Manchester City’s smart band of gold seems to have scrambled fans’ minds | Barry Glendenning


Champions have found yet another way of making money, a wristband that tells you everything they want you to know

Men and women of a certain age will fondly remember ClubCall, the pre-internet, pre-mobile telephone service that cornered the market in ludicrously overpriced football tittle-tattle, interviews and match commentaries.

For up to 48p a minute of their own – or ideally a parent or employer’s money – fans could dial an advertised number to listen in on deliberately long-winded and often factually dubious updates about their club. For many, the alternative of being forced to endure the trauma of waiting for classified results, TV highlights or the morning and evening newspapers which furnished them with similar, but considerably less sketchy information at a far less prohibitive price, was just too much to bear.

Related: Manchester City’s Tunnel Club player aquarium leaves the mind swimming | Marina Hyde

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