Sorely missed City Debate Show back! (well, sort of...)

There's not much on the old telly nowadays, or the idiotbox as some prefer to call it. If it's not a soap it's a reality show, or a repeat, or the latest celeb chef telling you how to cook with ingredients any normal person isn't likely to spot whilst dragging the kids around Asda. Occasionally you might get into a new series, or there will be a decent game of footy on terrestrial once in a blue moon, 'scuse the pun. By and large, though, modern television is a load of old arse.

If you're anything like me, though, you don't really bother that much now and can whip through hours and hours worth of on-screen menus or flick from front to back of your free weekly guide that no-one ever really reads without stumbling across anything at all that tickles your fancy. It's extremely disappointing then when stuff you do like gets cancelled without warning. On top of Setanta going bump, whose football shows were brilliant, there's not too much footi-related nonsense onscreen now, especially for those of us who'd rather not top up old Rupert's deep, deep pockets.

The City Debate Show had, with another Channel M programme, as it happens; The Great Manchester Football Show, become staples of my TV week. Infact, alongside Match of the Day and Footi Focus they were probably the only televisual treats i looked forward to, not that i've got a one-track mind! Now, due to major cutbacks at the station, both are gone, along with what over Channel M's short life had been some very refreshing new music coverage.

I probably am being somewhat selfish here, it's a slight inconvenience for me whereas a significant amount of people at the station were made redundant. The station having to downsize isn't really my issue, just that cancelling programmes like the Debate Show, which must've both brought in decent viewing figures and been quite cheap to produce, doesn't really make too much sense. Why would you do that but keep nasally eighties legend Andy Crane in work?

I've been debating writing to the club to see if there's anything they could do. Perhaps they might consider funding the show, or put on some Q&A's with the hosts and guests, or make a version and stream it on the new all singing, all dancing official website. I was very pleased to see, then, that they've decided to do something along the lines of the latter ahead of this weekend's victory over United, getting Buzzer, Chinch, Gary Owen and, erm, Fred Eyre together for a roundtable chewing of the fat.

I hope they're planning on making it a frequent thing, i'm always interested to hear the opinions of ex-City players, especially the likes of Mike Summerbee, i could sit and hear the man talk for hours on end without ever getting bored. It would be great if they could keep Jimmy Wagg involved, too, i miss his blind optimism. Since the end of last season Monday nights haven't really been the same. Make this a regular feature, i beg you, i'm going insane without my weekly fix.