On this day - Swales became chairman

[Gary James]

Today marks the anniversary of Peter Swales becoming chairman (on this day in 1973). Initially, some of his actions made the club more dynamic and forward looking than it had been previously but it wasn't long before none of that mattered and we began our descent.

It's really difficult to explain now how significant a club City was at the time of his arrival as chair - modern football thinks City are this small time club that got lucky in 2008 but the truth is we were a giant, major trophy winning team with a history of success. Within ten years of Swales' appointment as chairman we were in debt, relegated and with little hope. Some high points followed and we did have some great seasons, but our position as a recognisable giant was over and we were ridiculed again and again.

Even in 1983 at relegation we were still the 3rd best supported team (and even in the late 1990s City had still played less games in the 2nd/3rd tier than MUFC! That record sadly went) but we couldn't compete.

Like many other Blues I demonstrated against Peter Swales for years but what often gets overlooked is that it was his supporting directors and other shareholders who kept him in power. When he first joined City's board he bought a few shares so he could fulfil the role so he could easily have been outvoted/asked to resign. Instead certain directors supported him year after year, preserving their own positions. Only when it was obvious that Swales was to lose the battle with Franny Lee in 1993-94 did some change sides (to preserve their roles at MCFC, not through any moral duty). In the years that followed some directors/former directors decided to blame everything on Swales. I interviewed him in 1995 and genuinely felt for him. I was against what he did to MCFC in the main but it soon became obvious that he felt betrayed by some of his old board.

Ah well, it's not 2020 and City have returned to major trophy winning ways but this anniversary is a reminder that things can change significantly. City were a major, powerful club then a series of mistakes sent them on a downward trajectory. Hopefully, the future will see us remain a force - as we have been for most of our history regardless of what fans of other clubs or some in the media may claim!

 

[SidJames]

The way our Club was once run was a disgrace.

What Club dosent have full control over its own Souvenir shop,and merchandise.

I was gobsmacked.

i remember all the Swales v franny Lee Stuff like it was yesterday..

I kept the Manchester Evening News Spread. Battle for Maine Road.No idea why.

I was a young lad back then.remember swales being manhandled outside the main entrance.And his wig coming off.I thought it was funny as fuck.

 

[DontLookBackInAnger]

I'm sure you own CITY! A Club in Crisis!!! for me the worse part of that and I was in NO WAY a Swales supporter was the "job interview" with John Bond if you wanted a video demonstration of a group of sycophants it was that, the board really showed themselves up and while I will always dislike what Swales did to the club and in my view to promote his own power within the wider FA(as chairman of the international committee I believe), he didn't do it alone and there was a boatload of blame to go around.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

Swales is a wanker he wears a wankers hat.

 

[DontLookBackInAnger]

The way our Club was once run was a disgrace.

What Club dosent have full control over its own Souvenir shop,and merchandise.

I was gobsmacked.

i remember all the Swales v franny Lee Stuff like it was yesterday..

I kept the Manchester Evening News Spread. Battle for Maine Road.No idea why.

I was a young lad back then.remember swales being manhandled outside the main entrance.And his wig coming off.I thought it was funny as fuck.

Swales didn't have natural hair!!!! I hope you know you have destroyed my childhood now, it will never be the same!

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

Today marks the anniversary of Peter Swales becoming chairman (on this day in 1973). Initially, some of his actions made the club more dynamic and forward looking than it had been previously but it wasn't long before none of that mattered and we began our descent.

It's really difficult to explain now how significant a club City was at the time of his arrival as chair - modern football thinks City are this small time club that got lucky in 2008 but the truth is we were a giant, major trophy winning team with a history of success. Within ten years of Swales' appointment as chairman we were in debt, relegated and with little hope. Some high points followed and we did have some great seasons, but our position as a recognisable giant was over and we were ridiculed again and again.

Even in 1983 at relegation we were still the 3rd best supported team (and even in the late 1990s City had still played less games in the 2nd/3rd tier than MUFC! That record sadly went) but we couldn't compete.

Like many other Blues I demonstrated against Peter Swales for years but what often gets overlooked is that it was his supporting directors and other shareholders who kept him in power. When he first joined City's board he bought a few shares so he could fulfil the role so he could easily have been outvoted/asked to resign. Instead certain directors supported him year after year, preserving their own positions. Only when it was obvious that Swales was to lose the battle with Franny Lee in 1993-94 did some change sides (to preserve their roles at MCFC, not through any moral duty). In the years that followed some directors/former directors decided to blame everything on Swales. I interviewed him in 1995 and genuinely felt for him. I was against what he did to MCFC in the main but it soon became obvious that he felt betrayed by some of his old board.

Ah well, it's not 2020 and City have returned to major trophy winning ways but this anniversary is a reminder that things can change significantly. City were a major, powerful club then a series of mistakes sent them on a downward trajectory. Hopefully, the future will see us remain a force - as we have been for most of our history regardless of what fans of other clubs or some in the media may claim!

Well said Gary. It might just be wishful thinking but I think there are echoes in United's current slump to our decline under Swales. Under Swales City had no long-term strategy. We just made one stupid snap decision after another, especially in the transfer market. Because Swales was a fan he made emotional decisions not business ones. I think he was incompetent rather than malicious..but in the end he destroyed us.
Football has always gone in cycles and you can't take anything for granted. I celebrated last year's League Cup win at Wembley as much as our first one in 1970. It's very hard to win trophies and some of our self-entitled newer fans need to learn that.

 

[Gary James]

Well said Gary. It might just be wishful thinking but I think there are echoes in United's current slump to our decline under Swales. Under Swales City had no long-term strategy. We just made one stupid snap decision after another, especially in the transfer market. Because Swales was a fan he made emotional decisions not business ones. I think he was incompetent rather than malicious..but in the end he destroyed us.
Football has always gone in cycles and you can't take anything for granted. I celebrated last year's League Cup win at Wembley as much as our first one in 1970. It's very hard to win trophies and some of our self-entitled newer fans need to learn that.

There's an interview which we included in the film show I did with the North West Film Archive where he's asked about a plan. He response was something like 'you can't plan in football. You have to react.' Well, obviously there can be setbacks that you have to react to but try telling Khaldoon that you can't plan.

 

[BlueMoonz1977]

Swales....up there with thatcher : )

 

[johnevans]

Today marks the anniversary of Peter Swales becoming chairman (on this day in 1973). Initially, some of his actions made the club more dynamic and forward looking than it had been previously but it wasn't long before none of that mattered and we began our descent.

It's really difficult to explain now how significant a club City was at the time of his arrival as chair - modern football thinks City are this small time club that got lucky in 2008 but the truth is we were a giant, major trophy winning team with a history of success. Within ten years of Swales' appointment as chairman we were in debt, relegated and with little hope. Some high points followed and we did have some great seasons, but our position as a recognisable giant was over and we were ridiculed again and again.

Even in 1983 at relegation we were still the 3rd best supported team (and even in the late 1990s City had still played less games in the 2nd/3rd tier than MUFC! That record sadly went) but we couldn't compete.

Like many other Blues I demonstrated against Peter Swales for years but what often gets overlooked is that it was his supporting directors and other shareholders who kept him in power. When he first joined City's board he bought a few shares so he could fulfil the role so he could easily have been outvoted/asked to resign. Instead certain directors supported him year after year, preserving their own positions. Only when it was obvious that Swales was to lose the battle with Franny Lee in 1993-94 did some change sides (to preserve their roles at MCFC, not through any moral duty). In the years that followed some directors/former directors decided to blame everything on Swales. I interviewed him in 1995 and genuinely felt for him. I was against what he did to MCFC in the main but it soon became obvious that he felt betrayed by some of his old board.

Ah well, it's not 2020 and City have returned to major trophy winning ways but this anniversary is a reminder that things can change significantly. City were a major, powerful club then a series of mistakes sent them on a downward trajectory. Hopefully, the future will see us remain a force - as we have been for most of our history regardless of what fans of other clubs or some in the media may claim!

Swales was brokered as the chairman candidate to 'heal the wounds' of the boardroom power struggle at City of the early 70s. Once ushered into place, his lack of competence was pretty soon evident to most of us, as was his overweening and egocentric pursuit of power at the FA.

As you say, within a decade he'd destroyed what Mercer/Allison/Alexander had built in the late 60s. Paul (son of Peter) Doherty's excellent series at the time, 'City! A Club In Crisis', revealed it all in its gory detail. And as others have said, the most nauseating aspect of that period for me was the sycophancy shown to Swales by the other Board members whose sole aim in life seemed to be to stroke their own egos by preening around wearing their blazers with the club badge, nodding dogs who seemed only to have 'Yes, I agree with you Mr Chairman' in their vocabulary.. back-street hucksters, the lot of them..

The stark contrast between that shambolic lot and the world-class management we have in place guiding City now cannot be emphasised enough.

We may get a few disappointing days/results but the club is run so effectively and professionally by Khaldoon and his team that we can be assured that the club will continue to move forward in a progressive, strategic and ethical manner. I wish we could bottle some of the stuff we had to go through once Swales et al got their useless mitts on the club.. it might help calm some of our fellow Blues who rush to judgement (especially on the matchday threads!) and help them understand just how fortunate we are these days!

Thanks for the reminder..

 

[stan bowles]

Swales went from the board of Altrincham FC to chairman of City (shows how useless the existing board was in 1973 to have voted him in a chairman). Way out of his depth. The power it gave him and the glare of the media spotlight went totally to his head. John Bond's overnight success probably gave him another 15 years at the helm. Going off the evidence we see in the 'City. A Club in Crisis' series and in Paul Lake's autobiography we see the measure of the man. A long time fan yes who wanted the best for City, like we all do, but totally unqualified to be the chairman of the club and who left the club in a terrible state from which we took years to recover.