The "Swales Out" campaign was a pivotal moment in our recent history. I thought I'd jot down a few memories of this battle and see what others remember.
My first memory of a groundswell of opinion was in the mid eighties, I susepct during the relegation season of 1987. Leaflets were given out on the Kippax describing the man's lies and incomptetence. At this point we'd recovered fromt he shockr elegation of 83 yet were on our wy back down again. Fans were horrified as most had grown up with City at the top table - back then the fact that we'd only won one trophy in 17 years was decreed as a major issue.
I'm sure the first demonstrations started then, outside the Main STand after games, and I remember bricks being thrown at the windows there which got caged. This campaign petered out and we eventually got ourselves back to the top division again, even into the top 6, but simmering resentment of him never died. I remember an away game, I'm sure it was Everton, at the beginning of a season, , maybe 1990, where a banner was unfurled saying "£6m? Swales you fucking liar" and it was removed. He'd promised us A fortune to spend to ensure season ticket sales then spent nothing.
Thingsd were building to a head again after Swales appointed John Maddock as his henchman, and he immediately sacked the popular Peter Reid after a couple of poor performacnes right at the beginning of a season. This was the catalyst and the hatred boiled over and the demos started again.
This time Franny Lee saw and opprtunity and very publically, through Alec Johnson of The Mirror, announced his intention to oust Swales. I was living in London and still remember seeing the back back of the Mirror one day "Franny Lee Steps Forward at City!" it screamed. The fans were united. He was the man to save us. Hell, The Mirror, followe dby the Sun, threw their weight behind Franny and the demonstrations reached a huge crescedo. This may seem odd, but there's be 3000 fans chanting "We want Swales Out" on the forecourt ofter the game and both the Mirror and The Sun were giving out badges spporting Franny Lee with their logo on. i've still got one somewhere.
Swales hung on as the pressure increased. He started to realsie his time was up as the campaign intensified. Franny Lee got organsied, recruited Colin Barlow and began to wipe the floor with Swales in the PR war. Outside the Main Stand it was bedlam every week. Riot police were charging, the lot.
We the fans got organised. Fans called for himsto stand down at the AGAM. There was even a show of hands of shareholders which showed a majority wanted him out. But it mattered nothing because the major shareholders stood by him. We had a sit in on the Kippax after one game. There was a display of candles one televised game which Swales tried to disrupt by having them removed from people. The battle raged. The fans upped their game and things got nasty. Sometimes the whole ground appeared to chant "We want Swales Out!" One night a leaflet was handed round the pubs in South Manchester with Swale's address on. The police had to secure his property and he went into hiding. A story emereged that City fans broke into a nursing home ad verbally abused his sick mother. This was never proved, incidentally.
Swales knew he couldn't hang on but still seemed detirmined not to sell to Franny. He tried to find other buyers for the club and I think he even found a potential one.
Then, one board meeting, at Swales's house, I believe, his henchmen finally turned on him and for the first time outvoted him on Franny Lee's offer. He was finished, a broken man, and died soon after.
The minute's silence for him at Maine Road was perfectly observed.
Who here was involved? And who can flesh out my vague memories, which might be tainted by time?
