r.soleofsalford
Well-Known Member
The nicest thing I can say about Alan Ball is don't speak ill of the dead.
Too fucking late mate - 4 pages of harsh truth too late.The nicest thing I can say about Alan Ball is don't speak ill of the dead.
Worked on a hotel/country club refurb in Hampshire, me and the other foreman used to go to one of two pubs for lunch sometimes, one was called the Cricketers in a place called Curdridge.
One day we decided to go for a pint after work and went there again. Ball walked in with Peter Osgood and they sat at a table near the window. It made my blood boil seeing the little squeaky twat so carefree, so I had another pint to try and calm down, it didn't work. I bought one more, then walked over to their table, Ball looked at me, smiling. I said to him "You ruined my fucking football club". His reply? "Who do you support?"
I couldn't believe it, how many clubs did the wanker ruin?! Anyway, I was fuming, chucked my pint over him and said "Manchester fucking City you c**t".
Osgood looked at me and shouted that I couldn't do that, told him I just did, now fk off. I left after that, funnily enough, never went back to that pub!
Gary Flitcroft wasn't his best player though.Ok, now I realise Alan Ball (RIP) is regarded on here as being a total disaster during his tenure at City however, I have just finished reading his autobiography and he devotes a fair bit to his time at City, in which he claims:-
When he arrived, he didn't realise how much the club was in debt.
Many average/poor players were on very long contracts being paid vast amounts of money, and were just going through the motions, content to pick up their money.
He was forced to sell his best player Gary Flitcroft to Blackburn, because his friend, chairman Francis Lee said the bank were about to fore close and City needed £3m in a matter of days.
I must admit, after reading his book, I have revised my opinion of him, and I honestly think he tried his best, and not once did he slag the City fans off, saying they were first class during his time here.
Getting rid of Paul Walsh for Gerry Creaney was also a shocking decision! Didn't he sign Michael Frontzeck too!Gary Flitcroft wasn't his best player though.
Keith Curle and Tony Coton were. And he dropped them both for Kit Symonds and Ike Immell.
I have nothing against him as a man, but as a manager of Manchester City, he was an absolute disaster.
Curle wasn't dropped for Symons, they were the main centre half partnership. Vonk and Kernaghan were the left out for the most part.Gary Flitcroft wasn't his best player though.
Keith Curle and Tony Coton were. And he dropped them both for Kit Symonds and Ike Immell.
I have nothing against him as a man, but as a manager of Manchester City, he was an absolute disaster.
He managed to get a whole ground of Stoke and City fans to shout Ball out together as one.
He was deluded and if he thought City fans were kind to him it sums up how bad it was elsewhere.
He even convinced the players we were safe v Liverpool when we weren't.
He thought Martin Phillips was the next George Best.
He left a trace of covid in Preston years ago that then infected a bat which then flew to China.
That Stoke game was the strangest game I have ever been to, Paul Dickov's debut as I recall, I always wonder what he must have thought as a first impression!He managed to get a whole ground of Stoke and City fans to shout Ball out together as one.
He was deluded and if he thought City fans were kind to him it sums up how bad it was elsewhere.
He even convinced the players we were safe v Liverpool when we weren't.
He thought Martin Phillips was the next George Best.
He left a trace of covid in Preston years ago that then infected a bat which then flew to China.
Gary Flitcroft wasn't his best player though.
Keith Curle and Tony Coton were. And he dropped them both for Kit Symonds and Ike Immell.
I have nothing against him as a man, but as a manager of Manchester City, he was an absolute disaster.