Quinn actually said something similar in the podcast about having a Phillips type striker!I think if Quinn had a strike partner similar to Kevin Phillips who he played with a Sunderland then City could have competed for the title. I never really understood the love some fans had for Clive Allen - he scored a few good goals (Chelsea away) but was hardly prolific (16 goals in 53 league games).
The football itself was not great - turgid long ball stuff - and it seemed that Sam Ellis, the assistant manager, set most of the tactics.
I also was shocked by what we paid for Curle (worth it) and Phelan (not so much) and the way that Hendry was got rid of because of a personality clash with Reid.
To be honest I don't think we really would have been successful with Reid and Ellis in charge. If Kendall had stayed things might have been different - his Everton teams played great passing football (first time around).
Naughty that day as loads of Blues, including me,were still outside 15 minutes into the game (think we may have already been 2 down?) so they opened a gate causing a rush to get in which while thankfully nowhere near the level of Hillsborough just makes you wonder what they were thinking about being Sheffield......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.
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.
Forgot Clive Wilson was in the QPR team that day.The previous summer i was in the States working at a summer camp and got friendly with a Kiwi who spent the next 9 months in London and met him in a pre arranged pub near to Loftus Road.
He couldnt believe the atmosphere in our end, and he'd attended many rugby games in Auckland. Converted him as a Blue that day!
Forgot Clive Wilson was in the QPR team that day.
I did a stadium tour and lunch a couple of years ago which was hosted by EdgehillThink Ellis definetely had a lot of influence behind the scenes, maybe too much. Reid was in his first managerial job and also still playing so needed some kind of guidance, not sure Ellis had the credentials for that role at the top level. To give credit, Id imagine Ellis was involved in the signing of Andy Hill from his old club Bury and he was one of Reid's few decent signings.
At this time teams were still mainly made up of players from the British Isles but clubs were looking to Europe for signings hoping to find a gem, some clubs did, we ended up with the likes of Ingebrigsten (apart from hat trick in a cup game did nothing else) and Groenendijk (did anyone ever see him open a can of peas with his left foot?). We still had decent youth coming through in the likes of Hughes, Sheron, Flitcroft, Edghill and Lomas but dried up after them.
Im blaming my age mate i’d forgot they had that corner bit as well!!The other 9,000 were in the open Kippax corner adjoining the Platt Lane stand.
Never seen anything like it outside the ground before kick off, everywhere was littered with beer cans all over the place. I believe they took the Parkside over arriving at opening time in their hundreds.