If every City player did this we'd be millionairesUpdated: January 23rd, 2007
I was reading Alf Inge Haaland’s page on the icons.com website, and came across this story about City’s first game back in the Premiership in 2000:
It took the team a little while to settle in the Premiership and we got off to a bad start, losing 4-0 away to Charlton Athletic, another of the promoted teams.
I’d driven down to London on my own and, on the way back, I stopped at a service station to fill up with petrol. I was wearing my club tracksuit, when suddenly a van load of City supporters pulled up next to me. I had on my baseball cap and shades, trying to look inconspicuous in the hope they wouldn’t recognise me, but when I looked over my shoulder at them, they all pointed at me. There was no escape, so I decided the best thing would be to go over to them and apologise for the performance. They’d paid good money to come all that way and we’d let them down so I gave them 20 quid to pay for their petrol to get back home.
Haaland’s is one of the best pages on the icons site, which has sections for 80 footballers including Nedum Onuoha. You’ll need to register to view the players’ pages.
Highlights include his reaction to Roy Keane’s horror tackle, the News of the World ‘exclusive’ interview he knew nothing about and why he threw his shirt at a City fan during a game.
I can’t say I was a big fan of Alfie during his Maine Road playing days, but he certainly comes across as an honest, passionate and likeable guy.