Alan Ball: Did Franny Lee Really Think He Would Bring Trophies?

gordondaviesmoustache said:
Lee would have thought that, and it’s a belief founded in logic, but absolutely flawed.

His judgement as City Chairman was appalling. Arguably even worse than Swales, although I think the latter just edges it.

The decline of City and subsequently United shows how much destruction can be visited by flawed decision making and delusion.

Long may the current scenario continue!
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I remember being there the day Lee was unveiled as the new chairman, and supposedly bring back the good times. That was 1994. In the 5 years that followed city plunged to the third flight. Had city not got promoted in 1999 against Gillingham, the sponsorship deals from the seasons they were premiership/championship were due to run out, would not have been renewed for the third flight, and city would have gone into administration.
 
OnlyOneUweRosler said:
I remember being there the day Lee was unveiled as the new chairman, and supposedly bring back the good times. That was 1994. In the 5 years that followed city plunged to the third flight. Had city not got promoted in 1999 against Gillingham, the sponsorship deals from the seasons they were premiership/championship were due to run out, would not have been renewed for the third flight, and city would have gone into administration.
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Lee reminds me of my old man. Came from nothing, made a few quid from ducking and diving (which is nothing to be sniffed at) but that makes them think that gives them powers they do not possess.

What probably happened with Francis is that when he retired someone he trusted persuaded him to invest in a waste paper business, and he did just that - and the investment paid off.

And that made him come to believe he was some sort of business guru.

It’s a natural human reaction, but the best way to make the most of what you’ve got is to know your limits. Only then can you properly focus on what makes you successful.
 
IrishBloodEnglishHeart said:
Did Franny Lee think selling Quinny and our other good players for Craig Russell and fuckin Lee Bradbury would win us trophies?
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Ball sold some very reliable and at times pretty decent players (Quinn, Phelan, Curle, Flitcroft, Walsh, Beagrie etc.) and pretty much without exception their replacements were turkeys.
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
Lee reminds me of my old man. Came from nothing, made a few quid from ducking and diving (which is nothing to be sniffed at) but that makes them think that gives them powers they do not possess.

What probably happened with Francis is that when he retired someone he trusted persuaded him to invest in a waste paper business, and he did just that - and the investment paid off.

And that made him come to believe he was some sort of business guru.

It’s a natural human reaction, but the best way to make the most of what you’ve got is to know your limits. Only then can you properly focus on what makes you successful.
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Very good analysis. In football, as in life, being conscious that something is beyond your ability is a key skill.
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
Lee reminds me of my old man. Came from nothing, made a few quid from ducking and diving (which is nothing to be sniffed at) but that makes them think that gives them powers they do not possess.

What probably happened with Francis is that when he retired someone he trusted persuaded him to invest in a waste paper business, and he did just that - and the investment paid off.

And that made him come to believe he was some sort of business guru.

It’s a natural human reaction, but the best way to make the most of what you’ve got is to know your limits. Only then can you properly focus on what makes you successful.
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He had his business before he signed for us I think. He used to drive the lorries picking up pallets of waste paper on his days off at Bolton but think he knocked that on the head when he signed for City.
 
OnlyOneUweRosler said:
Horton always struck me as a very decent and down to earth guy. With a squad full of injuries, and no money, he managed to bring in Walsh, Rosler, Beagrie, Rocastle and saved city from relegation. 1994/5 was my first full season as a city fan, and it was genuinely exciting to see how city loved to attack and get stuck in. I genuinely believe Horton was on the verge of winning something when they fired him.
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Loved watching that trio - even their nicknames of the Artful Dodger, the Little genius and Der Bombed make e smile to this day.
Very sad about Beagrie's long injuries
 
Altogether now...

A-lan Ball is a foot-ball genius...

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gordondaviesmoustache said:
I’ve said this before, but it deserves repeating on this thread.

Ball wasn’t our worst ever manager. That has to be John Benson. By loads of different metrics.
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My Dad, Uncle & Cousin went to that Luton game. Uncle got arrested and my old fella nearly did. He's not here anymore but they both use to wind each other up about it.
 
urban genie said:
Horton is quite open about how he wasn't told and was sacked while away and Lee wouldn't answer his calls.

Lee did the same to Bell, which is why they didn't speak for over a decade
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He didn’t do the same to Colin
Colin was working as a youth team coach Frank Clarke’s side kick went to Franny and told him that he wanted to restructure the set up and it didn’t include Colin Franny was going in his annual winter holiday to Barbados and left instructions not to do anything until he got back Unfortunately they ignore him and sacked Colin who blamed Franny. he went legal which was settled out of court at the advice of the judge Franny claimed that because Colin went legal he couldn’t talk to him Personally I think they were both very stubborn I know buzzer tried to reconcile them but Colin refused
for many years I think they did reconcile but never became friends
 
simmo said:
The game at home against Spurs 5-2 is one of the best games I have been to, it was City pulling apart a star studded Spurs side. Paul Walsh was a superb player and perhaps had a short spell where he played his best football of his career in a blue shirt.
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Yes some game that and in fairness Spurs more than played there part.

Dumitrescu was awesome for them but we were on fire. Can think of only a handful of games I’ve enjoyed more.
 
Citizen of Legoland said:
He had his business before he signed for us I think. He used to drive the lorries picking up pallets of waste paper on his days off at Bolton but think he knocked that on the head when he signed for City.
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Ok. Fair enough. I stuck my neck out there, but my principal point remains. He kidded himself that his skills were transferrable.

And they plainly weren’t.
 
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