The Alan Ball era

[Koniec]

The Horton team needed a keeper, centre back and a right back to be a decent upper mid table side I always thought.

A keeper because Coton was basically done with injuries by this point. I went back and watched a couple of season reviews recently and Dibble was a lot worse than I remembered.

Phelan was probably decent enough, but we needed a centre back to go alongside Curle and we always seemed to struggle down the right so a right back would have been ideal.

Kernaghan wasn’t the answer at CH. we signed some pish. Our scatter gun signing policy didn’t help us at any point.

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

Remember taking my son to platt Lane to watch them training when Clarke was manager, tits out Jackie and her mate outside the changing rooms smoking, the players came out quick game of ticky it and back inside cos it was too cold !

I remember my mates going down to watch the training at platt lane. We all played sunday league and were fairly competent players. They told me City were practising putting crosses into the box but either couldn't beat the first defender or sent it sailing out for a goal kick. When they packed up to go for a shower everyone watching booed them off. Makes nowadays seem like a dream.

 

[Ribble73]

I was based in London at the time and Daily nipped into WHS at Euston on my way home to check out the

 

[bluemurray]

Interesting to reflect how far we have come since that period 1995-98, as a City fan it seemed every day was a disaster day, managers coming and going, inept boardroom decision-making, clueless on and off the pitch... And yet it was actually a period of just 3-seasons where we nosedived into near oblivion and 3-season more to arrive back in the Prem, albeit just for one season but with solid foundations laid for Keegan, Sven and the rest to build upon (we'll ignore Pearce!).

As for Ball's appointment, we all know how that came about (Lee's bezzie mate, having no other available/interested alternatives) and starting with the stupid decision to sack Brian Horton, a man who, despite everything thrown at him - including initial abuse and doubt from City fans ("who the f**ks Brian Horton!?"), went on the produce arguably our finest football at any point between 1981 (early Bond) and 2001 (Keegan) with limited funds and a new chairman who wanted rid almost from the start... He needed Lee's backing and a few quid for a decent centre half but didn't get either. Ball was a joke and the first of a whole string of jokes so bad Bob Monkhouse would blush; Hartford, Coppell, Neal (wtf!?), and remeber the 'chase' for Dave Bassent!!?? Then Clarke - who despite some of the comments on here (which I don't dispute) actually appeared initially to turn us around - 2nd half of 1996-97 we played some decent stuff, started winning matches quite comfortably, he signed Horlock and a number of other half decent players. It was being said that had we appointed him earlier we would have made the play-offs that season at least...

Something happened that close season of 1997- older fans will remember the kit change to Kappa, the new badge, a few million to spend in the bank, the real sense of hope/expectation that the era of Francis Lee was about to come good and promotion back to the Prem was a decent bet... It didn't happen. Why?? No idea. Lee Bradbury ("couldn't hit the parish he was born into!" - thank you Tommy Doc!!) was a plain BAD signing and one of a few that close season - Ged Brennen anybody..? but it can't all be down to just that? But something changed the mood and morale of the squad and, starting badly, then just getting comically worse - down we went, Clarke was fired off and Royle came in too late to save us. The rest is history.

I'm glad I'm old enough to have witnessed it, to have suffered to doom and gloom, the comic-book disasters, the 'cups-for-cock-ups'!. Swales, Lee, Ball, Clarke. Liverpool at home, Stoke City away, even York City (I was the only City fan not there, sorry). It makes the experience of following City today all-the-more enjoyable.

Most of the new fans have a meltdown if we suffer one dodgy result in a 38-game season!! Laughable!!

 

[ooh vonky vonky]

„Alan Ball is a football genius“

He actually thought we meant it when we sang that…. Jeez

 

[Ribble73]

I was based in London at the time and Daily nipped into WHS at Euston on my way home to check out the latest footy news and literally laughed out loud when I saw Ball’s name added to the List of prospects (Beckenbauer etc)

 

[Pingu the Penguin]

It was just over a season, not an era.

Felt longer :)

 

[pride in battle]

Clark dubbed me part of the Fifth Column.

Horrific manager, pretty much told him so to his face.

He was the reason we went into Div 2.

I put City and Joe together.

Well done mate :)

 

[Pingu the Penguin]

Slow news day is it?

Jesus Christ.

Delete thread.

Sorry mate!

 

[bluemike]

Wasn't Brian Kidd favourite for the job that summer?
Spoiled my holiday when I read that Ball had been appointed. Still, Leeds away that season when Creaney scored the only goal was a cracking day out.