PUT ANOTHER POUND IN THE JUKEBOX BABY

Cash will flood back into the community thanks to a unique, forward-thinking deal struck between the City Council and the Maine Road board and with it will come another welcome shot in the arm for the local economy in the east of Manchester.

The Premiership new boys, who will play their first game at the £100million stadium in August 2003, have already closed their season ticket sales for their last term in Moss Side at 24,000 and there are a whopping 14,000 more on a waiting list hoping to secure a seat when the Blues move home.

Under the complicated formula of the deal that sees Keegan's men switch to the 48,000-capacity, City of Manchester Stadium, the council will get a cut of gate receipts resulting from crowds above the Blues' average current gate of around 34,000.

The club, who have agreed a 250-year lease, are confident that they will be performing to house full signs at every Eastlands match and that will lead to a 'rent' of at least £1million - and possibly double that - every season.

Chairman David Bernstein:

"We have effectively sold out for this coming season, we are now at the 24,000 season ticket cap and we have already sold getting on for 20,000 in the new stadium. That is just where we hoped to be at this time.

"In fact, we are considering a furthering offering of season tickets before the end of the year and if we are able to do that I suspect that we will sell out our allocation at the City of Manchester Stadium well before we get to next spring.

"There is a waiting list of around 14,000 for season tickets and that is quite incredible. I don't know of any club that I have spoken to who have a situation like we have. It is, as always, a reflection of our unbelievable fan base and that the team has given them a lot excitement and something to look forward to.

"The Kevin Keegan factor, which was so prevalent last year, is still there and shouldn't be in any way underestimated."

City of Manchester ratepayers will receive another benefit from the Blues' change of address as around 100 days at the new stadium have been allocated to literacy, numeric and ITC projects arranged between the Blues' community officers and educational agencies.

Note to remember: As RI has previously reported, there is absolutely no evidence that any Manchester residents will benefit from the deal struck between the Divs and the council due to its complexities and clandestine set up which will apparently see monies being paid into a "trust fund", the beneficiary of which is anybody's guess.