on keyboards in October.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 10th October 1980 Margaret Thatcher, who had been prime minister for just over a year, delivered a speech to the Conservative Party conference in which she responded to claims that the government should turn back from such a strict adherence to monetarist economic policies: 'To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catchphrase, the U-turn, I have only one thing to say: You turn if you want to. The lady's not for turning!' On 10th November, left-winger Michael Foot became leader of the Labour Party at the relatively old age of 67. At around the same time, Manchester city council declared itself a 'nuclear-free' zone.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">In December 1980, New Order played an important gig in Rotterdam, where Mike Pickering was responsible for booking bands. A friend of the band's manager Rob Gretton since the pair had met following Manchester City away in the mid-70s, Pickering was later invited back to Manchester to become the music policy director for a new nightclub, the Hacienda. In January 1981, with Labour being seen to have shifted to the left, the 'Gang of Four' (Bill Rodgers, David Owen, Roy Jenkins and Shirley Williams) issued the Limehouse Declaration, signalling their intention to create a Social Democratic party. The new party would end up entering into an alliance with the Liberal Party before eventually merging with them to form the Liberal Democrats. New Order released their first single, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVdheR0bUwI">Ceremony</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">, on 6th March (which reached number 34 in the charts).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 30th April 1981, Dave Sexton was sacked as manager of Manchester United after four seasons without a major trophy. The two Manchester clubs achieved mid-table finishes with United 8th and City 12th, as Aston Villa won the league. The <a href="http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1981.htm">top four clubs in terms of average home attendance</a> were Manchester United (45,071); Liverpool (37,547); Aston Villa (34,117) and Manchester City (33,587). On 9th May, Manchester City played Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the FA Cup. After half an hour, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MKSGww-FVc">Tommy Hutchinson scored with a flying header to put City 1-0 ahead</a>. However with 10 minutes to go, the same player headed in a Glenn Hoddle free-kick to level the score. In the replay on 14th May, City again went ahead but conceded t<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZKhl1K36Zg">wo late goals to Garth Crooks and Ricardo Villa</a> as Spurs won 3-2. Liverpool won the European Cup for a third time two weeks later. On 9th June, Ron Atkinson was appointed as the new Manchester United manager.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 8th July 1981, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t92DuJBwJuk">a crowd of over 1,000 youths besieged a police station in Moss Side</a>. A formerly Irish district to the south of Manchester city centre, Moss Side had been settled by black Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the 1960s and 70s. Like many other inner-city areas it was suffering from high unemployment (thanks in part to the government's economic policies) and it was claimed that black youths were being victimised by the police. Other black inner-city areas had rioted previously, notably Brixton (London) in April and Toxteth (Liverpool) from 3rd July, and it was felt that it was only a matter of time before something would happen in Moss Side. After the police station had been besieged, the rioters looted shops along Princess Road. The police maintained a low-profile on the orders of Chief Constable James Anderton and the rioting subsided after 48 hours.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 27th September 1981 a crucial election took place for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party, in which the moderate Denis Healey narrowly defeated Tony Benn, a hero of the hard-left, with 50.4% to Benn's 49.6% in the second round of voting. On 1st October, Manchester United broke the British transfer record to sign Bryan Robson from West Bromwich Albion for £1,500,000. On 15th October, Norman Tebbit was asked by a Young Conservative if he thought that rioting wasn't a natural response to unemployment. Tebbit replied that he had grown up in the 30s with an unemployed father, who hadn't rioted: 'He got on his bike and looked for work, and he kept looking 'til he found it.' On 21st October, Remi Moses became the first black player to score for Manchester United.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 13th November 1981, New Order released their debut album 'Movement' and returned to New York for a second time where they immersed themselves in the disco scene which would inspire the Hacienda. 'Movement' had been recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport and produced by Martin Hannett, who was now in a legal dispute with Factory Records (this was the last New Order material he would produce as the band were now learning how to produce themselves). In January 1982 it was revealed <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/26/newsid_2506000/2506335.stm">that the number of people out of work had risen to over 3,000,000</a> for the first time since the 1930s. On 2nd April, Argentine forces invaded the Falklands Islands and British troops were mobilised for war. On 24th April, a 16-year-old Norman Whiteside made his Manchester United debut against Brighton & Hove Albion. Irish defender Paul McGrath signed from St. Patrick's Athletic a week later for £30,000. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 10th May 1982 New Order released their fourth single '</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yd_w0LybRk">Temptation</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">,' which reached number 29 in the charts. Liverpool won a 13th league title, as Manchester United finished 3rd and Manchester City 10th. For a tenth successive season, Manchester United were <a href="http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1982.htm">the biggest club in English football in terms of average home attendance</a> (44,571), followed by Spurs (35,100), Liverpool (35,061) and Manchester City (34,063).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 21st May 1982, the Hacienda was opened by Factory Records in an old warehouse on Whitworth Street West. A mixture between a venue and a club, its interior (designed by Ben Kelly) seemed like a 3D-version of Peter Saville's record sleeves and gig posters. Its name came from a Situationist text on Urbanism which begins with the lines 'We are bored in the city. There is no longer any Temple of the Sun' and goes on to say that 'the Hacienda must be built.' It received a Factory catalogue number, Fac 51, to match the cedilla in its name. It had a stage, a dance area with a bar, a cafe, and a balcony which was later turned into a DJ balcony (creating the idea of a 'superstar DJ'). With its high ceilings, people compared it to a Cathedral and it soon gained a reputation for cold temperatures and terrible acoustics. People were also wondering why Factory had built a bright New York discoteque in the middle of grey postindustrial Manchester - it was as if a space ship had landed in the middle of town. It was well-located, on the south-side of the city centre, within walking distance of the Hulme Crescents, an area which was becoming home to a bohemian community of artists and students. The owners decided to keep the Hacienda open all the time, even when there was hardly anyone there, and it ran at a loss - subsidised by the profits of Joy Divison and New Order. The brainchild of band manager Rob Gretton, the idea of investing all this money into starting up a nightclub upset producer Martin Hannett who had been arguing that they should spend the money on the latest recording equipment.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Much has been written about the opening of the Hacienda but this wasn't the biggest thing to happen in Manchester at the time. On 30th May 1982, a crowd of over 200,000 gathered in Heaton Park to watch the ordination of 12 priests by Pope John Paul II. The Pope's rock star reception in Prestwich was the subject of a song by The Fall called '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKQZwlK5x60">Papal Visit</a>,' with its talk of 'yellow-white umbrellas' and 'helicopters strip the land.' In August, the Frantic Elevators released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeQb_V2W-JA">Holding Back the Years</a>,' which failed to chart. The band, who like many others rehearsed in the Hulme Crescents, soon broke up but its singer Mick Hucknall would go on to become one of the most successful of Manchester's musicians in the late 80s/early 90s as the man behind Simply Red. On 4th October, the Smiths (with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Johnny Marr on guitar and Morrissey on vocals</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">) played their first gig at the Ritz in Manchester.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">New Order played at the Hacienda for a second time on 26th January 1983, debuting a new track '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwupfdyXGfY">Blue Monday</a>' which had been written as a dance track to save the band from having to come back on stage to do an encore. Released on 7th March, the single went on to become the biggest-selling 12" ever (thought to have sold well over 1,000,000 copies). It also defined the band's move away from new wave towards a more modern electronic, dance-oriented sound. The money it made was ploughed back into the Hacienda, which was still seen as being ahead of its time. On 26th March, Manchester United suffered a low-point, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV1LSKf85go">losing to rivals Liverpool in the final of the Milk Cup</a>. By the end of the 1982-83 season, Liverpool had 14 league titles and 3 European Cups to United's 7 league titles and 1 European Cup and the gap would continue to grow. On 11th April, Ben Kingsley (who had grown up in Salford and gone to Manchester Grammar School) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za3ezKDyats">won the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in the film 'Ghandi.'</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 2nd May 1983, New Order released their second album, the self-produced 'Power, Corruption and Lies' which reached number 4 in the UK. Its lead track <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ahU-x-4Gxw">'Age of Consent'</a> showed that the band hadn't strayed too far away from their guitar roots. On Friday 13th May, the Smiths released their debut single '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh2bonnjv70">Hand in Glove</a>' on Rough Trade, which sold well although failed to chart. The next day, Manchester City played their final league game of the season against fellow strugglers Luton Town. City only needed a draw to stay up whilst Luton needed a win. City dominated the game and were still staying up with five minutes left, when goalkeeper Alex Williams came out of his goal but failed to collect a cross, instead punching it away. The ball fell to Raddy Antic on the edge of the area, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CvvjUelc0k">whose half-volleyed goal meant that City were relegated for the first time since 1963</a>, despite having spent £5,000,000 on players in the previous four years.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Manchester United, who had finished third in the league and runners-up in the Milk Cup, remained <a href="http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1983.htm">the biggest club in terms of average home attendance</a> (41,695), ahead of Liverpool (34,758), Spurs (30,581) and Manchester City (26,789). On 26th May, United won the FA Cup after a 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, with two goals from England captain Bryan Robson, and one each from 18-year-old Norman Whiteside and Arnold Muhren. It was only their second major trophy since the 1968 European Cup (the other was the 1977 FA Cup) and a welcome victory for the club commentator John Motson described as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHU64BpthK8&feature=related">'the most famous in the world.'</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 9th June 1983, Margaret Thatcher increased her majority in the House of Commons by 100 seats in a landslide general election victory, with an incredible 13,000,000 votes to Labour's 8,400,000 and the Liberal/SDP Alliance's 7,700,000. Her position had been strengthened by the fact that there was a war on (and the fact that Argentina's military dictatorship had given her a pretext to go to war), a divided opposition and a Labour manifesto which Gerald Kaufman later described as 'the longest suicide note in history.' Amongst the new arrivals on the Labour benches were Gordon Brown and Tony Blair. On 2nd October, Neil Kinnock was elected leader of the Labour Party, with the centrist Roy Hattersley as his deputy. Kinnock had been increasingly associated with 'soft left' since abstaining from the Benn vs. Healey deputy leadership election of September 1981.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 26th October 1983, a 19-year-old Mark Hughes made his Manchester United debut against Port Vale in the Milk Cup. The Smiths released their second single '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzexP58si0w">This Charming Man</a>' on 31 October, which reached number 25 in the UK. On New Year's Eve, the band played at Danceteria in New York, where Madonna had started put. A key figure in the Manchester-New York connection was Ruth Polsky, who booked bands for Danceteria. She had booked Joy Division to appear at the venue on the US tour that never happened and later booked New Order. On 16th January 1984 The Smiths released their third single, '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0TZZZcC9l4">What Difference Does It Make?</a>' which reached number 12 in the UK. On 27th January, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufABbUAW_7Y">Madonna made her second UK TV appearance on 'The Tube' on Channel 4</a>, performing (i.e. dancing and miming along to) 'Burning Up' and 'Holiday' at the Hacienda.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On 20th February 1984, The Smiths released their self-titled debut album (which reached number 2 in the UK) with i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">ts lead track '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuWZEhbe8x8">Reel Around the Fountain</a>.' On 6th March, the government announced plans for the closure of 20 coal mines with a projected total of 20,000 job losses. It had been preparing for the threat of prolongued industrial action by stockpiling coal. On 12th March, Arthus Scargill, the president of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), called for a national strike in protest at the government's plans. The mines were the focal point of local communities in mining areas and closures would lead to widespread unemployment - however the nationalised mines were economically unproductive. The Miners Strike of 84/85 would see the country torn apart, divided over the policies of a ruthless government intent on breaking the trade union movement. Amongst the Lancashire miners however, support for Scargill wasn't as high as it was in other areas such as Yorkshire, Wales and the North-East (which relied far more on the coal mining industry for jobs).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On Wednesday 21st March 1984, Manchester United enjoyed their biggest night in Europe since winning the European Cup in 1968 as they <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kZLs7B7peI">overturned Barcelona's 2-0 advantage in the second leg of the quarter-finals of the Cup Winners' Cup with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford</a>. Bryan Robson is pictured on the left shaking hands with Barcelona's Diego Maradona before the match. In April, New Order released '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw-MpwrWxDU">Thieves Like Us</a>' which reached number 18. In May, Reni joined the Stone Roses after responding to an advert in A1 Music. The Smiths released their fourth single '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaUUYV7wKos">Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now</a>' which reached number 10 (the band's most successful chart position). Manchester United and Manchester City both finished fourth in the league, however United were in the First Division and City were in the Second (missing out on promotion). United were still <a href="http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1984.htm">the biggest club in England in terms of average home attendance</a> (42,534), well ahead of Liverpool in second place (31,974) and City in sixth (25,604).</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-8967462919501265562012-08-19T13:51:00.000-07:002012-08-28T12:08:43.917-07:00Love Will Tear Us Apart (1976-1980)<i>This is the first of five posts on the history of Manchester between 1976 and 1996. Each four year period will be covered by a song from <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/manchester-bands-dominate-nmes-list-of.html">the NME's top 10(/100) tracks of the last 60 years</a>: 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' (1976-1980), 'Blue Monday' (1980-1984), 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' (1984-1988), 'She Bangs the Drums' (1988-1992) and 'Wonderwall' (1992-1996).</i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">The Sex Pistols’ first gig in Manchester (at the
Lesser Free Trade Hall on 4th June 1976) has been described as ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vvGp_VPeLI">the gig that changed the world</a>’ and regularly features on lists of the most important gigs
ever. It can be seen as the spark that set a fire burning which lasted for 20
years and inspired a city’s regeneration – 20 years before the IRA bombed the
Arndale Centre. Amongst the list of those who were there (and the bands they
would go on to form) are Howard Devoto (Buzzcocks/Magazine), Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks),
Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook (Joy Division/New Order), Morrissey (The Smiths)
and Mark E. Smith (The Fall). Tony Wilson (a local TV presenter who went on to
help form Factory Records) also claims to have been there. The second gig (at
the same venue on 20th July) was arguably more important in terms of the
Manchester scene, with local support acts Slaughter and the Dogs (from
Wythenshawe) and Buzzcocks (now based in Lower Broughton). Buzzcocks were
rewarded for organising the two gigs with a slot supporting the Sex Pistols and
the Clash at an important punk gig in London, Screen on the Green on 29th
August. Wilson invited the Sex Pistols to appear on his Granada music show </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>So It Goes</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8szRgIcYlY">where they performed ‘Anarchy in the UK,’</a> (broadcast on 4th September).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">On
1st December, the Sex Pistols caused a national uproar when they appeared on
Bill Grundy’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Today </i>programme
(broadcast in London). Grundy baited them with the line, ‘Go on – say something
offensive.’ To which they replied, ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRNOUz7uefA">You dirty bastard ... you fucking rotter!</a>’
Under the headline ‘The Filth and the Fury,’ the next day’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Daily Mirror</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> summed up the sense of
outrage with its story of a lorry driver who had been so incensed that he’d put
his foot through his colour TV screen. Dates on the Pistols’ ‘Anarchy in the
UK’ tour (with support from the Clash and Johnny Thunders) were cancelled as a
result. Manchester was one of the few cities to host them, with two dates at
the Electric Circus in Collyhurst on 9th December (with Buzzcocks) and on 19th
December. Shortly afterwards, Buzzcocks released their debut EP ‘Spiral
Scratch,’ produced by Martin Hannett. With its ascending riff and two-note
guitar solo, the lead track ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoYiQ8Qsozk">Boredom</a>’ (modern-sounding at the time) has gone
down as a classic in the punk genre. Released on manager Richard Boon’s New
Hormones label on 29th January 1977, it was also one of the very first
independent releases – providing inspiration for London’s Rough Trade,
Edinburgh’s Fast Product and eventually Manchester’s Factory Records.</span><br />
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<span lang="PL" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>It
would be misleading to suggest that the Sex Pistols were the most important
thing in British music in the winter of 1976-77 (when the IMF loan crisis gave
an idea of the problems the British economy was facing). David Bowie’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Low</i> was released on 14th January 1977
and featured the track ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gy94N_mcWs">Warszawa</a>’ which inspired Sumner and Hook (who’d met Ian
Curtis at one of the Sex Pistols’ gigs at the Electric Circus in December) to
name their new band Warsaw. Martin Hannett is often credited with creating the
slower, spacier Joy Division sound that they would go on to develop but even a
cursory listen to ‘Warszawa’ shows the influence Bowie had from the beginning.
The cover of the album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Low</i> (pictured)
has also been cited as <a href="http://thenamelessthing.com/football-casual-hooligans">the inspiration for an emerging hairstyle</a>, i.e. the wedge (or 'flick'). On 2nd March 1977, European
Cup hopefuls Liverpool travelled to Saint Etienne, where their fans are said to
have started the football terrace ‘casual’ culture by looting expensive designer
sportswear to take back home. According to a note by Kevin Cummins <a href="http://79.170.40.161/mdmarchive.co.uk/archive/showartefact.php?aid=707&pageid=4">on the Manchester District Music Archive</a>, David Bowie appeared onstage with Iggy Pop
at the Manchester Apollo the next day (although <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4hPnZUMBwA">footage on YouTube of the same gig</a> is dated October 1977 – likely the date when it appeared on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So It Goes</i></span></span><span lang="PL" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, in which case this gig may
have taken place on 25th September).</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
Saturday 21st May 1977, Manchester United prevented Liverpool from winning an
unprecedented ‘treble’ (League, FA Cup, European Cup) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWnVqBBb93A">by beating them 2-1 in the FA Cup Final with goals from Stuart Pearson and Jimmy Greenhof</a>. The next
day, the Ramones played at the Electric Circus, supported by Talking Heads. The
day after that, on Monday 23rd May, the Fall played their first gig at the North
West Arts basement on Kings Street. On Friday 27th May, the Sex Pistols
released ‘God Save the Queen,’ which reached number 2. A week after the
Ramones’ gig, on Sunday 29th May, Buzzcocks played at the Electric Circus,
supported by John Cooper Clarke and Warsaw, who were also playing their first
gig. The last nights at the Electric Circus, Manchester’s main punk venue, on
1st and 2nd October featured a number of local bands, including Buzzcocks, the
Fall, Warsaw, Slaughter and the Dogs, John Cooper Clarke and Magazine.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shortly
after ‘Spiral Scratch’ (which went on to be incredibly successful for an
independent release), Buzzcocks’ singer Howard Devoto left the band, releasing
a statement on 21st February 1977: ‘I don’t like most of this new wave music. I
don’t like music. I don’t like movements. Despite all that – things have to be
said. But I am not confident of Buzzcocks’ intention to get out of the dry land
of new waveness to a place from which these things could be said. What was once
unheathily fresh is now a clean old hat.’ Pete Shelley took over lead vocal
duties and Buzzcocks signed to United Artists, releasing their first
post-Devoto single <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Mi995ggFU">‘Orgasm Addict’</a> on 4th Novemeber (or 8th October according
to various sources), possibly their best ever track although it failed to
chart. The cover (pictured) was designed by Linder Sterling, an art student at
Manchester Polytechnic who shared a house with Howard Devoto on Lower Broughton
Road (two doors down from Pete Shelley). On 20th January 1978, Magazine released
their debut single <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybUqM8jf3mU">‘Shot By Both Sides’</a> on Virgin. It reached number 41 and
marked the beginning of post-punk.</span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>The
last episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So It Goes</i> had been
broadcast on 11th December 1977, leaving its presenter Tony Wilson disconnected
from the local music scene. On 24th January 1978, he decided to form a
partnership with Alan Erasmus to manage the band which would eventually become
known as the Durutti Column (named after a 1968 Situationist cartoon strip
about an anarchist regiment in the Spanish Civil War), a vehicle for talented
guitarist Vini Reilly. The following day Warsaw played their first gig under a
new name, Joy Division, at Pips on Fennel Street (behind the Cathedral).
Shortly afterwards, on 27th January, Granada TV’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">World in Action</i></span></span><span lang="PL" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> featured an interview with the Conservative leader
Margaret Thatcher in which she claimed that ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHhKI5ijnxQ">people are really rather afraid that this country might be rather swamped by people with a different culture.</a>’
The remarks fuelled an on-going debate about multiculturalism and immigration,
with the National Front hoping to gain votes in the coming general election.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
9th February 1978, Manchester United broke the British transfer record to sign
Scottish defender Gordon McQueen from Leeds United for £495,000. On his arrival
at the club, McQueen stated that ‘99% of players want to play for Manchester
United and the rest are liars.’ Although Liverpool were the most successful
club in English football with ten league titles, Manchester United were still
the biggest with <a href="http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1977.htm">an average home attendance of 53,710 in the 1976-77 season</a>.
Liverpool were second with 47,221 and Manchester City third with 40,058
(although this was after a relatively succesful season in which they challenged
for the title).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
10th April 1978, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">World in Action </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">began
their programme, titled ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1qpf9hogI0">There’s No Place Like Hulme</a>’ with the words, ‘It is
not necessary to go as far as South Africa to observe the reality of
second-class citizenship. Deprived families are to be seen herded together in
every major British city. Manchester’s Hulme bears all the sociological
characteristics of a Bantustan reservation.’ The programme described how the
futuristic Le Corbusier-inspired vision of Streets in the Sky had failed
residents of post-slum clearances inner-city Manchester, with a particular
focus on the Hulme Crescents – yet to gain its more bohemian character of the
late 1980s.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
14th April, Tony Wilson went to Rafters on Oxford Street to watch the Stiff
Records Test (Chiswick Challenge) ‘Battle of the Bands,’ where he was harangued
by Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis for not putting them on TV. Forced to play
a late set (at 2:30am) and wound-up as a result, the band gave an impressive
performance, with DJ Rob Gretton offering to manage them the next day (although
Wilson’s account has them as Gretton’s band already). On Monday 8th May,
Magazine played at the Ritz, supported by John Cooper Clarke and local band the
Nosebleeds. Paul Morley reviewed the gig for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NME</i>, saying that Nosebleeds had re-surfaced ‘boasting A Front Man
With Charisma, always an advantage.’ That frontman was Stephen Patrick
Morrissey, a New York Dolls fan from Stretford who had made a name for himself
by writing letters to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NME</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and
other music magazines and who would go on to become one of the iconic British
frontman of the 1980s.</span></div>
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<br />
<span lang="PL" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>On
19th May 1978, the Durutti Column and Jilted John performed at the first
Factory night at the Russell Club in Hulme (also advertised as Moss Side). The
poster for the event was designed by Peter Saville, another art student from
Manchester Polytechnic, and given the label Fac 1. Although it arrived late,
the poster’s iconic use of an industrial safety sign (featuring a man with his
fingers in his ears and the words ‘Use Hearing Protection’) and the minimalist
yellow, black and white colour scheme provided a striking visual representation
of the new Factory brand [and would later be used as the inspiration for the
interior of the Hacienda nightclub]. The five partners in what would become the
Factory Records project were now in place: Wilson and Erasmus (running the
Factory night at the Russell Club); Hannett (the producer); Gretton (the Joy
Division manager) and Saville (the designer). On 30th May, the Fall recorded
their first of many John Peel Sessions for Radio 1, which began with ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeRg8oA1shY">Futures and Pasts.</a>’ Nottingham Forest won the league and Liverpool retained the
European Cup but Manchester United remained <a href="http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1978.htm">the biggest club in England in 1977-78</a>, with an average attendance of 51,860 – ahead of Liverpool (45,546),
Manchester City (41,687) and Everton (39,513).</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
3rd June 1978, Joy Division released their debut EP ‘An Ideal for Living’ which
is remembered as much for its cover-picture of a Hitler Youth banging a drum as
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5Uyyrla2xY">a punkier sound than the one the band would later come to be associated with</a>.
On 7th June(?), 36-year-old Alex Ferguson was given his big break when he
became manager of Aberdeen. On Thursday 13th July, Buzzcocks were amongst
several bands who performed to a crowd of around 35,000 at a Rock Against
Racism concert in Alexandra Park, Moss Side, the end-point of an Anti-Nazi
League march from Strangeways Prison (on the other side of the city centre).
The event co-incided with a by-election in Moss Side which was being contested
by the National Front. Their candidate Herbert Andrew received only 623 votes
(2.3%). Interestingly Vanessa Redgrave, who’d given a highly politicised
acceptance speech at the Oscars three months earlier, stood for the Workers’
Revolutionary Party (presumably as a paper candidate). She received 394 votes
(1.46%). On Friday 21st July, Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto were re-united as
Buzzcocks and Magazine both performed at the Lesser Free Trade Hall, two years
after they’d helped organise the seminal Sex Pistols gig at the same venue. The
next day, Tony Wilson hosted a New Wave night at the Deeply Vale free music
festival near Heywood, which featured the Fall and the Durutti Column. On
Thursday 27th July, Granada screened <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">B’dum
B’dum</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, a documentary about Buzzcocks and Magazine, presented by Tony
Wilson.</span></div>
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<a href="http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Politics/Pix/pictures/2001/03/10/pub_notworking.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Politics/Pix/pictures/2001/03/10/pub_notworking.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="PL" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>On
11th August 1978, the Fall released their debut EP ‘Bingo-Master’s Break-Out!’
which contained the track <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL0-ecO--5I&feature=related">Psycho Mafia</a>. In the same month, the Conservative
party unveiled their legendary Saatchi & Saatchi-designed poster campaign,
featuring a snaking dole queue above the words ‘Labour isn’t working (Britain’s
better off with the Tories).’ On 31st August (21st September according to John
Robb), Patti Smith played at the Apollo and 19-year-old aspiring frontman
Stephen Patrick Morrissey met 15-year-old aspiring guitarist Johnny Marr for
the first time (although it would be a while before they got together to form
the Smiths). On 8th September, Buzzcocks released their most successful single
‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51OB2YoC4sg">Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)</a>’ which reached number 12.
On 20th September, Joy Division performed ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ1LeFjSoxY">Shadowplay</a>’ on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Granada Reports</i></span></span><span lang="PL" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, their first TV appearance.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
16th October 1978, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Guardian </i>described
Manchester’s Arndale Centre as ‘an awful warning against thinking too big in
British cities ... so castle-like in its outer strength that any passing
medieval army would automatically besiege it rather than shop in it.’ The
massive indoor shopping centre had been under construnction since 1971 and was
opened in stages between 1975 and 1979 with a final cost of £100m. Designed by
Hugh Wilson and Lewis Womerley, the architects responsible for the Hulme
Crescents, it was another piece of Le Corbusier-inspired Brutalism and it dominated
Manchester city centre as Britain moved towards the ‘Winter of Discontent.’ On
6th December, Manchester City recorded <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhjiLhIYnPo">a famous 3-0 win against Italian giants A.C. Milan at Maine Road</a> to win 5-2 on aggregate and progress through to the
quarter finals of the UEFA Cup (where they were beaten by Borussia Monchengladbach).
On 24th December, Factory Records released its first record, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Factory Sample</i>, which contained tracks
by Joy Division and the Durutti Column. On 27th December, Ian Curtis suffered
an epileptic fit on the way home from a gig in London. The Joy Division singer
was to appear on the front cover of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NME</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
on 13th January 1979, after a photo session with Kevin Cummins in the snow
around Manchester Cathedral.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
10th January 1979, prime minister James Callaghan returned from a summit in the
Caribbean island of Guadeloupe and gave a press conference at Heathrow Airport.
Responding to claims by journalists, he said that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX06xqN6710">other people around the world wouldn’t share that view that there was ‘mounting chaos’ in Britain</a>. The next day
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Sun </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">led with the now-famous
headline ‘Crisis? What crisis?’ appearing to show a prime minister who was
out-of-touch. On 3rd May, Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Party won the
general election, with 13.7m votes (43.9%) to Labour’s 11.5m (36.9%). On the
doorstep of Number 10, Thatcher quoted from the prayer of St. Francis: ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A23PQCndPYU">Where there is discord, may we bring harmony.</a>’ On 12th May, Manchester United came
back from 2-0 down against Arsenal in the FA Cup Final, with late goals from
Gordon McQueen (86 mins) and Sammy MacIlroy (88 mins) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_92fHskQCo">only for Arsenal to score the winning goal in the 89th minute</a>. Liverpool won their 11th league title and
Nottingham Forest won the European Cup. It was a good season for Ron Atkinson’s
West Bromwich Albion, who finished third in the league and reached the quarter-finals
of the UEFA Cup after becoming the first team to field three black players.
Manchester United were still the biggest club in England <a href="http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1979.htm">with an average home attendance of 46,430</a>, just ahead of Liverpool (46,407). Arsenal were third
(36,371) just ahead of Manchester City in fourth (36,203).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
14th June 1979, Joy Division released <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unknown
Pleasures </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on Factory Records. Recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport, produced
by Martin Hannett, it was a dark-sounding debut which captured the bleak moorlands
of the Pennines as much as postindustrial Manchester in the late-1970s. [The
album’s sleeve, designed by Peter Saville, is also noteworthy.] When the band
signed to Factory, Tony Wilson is said to have carved his initials in blood on
a contract which said that ‘the musicians own everything, the company owns
nothing, all our groups have the right to fuck off.’ Joy Division played at
Plan K in Brussels, Belgium, on 16th October. They released non-album single
‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZwMs2fLoVE">Transmission</a>’ in November and played at Les Bains-Douches Club in Paris,
France on 18th December. A 10-date tour of Europe followed in January 1980
covering Amsterdam, Antwerp, Cologne, Rotterdam, Brussels, Eindhoven and
Berlin. The experience may have contributed towards Curtis’ depression, as he
tried to reconcile his life as a family man in Macclesfield with the full-on
demands of playing in a different city every night.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
18th August 1979, 22-year-old Ray Wilkins made his Manchester United debut
after his £750,000 move from Chelsea in the summer (£800,000 according to some
sources). The fact that he would be sold to A.C. Milan for twice that amount
after five seasons with the club suggests that this was a good investment.
Manchester City on the other hand weren’t finding such good value in the
transfer market. The signing on 5th September of Steve Daley from Wolves for
£1,427,500 (breaking the British transfer record) has been cited as the classic
example of City’s mis-management under the chairmanship of Peter Swales and the
management of Malcolm Allison. Under this pair, the club sold the core of the
team and replaced them with expensive signings who failed to live up to any
modest expectations. An episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">World
in Action</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, aired on 28th January 1980, focused on Manchester United’s
chairman of 15 years, Louis Edwards, and the payment of bribes, both in
industry and in a footballing context. Edwards died of a heart attack shortly
afterwards and was replaced by his son Martin on 22nd March 1980.</span></div>
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<a href="http://bookstains.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/again-john-cooper-clarke3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bookstains.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/again-john-cooper-clarke3.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Durutti Column’s debut album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Return
of the Durutti Column</i> was released on Factory in January 1980, with its
infamous sandpaper sleeve and the excellent '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0NPlrhINxI">Sketch For Summer</a>' as its opening track (produced by Martin Hannett). On 1st February, the Clash recorded ‘Bankrobber’ at
Pluto Studios in Manchester city centre, with a 16-year-old Ian Brown in
attendance. Joy Division recorded the tracks for their second album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Closer</i> in March 1980 with Martin Hannett
at Britannia Row Studios in London. They also recorded their next non-album
single ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart,’ which was released in April.
<a href="http://www.prideofmanchester.com/music/1980s.htm">Prideofmanchester.com</a> has John Cooper Clarke’s fourth album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snap, Crackle & Bop</i> reaching number
29 in April. The album contains the tracks ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2DShC4GhVc&feature=related">Evidently Chickentown</a>,’ which later
appeared on an episode of the Sopranos, and '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37QUUwp9xIs">Beasley Street</a>' (again produced by Martin Hannett).</span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
8th April, Joy Division <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YojfTc8Et1U">decided to go ahead with a gig at the Derby Hall in Bury</a>, shortly after Ian Curtis had attempted to commit suicide. The singer
wasn’t feeling well enough to perform a whole set, so the band replaced him
with Alan Hempstall (Crispy Ambulance) and Simon Topping (A Certain Ratio)
without telling the audience. When Curtis returned backstage after just two
songs, someone threw a bottle at the band and Rob Gretton jumped into the
crowd, causing a mini-riot. Mark Burgess from the Chameleons <a href="http://www.neworderonline.com/forums/MessageList.aspx?ThreadID=37775">blames local Perry Boys for the incident</a>, saying that these were fans of the band disappointed at
not seeing Curtis perform the full set. Several gigs had to be cancelled but
the band did record the promotional video for the song ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHYOXyy1ToI">Love Will Tear Us Apart</a>.’ On 2nd May, Joy Division played at High Hall, Birmingham University,
their last gig before a break and a planned tour of the USA. On 18th May, Ian
Curtis was found dead at his home in Macclesfield, aged just 23. He had been
suffering from epilepsy and depression. As news of his suicide came out, ‘Love
Will Tear Us Apart’ climbed to number 13 in the charts, the band’s most
successful single so far.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Liverpool
won their 12th league title and Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest retained the
European Cup, as Manchester United finished 2nd and Manchester City finished
17th. Once again, <a href="http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/england/aveeng1980.htm">the top three clubs in terms of average home attendance</a> were
Manchester United (51,608), Liverpool (44,586) and Manchester City (35,272).
Meanwhile in Scotland, Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen won the Scottish Premier
Division, breaking a Celtic/Rangers 15-year monopoly. During the four-year
period (1976-80), Liverpool had won the league three times and Nottingham
Forest had won it once. Liverpool and Nottingham Forest had both won the
European Cup twice. Manchester United were easily the best-supported club in
England, with average home attendances of 53,000; 51,000; 46,000 and 51,500.
Manchester City might be considered the third biggest club in England at the
time (after United and Liverpool), with averages of 40,000; 41,500; 36,000 and
35,000. For two of the three biggest clubs in England, United and City weren’t
having much success. United won the FA Cup in 1977 and were runners-up in 1979.
City reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1979. United finished with
league positions of 6th, 10th, 9th and 2nd; City with positions of 2nd, 4th,
15th and 17th. Clearly City were entering into an uncertain period, reflected
by the fall in their average attendance figures and league finishes after 1978.
For a club of United’s size and history however, second-place in the league
wasn’t good enough and manager Dave Sexton wouldn’t be given much more time to
turn things around.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-86597433136777739682012-06-27T03:44:00.000-07:002012-06-27T03:46:19.056-07:00Manchester bands dominate NME's list of greatest tracks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static.nme.com/images/gallery/2012NME60LogoNew02Mg210312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.nme.com/images/gallery/2012NME60LogoNew02Mg210312.jpg" /></a></div>
To celebrate its 60th birthday the NME <a href="http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/64427">recently released its list of the 100 greatest tracks of its lifetime</a>. Whilst such a list can never be taken entirely seriously, it does offer an interesting insight into current zeitgeists. What's most striking about this particular list is the dominance of Manchester bands in the top ten. Tony Wilson described Joy Division/New Order, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays and Oasis as the five 'great' Manchester bands. Of these, the Mondays are the only band who don't make the top twenty. Here is a list of the top ten, with the Manchester bands in bold:<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>1. Joy Division – 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'</b><br />2. Pulp – 'Common People'<br />3. David Bowie – '"Heroes"'<br />4. The Beach Boys – 'Good Vibratons'<br /><b>5. New Order – 'Blue Monday'</b><br /><b>6. The Stone Roses – 'She Bangs The Drums'</b><br /><b>7. The Smiths – 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out'</b><br />8. The Specials – 'Ghost Town'<br />9. Dizzee Rascal – 'Fix Up, Look Sharp'<br /><b>10. Oasis – 'Wonderwall'</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
The five tracks provide a useful timeline of the development of Manchester music during its golden age. <b>Love Will Tear Us Apart</b> was released in April 1980; <b>Blue Monday</b> was released March 1983; <b>There is a Light</b> features on the Smiths' third album The Queen is Dead which was released in June 1986; <b>She Bangs the Drums</b> was released in July 1989; and <b>Wonderwall </b>was released in October 1995. The obvious markers for this period are the election of Margaret Thatcher in 1979 and Tony Blair in 1997, it all took place during this 18-year period of Conservative government in a city that was always defiantly Labour.<br />
<br />
Another defining aspect of this period was the City of Liverpool's footballing dominance. In 1976, Liverpool pulled away from Arsenal to become the most successful team in England, with nine league titles. It was a position they would go on to consolidate, winning another nine titles over the next 14 years. When Manchester United won their eighth title in 1993, Liverpool responded (perhaps a touch hubristically) by saying "Come back when you've won 18." The rivalry between the two cities not makes for a fascinating contest in terms of the two football teams but also in terms of its bands, with the Beatles having been made such a huge impact in the 1960s. I've argued previously that whilst we should admire the band's success and respect their links with the city, <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/manchester-united-become-first-english.html">the Beatles belong to Liverpool in the same way George Best belongs to Belfast</a>. We can see the similarities in the way both the Beatles and Best (the 'fifth Beatle') invested their earnings in their adopted cities of London and Manchester, the Beatles with Apple Records and Best with his nightclubs and fashion boutiques. In 2002, Liverpool Airport was re-named Liverpool John Lennon. In 2006, Belfast City Airport was re-named after George Best.<br />
<br />
Manchester music has received renewed attention with the re-formation of the Stone Roses, who play their massive homecoming gigs at Heaton Park this weekend. Along with the Smiths, the Happy Mondays and and Oasis, all these bands are closely associated with Manchester (not to mention the Buzzcocks, the Fall, John Cooper Clarke, Simply Red, 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald, James, the Ruthless Rap Assassins and a lengthy list of others). But perhaps the most important contribution came from Joy Division/New Order who, unlike the Beatles, invested their profits back into their home city, through projects like Factory Records and the Hacienda, raising Manchester's profile and preparing the ground for two ambitious Olympic bids and its subsequent marketing as a 'global city'. The five tracks above provide the soundtrack for a difficult period in the city's history, but one from which it emerged with a positive outlook thanks in part to the band(s) whose songs the NME now considers the greatest and the fifth greatest.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-81644478974791382352012-06-19T00:55:00.000-07:002012-06-19T00:55:27.789-07:00Would Liverpool make a better capital of the North West?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/exhibitions/worldheritagecity/graphics/large/threegraces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/exhibitions/worldheritagecity/graphics/large/threegraces.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm (whose book <i>The Age of Revolution</i> provides a great introduction to the history of Manchester) once said that 'the imagined community of millions seems more real as a team of eleven named people'. It's with this in mind that I've suggested Amos, Simpson, Baines, Jagielka, Kelly, Jones, Osman, Rodwell, Gerrard, Welbeck and Rooney as my starting eleven to represent the imagined community of around 6.5m that is the North West of England. If New Labour had had their way then we may have had a directly elected regional assembly along the lines of the ones in Scotland (pop. 5m), Wales (pop. 3m) and Northern Ireland (pop. 2m). Their mistake was to assume that the North East was the best place to put this idea to a referendum (with 700,000 voting against, 200,000 voting in favour).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The sticking point for any discussion of regionalism in the North West will always be around where to have the 'capital'. The diplomatic solution (to avoid any entanglement in the Manchester-Liverpool rivalry) would be to have it in Warrington or Preston - but then when it came to marketing the North West to the rest of the world, we would struggle to make the case for connecting the regional capital with regional identity. A better solution would be to opt for one of the two and make it very clear from the start why.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In order to make regionalism work, it has to be decentralised. It wouldn't make sense to put the capital in Manchester because Manchester doesn't need the extra investment (we have the top two football teams in England, the BBC's MediaCity development and Manchester Airport already). Manchester is the economic heart of the North West and its financial capital. One of the main obstacles towards gaining support for regional devolution would probably be trying to persuade people that it wouldn't just benefit Manchester at everyone else's expense. This is why Liverpool would be the smarter choice. Not only is it by far the grandest-looking city in the whole of the North (really only rivalled by London and Edinburgh in the rest of the UK) but it could also do with the extra investment. An iconic North West Parliament Building overlooking the Mersey would make sense in terms of selling the idea of the North West to the rest of the world. Just as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scotland has Edinburgh and Glasgow, the US has Washington DC and New York, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with Liverpool and Manchester both on board, we would be able to make the idea of regional devolution work. Along with the football team, this would be a fitting way to mark the region's proud history of economic independence as the centre of the global cotton trade in the hundred years from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the beginning of the First World War. In order to succeed where others have failed, it would require a radical effort on the part of politicians in Greater Manchester to push for devolution from London to Liverpool.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-17324546534974292742012-06-10T20:04:00.003-07:002012-06-10T20:07:56.460-07:00If the North West had a football team...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/EnglandNorthWest.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/EnglandNorthWest.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is
my tribute to the late Tony Wilson, who will be remembered for many things, not
least his commitment to the unfashionable and even much-derrided idea of
elected regional assemblies. It links with <a href="http://www.cottontimes.co.uk/leisureo.htm">the role of the North West of England as the birthplace of modern football</a>. It was when legislation was
passed in parliament limiting working hours (something the Manchester Guardian,
as the voice of the mill-owning liberal establishment, strongly opposed) that
Saturday afternoons were freed up for the enjoyment of whatever it was the
workers decided to spend their wages on. Previously ‘lesuire’ had been an
aristocratic or middle class luxury, with association football (‘soccer’)
originating in the playing fields of boarding schools. Now the Factory Acts
cleared the way for mass spectator sports and it was in the milltowns of
Lancashire that the football boom began, alongside other industrial towns and
cities throughout the north of England, Scotland and the Midlands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
history of football in Lancashire deserves more space to itself, but what is
clear that this was (and arguably remains) the spiritual home of the game in
England. Of the twelve founding members of the Football League, six were from
the county: Accrington, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Everton
and Preston North End (the winners of the first two league titles in 1889 and
1890). Today, the two most successful clubs in terms of league titles are
Manchester United with 19 and Liverpool with 18. Between them, the North West’s
two major clubs (just 30 miles apart) have won 8 European Cups, which puts them
just behind Real Madrid with 9 and the two Milan clubs with a combined total of
10. As I’ve written previously,<a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2012/05/0-false-18-pt-18-pt-0-0-false-false.html"> the Manchester derby is the second biggest in Europe based on combined average attendances of all games throughout the 2010-11 season</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With
England’s Euro 2012 campaign about to get underway, I’ve decided to post my
dream North West Eleven, a team I’d find it much easier to support. Because the
regions don’t have the same criteria for citizenship, etc., the most
straightforward way to define eligibility is by place of birth – therefore Ryan
Giggs (born in Cardiff, moved to Swinton aged six) doesn’t make the team. I’ve
gone for a young team so Phil Neville, Paul Scholes and Jaime Carragher would
all start on the bench. They would have to play their home games at the
biggest, most easily accesible ‘neutral’ venue, which would have to be 23,400
capacity Deepdale (though this is small consolation for the re-location of the National Football Museum to Manchester). For a region with a population of around 6.5m, we have a
strong team – weighted slightly more towards Merseyside, it has to be said. Better than Scotland or Wales? Unfortunately, we will probably never find out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ben Amos,
22, Macclesfield<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Danny
Simpson, 25, Salford<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leighton
Baines, 27, Kirkby<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Martin
Kelly, 22, Whiston<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Phil
Jagielka, 29, Sale<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Phil
Jones, 20, Preston<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leon
Osman, 31, Wigan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jack
Rodwell, 21, Southport<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steven
Gerrard, 32, Whiston<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wayne
Rooney, 26, Croxteth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Danny
Welbeck, 21, Longsight<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-51502599086682219552012-05-21T02:16:00.001-07:002012-05-21T02:16:13.164-07:00Ten years on, what is the legacy of the Commonwealth Games for Manchester?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/Manchester_2002.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/Manchester_2002.png" width="294" /></a></div>
David Conn's <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/may/18/fall-and-rise-manchester-city">excellent article on the history of Manchester City since they last won the football league</a> provides one of the best accounts of what the club's success means to its fans and also the vast amount of money thrown at the project by its new owners in Abu Dhabi. Apparently City's move to the 48,000 capacity City of Manchester Stadium in the summer of 2003 was a "crucial factor" in Sheikh Mansour's decision to buy the club five years later. If this is the case then we could argue that City's recent success (winning the FA Cup last year and the Premier League this year) and the sense of excitement in anticipation of success to come is the greatest legacy of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The Games were awarded to Manchester in November 1995, after failed bids to host the 2000 Olympics (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Summer_Olympics_bids">in September 1993</a>) and the 1996 Olympics (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bids_for_the_1996_Summer_Olympics">in September 1990</a>), and along with the IRA bomb of June 1996, they are seen as having played a major role in the city's subsequent regeneration. Despite not being taken that seriously as a major tournament in its own right, the Commonwealth Games (coinciding with Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee year and coming 25 years after the Sex Pistols had released <i>Nevermind the Bollocks… Here's the Sex Pistols</i>) turned out to be hugely important for Manchester, as has been well-documented. Looking at their legacy ten years on, we can't help comparing it with the London Olympics due to take place this summer (will it have the same impact on London as the 2002 Games had on Manchester?). But we should also look at the background to the Games and the political environment that allowed them to happen in the way they did.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Manchester_council,_seat_totals_1973-2011.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Manchester_council,_seat_totals_1973-2011.png" width="400" /></a></div>
The two failed Olympic bids and the successful Commonwealth Games bid all took place during the long period of Tory rule in Westminster (mainly during John Major's government but also towards the end of Margaret Thatcher's). So whilst Manchester's renaissance coincides with the New Labour era (1997-2010), the groundwork was all laid during the Tory era (1979-1997). As we can see in the diagram on the right Manchester City Council was Labour-controlled throughout both periods and one of the main factors in Manchester's renaissance was the ability of its civic leadership to work with whoever was in power, regardless of ideological differences. This is in marked contrast with Liverpool, where the Militant Tendency gained a foothold on the City Council, which they used as a battleground against the government. (Neil Kinnock made his famous speech to the Labour party conference in October 1985 in which he denounced a Labour council "hiring taxis to scuttle round the city handing redundancy notices to its own workers.") Of course we shouldn't forget the impact of Factory Records and New Order, whose funnelling of profits into the iconic Hacienda nightclub played a remarkable role in Manchester's transformation from its opening in 1982 to around the period when the city was bidding for the Olympics.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/ImperialWarMuseumNorth01.jpg/800px-ImperialWarMuseumNorth01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/ImperialWarMuseumNorth01.jpg/800px-ImperialWarMuseumNorth01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The Barcelona Olympics in 1992 are seen as the hallmark for a tournament's ability to regenerate a postindustrial city and this was certainly around the time Manchester began to visualise itself as a future "Barcelona of the North." In terms of the scale and global prestige of the event, the Commonwealth Games are no match for the Olympics, but the 2002 Games took place at an exciting time for the city. The damage cause by the 1996 IRA bomb was used to secure further investment in the city centre (at a time when the threat of the Trafford Centre, opened on the outskirts of town in September 1998, loomed large). This was symbolised in the redevelopment of Cathedral Gardens and in Ian Simpson's Urbis building (completed in 2002), but also further afield in Piccadilly Gardens for example. In October 1997, the Guggenheim Museum was opened in Bilbao, creating another model for urban regeneration. Designed by Lou Gehry, the building (located in a previously rundown, industrial part of the city) was instantly hailed as a landmark piece of contemporary design, turning Bilbao into a must-visit global tourist destination. Manchester took note, with work on the Lowry in Salford Quays having begun in June 1997. Outline planning permission for the Imperial War Museum North (IWMN) was granted in October 1997, the same month as the opening of the Guggenheim in Bilbao. The Lowry was opened in 1999 at a cost of £106m. Building work began on the IWMN (pictured above) in January 2000. Designed by Daniel Libeskind (set to become one of the biggest names in contemporary architecture), it cost £28.5m and was opened in July 2002, shortly before the Commonwealth Games began.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thenational.ae/deployedfiles/Assets/Richmedia/Image/na09jl-Manchester2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.thenational.ae/deployedfiles/Assets/Richmedia/Image/na09jl-Manchester2.jpg" /></a><br />
On 26th May 1999, Manchester United beat Bayern Munich with two late goals to win the Champions League final at the Nou Camp in Barcelona. The club, whose ground is a stones throw away from the Lowry and Libeskid's IWMN, had already won five of the first seven Premier Leagues (this would later become seven of the first nine) and featured young British stars such as Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Paul Scholes. So the Commonwealth Games arrived on a wave of optimism (sporting, economic, architectural, political) and provided Manchester with the showcase it long needed and been campaigning for. Consequently it's difficult to separate the legacy of the Games with the transformation that took place at around the same time. The one key factor thoughout was the City of Manchester Stadium (now the Etihad). This had been planning stages right from the failed Olympic bids of 1990 and 1993. Construction began in January 2000 (at the same time as Libeskind's IWMN) on a brownfield site in East Manchester. Opened in time for the Games, it cost around £112m and was afterwards converted from an athletics venue to a football stadium. Man City moved in just before the start of the 2003-2004 season and were taken over by the Abu Dhabi group five years later. City's recent success in the league can therefore be traced back to the co-operation between a forward-thinking Labour council in Manchester and a supportive Conservative government in Westminster back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-66187048697764354512012-05-13T21:24:00.000-07:002012-05-13T21:32:21.670-07:00Shades of 1968 as City and United complete 1-2 finish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60208000/jpg/_60208114_60208113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60208000/jpg/_60208114_60208113.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In a blog about the unstoppable rise of Manchester, I couldn't not write about the final day of an exhilerating Premier League season for both clubs. Two weeks ago I wrote that <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-citys-win-is-good-for-manchester.html">City's derby win was good for Manchester</a> - for all the same reasons, so is winning the league in such dramatic style (with Dzeko and Aguerro scoring two vital goals in injury time). My biggest worry was that such an exciting season would end in a huge anti-climax, with City building an unassailable lead against QPR and keeping possession through the second half, Barcelona-style. [I hadn't even considered the prospect of them not winning the match.] Clearly I needn't have worried. The closer it was, the better for Manchester-as-a-whole. I'd considered comparing the dramatic final moments to a photo finish in what had long been a two-horse race. But, such is the pace and excitement of the modern game, a better analogy would probably be the 2008 Formula 1 season, when Lewis Hamilton left it until the last corner of the last lap of the last GP to overtake Timo Glock to win the drivers' championship by one point. You were left thinking, did that really just happen!?</div>
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We've been here before. In 1968, the two teams finished 1st and 2nd (with City winning the league <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/08/manchester-united-become-first-english.html">just two weeks before United went on to become the first English club to win the European Cup</a>). But where did they go from there? In the 68-69 season, United finished 11th and City finished 13th (with City winning the FA Cup), the first of many seasons in which both clubs hovered around mid-table. United were relegated in 1974 and promoted the following year; City finished 2nd to Liverpool in 1977; United finished 2nd to Liverpool in 1980. City were relegated in 1983, promoted back in 1985 and relegated again in 1987. United finished 2nd to Liverpool in 1988 and City were promoted back to the top flight in 1989. In short the period following on from Manchester's last 1-2 finish was mixed at best. [It would be 25 years before another Manchester club won the league.] The period from 1976 to 1990 in particular was dominated by the two Liverpool clubs, who won twelve league titles in fifteen seasons. Obviously Man United went on to dominate English football in the Premier League era, but City's success raises questions about what happens next, for the teams and for the city itself.</div>
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<b>What next for Manchester United?</b></div>
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United are still the most valuable sports franchise in the world, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17769654">worth <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">£</span></span>1.4bn according to Forbes magazine</a>. They are still third in the Deloitte Football Money League (<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16951878">well behind Real Madrid and Barcelona in terms of revenue</a>). Of course, it's expected that they will still be there or thereabouts, but in a Man City-dominated world, will United have to downgrade their goal to a top four finish whilst still hoping to compete in Europe? Personally I'd love to see the young English players come through. Chris Smalling (22), Phil Jones (20), Tom Cleverley (22) and Danny Welbeck (21) should all be looking to break into or consolidate their places in the first team, with Ryan Tunnicliffe (19) and Will Keane (19) also good prospects for the future. Under Alex Ferguson, people have rightly associated United with success but we should also remember the club's longheld commitment to fielding young homegrown players and an attacking style of play. Ferguson's retirement has long been talked about and choosing the right replacement will be key to the club's success. Is it too outlandish to see Paul Scholes as a Pep Guardiola-at-Barcelona figure who can reconnect the club with its roots whilst going on to achieve unprecedented success and playing attractive football at the same time? Or will they just go for Guardiola himself? If the club is no longer successful, will the Glazer family come in for even more criticism (having never been that popular in the first place)?</div>
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<b>What next for Manchester City?</b></div>
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City will need to achieve back-to-back league titles to match Chelsea's (relatively modest) success under the management of Jose Mourinho (and perhaps more importantly the financial backing of Roman Abramovich). In order to match United's success they will need to win three-in-a-row (twice) and win the Champions League (twice), possibly under the constraints of UEFA's financial fair play rules. In terms of off-the-field success, they will also be aiming to make their way up the Deloitte Football Money League (which measures revenue) and the Forbes rich list (which measures value). These all seem like realistic ambitions considering the amount of investment being made by the club's Abu Dhabi-based owners (and the return on that investment they've now received). Roberto Mancini's position has been strengthened and this can only be a good thing for the club. We should also remember that the investment also extends to a huge local regeneration project which involves turning rundown parts of East Manchester into a state-of-the-art training complex (and makes Gordon Brown's February 2008 decision to scrap plans for a Super Casino in the area look incredibly far-sighted).</div>
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<b>What next for Manchester?</b></div>
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Manchester's global brand has been enhanced in a way that will make other European cities look on with envy. With not one but two teams battling it out at the very top of the English Premier League, Manchester can be confident of its place alongside Milan, Barcelona, Madrid, Munich (and I would also argue the Ruhr) as one of the undisputed football capitals of Europe. This will of course help with marketing the city as a football tourism destination. On a small level, it vindicates the decision of the National Football Museum to relocate to the city's Urbis building (which will open its doors on 6th July). On a much bigger level, I feel it also vindicates the BBC's decision to relocate to Salford Quays. You could argue that this is only relevant for their football coverage but, for me, it symbolises the fact that Manchester is the only city really challenging London for supremacy, and this is good for Britain-as-a-whole.</div>
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<b>A thought for Lancashire's smaller clubs.</b></div>
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Paul Wilson wrote earlier in the season that the Premier League has become <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jan/21/manchester-london-premier-league">a tale of two cities, Manchester and London</a>. A consequence of this is that clubs from smaller (or at least more peripheral) towns and cities yo-yo between the first and second tiers or fall down and don't come back. Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers, who both came up in 2001, were both relegated this season (with QPR, a London club, staying up). [One of the most eye-catching moments in the madness of the post-match celebrations at the Etihad was a warm embrace between Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the chairman of Manchester City (and a member of the Abu Dhabi United Group private equity company), and Tony Fernandes, the Malaysian founder of AirAsia and chairman of QPR - both of whom have invested heavily in the squads of the two teams.] Wigan Athletic managed to avoid the drop for another season but may struggle to sustain their success. It remains to be seen whether Blackpool can make it six rather than five Premier League sides from the North West by beating West Ham in the Championship Play-Off Final on Saturday. If West Ham win then there will be six London teams in the Premiership (with West Ham's potential move to the Olympic stadium likely to provide financial stability in the years to come, perhaps in the form of a high-profile take-over like the one City themselves were subject to when they moved to the City of Manchester Stadium in 2003).</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-72702629161451548152012-05-09T13:42:00.003-07:002012-05-09T13:42:47.361-07:00Manchester's architectural debt to the man accused of 'bleeding Valencia dry'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Trinity_Bridge_and_The_Lowry_Hotel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_332243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Trinity_Bridge_and_The_Lowry_Hotel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_332243.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It has <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_busiest_ports_in_Europe">the fifth busiest container port in Europe</a>; it hosted Formula 1's European Grand Prix from 2008-2011; its football team reached the finals of the Champions League in 2000 and 2001(but later had to sell David Silva to Manchester City, David Villa to Barcelona, and Juan Mata to Chelsea); it's Spain's third biggest city and it's the birthplace of one of Europe's top architects, Santiago Calatrava. Now leftist critics of Valencia's local government are <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/08/architect-santiago-calatrava-valencia?INTCMP=SRCH">accusing Calatrava of 'bleeding the city dry'</a> after it was revealed that he has charged €100m to design a futuristic culture zone. The City of the Arts and Sciences certainly looks impressive but, as Spain struggles to cope with rising unemployment and huge public debt, such ambitious projects risk looking out-of-touch and over-priced.<br />
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The scale of Calatrava's latest project is huge compared to the bridge he designed to cross the River Irwell, which opened in 1995. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_Bridge_(Greater_Manchester)">Trinity Footbridge</a> (pictured above), which connects Manchester and Salford, was the city's first example of showpiece 'postmodern' architecture, and laid the groundwork for everything that followed: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulme_Arch_Bridge">the Hulme Arch</a> (1997), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lowry">The Lowry</a> (1999), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowry_Hotel">The Lowry Hotel</a> (2001), Daniel Libeskind's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_War_Museum_North">Imperial War Museum North</a> (2002), Ian Simpson's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._1_Deansgate">No. 1 Deansgate</a> (2002) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urbis">Urbis</a> (2002), Tadao Ando's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piccadilly_Gardens">Piccadilly Gardens pavilion</a> (2002), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Civil_Justice_Centre">the Manchester Civil Justice Centre</a> (2007), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetham_Tower,_Manchester">the Beetham Tower</a> (2007), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_The_Avenue">1 The Avenue</a> in Spinningfields (2009), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaCityUK">MediaCityUK</a> (2011), and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Angel_Square">1 Angel Square</a> as part of the Co-op's 'NOMA' development (2012). Salford Quays and Manchester City Centre itself have changed beyond recognition in the last fifteen to twenty years and whilst there are many factors involved (the failed Olympic bid, Euro 96/the IRA bomb, the Commonwealth Games in 2002, strong civic leadership), we can credit Calatrava's simple design in this quiet corner of the city with providing the impetus for the glass-and-steel renaissance we see around us today. Manchester has been described by architecture critic Owen Hatherley as '<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/oct/23/ruins-britain-owen-hatherley-review">the archetypal New Labour boomtown</a>', a place that's <a href="http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1367086_new_book_attacks_modern_manchester_as_new_labour_boom_town_thats_lost_its_cultural_edge">lost its cultural edge</a>. But with its two football clubs about to finish first and second in the Premier League, the National Football Museum about to open in the Urbis building, and <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/03/britain-industrial-cities-tourism-powerhouses">tourist numbers rising as a result</a>, things are looking good for the city (even if there is an increasing amount of nostalgia for how things were, as the success of the Stone Roses reunion has shown). One wonders whether Valencia (<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/may/06/liverpool-waters-review-rowan-moore">or indeed Liverpool</a>) will be able to match Manchester for the sustainable progress it's made so far.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-34693688080570665922012-05-06T01:26:00.004-07:002012-05-06T01:28:28.713-07:00Was the Football League founded in Manchester in 1888?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's the oldest professional football league competition in the world. Under its modern guise as the Premier League, it has the highest revenue of any football league in the world. But can we say that it was founded in Manchester in 1888? Or is this claim, <a href="http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/8558/38/">as one commenter on the <i>When Saturday Comes</i> website argues</a>, 'disingenuous'?</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;">'The Football League was founded in the city [Manchester] in 1888.' This is just about correct but omits the background. William McGregor, an Aston Villa director, was the first to propose a league. A meeting of interested parties was held in London (before the FA Cup Final) and the formalities were completed in Manchester. Notably no clubs from Manchester were included.</span></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Football Association held its first meeting at a pub in London on 26th October 1863. The first FA Cup final took place on 16th March 1872 and the first England international (vs. Scotland) took place in Glasgow on 30th November in the same year. Professionalism was legalised on 20th July 1885, shortly after the formation of Newton Heath L&YR FC in 1878 (later Man Utd) and St. Mark's (West Gorton) FC in 1880 (later Man City). With professionalism came financial pressures, leading to the creation of the Football League.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Mcgregor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Mcgregor.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William McGregor, the founder of the Football League</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On 2nd March 1888 William McGregor, a director at Aston Villa (founded 1874), wrote to Blackburn Rovers (1875), Bolton Wanderers (1874), Preston North End (1881), West Bromwich Albion (1878) and Stoke FC (1863) with his suggestion. The first meeting was held in London on the eve of the FA Cup final on 23rd March with the formalities completed in Manchester on 17th April. In addition to the six teams already mentioned, the founding members also included Accrington FC (1876), Burnley FC (1882), Derby County (1884), Everton (1878), Notts County (1862) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (1877).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So whilst no clubs from Manchester itself were included, the inaugural league had </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">six teams from Lancashire and six from the Midlands, with Manchester (then the centre of the global cotton trade and a huge transport and business hub) the obvious place to hold any meeting of the twelve clubs. Newton Heath joined the first division for a brief spell in 1892, with Manchester City making their first appearance in the top flight in 1899. It wasn't until 1904 that a London team were represented at this level (Woolwich Arsenal).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's most interesting about the early years of the Football League is how relatively provincial it was, with small towns such as Bury achieving greater success. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No team from Manchester or London won the league until Man Utd in 1908. This is in marked contrast with the current Premier League, which is dominated by teams from the two cities (<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jan/21/manchester-london-premier-league">as Paul Wilson noted earlier in the season</a>).</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-60494071466942930222012-05-03T01:30:00.000-07:002012-05-05T06:59:05.392-07:00An overview of the top 20 biggest football derbies in Europe (based on combined average attendances)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<u><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Introduction<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<u><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve written previously about <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-citys-win-is-good-for-manchester.html">the huge Manchester derby match that took place on Monday 30th April 2012</a>, where Vincent
Kompany’s goal just before half-time was all that separated the two sides
(allowing City to leapfrog United at the top of the Premier League with only
two games to go). Should City go on to win the league for the first time since
1968 (as they’re more than capable of doing), this result will be seen as the
one which best represents the shifting of the balance of power between the two
sides – something which can only be good for Manchester’s global brand (in so far
as it can now market itself as the capital of English football, boasting not
one but two of the world’s best clubs and, from 6th July, <a href="http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/">the National Football Museum</a>). Kompany was right when he said that the Manchester derby is now <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/apr/27/vincent-kompany-manchester-el-clasico">the most important match in the world after La Liga’s El Clasico</a>, watched by <a href="http://fourfourtwo.com/news/england/100641/default.aspx">a global TV audience of around 650m</a> and attended in person by Diego Maradona
himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, in terms of European
footballing success, all one-city derbies pale in comparison to Milan, a city
whose two teams have amassed a grand total of ten European Cups/Champions
League titles between them (Madrid alone are not far behind with nine;
Manchester/Liverpool have eight). In fact Milan is the only city in Europe with
more than one winner of the competition, making any objective success-based
comparisons of European footballing derbies difficult. An easier and in many
ways more appropriate method for comparison would be to combine the average
attendances of each derby team throughout the 2010-11 season and list them
accordingly. Whilst it’s based on the most objective criteria available, such
an approach still poses problems in terms of how we define a ‘local’ derby, which
I’ve outlined below:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div>
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<u><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The top 20 derbies in Europe based on
combined average attendance</span></u></div>
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<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Team<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">attendance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Team<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avg attendance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Borussia Dortmund<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">80,478<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Schalke 04<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">61,248<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">141,726<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manchester United<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">75,109<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manchester City<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">45,778<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">120,887<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Real Madrid<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">70,736<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Atletico Madrid<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">44,684<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">115,420<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bayern Munich<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">69,000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FC Nuremberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">42,019<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">111,019<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FC Barcelona<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">79,390<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">RCD Espanyol<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">27,736<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">107,126<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Milan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">53,528<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Internazionale<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50,578<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">104,106<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arsenal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">60,025<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tottenham Hotspur<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">35,689<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">95,714<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Celtic<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">48,968<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rangers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">45,305<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">94,237<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FC Köln<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">47,752<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B. Mönchengladbach<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">45,676<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">93,428<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hamburger SV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">54,445<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Werder Bremen<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">37,464<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">91,909<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Newcastle United<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">47,718<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunderland<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">40,011<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">87,729<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ajax<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">47,750<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feyenoord<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">39,676<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">87,426<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Liverpool<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">42,775<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everton<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">36,039<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">78,814<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sevilla<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">36,000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Real Betis<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">31,095<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">67,095<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Benfica<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">39,784<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sporting CP<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">27,003<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">66,787<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chelsea<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">41,435<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fulham<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25,043<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">66,478<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aston Villa</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">37,220</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Birmingham City</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25,462</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">62,682</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roma</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">33,623</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lazio</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">27,842</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">61,465</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Athletic Bilbao</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">35,815</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Real Sociedad</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25,289</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">61,104</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 26.7pt;" valign="top" width="27"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.3pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lyon</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" valign="top" width="64"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">35,266</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saint-Etienne</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25,096</span></td><td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" valign="top" width="57"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">60,362</span></b></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<u><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Notes<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="PL">- </span><span lang="PL">All figures are based
on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Average_attendances_of_European_football_clubs">Wikipedia’s top 70 clubs by average attendance</a>. I haven't included any clubs that are outside the top 70, e.g. 1860 Munchen
(whose average attendance of 20,000 would put the Munich derby in the top ten). This is because I'd like to source all the figures from the same place. However I don't think the list would change dramatically if this was the case. Fenerbahce (39,542) vs. Besiktas (26,249) would have made the list but the figures given are not for the 2010-11 season (and the Besiktas figures is unsourced).</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="PL"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="PL">- </span><span lang="PL">I'd like to make very clear that the average attendance figures are for <b>all games throughout the season</b> - not for the individual derby games themselves.</span></span><br />
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="PL">- </span><span lang="PL">The top ten teams without
representation in the list are Marseilles (51,081), Eintracht Frankfurt
(47,335), Napoli (47,210), FC Kaiserslautern (46,378), Hertha Berlin (45,761),
Hannover 96 (43,948), Valencia (41,599), VfB Stuttgart (38,847), Porto (36,404)
and Shakhtar Donetsk (33,897). I considered classifying Eintracht Frankfurt vs. FC
Kaiserslautern as a derby (which with a combined total of 93,713 would’ve made
the top ten) but decided not to (see below).<br />
</span><span lang="PL">
<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="PL"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="PL">- </span><span lang="PL">Any list of teams
based on average attendance will always be dominated by Germany, where
competetive one-city derbies are uncommon. I’ve chosen to include the four
biggest regional ‘derbies’ and exclude all the others – although I think the
Ruhrgebiet still has to be classed as a single agglomeration (as of course does
Greater Manchester).</span></span><br />
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="PL">- </span><span lang="PL">No team has been included twice. This means that Arsenal vs. Spurs is classed as the biggest London derby, with Chelsea vs. Fulham second. It should be stressed that there is a lot of overlap when it comes to the London derbies. These four teams have been chosen purely because they have the highest average attendances, not (at least in the case of the West London derby) because they have the fiercest rivalry.</span></span><br />
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="PL">- </span><span lang="PL">The closest distance
between two stadiums is of course Milan vs. Inter, where the two teams share
the San Siro. The distance between Anfield and Goodison Park is 0.6 miles; between Estadio Da Luz and Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon it is 1.4 miles. The
longest distance between two clubs in the list is between Munich and Nuremburg
(the two largest cities in Bavaria), which are around 100 miles apart, raising inevitable questions about how we define a derby. The distance between Hamburg and Bremen is around 60 miles, between Bilbao and San Sebastian around 50 miles, between Amsterdam and Rotterdam around 35 miles, between Lyon and Saint-Etienne around 30 miles. The distance between the Westfalenstadion and the Veltins Arena is exactly 17 miles, whilst there are exactly ten miles between St. James' Park and the Stadium of Light.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="PL">- </span><span lang="PL">The smallest
difference in ratio between the two average attendances are those between Milan
vs. Inter, K</span><span lang="PL"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">ö</span>ln vs. Borussia M</span><span lang="PL"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">ö</span>nchengladbach and Celtic vs. Rangers. The
largest by a long way is Barcelona vs. Espanyol (although the difference
between Bayern Munich vs. 1860 Munchen would have been bigger still).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think the list above gives us a better
insight into European football than the list of average attendances itself or
the infamous Deloitte Football League, in showing where the real football
powerhouses of Europe really are. On a personal note, it’s no surprise to see the Ruhrgebeit
topping the list. I’ve only seen the Revierderby on TV but the atmosphere
inside the stadium looks amazing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Manchester derby is of course growing
in importance but we should stress that in domestic success terms it is still
trumped by the Mersyside derby with only 21 league titles to their combined
total of 27 – although this will of course soon be 22 (whichever way the
Premier League goes this season) and that number will continue to increase whilst
the other won’t. People from either side of the red/blue divide should be able
to celebrate Manchester’s new-found role as the football capital of England,
although we should also remember the city's role in the founding of the Football League in 1888 and that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_home_attendances_of_English_football_clubs">the top two record club home attendances in English football</a> were both set at Maine Road: Man City vs. Stoke City in March 1934 (attended by
84,569) and Man Utd vs. Arsenal in January 1948 (83,260).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="PL" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="PL"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The list above also reflects Manchester’s
and the Ruhr’s role as the two historic centres of the industrial revolution in
Europe. I’ve written previously <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/07/geiger-marsden-experiment-ad-1909.html">about how Manchester was the ninth biggest city in the world in 1900</a> with a population of 1,435,000 (the only provincial European city
in the top ten), whilst the Ruhr’s population grew from 766,000 in 1900 to 4,900,000
in 1950 (making it the ninth biggest city in the world at that time). The
imperial capitals of pre-War Europe fare poorly on the list of European
football derbies: London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna and St. Petersburg may have
been the biggest cities in the world in 1900 but it was in Manchester, the
Ruhr, Barcelona, Madrid, Munich and Milan that football captured the popular
imagination – something which is still reflected today in the list above.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-30264237342256891932012-05-01T14:01:00.002-07:002012-05-01T14:01:58.498-07:00Why City's win is good for Manchester<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59956000/jpg/_59956666_59956608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59956000/jpg/_59956666_59956608.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Vincent Kompany beats Chris Smalling in the air to score what could be Manchester City's most important ever goal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On 14th May 2011, Manchester United drew 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers to win an unprecedented 19th league title - one more than local rivals Liverpool. Later that day, Manchester City beat Stoke City 1-0 to win the FA Cup - ending a 35 year run without a major trophy. Two weeks later United lost 3-1 to Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in the final of the Champions League, the final game of a season in which Manchester City had broken into the Premiership's top four for the first time (Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool having dominated the league in 1998, 2004, 2006-2009) and Manchester United were widely considered part of a European top three (along with Barcelona and Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid).<br />
<br />
As Premier League champions and Champions League finalists, the balance of power was still firmly with United but there was a growing sense of inevitability that this was about to change. Expectations had been high ever since City were taken over by Sheik Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group in September 2008. High profile signings followed:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Robinho for £32.5m from Real Madrid in September 2008.</li>
<li>Nigel De Jong for £18m from Hamburg in January 2009.</li>
<li>Carlos Tevez from Manchester United in July 2009.</li>
<li>Yaya Toure for £24m from Barcelona in July 2010.</li>
<li>David Silva from Valencia in July 2010.</li>
<li>Mario Balotelli for €22m from Inter Milan in August 2010.</li>
<li>Edin Dzeko for £27m from Wolfsburg in January 2011.</li>
<li>Sergio Aguerro for £38m from Atletico Madrid in July 2011.</li>
<li>Samir Nasri for £25m from Arsenal in August 2011.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Mark Hughes was ruthlessly replaced by Roberto Mancini in December 2009, City's ambitions having been best reflected with chairman Gary Cook's infamous quote from back in August 2008 ['Richard Dunne doesn't exactly roll off the tongue in Beijing'] about the relationship between modern football and globalisation. In July 2011 the City of Manchester Stadium was renamed 'the Etihad'.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://therepublikofmancunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Map.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="473" src="http://therepublikofmancunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Map.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Red or blue - a map of Greater Manchester showing which parts of the region support United and which support City.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The balance of power really began to shift <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/15325536">when United were beaten 6-1 at home on 23rd October</a>, a memorable day for City fans, but there were lots more twists and turns in store for the champions and the contenders who've been battling each other for the top spot throughout the season. Steven Pienaar's equaliser for Everton in <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17718154">their 4-4 draw with United on 22nd April</a> meant that City needed a win to go top on goal difference with two matches left to play. The 30th April derby was dubbed the most important game in the Premier League's 20 year history. The fact that City won 1-0 in a close game makes Vincent Kompany's winning goal all the more momentous. In a split second the balance of power shifted dramatically, watched on TV by <a href="http://fourfourtwo.com/news/england/100641/default.aspx">a global audience of around 650 million</a>.<br />
<br />
As a United fan I was disappointed with the result [If you were born in 1984, grew up in Prestwich and went to a Catholic school, then the chances are you're a red.] - but as someone who feels passionately about Manchester and its history, I can't help thinking that this was the best thing that could have happened for the city itself (as opposed to City with a capital C). Vincent Kompany was right when he said that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/apr/27/vincent-kompany-manchester-el-clasico">the Manchester derby is the most important match in the world after El Classico</a>. [Although perhaps the Milan derby edges the others in terms of the history of the two clubs.] City's win comes at an important time for Manchester, as it prepares to open the National Football Museum in Urbis, which it's hoped will become a major tourist attraction. Manchester is a football city. [If Chelsea win the Champions League this year, hardly anyone in London will bat an eyelid.] Footballing success brings benefits to the city in terms of extra investment, regardless of whether it's United or City who win. At the moment it's arguably more important for City to be successful because of the investments they're making, both in the team and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportcity_(sports_ground)">in the local sports infrastructure</a>, and in terms of Manchester's global brand as a city with not one but two of the top clubs in world football.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/The_Urbis_Building_-_geograph.org.uk_-_332225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/The_Urbis_Building_-_geograph.org.uk_-_332225.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">The National Football Museum is relocating to Manchester's iconic Urbis building, where it will open on 6th July.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I wrote the main posts for this site back in June and August 2011 because I wanted to explore the history of Manchester. The city's narrative is often reduced to (1) the world's first industrial city, former centre of the cotton industry; (2) gained prominence for its music scene in the 1980s (and gun crime in the 1990s); (3) failed Olympic bids in 1990 and 1993 followed by IRA bomb in 1996 laid the groundworks for extensive urban regeneration; (4) successful football team, one of the most globally recognised brands. People from abroad always associate the city mainly with the football team, sometimes with its industrial and musical heritage but are rarely aware of the Peterloo Massacre, the birth of inter-city rail travel, the suffragettes, Ernest Rutherford's discovery of the atomic nucleus, the first computer with stored memory, Coronation Street or the Gay Village.<br />
<br />
I'm a big fan of the historian Niall Ferguson - in <i>Empire</i>, he urged his readers to admire or take pride in Britain's impact on the rest of the world [similarly, I would urge mine to take pride in Manchester's]. This site is named <i>The Ascent of Manchester</i> as a tongue-in-cheek homage to Jacob Bronowski's <i>The Ascent of Man</i> but I got the idea from reading the afterword of Niall Ferguson's <i>The Ascent of Money</i> in August 2009. In <i>Civilisation</i>, Ferguson identifies six 'killer apps' which helped the West conquer the rest of the world - he then challenges his readers to come up with other 'killer apps' that could make the top six. In imagining the history of Manchester as a series of twelve key events (following on from Ford Madox Brown's Manchester Murals), I would also challenge readers to agree/disagree with me on the events which should make the final twelve. Would you for example include the first episode of Coronation Street in 1960 in place of the first performance of Shelagh Delaney's 'A Taste of Honey' in 1958? Perhaps you think the opening of the Hacienda in 1982 is more significant for the history of the city than the release of Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures in 1979? Do you think the IRA bomb of 1996 had a bigger impact on the city than the failed Olympic bid of 1993? I had to think long and hard about the final twelve but here they are:<br />
<br />
1. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/07/manchester-murals-mark-ii-project_05.html">The Peterloo Massacre</a> (1819)<br />
2. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/07/manchester-murals-mark-ii-opening-of.html">The opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway</a> (1830)<br />
3. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/07/manchester-murals-mark-ii-project_07.html">The abolition of the Corn Laws</a> (1846)<br />
4. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/07/abraham-lincoln-addresses-working.html">Abraham Lincoln addresses the working people of Manchester</a> (1863)<br />
5. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-07-08T17:59:00-07:00&max-results=7">The opening of the Manchester Ship Canal</a> (1894)<br />
6. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/07/geiger-marsden-experiment-ad-1909.html">Ernest Rutherford discovers the atomic nucleus</a> (1909)<br />
7. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/07/ls-lowry-paints-coming-from-mill-ad.html">L.S. Lowry paints <i>Coming from the Mill</i></a> (1930)<br />
8. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/07/small-scale-experimental-machine-baby.html">The first successful running of the Small-Scale Experimental Machine</a> (1948)<br />
9. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/07/first-performance-of-shelagh-delaneys.html">The first performance of Shelagh Delaney's <i>A Taste of Honey</i></a> (1958)<br />
10. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/08/manchester-united-become-first-english.html">Manchester United become the first English club to win the European Cup</a> (1968)<br />
11. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/08/joy-divisions-unknown-pleasures-is.html">Joy Division's <i>Unknown Pleasures </i>is released on Factory Records</a> (1979)<br />
12. <a href="http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/08/manchester-bids-for-olympics-ad-1993.html">Manchester bids for the Olympics</a> (1993)<br />
<br />
*I should point out that whilst I've spent a long time researching the history of the city, the posts were written in a hurry and may need to be revised and expanded. For example, I feel I haven't written enough about the fact that in 1965 bands from Manchester had three successive number one singles in America - Freddie and the Dreamers' 'I'm Telling You Now'; Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders' 'Game of Love'; and Herman's Hermits' 'Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter' (which is not to mention the success the Hollies also achieved in America).<br />
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Manchester is an amazing city and I would encourage anyone to visit and invest in the area. The Museum of Science and Industry, the National Football Museum, the People's History Museum, CUBE (the Centre for the Urban Built Environment), the Manchester Art Gallery, the Lowry Centre, Old Trafford, the Etihad Stadium, the Beetham Tower, the Royal Exchange, the Gay Village, Chinatown, the Curry Mile, Spinningfields, the Arndale Centre, the Trafford Centre... all are worth visiting. The Virgin Pendolino service allows you to make the journey up from London Euston in just over two hours. Manchester Airport is one of the busiest in Europe and hosts the Airbus A380. Manchester University continues to go from strength to strength. The re-formation of the Stone Roses and their huge homecoming gigs at Heaton Park (planned for June 2012) have focused attention on the city's proud musical heritage. Films <i>24 Hour Party People</i> (2002), <i>Closer</i> (2007) and <i>Looking for Eric</i> (2009) all capture something important about the city and its people. This site is about the history of the city but it's important to realise that the city has incredible potential for future development. As David Ottewell pointed out recently (in the context of the ongoing MediaCity BBC relocation debate), '<a href="http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/comment/blogs/s/1466023_david-ottewell-give-mediacity-a-fair-crack-of-the-whip">to attack Manchester as some sort of backwater is as ludicrous as attacking Berlin, Brussels or Milan</a>' - a sentiment this site thoroughly applauds and Vincent Kompany's winning goal reflects.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-5776187834069259042011-08-07T12:05:00.000-07:002011-08-17T03:44:01.033-07:00Manchester bids for the Olympics A.D. 1993<div><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Manchester_Olympic_bid_2000.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Manchester_Olympic_bid_2000.jpg" /></a>
<br /><div><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/260000/images/_261263_biglogo.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/260000/images/_261263_biglogo.jpg" /></a></div>Manchester United's 1990 FA Cup win is said to have saved Alex Ferguson his job. On 15th May 1991, Mark Hughes scored twice as United beat Barcelona 2-1 in Rotterdam to win the European Cup Winner's Cup with a starting line-up [Sealey; Blackmore, Pallister, Bruce, Irwin; Sharpe, Robson, Ince, Phelan; McClair, Hughes] which would be subject to several changes over the next few years. In 1992, Francis Fukuyama declared 'the End of History' in so far as the model of liberal democracy could not be improved upon, something which had been demonstrated dramatically in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Bill Clinton's election as President of the United States in 1992 had an end of history feel about it. Manchester seemed to be emerging from a dark period in its history after the pain of the Thatcher revolution, with a new light rail system, the Metrolink, opening in April 1992. Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games, something Manchester watched with interest as it too was bidding to host the Games in 2000 (after a failed bid to host the 1996 Games). The Barcelona Games were a huge success, showing what was possible in terms of boosting a postindustrial city's regeneration. The Football League had its moment of rebirth in 1992 as the first Premier League season (and the first Champions League) got underway with Sky Sports spending an unprecedented amount on TV rights, something which would change the face of the game.
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<br /></div><div>The soundtrack for 1993 was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCPhfyBurmA">New Order's Regret</a> and James' Laid. Another Manchester band, the unsigned Oasis, got their big break in May when Alan McGhee, the owner of independent record label Creation, saw them play at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow. In the same month, Manchester United won the inaugural Premier League (25 years after George Best, Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles had helped them to win the European Cup), Peter Schmeichel and Eric Cantona having been added to the team that had won the Cup Winners Cup two years earlier. Ryan Giggs was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year Award for the second year running. Boddingtons launched their iconic <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGg4uhGfgB0">'Cream of Manchester'</a> advertising campaign with the phrase, "By 'eck, it's gorgeous!" On 24th September, thousands gathered in Castlefield to hear the results of the IOC's decision on who was to host the Olympics in 2000. Manchester made it to the third round of voting, ahead of Istanbul and Berlin but finished behind Beijing and eventual hosts Sydney. It was a better showing than Birmingham had managed in 1986 (for the 1992 Games) or Manchester itself in 1990 (for the 1996 Games). Ultimately not being awarded the Games didn't matter as it provided the basis for a successful Commonwealth Games in 2002 and <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/jul/12/chips-will-alsop-manchester-review">inspired the city to think of itself as a rival to Barcelona</a>. Perhaps not winning the games had a worse effect on Birmingham, which has since struggled to carve a niche for itself in the face of intense competition from both London and Manchester. Had it won the Games in 1992 instead of Barcelona (a big if, considering <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bids_for_the_1992_Summer_Olympics">its poor performance</a>), Birmingham would almost certainly have consolidated its second city status, probably attracting more investment away from London and increasing its international name recognition. As things stand, even Digby Jones has recently questioned <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-13413205">Birmingham's second city status</a>.</div><div>
<br /></div>On 12th May 1994 it was announced that John Smith, the leader of the Labour Party, had died of a heart attack. As the debate began to centre around whether it would be Tony Blair or Gordon Brown who would challenge John Major's unpopular Conservative government at the next general election, Manchester United won the FA Cup for the eighth time, beating Chelsea 4-0 on 14th May with goals from Cantona (2), Hughes and McClair. The team had also retained the Premier League, making them the first United side to win the double. On 30th August, Oasis released Definitely Maybe, which became the fastest selling UK debut album ever. In his first conference speech as leader of the Labour Party, Tony Blair announced his intention to scrap Clause IV of the party's constitution, the commitment to nationalized industry. Oasis bridged the gap between albums by releasing their Christmas single Whatever, confirming their growing status as one of Britain's most popular bands.
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<br /></div><div>On 25th January 1995 Eric Cantona, Manchester United's leading scorer from the previous season, was involved in a spectacular brawl with a Crystal Palace fan (leading to an eight-month ban) before telling a press conference that 'When the seagulls follow the trailer, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.' Blackburn Rovers would go on to win the third Premier League on the last day of the season after a closely fought campaign. During the summer of 1995, Robbie Williams was seen partying with Oasis at Glastonbury, shortly before his departure from Take That (who topped the singles chart with Back For Good and Never Forget). Oasis would lose to Blur in the high profile Battle of the Bands on 20th August as Country House outsold Roll With It but their second album What's the Story (Morning Glory)?, released in October, would go on to become <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_in_the_United_Kingdom">one of the best-selling UK albums of all time</a>. Simply Red achieved their first number single with Fairground. A legacy of the city's two unsuccessful Olympic bids, The NYNEX Arena opened on 15th July 1995 (later to become The M.E.N.). With a capacity of 23,000, it was (and remains) one of the biggest and most modern buildings of its kind in Europe. Also opened in 1995, Santiago Calatrava's Trinity Footbridge (linking the centres of Manchester and Salford, close to where the Lowry Hotel would be built) was a signal of intent, marking the start of a postmodernist architectural boom. On the opening day of the 1995-96 season, Manchester United lost 3-1 to Aston Villa with a young team that included Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, David Beckham (all aged 20) and Phil Neville (aged 18). With Paul Ince, Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis having been sold before the start of the season, Alan Hansen commented on Match of the Day that "You'll never win anything with kids." They ended the year ten points behind Newcastle.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>United were able to close the gap before eventually becoming the first team to win the double twice, beating Liverpool in the FA Cup final on 11th May (Neville, Neville, Butt, Beckham and Scholes all making an appearance). Five days later, The Lightening Seeds released their song Three Lions against a backdrop of rising expectancy as England prepared to host Euro '96 (thirty years after their 1966 World Cup victory). In Manchester's case, football arguably was coming home as it was here that the Football League had been founded in 1888. With a capacity of around 55,000 at this stage, Old Trafford was one of the host venues and would host the semi-final between France and Czech Republic. Beforehand however, on the morning of Saturday 15th July 1996, parts of the city centre had to be evacuated after it was discovered that a bomb had been placed on Corporation Street between the Arndale Shopping Centre and Marks & Spencer. Although no-one was killed in the uncontrolled explosion at 11:20, hundreds of people were injured and millions of pounds worth of buildings were devastated in what was thought and later confirmed to be the work of the Provisional IRA. It came at an already uncertain time for the city centre's main shopping districts, as planning permission had finally been given to build The Trafford Centre (a huge shopping mall which would open in September 1998) on the western outskirts of the city with easier motorway connections than the city centre. In the immediate aftermath of the bomb, Council leader Richard Leese and Chief Executive Howard Bernstein <a href="http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1424029_sir-howard-it-was-a-very-very-difficult-period-a-huge-slog---">travelled to London by train to request the money necessary to rebuild the city</a> and were offered a show of support by Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine, who suggested an international design competition which was won by Ian Simpson and resulted in Cathedral Gardens and Urbis (due to become the National Football Museum). As Manchester recovered from the trauma of the city centre bombing, a young David Beckham <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCeOo0QLxAw&feature=related">lobbed the goalkeeper from behind the halfway line</a> on the opening day of the 1996-97 season, his first step on the road to global superstardom.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Manchester United would reach the semi-finals of the Champions League in 1997, losing to Borussia Dortmund (their best performance in the competition since winning it in 1968), and go on to win their fourth Premier League title in five years (having coming come very close to winning it in 1995). David Beckham won PFA Young Player of the Year as Eric Cantona announced his retirement. Eighteen years of Conservative government came to an end as the Labour Party won the 1997 General Election in May with 13.5m votes (63.4%). As the scale of the landslide became clear, incumbent Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed a jubilant crowd outside Royal Festival Hall: "A new dawn has broken, has it not?" For Manchester, it was beginning to seem like it had. The next ten years would see huge scale investment, culminating in the construction of the Beetham Tower in 2007 (at 169m the tallest building in the UK outside London). Manchester United would go on to win the Champions League in a dramatic 1999 final against Bayern Munich (as part of an historic treble). The 2002 Commonwealth Games coincided with the opening of the Imperial War Museum North in Salford Quays, Urbis, the City of Manchester Stadium (itself based on designs for the planned Olympic stadium of the failed 1993 bid) and Tadao Ando's concrete pavilion in Picadilly Gardens. 2002 also saw the release of Michael Winterbottom's film 24 Hour Party People, a look back at the story of Factory Records and The Hacienda. Control (2007) would look in more detail at the story of Ian Curtis and Joy Division, thirty years after the Buzzcocks had released Spiral Scratch. There was more circularity of a sort when Manchester United won the 2008 Champions League final, fifty years after the Munich Air Disaster and forty years after they had won the European Cup for the first time, history repeating itself.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Whilst Manchester has yet to (and probably never will) recover its musical prominence from the heady days of the late seventies through to the early nineties, it can occasionally throw up a band or a song to add to the canon. Elbow's June 2008 single <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQIdXKz4sE8">One Day Like This</a> is a classic example and provides the soundtrack to the closing stages of the Ascent of Manchester. United's 2008 Champions League win was probably more significant than the previous two, with <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article6256063.ece">a global TV audience (or 'reach') of up to 200m</a> tuning in to see a new generation of stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, lift the trophy. It proved that the club could remain successful under the controversial new ownership of American businessman Malcolm Glazer. In September 2008, on the closing day of the summer transfer window, Manchester City were taken over by an oil-rich Abu Dhabi businessman and member of the royal family, Sheikh Mansour, whose half-brother is the current President of the United Arab Emirates (after whom Dubai's 828m Burj Khalifa was named). He has since ploughed money into the club who in 2011 won the FA Cup (their first trophy in 35 years) and qualified for the Champions League (for the first time) under Italian manager Roberto Mancini. The City of Manchester Stadium, a legacy of the Manchester 2000 Olympic bid, has been renamed The Etihad and the area around it (SportCity) is due to be transformed (after plans for the UK's only 'supercasino' were scrapped by Gordon Brown in February 2008). SportCity in the east of Manchester is complimented by MediaCity in Salford Quays to the west (near Old Trafford). In the south of the city, the Oxford Road corridor is the centre for M:KC (Manchester: Knowledge Capital), the publication of <a href="http://www.manchester.ac.uk/research/rae2008/">the 2008 RAE results confirming Manchester's status as the main rival to London, Cambridge and Oxford as a centre for UK Higher Education research</a>. The city's centre of gravity is shifting southwards, not just because of the affluence of the Cheshire-based global footballing elite (who travel by train to Wembley direct from Stockport on the Pendolino).</div><div>
<br /></div><div>We've mentioned SportCity, MediaCity and Knowledge Capital as three parts of Manchester's modern geography (East, West and South), all within the M60 ringroad. But perhaps the most important innovation lies just outside the M60. It is thought that John D. Kasarda's concept of the Aerotropolis, the urban area centred around the airport as the main hub for economic growth, will be the single most influential factor in the development of future cities. It's with this in mind that the development of Manchester's Airport City enterprise zone may help it to compete in the newly globalized economy, capitalising on its name recognition as one of the top footballing cities in Europe. If there was a thirteenth stage in the history of modern Manchester's development (following on from Peterloo; the Liverpool and Manchester Railway; the Abolition of the Corn Laws; the Lancashire Cotton Famine; the Manchester Ship Canal; the Rutherford Model; the Great Depression; the Small-Scale Experimental Machine; various achievements in drama, football and music, and an audacious bid for the 2000 Olympic Games) then perhaps it would be <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1308333/Manchester-Airport-A380-super-jumbo-touches-down.html">the arrival of the Airbus A380 at Manchester Airport on 1st September 2010</a>, the world's largest passenger plane. Whilst British Airways has reduced its presence at Manchester (choosing to concentrate on an already overcrowded Heathrow), the three main Arabian carriers <a href="http://www.southalltravel.co.uk/news/UK/90402010/Emirates,-Etihad-and-Qatar-Boost-Operations-to-Manchester.html">have decided to increase capacity on routes to and from the city</a>. Globally connected, certainly better known throughout the world than most similar-sized cities through one (and now possibly two) of its football teams, Manchester still has a long way to go but is slowly establishing itself as the World City it dreamed of being when it bid for the Olympics in 1993. Having survived the rise and fall of Cottonopolis, the Ascent of Manchester, the world's first industrial city, is ongoing. There are huge challenges remaining [of the kind which make 'the End of History' a more relevant concept than people might first have thought] but there can be little doubt that Manchester is well-placed, indeed amongst the best-placed, to face them head on.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557782044177756842.post-23281772803590176702011-08-04T00:57:00.000-07:002011-08-05T13:12:37.125-07:00Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures is released on Factory Records A.D. 1979<a href="http://www.the-rudy.com/images/joyd_unknown_f-up.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 520px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 480px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.the-rudy.com/images/joyd_unknown_f-up.jpg" /></a> On 11th February 1975, Margaret Thatcher became Leader of the Opposition. The 1973 oil crisis had resulted in rising costs which led to union demands for wage increases and there was a sense that the good times were over. In 1976, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2006/05/11/110506_sex_pistols_gig_feature.shtml">the Sex Pistols played twice at the Lesser Free Trade Hall</a>, signalling the arrival of punk rock in Manchester. In January 1977, The Buzzcocks self-released their Spiral Scratch EP. Produced by Martin Hannett, it was a minor chart success and demonstrated Manchester's emerging DIY ethic. The Sex Pistols' Nevermind the Bollocks..., released in October on Virgin, represented a more commercial approach. In May 1978, Granada TV presenter and Cambridge graduate Tony Wilson started putting on club nights in Hulme with Alan Erasmus under the name Factory (a reference to Manchester's industrial heritage). The winter of 1978-79 was to become known as the Winter or Discontent as unions went on strike and even the dead went unburied in Liverpool. Returning from a summit in the Caribbean in January 1979, prime minister James Callaghan tried to downplay the situation, leading The Sun to headline: 'Crisis? What Crisis?' <br /><div>Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures was released in June 1979, the month after Margaret Thatcher had been elected Britain's first female prime minister with 13.7m votes (44%). Produced by Martin Hannett at Strawberry Studios, it was the first LP to be released on Factory Records, now based on Palatine Road in West Didsbury. Its dark sound reflected a darkening mood in the north of England at the time (1975-80 being the period of the Yorkshire Ripper), complimented by Peter Saville's sleeve design. In May 1980, as Joy Division were preparing to tour North America, singer Ian Curtis committed suicide. Ultimately this tragic moment resulted in increasing popularity for the band as their single 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', already a hauntingly beautiful song, became a chart success, as did their second album Closer. The remaining members of the band decided to carry on as New Order, with Bernard Sumner taking over vocal duties. In June 1981, as youth unemployment and racial tensions took their toll across the country, Moss Side became the latest inner-city area to erupt in mass riots, following on from the Brixton riots in April, and preceding the Toxteth (as well as Chapeltown and Handsworth) riots in July. A period of disenchantment seemed to be reflected in attitudes towards the city's architecture, with the Arndale Centre and the Hulme Crescents both coming to represent a cold, non-people-friendly austerity.</div><br /><div>Factory Records had a forward-looking, civic-minded agenda so it was decided that profits from the sales of Joy Division and New Order's albums would go towards the creation of a new nightclub, based in a former warehouse building on Whitworth Street. Mike Pickering (who can be seen watching Manchester City with Noel Gallagher in the film Blue Moon Rising) was invited back from Rotterdam to book acts for the venue. It was to be called The Hacienda, based on a slogan from the situationist movement which had inspired Tony Wilson: '...the hacienda must built.' Punk rock had acted as a great leveller, demolishing everything that existed before, and now something had to be built in its place. Heavily influenced by the clubs in New York which Factory and New Order were now becoming familiar with, The Hacienda was to be a mixture between live music venue and nightclub, although it eventually came to be associated with DJ-only nights. The interior was designed by London-based Ben Kelly who used the distinctive yellow-and-black colour scheme which has since come to be closely associated with the club and the city itself. At a cost of £344,000, it came in way over budget (as had the Manchester Arndale Centre at £11,500,000), creating financial problems its owners were never fully able to overcome.</div><br /><div>Modern, over-the-top, ahead of its time, The Hacienda was opened in May 1982, the same year as the formation of The Smiths. It was one of the first clubs to have no dress code. The emphasis here was to be on the music rather than fashion. In March 1983, New Order's Blue Monday was released. A dance classic, it was to become <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jun/14/blue-monday-biggest-selling-single">the biggest-selling 12-inch single of all time</a>. The Smiths played at The Hacienda in July and the stage was strewn with flowers, with singer Morrissey describing the iconic Manchester venue as "sterile and inhuman". In January 1984, Madonna made her first UK TV appearance on The Tube, performing at The Hacienda. A month later, The Smiths released their debut album, the first of four to be released over a four-year period. In the miners' strike of 1984, Lancashire miners were not as militant as their Yorkshire counterparts but it was a period of conflict and hardship nonetheless. July 1986 saw Factory Records organize the Festival of the Tenth Summer (it being the tenth summer since the Sex Pistols had played their seminal gigs the Lesser Free Trade Hall), with The Fall, The Smiths and New Order playing at the G-Mex (an exhibition centre based in the building which had housed the Manchester Central train station). In November, Alex Ferguson was appointed manager at Manchester United, beginning a reign that was to outlast that of fellow Scotsman Matt Busby. The club had won the FA Cup in 1983 and 1985 (reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1984) but had not won the league since 1967.</div><br /><div>The summer of 1988 was known in Manchester as the second summer of love (a term which also covers the summer of 1989), with ecstasy becoming popular amongst club-goers and The Hacienda in particular becoming a centre for the new genre of Acid House (symbolised by the yellow smiley face). Whilst the drug-fuelled euphoria of the period is seen as a highpoint for the club (and the city itself), it also marked the beginning of its demise. Sales of alcohol decreased and gangs started causing trouble on the door and inside the venue as guns gained prominence, making young men from inner-city areas like Salford, Cheetham Hill and Moss Side effectively untouchable. The Stone Roses released their debut album in 1989 (since described by the NME as <a href="http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/22062">the greatest British album ever</a>) and played at Spike Island in May 1990, the month New Order released World in Motion, the band's only number one single. On 4th July, England lost on penalties to West Germany in the semi-finals of the World Cup, the furthest they had gone in the tournament since winning it in 1966. The Happy Mondays released their album Pills n Thrills and Bellyaches (which contained the single Step On) on 27th November 1990. The next day, Margaret Thatcher left 10 Downing Street for the last time as Prime Minister. It was an exciting moment for a city that stood on the verge of greatness but still had a lot of problems to overcome.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0