City early 90s

[franksinatra]

We were never really that close but I concur with what Quinny said a prolific striker would have made a huge difference.

Unfortunately Peter Reid was desperate to waste the money we had on Curle (who I rated) and Phelan when other positions were a real priority.

When you consider he sold Colin Hendry for 750k and spent 2.5 million on Keith Curle to replace him, similarly 900k on Rick Holden and sold Michael Hughes for 450k and history tells you who got the better of the deals. I mentioned it on another thread but he similarly pursued the likes of Paul Stewart every summer who clearly was overweight and injury prone at this time.

It was exciting to be up there though (even though the football was horrible) but for a generation of fans like me, mid 40s nowit was the first glimpse of a half decent City side.

I remember going up to Sheff Utd when we were riding high and lost 4-2 with Paul Lakes brother (Michael) scoring a stunner. There was thousands there that day, loads in the Sheff Utd end and many locked out.

Funnily enough we played our best football away and there was a video (equalling the record) as we won 4 away matches on the bounce. Seems small beer now but winning at the likes of Spurs seemed very exciting.

The longer Reid was there, the worse it got and we were well on the slide when he got sacked.

 

[JGL07]

Think they ditched The 'Cup Winners Cup '
didn't they , not UEFA Cup? Having 3 European comps and not 2 did also mean you didn't have to play about 50 matches before getting to one of the 'lesser' finals!

They also dumped the Inter-Toto Cup. This was a strange one that started in mid-summer with no final but three teams would progress from it through to the UEFA Cup. It was merged into the UEFA Cup eventually giving an extra place for certain countries.

 

[The Colonel]

we had that potential 25 goals a year guy in Clive Allen. I think that it was Reid who ditched him. Kendall should have stayed, he was on to something and his return to Everton was never going to work.

 

[Zapcity]

Always remember the FACup QF v Spurs in 93 being a real low point.
Remember thinking we're going back to Wembley that year after winning at QPR in an earlier round (also one of the best away atmospheres I can remember) How silly of me though!
Started okay v Spurs, scored early but played shit for the rest of the game. 4:1 down and a pitch invasion. Terry Phelan scored a really good goal late on but it was of no consequence.
Even remember thinking the newly opened New Platt Lane Stand looked very 'unimpessive' to say the least!
In truth the league form probably hadn't been as good as the previous couple of seasons but that Spurs game really seemed to knock the stuffing out of us.
Remember thinking after that game 'will I ever see us win another trophy?'
Only had to wait another 18 years!!!

 

[creed]

Hindsight's ace innit but it's hard to believe how successful we were in the early 90s compared to the following 15-odd years.

There were some hugely frustrating games, thought, particularly early in the Kendall era - Wayne Clarke and Adrian Heath in tandem was no way to go. I remember going to Everton for Kendall's first game back there and it was a terrible 0-0 (I think) on telly when there was only one game a week live.

As one of the earlier posters said, finishing above the scum was brilliant. I think we drew at Palace with two late goals to get the crucial point. On the pitch at the end - great away day. Of course that may be a horrible misremembering!

Funnily enough, I enjoyed some of the football from a couple of years later a bit more, even though we didn't finish as high. Walsh, Gaudino, Rocastle under Horton. Although I may have misremembered all that as well!

 

[burnley blue mcfc]

Always remember the FACup QF v Spurs in 93 being a real low point.
Remember thinking we're going back to Wembley that year after winning at QPR in an earlier round (also one of the best away atmospheres I can remember) How silly of me though!
Started okay v Spurs, scored early but played shit for the rest of the game. 4:1 down and a pitch invasion. Terry Phelan scored a really good goal late on but it was of no consequence.
Even remember thinking the newly opened New Platt Lane Stand looked very 'unimpessive' to say the least!
In truth the league form probably hadn't been as good as the previous couple of seasons but that Spurs game really seemed to knock the stuffing out of us.
Remember thinking after that game 'will I ever see us win another trophy?'
Only had to wait another 18 years!!!

Was in the new opening of the “umbro stand” that day the impression of it matched the on field performance that day :/ phelan’s goal aside

 

[burnley blue mcfc]

How good was Phelan? I was young when he was playing for City so can't remember enough to rate him, but was listening to him on a podcast recently and he said there was talk that Barcelona were after him at one point.

We paid £5m for curle & phelan from wimbledon which at the time was mental money!! curle was decent but in my opinion never mentally got over his england disaster (not his fault) phelan was fast & thats about it!! £2.5m for a fast fullback :-/

 

[Zapcity]

Hindsight's ace innit but it's hard to believe how successful we were in the early 90s compared to the following 15-odd years.

There were some hugely frustrating games, thought, particularly early in the Kendall era - Wayne Clarke and Adrian Heath in tandem was no way to go. I remember going to Everton for Kendall's first game back there and it was a terrible 0-0 (I think) on telly when there was only one game a week live.

As one of the earlier posters said, finishing above the scum was brilliant. I think we drew at Palace with two late goals to get the crucial point. On the pitch at the end - great away day. Of course that may be a horrible misremembering!

Funnily enough, I enjoyed some of the football from a couple of years later a bit more, even though we didn't finish as high. Walsh, Gaudino, Rocastle under Horton. Although I may have misremembered all that as well!

Think the Palace game was the previous season (89/90) . As you say came from 2 down to draw .Loads of inflatables on a really sunny day and City fans wishing the Palace fans good luck in the FA Cup final following week.
Following season seem to recall we beat Sunderland 3:2 at Maine Road when they had 'at least 30 000 'away fans there (so the story goes but we had roughly the same amount at York didn't we!)
We finished 5th because of that above Utd (first time since 70s)and they went down.

 

[Zapcity]

Was in the new opening of the “umbro stand” that day the impression of it matched the on field performance that day :/ phelan’s goal aside

Umbro Stand ,ofcourse it was!. Shit memory (and a bit of a shit name for a stand really!).
Slightly 'off topic' but I seem to remember a drawing in a City programme of a 'future ground design' just after a new roof was built on the Main Stand.
The Kippax was going to be rebuilt or at least have a new roof that was like the Main Stand and the Platt Lane was going to look like the North Stand.
Didn't really end up like that though!

 

[burnley blue mcfc]

Think the Palace game was the previous season (89/90) . As you say came from 2 down to draw .Loads of inflatables on a really sunny day and City fans wishing the Palace fans good luck in the FA Cup final following week.
Following season seem to recall we beat Sunderland 3:2 at Maine Road when they had 'at least 30 000 'away fans there (so the story goes but we had roughly the same amount at York didn't we!)
We finished 5th because of that above Utd (first time since 70s)and they went down.

I met a sunderland fan holiday in gran canaria in 1997 he was at maine road that day & said they brought 17,000!!! told him i was on the game as well & he needed to behave himself!! Amazing away support that day from them that day dont get me wrong but platt lane held 8,000? didnt see 9,000 others in our end i told him!!