Bert Trautmann's Parachute said:My favourite City player didn't turn up for the final for reasons that seem a little trivial, to be honest. But that changes nothing as far as I'm concerned as the club and the contribution that our truly great players make to it transcends any petty squabbles that go on between the individual's involved in them.
Check out my user name.bainy said:Bert Trautmann's Parachute said:My favourite City player didn't turn up for the final for reasons that seem a little trivial, to be honest. But that changes nothing as far as I'm concerned as the club and the contribution that our truly great players make to it transcends any petty squabbles that go on between the individual's involved in them.
Squirty flower assures us he did turn up for the final!!
Bert Trautmann's Parachute said:My favourite City player didn't turn up for the final for reasons that seem a little trivial, to be honest. But that changes nothing as far as I'm concerned as the club and the contribution that our truly great players make to it transcends any petty squabbles that go on between the individual's involved in them.
He did go to a tribunal but he didn't win. He was told to go back and resolve it out of court. So actually, in effect, he lost as the tribunal is actually saying "You haven't a good case".bainy said:Bert Trautmann's Parachute said:My favourite City player didn't turn up for the final for reasons that seem a little trivial, to be honest. But that changes nothing as far as I'm concerned as the club and the contribution that our truly great players make to it transcends any petty squabbles that go on between the individual's involved in them.
As far as im aware there hasnt been any petty squabbles - Colin did his 'petty squabbling' as you choose to call it many years ago when he was forced to take city (francis lee) to a tribunal. He won and has never brought the matter up since. FYI he was sacked and escorted off the premises all them years ago.
"I reluctantly asked for the return of my England cap, which had been loaned to the club for display. It broke my heart to take it back but I felt it was something I had to do.
"I took legal advice with a view to taking the club to an employment tribunal. I saw that as an opportunity to make my concerns public in an unbiased way.
"The case came to court in mid-October. I wanted Francis Lee to appear in court so that I could hear his side of the story but he did not attend. After hearing detailed accounts of what had taken place during the last year at City, the chairman of the tribunal suggested that the club and my legal representatives settled the matter out of court, which we did.
"I am reluctant to go into any great detail about that last horrible year I spent at City. What I will say is that I no longer have any contact with Francis Lee. I am a forgiving person but I am also stubborn. I have decided that I will not attend any function at which Francis Lee is present. This is one occasion when I will stand resolutely by my decision."
FYI I'm talking about Bert Trautmann.bainy said:Bert Trautmann's Parachute said:My favourite City player didn't turn up for the final for reasons that seem a little trivial, to be honest. But that changes nothing as far as I'm concerned as the club and the contribution that our truly great players make to it transcends any petty squabbles that go on between the individual's involved in them.
As far as im aware there hasnt been any petty squabbles - Colin did his 'petty squabbling' as you choose to call it many years ago when he was forced to take city (francis lee) to a tribunal. He won and has never brought the matter up since. FYI he was sacked and escorted off the premises all them years ago.
Prestwich_Blue said:He did go to a tribunal but he didn't win. He was told to go back and resolve it out of court. So actually, in effect, he lost as the tribunal is actually saying "You haven't a good case".bainy said:Bert Trautmann's Parachute said:My favourite City player didn't turn up for the final for reasons that seem a little trivial, to be honest. But that changes nothing as far as I'm concerned as the club and the contribution that our truly great players make to it transcends any petty squabbles that go on between the individual's involved in them.
As far as im aware there hasnt been any petty squabbles - Colin did his 'petty squabbling' as you choose to call it many years ago when he was forced to take city (francis lee) to a tribunal. He won and has never brought the matter up since. FYI he was sacked and escorted off the premises all them years ago.
Plus he said in an interview a few years ago that he would never go anywhere that Franny Lee was.
"I reluctantly asked for the return of my England cap, which had been loaned to the club for display. It broke my heart to take it back but I felt it was something I had to do.
"I took legal advice with a view to taking the club to an employment tribunal. I saw that as an opportunity to make my concerns public in an unbiased way.
"The case came to court in mid-October. I wanted Francis Lee to appear in court so that I could hear his side of the story but he did not attend. After hearing detailed accounts of what had taken place during the last year at City, the chairman of the tribunal suggested that the club and my legal representatives settled the matter out of court, which we did.
"I am reluctant to go into any great detail about that last horrible year I spent at City. What I will say is that I no longer have any contact with Francis Lee. I am a forgiving person but I am also stubborn. I have decided that I will not attend any function at which Francis Lee is present. This is one occasion when I will stand resolutely by my decision."
He asked for the England cap he presented to the club back. What had that got to do with Franny Lee?
The fuse leading to that powder-keg, he explains, was ignited when ex-Blues midfielder Neil McNab was recruited on to the club's coaching staff.
Says Bell: "By early 1994, I had been back at City for four years and had loved every minute. I received a modest salary but that didn't matter to me. It's just great when you do a job you love.
"I have never been interested in the politics within the club but I was aware that there had been a long battle for control at board level. There had been protests by supporters against chairman Peter Swales, but that didn't affect me.
"My old friend Francis Lee eventually took over as chairman in February that year and I was happy to see him back. We had never been as close as the supporters had imagined, so I didn't expect any favours from him.
"I had every confidence that Francis returning to the club would have a positive effect. After all, he was part of the City family.
"Changes happen frequently at football clubs. Players came and went and there were comings and goings, too, among the backroom staff. Former manager Jimmy Frizzell took over as chief scout, and ex-player Neil McNab became part of the coaching staff.
"McNab had a different approach to me. I didn't approve of the way he talked to the boys. I found him a difficult person to deal with. He disagreed with my views on how things should be done.
"He seemed to resent me, which I couldn't understand, and there were a series of incidents that seemed designed to embarrass me.
"After many happy years at Manchester City, for the first time in my life I dreaded going into the club. I was deeply unhappy and didn't know what to do. I wasn't the only person who felt that way.
"On a couple of occasions I requested meetings with Francis Lee and told him of my concerns about McNab. Francis didn't react to my complaints in the way I'd hoped, simply telling me that he would consider the matter.
"I worked very closely with Terry Farrell, who was another member of the youth staff, and in the May of 1997 we were both told that the manager Frank Clark wanted to see us at Platt Lane.
Sacked
"We went along as requested, with Terry going in to see Clark first. A few minutes later, Terry emerged to tell me he had been sacked. I hadn't expected that, and my head was still spinning when I took my turn to face Clark and his assistant Alan Hill.
"I had barely sat down when, in a clinical and cold way, Clark simply said: `We are dispensing with your services.' Neil McNab was also sacked that day.
"Francis Lee made no attempt to contact me in the aftermath of my dismissal, and has publicly claimed that he was in Jersey when I was sacked. If I had been the chairman of Manchester City when a decision of that nature had been taken, I would have done things differently.
"I reluctantly asked for the return of my England cap, which had been loaned to the club for display. It broke my heart to take it back but I felt it was something I had to do.
"I took legal advice with a view to taking the club to an employment tribunal. I saw that as an opportunity to make my concerns public in an unbiased way.
"The case came to court in mid-October. I wanted Francis Lee to appear in court so that I could hear his side of the story but he did not attend. After hearing detailed accounts of what had taken place during the last year at City, the chairman of the tribunal suggested that the club and my legal representatives settled the matter out of court, which we did.
"I am reluctant to go into any great detail about that last horrible year I spent at City. What I will say is that I no longer have any contact with Francis Lee. I am a forgiving person but I am also stubborn.
"I have decided that I will not attend any function at which Francis Lee is present. This is one occasion when I will stand resolutely by my decision."
moonbeams said:Colin's version of events!
The fuse leading to that powder-keg, he explains, was ignited when ex-Blues midfielder Neil McNab was recruited on to the club's coaching staff.
Says Bell: "By early 1994, I had been back at City for four years and had loved every minute. I received a modest salary but that didn't matter to me. It's just great when you do a job you love.
"I have never been interested in the politics within the club but I was aware that there had been a long battle for control at board level. There had been protests by supporters against chairman Peter Swales, but that didn't affect me.
"My old friend Francis Lee eventually took over as chairman in February that year and I was happy to see him back. We had never been as close as the supporters had imagined, so I didn't expect any favours from him.
"I had every confidence that Francis returning to the club would have a positive effect. After all, he was part of the City family.
"Changes happen frequently at football clubs. Players came and went and there were comings and goings, too, among the backroom staff. Former manager Jimmy Frizzell took over as chief scout, and ex-player Neil McNab became part of the coaching staff.
"McNab had a different approach to me. I didn't approve of the way he talked to the boys. I found him a difficult person to deal with. He disagreed with my views on how things should be done.
"He seemed to resent me, which I couldn't understand, and there were a series of incidents that seemed designed to embarrass me.
"After many happy years at Manchester City, for the first time in my life I dreaded going into the club. I was deeply unhappy and didn't know what to do. I wasn't the only person who felt that way.
"On a couple of occasions I requested meetings with Francis Lee and told him of my concerns about McNab. Francis didn't react to my complaints in the way I'd hoped, simply telling me that he would consider the matter.
"I worked very closely with Terry Farrell, who was another member of the youth staff, and in the May of 1997 we were both told that the manager Frank Clark wanted to see us at Platt Lane.
Sacked
"We went along as requested, with Terry going in to see Clark first. A few minutes later, Terry emerged to tell me he had been sacked. I hadn't expected that, and my head was still spinning when I took my turn to face Clark and his assistant Alan Hill.
"I had barely sat down when, in a clinical and cold way, Clark simply said: `We are dispensing with your services.' Neil McNab was also sacked that day.
"Francis Lee made no attempt to contact me in the aftermath of my dismissal, and has publicly claimed that he was in Jersey when I was sacked. If I had been the chairman of Manchester City when a decision of that nature had been taken, I would have done things differently.
"I reluctantly asked for the return of my England cap, which had been loaned to the club for display. It broke my heart to take it back but I felt it was something I had to do.
"I took legal advice with a view to taking the club to an employment tribunal. I saw that as an opportunity to make my concerns public in an unbiased way.
"The case came to court in mid-October. I wanted Francis Lee to appear in court so that I could hear his side of the story but he did not attend. After hearing detailed accounts of what had taken place during the last year at City, the chairman of the tribunal suggested that the club and my legal representatives settled the matter out of court, which we did.
"I am reluctant to go into any great detail about that last horrible year I spent at City. What I will say is that I no longer have any contact with Francis Lee. I am a forgiving person but I am also stubborn.
"I have decided that I will not attend any function at which Francis Lee is present. This is one occasion when I will stand resolutely by my decision."