[Blue Moon 01] • Blue Moon · Down Among the Dead Men With Manchester City

*Blue Moon* traces a season in the life of Manchester City. Not just any season, but 1998-99, when the once-proud club, with two League Championships and four FA Cup wins to its name - not to mention a phenomenal fan base - was forced to battle the likes of Macclesfield Town, Colchester United and Wigan Athletic in English football's third flight.

Mark Hodkinson was involved in every aspect of the club through a long, stirring season, one which culminated in the euphoria of promotion: mingling with players, ex-players, directors, office staff and fans, he was constantly on the look-out for the unusual, the offbeat, the hopeful and the heartbreaking. Through it all, he remained impartial, steadfastly resisting the temptation to become a mere pawn for the club's PR operation.

Originally commissioned as a series of weekly articles for *The Times* newspaper, Hodkinson's column soon acquired cult status among fans. Now, in *Blue Moon*, the author has brought these articles together and, along with a considerable number of further anecdotes, both comical and moving, provides an unprecedented insight into the passionate community that is Manchester City FC.