Forward with Franny 1993

Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Half-a-crown when I first went! (and yes, that's what we still called it). Mind you, that was with the unruly masses on the Kippax — my preferred choice, always.
Only sat in the Main Stand once, I think. That was the one time I took my wife, and I felt the Kippax was a bit rough, honestly.
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I only ever sat in the main stand to watch the reserves. If they let you in the Kippax I would have gone there. Was in the main stand when Uwe scores a double for the reserves on trial. That was in the swales out era.
 
Any blues wondering what ooooh onky Vonky - ooooh curly wurly references are/were?

Michel Vonk was was a Dutch CB signed from SVV Dordrecht and Keith Curle was a English CB signed from Wimbledon in the early 90s. Both good players but Curle was a better defender than Vonk.

Some bright spark came up with a simple but affectivity amusing chant, and one section of the Kippax would chant "ooooh onky vonky" followed by "ooooh curly wurly".

Fond memories of how we got through some of the dross served up under Peter Swales tenure as chairman.
 
Gary James said:
I’ve dug out a page from the Mirror with the Blue Vicar as he was often dubbed on it and posted it here:

gjfootballarchive.com

Sit Down Protest

I was reminded earlier about the sit down protest against chairman Peter Swales by Manchester City fans in September 1993. Back then we used to protest a lot against Swales - in fact some of my recent research has shown that the earliest Swales Out demonstration I've found so far took place in...
gjfootballarchive.com gjfootballarchive.com

On my website post I’ve put the full page of the Mirror but haven’t made reference to the story at the top of that page (it concerns a certain Mr Charlton & tickets). Another interesting reminder!

Maybe @Mad Eyed Screamer can remember because I’m sure he played a major part (I’ll have it in my collection somewhere) but was the sit down protest actually against Swales or was it against all-seater stadia? Emma’s photo is dated 11/9/93 so that fits with Swales Out and the QPR game but I’m sure I have a leaflet using the James ‘Sit Down’ style/wording encouraging us to sit down to protest against all seater.

When I get chance I’ll investigate further but if anyone can remember please let us know. Ta!
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The sit down protest on 11/09/93 v QPR was definitely against Swales. I think the sit down protest against all seater stadia was perhaps a season or so earlier. I can't think for the life of me which game it was though.
 
dennishasdoneit said:
I can remember diving into the protests full on.

I believed in Franny, and the change that i thought would be great for the club.City were a terrible side around that time.i got completely swept along with the terrace revolt..,the kippax was a vociferous rebellious mass at the time ..I got the "Forward with Franny" badge,joined in the protests outside the Main Stand and enjoyed the sit down protest on the kippax terrace,which only ended for many Blues when word reached us that " it's kicking off outside Main Stand" ..,cue loads darting off round the front...then eventually,when your voice was hoarse and you thought you,d done enough,retiring to the Osborne and then my favourite The Sherwood ,before the drunken stagger ,through the back streets to The Albert....heady days.

I remember a trip to Leeds around this time,in the City seats in the corner section next to South stand away terrace..I'd had a drink beforehand.... and was full of myself as I took my seat next to an older Blue who I didn't know.

As the first loud chants of Swales Out/ Franny in etc took off the older Blue said to me " why do you think it,'ll be any better under Francis Lee?"

I came out with all the spiel I'd picked up over the past few months and we argued/debated the finer points all the way through the 1st half(both stopping only to go bonkers as City took the lead)all the way down the steps to the bogs at half time,all thru the half time break,back up the steps and most of the 2nd half, where,as usual City collapsed and we got beat..

We shook hands at the end ,it had been a non hostile ,fair debate...

I was completely wrong it turned out and it taught me a valuable lesson..
Listen to older Blues who've seen it all before!!

Fun days tho!
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I still maintain to this day that regardless of how it turned out under Francis Lee, Swales absolutely had to go and if he hadn't we might not have even had a club to support eventually.

The protests were great but I remember as the months dragged on and the nights started drawing in that many fans became a little weary and the numbers started to dwindle. I recall one home game in December 1993 - might've been a defeat to Spurs - and some fans got in the main stand after the match but it wasn't more than 50 or 60. Me and a mate ended up walking round from the Kippax to the main stand forecourt as we were heading off to Didsbury for the Electric Blue Christmas piss-up with @BTH and a few others, and had no idea that there was a protest going on inside until some fans started coming out, one of them shouting to us "Get back inside the ground lads - there's a protest going on!"

When we left the forecourt some time later to get over to Didsbury, Francis Lee's car went past and we gave him the thumbs up. By that time though, I'd pretty much given up hope of him ever taking over the club. It actually came as a big surprise when it finally did go through.
 
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I remember being on the forecourt at Ninian Park when it was announced Swales had agreed to sell. The fans were on a high, but it was typical City on the pitch as we lost in the cup against a lower division team.
 
mancityvstoke said:
I'm sure one was.......the rain was biblical.

Confirmed the 2000 /01 match was 7.45 pm

Jan 1994 3pm KO 20,000 were there
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Sure the 94 one was a league match we had taken a 2 0 lead. The Ipswich fans cheered the decision to abandon it, I said to a couple of them outside the North Stand " your a funny lot if I'd gone 300 miles to see a game of footy I'd want it to finish whatever the result." They looked like they were shitting themselves didn't reply and hurried off. We won the rearranged match.
 
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