City early 90s

[Spurs quarter 69]

Sometime in the 90s I went to Loftus Rd to watch City come back from two down to draw two a piece. On the way out I heard the rags had lost at home to Chelsea so a good day became a great one. As I was walking away a chap with a BBC accent asked if I knew the Utd score I told him and with his accent I assumed he was a QPR fan. I thought their was something familiar about him but couldn't think where I had seen him. He told me he was a Manc who had lived in London for many years. I walked to the next corner with him chatting about City after I left him to go for the tube I realized it was Howard Davis chairman of the CBI. In those days I was a militant TGWU shop steward and activist so we were as far apart politically as it was possible to be, but for ten minutes we were united by our love of City

 

[Stelea]

Think people are forgetting that most of the 80’s we we spent 4 years in Div 2 and had 2 relegation seasons. Kendal came in and steadied the ship by adding some good experience pro’s albeit mainly from Everton. Reid then took over and whilst we did play some long ball stuff the combination of Quinn and White was excellent and we were a tough side.
Some memorable games at Villa and Clanfield and Leeds at home twice.
The error was probably over paying for Curle and Phelan when the money would have been better spent on the likes of Sinclair, Collymore, Geoff Thomas etc.
The Spurs Cup Tie was an absolute disaster and the beginning of the end for Reid.

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

We were definitely a "yoyo" team in the 80s and Kendall was a great manager. He was exactly what we needed at the time and I think he could have pushed us on to a slightly higher placing although I don't think we would ever have won the title with Blackburn/United etc around the corner.

I just think the problem for Reid was that he was yesterdays man. I wasn't a fan of all Reid's pals turning up and whilst I recognise they brought in some expertise and knowledge of how to "do well", we were basically an expensive Wimbledon. We played the same way with Quinn and While, although Quinn was a better player than he was given credit for. I honestly think we bought Curle and Phelan as they would be able to come in and probably not change any of their game under Reid.

What Reid and the Board had totally missed though was that the PL had started. Other clubs had noticed and acted on it. Football was changing. It wasn't forced on clubs, they embraced it. Reid was busy looking at industrious, hard working grafters from Norway but good players from Europe - like dare I say his name again - Cantona came in and changed the league. A manager like Reid would never in a million years have signed him because he was "fancy" and didn't "work hard enough". He probably didn't drink enough either!! He might have considered some "fancy dans" like Viera, Petit etc but they would never, ever have signed for him.

I totally agree on the Spurs game though. That spectacle - broadcast on TV - was shameful. If we'd had won that game, who knows what might have happened?

 

[Spurs quarter 69]

We were definitely a "yoyo" team in the 80s and Kendall was a great manager. He was exactly what we needed at the time and I think he could have pushed us on to a slightly higher placing although I don't think we would ever have won the title with Blackburn/United etc around the corner.

I just think the problem for Reid was that he was yesterdays man. I wasn't a fan of all Reid's pals turning up and whilst I recognise they brought in some expertise and knowledge of how to "do well", we were basically an expensive Wimbledon. We played the same way with Quinn and While, although Quinn was a better player than he was given credit for. I honestly think we bought Curle and Phelan as they would be able to come in and probably not change any of their game under Reid.

What Reid and the Board had totally missed though was that the PL had started. Other clubs had noticed and acted on it. Football was changing. It wasn't forced on clubs, they embraced it. Reid was busy looking at industrious, hard working grafters from Norway but good players from Europe - like dare I say his name again - Cantona came in and changed the league. A manager like Reid would never in a million years have signed him because he was "fancy" and didn't "work hard enough". He probably didn't drink enough either!! He might have considered some "fancy dans" like Viera, Petit etc but they would never, ever have signed for him.

I totally agree on the Spurs game though. That spectacle - broadcast on TV - was shameful. If we'd had won that game, who knows what might have happened?

Ferguson plundered Cantona from Leeds and Cole from Newcastle the arrogant bastard believed he could take anyone he liked to Utd. He tried the trick once to often taking Smith from Leeds, don't think he could believe the level of hatred he unleashed. Ruining a young man's career and life.

 

[Moorland Blue]

This was the era when we went from being the 5th best team in Div 1 to the 5th best team in Greater Manchester with Scum, Bolton, Oldham and Stockport all above us in the Football League as I recall. Typical City as we sang "Are you watching Macclesfield?" as we went down to the depths despite winning 5-2.of the 3rd Division. But then came Gillingham, the roller coaster years, the crazy Thaksin period until we emerged as the City we know today. As I said, Typical City! it would make a good film!!