The downward trend started long before Big Mal's return as manager. Tony Book had been relatively successful as manager. He had brought in a team mate Ian McParlane from his playing days at Bath City as his assistant and had enjoyed 2 or 3 seasons together. One day Ian went in to see Swales about a loan for a house for him to live in, in the area, as his wife and daughters were unsettled in the Manchester, wanting to return to Scotland. Swales refused and Ian returned back home with his family. The difference in City's form after was obvious to see. Tony was demoted to Allison's assistant followed by 30 years of bugger all.
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If we hadnt got Big Mal in the 2nd time...
- Thread starter Bluesince1979
- Start date
Blue Feather
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The downward trend started long before Big Mal's return as manager. Tony Book had been relatively successful as manager. He had brought in a team mate Ian McParlane from his playing days at Bath City as his assistant and had enjoyed 2 or 3 seasons together. One day Ian went in to see Swales about a loan for a house for him to live in, in the area, as his wife and daughters were unsettled in the Manchester, wanting to return to Scotland. Swales refused and Ian returned back home with his family. The difference in City's form after was obvious to see. Tony was demoted to Allison's assistant followed by 30 years of bugger all.
What happened to Bill Taylor, another highly-rated coach? I think he got ill with a brain tumour but was that during his time with City or after?
DontLookBackInAnger
Well-Known Member
I think you hit the nail on the head here, Big Mal didn't do a good job the second time around, but it reminds me of a management quote I heard once "good leaders build to allow for success" in the the case of City we built to allow failure long term. Unless something radical had happened, maybe England winning the world cup in Spain and Swales going out in a blaze of glory(he was chairman of the FA international committee), the names almost really don't matter the majority weren't great appointments but the club was in a mess and it would seem word had got out and the top level managers didn't have an interest in fixing it. I would illustrate it to people today as City were the Sunderland of the 1980sThe downward trend started long before Big Mal's return as manager. Tony Book had been relatively successful as manager. He had brought in a team mate Ian McParlane from his playing days at Bath City as his assistant and had enjoyed 2 or 3 seasons together. One day Ian went in to see Swales about a loan for a house for him to live in, in the area, as his wife and daughters were unsettled in the Manchester, wanting to return to Scotland. Swales refused and Ian returned back home with his family. The difference in City's form after was obvious to see. Tony was demoted to Allison's assistant followed by 30 years of bugger all.
gordondaviesmoustache
Well-Known Member
It’s sometimes easy to forget that we were struggling in the league in the 1978-9 season, relative to the seasons that preceded it. I think we were about 15th when Allison came back. I remember at the time that this was attributed in some quarters to the ‘distraction’ of our solid UEFA Cup run that season, but it’s also worth saying that the squad when he returned was quite aged and needed breaking up to some degree, although not to anything like the extent that Big Mal did. I also think we missed Tueart a great deal when he moved to the States which was, iirc, sometime in the middle of that season. He was 29 at the time and at his peak.
Not all his buys were a disaster: Mackenzie and Robinson were both good players. Reeves wasn’t bad either, although he didn’t score enough goals. At the other end of the scale, Shinton, Lee (Stuart) and Silkman were all wank.
In terms of his disposals, Watson was at his peak, although I heard a few years back he had substantial gambling debts that only a signing on fee at a foreign club could address. Barnes and Owen are the ones that still rankle with most blues, but in fairness, neither of them went on to become world beaters, although they were both decent players at the very least. I remember Mal saying at some point when interviewed on the subject (I would guess 25 years ago) that he didn’t fancy Owen as a player, which is fair enough imo.
As others have said, our emerging young talent should have been assimilated into the existing squad, rather than have to carry such a burden on their shoulders themselves.
Impossible to know the answer to the question, of course, but as others have said it’s difficult to imagine our pathway under Swales being anything else other than an inexorable march on the road to Declineville, irrespective of who was in the manager’s seat.
He really was a prick.
Not all his buys were a disaster: Mackenzie and Robinson were both good players. Reeves wasn’t bad either, although he didn’t score enough goals. At the other end of the scale, Shinton, Lee (Stuart) and Silkman were all wank.
In terms of his disposals, Watson was at his peak, although I heard a few years back he had substantial gambling debts that only a signing on fee at a foreign club could address. Barnes and Owen are the ones that still rankle with most blues, but in fairness, neither of them went on to become world beaters, although they were both decent players at the very least. I remember Mal saying at some point when interviewed on the subject (I would guess 25 years ago) that he didn’t fancy Owen as a player, which is fair enough imo.
As others have said, our emerging young talent should have been assimilated into the existing squad, rather than have to carry such a burden on their shoulders themselves.
Impossible to know the answer to the question, of course, but as others have said it’s difficult to imagine our pathway under Swales being anything else other than an inexorable march on the road to Declineville, irrespective of who was in the manager’s seat.
He really was a prick.
DontLookBackInAnger
Well-Known Member
Really good assessment, although you seem to rate Big Mal higher than I do, one comment was it Big Mal that signed Reeves I had it in my head it was Bond, obviously due to the Norwich link?It’s sometimes easy to forget that we were struggling in the league in the 1978-9 season, relative to the seasons that preceded it. I think we were about 15th when Allison came back. I remember at the time that this was attributed in some quarters to the ‘distraction’ of our solid UEFA Cup run that season, but it’s also worth saying that the squad when he returned was quite aged and needed breaking up to some degree, although not to anything like the extent that Big Mal did. I also think we missed Tueart a great deal when he moved to the States which was, iirc, sometime in the middle of that season. He was 29 at the time and at his peak.
Not all his buys were a disaster: Mackenzie and Robinson were both good players. Reeves wasn’t bad either, although he didn’t score enough goals. At the other end of the scale, Shinton, Lee (Stuart) and Silkman were all wank.
In terms of his disposals, Watson was at his peak, although I heard a few years back he had substantial gambling debts that only a signing on fee at a foreign club could address. Barnes and Owen are the ones that still rankle with most blues, but in fairness, neither of them went on to become world beaters, although they were both decent players at the very least. I remember Mal saying at some point when interviewed on the subject (I would guess 25 years ago) that he didn’t fancy Owen as a player, which is fair enough imo.
As others have said, our emerging young talent should have been assimilated into the existing squad, rather than have to carry such a burden on their shoulders themselves.
Impossible to know the answer to the question, of course, but as others have said it’s difficult to imagine our pathway under Swales being anything else other than an inexorable march on the road to Declineville, irrespective of who was in the manager’s seat.
He really was a prick.
gordondaviesmoustache
Well-Known Member
It was definitely Big Mal.Really good assessment, although you seem to rate Big Mal higher than I do, one comment was it Big Mal that signed Reeves I had it in my head it was Bond, obviously due to the Norwich link?
gordondaviesmoustache
Well-Known Member
Can’t believe I forgot to reference Steve Daley in that post! He was pretty well regarded at the time iirc, with a good engine, but a dreadful buy. Looked like an absolute carthorse when playing for us and became a byword for profligacy across football until Ed Woodward got busy.Really good assessment, although you seem to rate Big Mal higher than I do, one comment was it Big Mal that signed Reeves I had it in my head it was Bond, obviously due to the Norwich link?
Hopefully you feel that adds a bit more balance to my post!
DontLookBackInAnger
Well-Known Member
I will give Big Mal something of a pass with Daley as City weren't the only club interested in him, most people thought he would be a star, I recall maybe a year before Jimmy Hill had picked his 1982 England team(so this was maybe 78ish)City ended up signing or having at the club nearly half it off the top of my head it included Williams/Futcher/Reeves/Daley/Barnes/Owen, it just goes to show you how wrong you can be!!!Can’t believe I forgot to reference Steve Daley in that post! He was pretty well regarded at the time iirc, with a good engine, but a dreadful buy. Looked like an absolute carthorse when playing for us and became a byword for profligacy across football until Ed Woodward got busy.
Hopefully you feel that adds a bit more balance to my post!
During his last days in the nursing home in Trafford he was wheeled by a nurse to a nearby pub to join City fans watching the derby on tv.
He was literally CTID in my eyes, loved the guy warts and all.
From wiki.....
After football
Edit
In 2001 it was revealed by his son that Allison was suffering from alcoholism.[24] In 2009 it was reported that Allison was suffering from dementia.[25]
In January 2007 Crystal Palace fans organised a tribute to Allison, which they named 'Fedora Day'. Fans set up a campaign on www.cpfc.org, an unofficial forum dedicated to the club, to mark the 31st anniversary of the famous FA Cup run which Allison masterminded.[26] The date chosen was that of the game against Preston North End in the 4th Round of the FA Cup on 27 January 2007. Fans sporting Allison's favoured Fedoras smoked cigars and drank champagne while cheering on their side.[27] This generated major national press coverage. Crystal Palace – managed by Peter Taylor, a star of the 1976 side – were unable to match their predecessors and were knocked out of the cup 2–0.
Allison died in a nursing home on 14 October 2010 at the age of 83.[28] He had six children.[28] His funeral took place on 27 October the cortege passing the City of Manchester Stadium on its way to a service at the Southern Cemetery.[29] Around 300 people gathered to pay their respects and a round of applause from the assembled crowd greeted the arrival of the cars. A sky-blue, Manchester City scarf was draped over his coffin next to an ice bucket containing a bottle of Moet et Chandon champagne.[29]
He was literally CTID in my eyes, loved the guy warts and all.
From wiki.....
After football
Edit
In 2001 it was revealed by his son that Allison was suffering from alcoholism.[24] In 2009 it was reported that Allison was suffering from dementia.[25]
In January 2007 Crystal Palace fans organised a tribute to Allison, which they named 'Fedora Day'. Fans set up a campaign on www.cpfc.org, an unofficial forum dedicated to the club, to mark the 31st anniversary of the famous FA Cup run which Allison masterminded.[26] The date chosen was that of the game against Preston North End in the 4th Round of the FA Cup on 27 January 2007. Fans sporting Allison's favoured Fedoras smoked cigars and drank champagne while cheering on their side.[27] This generated major national press coverage. Crystal Palace – managed by Peter Taylor, a star of the 1976 side – were unable to match their predecessors and were knocked out of the cup 2–0.
Allison died in a nursing home on 14 October 2010 at the age of 83.[28] He had six children.[28] His funeral took place on 27 October the cortege passing the City of Manchester Stadium on its way to a service at the Southern Cemetery.[29] Around 300 people gathered to pay their respects and a round of applause from the assembled crowd greeted the arrival of the cars. A sky-blue, Manchester City scarf was draped over his coffin next to an ice bucket containing a bottle of Moet et Chandon champagne.[29]
aguerooooo
Well-Known Member
Malcolm did want Daley but Swales was responsible for the inflated price Mal bought Reeves he was at the club when Bondy arrived