city books

[ChrisNUFC]

Just read the Paul Lake book really enjoyed it. Never saw him play but it was awful the way things turned out for him glad to see he seems to have come through the worst time and his life is back on track.

Just wanted to ask couple of questions of those more ITK than myself:

Was he as good as all the hype or has this become romanticised over time?


Is he still employed by the Club (hope so sounds though he got a raw deal off swailes et al and would be nice to think he was being looked after)

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Just read the Paul Lake book really enjoyed it. Never saw him play but it was awful the way things turned out for him glad to see he seems to have come through the worst time and his life is back on track.

Just wanted to ask couple of questions of those more ITK than myself:

Was he as good as all the hype or has this become romanticised over time?


Is he still employed by the Club (hope so sounds though he got a raw deal off swailes et al and would be nice to think he was being looked after)

Yes, he was as good as the hype. Graceful, versatile and skillful.

I think he's semi-emplyed by the club as some sort of Ambassador - he's certainly around the club a lot. He tried a career as a physio (was at Burnley) but I don't think it worked for him.

 

[ChrisNUFC]

Just read the Paul Lake book really enjoyed it. Never saw him play but it was awful the way things turned out for him glad to see he seems to have come through the worst time and his life is back on track.

Just wanted to ask couple of questions of those more ITK than myself:

Was he as good as all the hype or has this become romanticised over time?


Is he still employed by the Club (hope so sounds though he got a raw deal off swailes et al and would be nice to think he was being looked after)

Yes, he was as good as the hype. Graceful, versatile and skillful.

I think he's semi-emplyed by the club as some sort of Ambassador - he's certainly around the club a lot. He tried a career as a physio (was at Burnley) but I don't think it worked for him.

Thank you gathered from the book he wasnt really into Physio-ing (not sure thats a word) by the end. Know he intimated Garry Cook was involved in his hiring so was just wondered if he was still there.

 

[kippaxkid74]

Maine Road mattered to me of course, but until I asked for comments and they started flooding in I didn't quite appreciate how much and how significant the old stadium was to all of us. I only wish the book was still in print - only 2,000 were produced.

Wow, only 2000! Didn't realise that Gary.
Any chance of a reprint to educate the newer fan?! Or maybe for 2013 when it'll be 10 years since we left?

I love that book (obviously!).

 

[petrusha]

Thank you gathered from the book he wasnt really into Physio-ing (not sure thats a word) by the end. Know he intimated Garry Cook was involved in his hiring so was just wondered if he was still there.

He's still there. Works in the suites doing meets and greets on a matchday, I think, but unlike most of his colleagues in that role, also works for the club's community programme at other times. He's been on various ambassadorial trips with Mike Summerbee and the PL trophy in recent weeks, I think. He's made for that role, IMO. Really glad they recruited him for it.

And yes, he'd have definitely been an England player (was due for a call up when he got the injury), IMO probably a regular over several seasons. Only question would have been if City could have kept hold of him: at the time, Italy was the big league both in terms of money and prestige, and if he'd lived up to his potential, a big Serie A club would have come in for him sooner or later.

 

[ChrisNUFC]

Thank you gathered from the book he wasnt really into Physio-ing (not sure thats a word) by the end. Know he intimated Garry Cook was involved in his hiring so was just wondered if he was still there.

He's still there. Works in the suites doing meets and greets on a matchday, I think, but unlike most of his colleagues in that role, also works for the club's community programme at other times. He's been on various ambassadorial trips with Mike Summerbee and the PL trophy in recent weeks, I think. He's made for that role, IMO. Really glad they recruited him for it.

And yes, he'd have definitely been an England player (was due for a call up when he got the injury), IMO probably a regular over several seasons. Only question would have been if City could have kept hold of him: at the time, Italy was the big league both in terms of money and prestige, and if he'd lived up to his potential, a big Serie A club would have come in for him sooner or later.

Thank you. As mentioned found it a very intriguing read and nice to see that despite all the wealth (sic) knocking about now the club still look after their own.

 

[Gary James]

And yes, he'd have definitely been an England player (was due for a call up when he got the injury), IMO probably a regular over several seasons. Only question would have been if City could have kept hold of him: at the time, Italy was the big league both in terms of money and prestige, and if he'd lived up to his potential, a big Serie A club would have come in for him sooner or later.

You know the older I get and the more I analyse City in the 80s and 90s the more I realise that the Club treated those talented young players appallingly. At least 5 of the FA Youth Cup team of 1986 could have gone on to be recognised as truly great footballers had they been nurtured in the manner that the following generation at Utd were.

City pushed them all into the 1st team too quickly because City were skint and desperate. McNeill wanted to phase them in and to rest them at appropriate times but instead he had to get them all in the side asap and 'hope' they survived.

Lake's injury was not, of course, caused by one person or issue, but it was typical that so much was expected of so many youngsters without the right sort of long term planning and protection that they needed.

We all wanted to see Redmond, Moulden, Lake, Brightwell, Hinchcliffe, White and the others, but those teenagers were expected to get us out of a gruelling Second Division. I know that experienced pros were brought in, but someone at a very senior level in the Club should have considered the impact on them.

Also, when problems did arise the Club's approach was appalling. Lake was treated abysmally, while others (including Moulden & Redmond) were not particularly well looked after.

Fortunately, we are now in a much better position, but it does now sadden me that we had a very talented group of players who, through no fault of their own, were never able to develop together as a unit that could bring City real glory. We had the lead in finding talent back then, but once it became good enough for the 1st team it was thrown in at the deep end and left to sink or swim - Utd had the opposite (though that may have been more by fortune than design I admit).

 

[petrusha]

Thank you. As mentioned found it a very intriguing read and nice to see that despite all the wealth (sic) knocking about now the club still look after their own.

This is one of the ironies about claims of our club 'losing its soul' from certain observers, including the odd long-time City fan (look for the latest release by an author called Colin Shindler). Never have the heritage of the club and individuals who helped to create it, such as the former players, been treated with the level of respect they are now.

In contrast, when we were skint and had owners who were business people from Manchester or its environs, the attitude towards those things was often pretty shoddy. I'm reluctant to claim to speak for most Blues, but I'd be surprised if these comments cause much controversy.

 

[ChrisNUFC]

Thanks for the responses. Was a really powerfull story real rollercoaster of emotions (not ashamed to say got a bit emotional at the bit in the curry house after his testimonial when that blue said he didnt go because he couldnt face saying goodbye to him as a player)

If their is anyone who has not read this yet I would recommend it highly.

 

[petrusha]

You know the older I get and the more I analyse City in the 80s and 90s the more I realise that the Club treated those talented young players appallingly. At least 5 of the FA Youth Cup team of 1986 could have gone on to be recognised as truly great footballers had they been nurtured in the manner that the following generation at Utd were.

City pushed them all into the 1st team too quickly because City were skint and desperate. McNeill wanted to phase them in and to rest them at appropriate times but instead he had to get them all in the side asap and 'hope' they survived.

Lake's injury was not, of course, caused by one person or issue, but it was typical that so much was expected of so many youngsters without the right sort of long term planning and protection that they needed.

We all wanted to see Redmond, Moulden, Lake, Brightwell, Hinchcliffe, White and the others, but those teenagers were expected to get us out of a gruelling Second Division. I know that experienced pros were brought in, but someone at a very senior level in the Club should have considered the impact on them.

Also, when problems did arise the Club's approach was appalling. Lake was treated abysmally, while others (including Moulden & Redmond) were not particularly well looked after.

Fortunately, we are now in a much better position, but it does now sadden me that we had a very talented group of players who, through no fault of their own, were never able to develop together as a unit that could bring City real glory. We had the lead in finding talent back then, but once it became good enough for the 1st team it was thrown in at the deep end and left to sink or swim - Utd had the opposite (though that may have been more by fortune than design I admit).

Yes, excellent post. Fully agree with that. It's heartbreaking to read of the way Lakey was treated, but I'm sure he wasn't the only one of the crop to suffer poor treatment at the hands of the club.

In a thread about books, it might also be appropriate to add that I always had a vague fancy for the idea of writing about the 1986 Youth Cup winning side - which I always identified with because they were more or less the same age as me. Obviously it would be interesting for City fans to follow the story of why the lads didn't quite make it as big as people back then would have expected.

However, if done right, it could be a terrific human story as well. You could look at any group of young people with long-shot dreams (hopefuls on the books of a modelling agency, for instance, or a wave of young bands signing to a top record label). I'm fascinated by the idea of what dictates in that situation who makes it and who doesn't.

Anyway, I'm never going to be able now to write this. If you fancy it, Gary, feel free to take the idea. :)