CYCM: Books, music and football...

This Sa turd ay we play Wakefield FC. It should be good and hopefully nothing like having a wake in a field. Just before the Wake take to the pitch to play us there will be, as always on a Sa turd ay, a Course You Can Malcolm.

The band playing before the game are Wax Planet. They supported the Magic Numbers at Sankey’s the other week and are being very well received on the Manchester Sir Kit. For you modernies, they’ve got their own Myspacey thingy thing where you can look and listen to them before and after hand. A man of my advanced years has no place knowing anything about them but the CYCM hod carriers, who are all young and catheterless and finger pulsers, are assuring you the audience, that they’re smart.

Wax Planet - To some their name conjures images of a sunbed parlour with a bikini line facility, but that’s football. Course you tan Malcolm? Anyway, they’ll be kindly playing their 22 minutes worth just after two’ish. I’d like to say that they take to the stage to play their 22 minutes but as you know, there is no stage. Just a flat bit in the corner with a bit of Hacienda yellow and black hazard tape on it.

Before Wax Planet come on we will be having a book signing/Q and A with Andrew Vaughan, the author of the newly released book: Punk Football. The book was released last Friday and I’ve just finished it. Not wishing to ruin it for anyone but the butler did it.

Vaughanie, the author, is a forty something Wigan Athletic fan who is probably not catheterless. The blurb on the back of the book states its intentions:

"??Punk Football recounts an historic fifteen months - 1977/8 - for both Wigan Athletic and the music scene in Britain. From Jubilee parties to Division Four via power cuts, Sir Alf Ramsey, The Stranglers, the famous non-league hooligans and Green Goddesses."??

Basically 1977/8 was the last year Wigan Athletic were a non-league club. They were playing the same teams we are playing now. The book tells a story with humour, suss and creativity. There is malice and sensitivity in equal forty-five-minute measures. I won’t go on too much as it got a four-page review in our Harrogate Railway programme. They have lived through what we are going through now. That’s why we’re trying the Q and A. So many questions, so many answers we seek.

They’ve D.I.Y. published the book themselves. It’s a tenner. Get in CYCM even earlier as they can put some ale away. We’re also ordering extra tater hash. We’re not saying they’re big, glutinous behemoths who have stopped vast quantities of pastry goods going past their sell-by-date. Actually, we are. So ask the Wigan Athletic lads who come across plenty of questions and whilst they’re answering, we’ll beat them to the bar and the aliment.

Doors open 1pm. Your yearly FC United of Manchester membership cards must be shown. A member can sign one guest in. But ask yourself this question: If they come to the game regularly and agree with the ethos of everything we’re doing, then why are they scavving off your membership? It’s a tenner to own your club for a full year. Real ownership. As in - "You see that club there? I own it."?? Get your ten spot out

See a review of all the events at CYCM in our matchday programme.