City 1993 - only just over a generation ago

[BillCarlisle]

Back to Mal's story behind the purchase of Steve Daley. Swales never denied Malcolm's version.

I know it's 30+ years too late, but if that fucking idiot chairman hadn't wasted around half a million quid, Daley might not have felt the weight of the transfer fee, and played as he had at Wolverhampton.

Of course, we'll never know.

I know for a fact that Preston were prepared to accept £200k for Michael Robinson but that clown Swales somehow managed to ramp it up to £750k. That was a hell of a lot of money in those days. Probably similar to nowadays paying c£62m for Ruben Dias when we could have got him for around £20m.

 

[LongsightM13]

Great watch, thanks for posting and something I never watched at the time.

To be honest I was more than happy for Reid to go. From the Spurs cup fiasco onwards it was pretty clear the club was on the slide and his only response was to pursue an overweight, Injury prone, over the hill Paul Stewart and offer close on 2 million for the privilege of his signature. It was a continuation of his failed transfer strategy.

The following season the performances continued in that vein. The opening day we got an undeserved draw with Leeds who battered us sinilarly to how Dortmund played us off the park in the Champs lge and I can vividly remember a 2-0 defeat to Blackburn, stood on the Kippax, convinced we were going down. A modern day equivalent would be Newcastle, boring, negative football with little aspiration or future.

Brian Horton was a breath of fresh air. That March (transfer window??) when he brought in Walsh, Beagrie, Rosler was one of the best transfer windows ever. The club was reborn and finally football worth watching. The Newcastle home match in particular was sensational.

The one thing that struck me in the video was the arrogance of Maddocks. Only from memory can I remember how arrogant he was, due to his undermining of Reid when he stated ‘he was in charge’.

But on that video he came across like that in every question he answered. Particular in how he failed to understand the concept that if it was good enough for Swales to sack managers, because they failed, the fans had every right to judge the chairman to the same standards.

Reid lived off Howard Kendall’s team building

 

[Pell]

I enjoyed watching that, great find. Somewhat related, this popped up in my recommended:

 

[franksinatra]

I enjoyed watching that, great find. Somewhat related, this popped up in my recommended:

The most memorable thing about that night was the band miming Baker Street and Lakey getting an assist playing upfront.

 

[Northerndave]

Kernaghan was a terrible, disastrous signing. Absolutely atrocious and weak as a kitten’s fart.

And went onto to have a nipper called Riyad, who he unfortunately lost on a Pontinetal trip to Algeria, wonder what ever happened to the lad?

 

[Stelea]

Brilliant.
At 34.40 Richard Keys mad hairy hand. His cheeseyness was shocking.
On the other hand Andy Gray was great and he is missed.
Great video.
Amazing that the replica City kits were so expensive then 30 years ago, £50 & £40 respectively for Adults and Kids.
Also Ian Darke never mentioned how much the squad.

 

[Mancity1980]

I enjoyed watching that, great find. Somewhat related, this popped up in my recommended:

I felt quite nostalgic watching that. I was at the game and because I didn’t have sky sports (I still don’t) I got a friend to record it to watch it back later. I remember the game quite well Lakey making his comeback before going down with his injury shortly afterwards. A couple things that stuck me at the time was way Sky tried to present it like the opening ceremony of the World Cup and then tried to continue that in subsequent games before realising it didn’t work in the UK as well as the reaction to the crowd booing Ray Wilkins. The commentator was puzzled so they sent a Sky reporter into the crowd to find out why. When the answer came back that he was a rag his reaction was “that was a long time ago” like that mattered to us! Clearly Sky had took a massive gamble on English football and were determined to make it work and in their desperation they made some embarrassing mistakes, they learnt though. They just need to get rid of those rag and dipper pundits and then a tight-fisted oldest git like me may actually pay their subscription (like hell I would!)

 

[SJC]

Great watch, thanks for posting and something I never watched at the time.

To be honest I was more than happy for Reid to go. From the Spurs cup fiasco onwards it was pretty clear the club was on the slide and his only response was to pursue an overweight, Injury prone, over the hill Paul Stewart and offer close on 2 million for the privilege of his signature. It was a continuation of his failed transfer strategy.

The following season the performances continued in that vein. The opening day we got an undeserved draw with Leeds who battered us sinilarly to how Dortmund played us off the park in the Champs lge and I can vividly remember a 2-0 defeat to Blackburn, stood on the Kippax, convinced we were going down. A modern day equivalent would be Newcastle, boring, negative football with little aspiration or future.

Brian Horton was a breath of fresh air. That March (transfer window??) when he brought in Walsh, Beagrie, Rosler was one of the best transfer windows ever. The club was reborn and finally football worth watching. The Newcastle home match in particular was sensational.

The one thing that struck me in the video was the arrogance of Maddocks. Only from memory can I remember how arrogant he was, due to his undermining of Reid when he stated ‘he was in charge’.

But on that video he came across like that in every question he answered. Particular in how he failed to understand the concept that if it was good enough for Swales to sack managers, because they failed, the fans had every right to judge the chairman to the same standards.

I agree with every word said there, great post, great memories (mostly).

 

[franksinatra]

I agree with every word said there, great post, great memories (mostly).

The strange thing is they really were great memories. Football, not just City, felt very different back then. I certainly felt more a part of it.

 

[Mancity1980]

Came across this by chance. Of course this was in the midst of the Lee v Swales campaign.

Couple of observations.
1. John Maddock was a test. So far up Swales'sarse he might as well have been his taste buds
2. Big Mal always played to an audience but it strikes me with him and Franny that once you establish that bond with fans because of what you did on the pitch then it can't be broken (even if you do daft things)
3. A lot of suited and booted fans

I am sure I remember listening to a recording of this on the radio? The bit that I definitely recall was John Maddock stating that that Franny Lee had told him if he takes over than he would be the first to go and the audience clapping! Great moment.