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Bramhall PR guru brought in to rescue image of City owner

21/ 5/2008

A BRAMHALL public relations expert has been signed up by Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra - to help rescue his popularity from an "all time low".

John Butters, 38, will become a close team mate of the Sky Blues’ chairman and his advisers to "build and manage" his image and reassure the club’s fans.

Supporters, who initially took the colourful Dr Thaksin to their hearts, have turned against him in recent weeks thanks to uncertainty over manager Sven Goran Eriksson’s future.

Public relations consultancy Bell Pottinger North, who John works for, were called in last summer to help when Dr Thaksin took over at City and have now been summoned back for more help.

Married father-of-two John, who will lead the PR offensive, said: "When Dr Thaksin bought Manchester City last summer he set out his goals for the next three years.

"It is an ambitious plan and our role is to ensure that the media and the fans understand the chairman’s vision. We will be helping Dr Thaksin put his side of the story across.This will reassure fans the chairman is working hard with the board to ensure his original objectives are met."

Speculation about popular Sven being sacked is rife among supporters and newspapers. This season he has guided City to a creditable ninth in the Premiership and into the UEFA Cup.

Richard Klein, John’s colleague at Bell Pottinger, said the such talk has come from rumours rather than fact. But he stopped short of confirming whether an end of season review, which Dr Thaksin had planned upon his arrival and is expected to last another month, would end with the Swedish manager staying or going.

John first linked up with the Thai Prime Minister prior to his takeover of City to handle his public image in his homeland. And Dr Thaksin was so impressed he asked his company to handle matters upon becoming City supremo.

Kevin Parker, from the Official City Supporters Club, said: "If nothing else this confirms Dr Thaksin needs his image improved, at the moment it is at an all-time low. But his reputation can easily be repaired by listening to the fans and doing everything he can to keep Sven as manager. The frustrating thing is this end of season review will almost go into the pre-season period. If it takes another three or four weeks City fans will get restless."