Francis Lee

[Didsbury Dave]

Swales nearly ruined our club FFS! Are you drunk?

Lee nearly ruined our club,i dont drink.

Have a think what state the club was in when each man took over.

Swales was the worst thing ever to happen to city.

Hang on, lee took the club to division three. Some believe administration wasn't far away-one kick from Paul dickov even.

They were both dreadful for different reasons.

 

[Blue Streak]

It's hard to distinguish just who did the most damage as a chairman between Swales and Lee. Lee's main downfall was his shocking managerial choices. Obviously I missed Lee as a player but I was there all through his running of the club and it was just disaster after disaster obviously starting with Alan Ball - in three/four years the negative impact on the club was huge. Swales is a different story. His legacy lasted twenty years and to see what we were to what we became is quite a shocking story.

Thank god it's all over.

 

[Mike N]

Lee nearly ruined our club,i dont drink.

Have a think what state the club was in when each man took over.

Swales was the worst thing ever to happen to city.

Hang on, lee took the club to division three. Some believe administration wasn't far away-one kick from Paul dickov even.

They were both dreadful for different reasons.

Swales took over a club at the best time in it's history. A wealthy club who pioneered match sponsorship, hospitality and the junior blues. We all know how it turned out. He was a joke and cared more about himself than the club he nearly killed.

IMHO Lee failed because the mess left by Swales was worse than anyone could ever imagine.

 

[Mike N]

It's hard to distinguish just who did the most damage as a chairman between Swales and Lee. Lee's main downfall was his shocking managerial choices. Obviously I missed Lee as a player but I was there all through his running of the club and it was just disaster after disaster obviously starting with Alan Ball - in three/four years the negative impact on the club was huge. Swales is a different story. His legacy lasted twenty years and to see what we were to what we became is quite a shocking story.

Thank god it's all over.

Too true!

 

[TGR]

It's hard to distinguish just who did the most damage as a chairman between Swales and Lee. Lee's main downfall was his shocking managerial choices. Obviously I missed Lee as a player but I was there all through his running of the club and it was just disaster after disaster obviously starting with Alan Ball - in three/four years the negative impact on the club was huge. Swales is a different story. His legacy lasted twenty years and to see what we were to what we became is quite a shocking story.

Thank god it's all over.

Different times. Different objectives:
For all his faults ( and he had more than a few) Swales wanted us to be bigger than United. Hard to fault him on that to be fair. Franny viewed it as more of a financial investment and loaned the club money on a guaranteed 6% return with a more than advantageous share price option. He also famously improved the catering for the executive class of supporter. Franny was a truly great player but a more than dissapointing chairman.

 

[ColinBellsjockstrap]

My 2p

Whilst Swales was generally speaking a disaster, I still think he was a blue through and through, and loved the club, he just made some stupid, (reckless) decisions, especially regarding managerial choices, and paying way over the top for average/poor players.

Regarding Franny, City fans, who never saw him play in the glorious period between 1967 and 1972, only have his time as chairman to go off, when forming an opinion, hence why views are so divided.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGhKcTH6a48[/video]

There have been plenty worse chairmen at football clubs.

 

[Vienna_70]

Francis Lee, the reason I support Manchester City.

And me.

 

[mancunial]

I remember a tale of when city played at home to Leeds. City were losing 1 nil franny turned to Mick Jones Leeds centre forward and said the ref must have an away win on his coupon, Jones ran straight to the referee and grassed him, to which franny was booked. I remember the game Leeds were ruthless in every aspect, don't think franny had much time for them.

 

[Ray78]

I was not even born when Francis Lee was playing for City but both made a complete hash in running the club.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Granny is responsible for the only game I have left early. When "the Messiah" came on to the pitch to acclaim his takeover, I fcucked off to the bar at half-time and didn't return.

He may have done great things for us as a player but he was a disastrous chairman whose takeover disgraced the Club!