Francis Lee

[warpig]

Saw Franny on the final home game of last season just outside of the ground. He was getting out of the back of a rust bucket W reg, green, BMW 5 series fully suited and booted. He wanted to walk the last bit with another old boy to beat the traffic, which was at a stand still. He was resplendent. It really was bizarre. I had to do a double take to make sure it was really him. It was though.

 

[Blue Streak]

So are most of us on here but I doubt you would want any of us to be running the show for 20 years.

Lee made plenty of gaffes as chairman but he inherited an unholy mess from Swales, a club over £10m in debt and faced with raising another £13m to replace the Kippax.

When City replaced the Kippax and spent 13m on it, there was already talk of moving to the CoMS(even though it hadn't been built, but was on the cards) Something that always bothered me that!

It did seem a monumentally stupid idea, even at the time. Everybody knew the COMS was imminent; even if we never got it, it was a huge gamble to blow £13m on a new Kippax, knowing it might one day be left behind.

I've read this post several times and still don't get it? what was he supposed to do leave the Kippax standing which would have been completely illegal. The Kippax was redeveloped almost 10 years before City moved.

 

[Paladin]

I visited his ex-wife at her home near Jodrell Bank back in the 80s. It was work related. She was a very nice lady.

I was linesman once at Maine Road, in the FA Youth Cup. We beat Walsall 2-0. When we were preparing for the game, there was a knock on the door and Francis Lee came into our dressing room. I was totally in awe, as he was my childhood hero and the primary reason I chose City, when my older brother chose United. He said 'Hello, my name is Francis Lee, I'm the chairman here. Welcome to Manchester City.' He was so gracious. He is still my favourite ever City player to this day.

 

[MCFCinUSA]

Great player. What a fucking shot he had. Should have played in Mexico for England instead of Jeff fucking Astle.
Know it went tits up as chairman, but can forget that now. Franny just didn't have enough bog roll to clean up
all the shit ;-)

ehehehe

 

[urmston]

Francis Lee, the reason I support Manchester City.

Same here.

He is a total master of the art of football.

 

[waterloo blue]

Myself and my mates dad(RIP Roy),chewed his ear off at Thirsk races in the champagne bar,he was brilliant with a pair of pissed up nuisances and he gave us a couple of winning tips.
A great player,needlessly sold as he and that **** Swales never saw eye to eye,and a portent of what was to transpire under Alison's second spell in charge.
As a chairman,we've had worse.

 

[mad4city]

A great player...
As a chairman,we've had worse.

That's about the size of it, alright.

 

[Vienna_70]

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.

Can't agree here.

We all know that the Swales era didn't turn out how we all wanted it to, but the idea that Franny Lee was inept because of anybody but Franny Lee is spurious.

Swap Khaldoon for Franny in their respective eras. Then think of their management ideas. There is only one winner.

Didn't Franny sack Colin Bell and the case went to an Industrial tribunal?

Actually, no.

As I underst it, the then-manager - can't remember who - that said he no longer wanted The King as one of his coaches. Colin went to Frannie, hoping he would help, but Lee said he couldn't interfere with whom the manager wanted on his coaching staff.

 

[derekthedog]

not only a great player, a great man.
when he took over from swales, the club was in meltdown.
he put his heart and soul into the club, ( and his own money!!)
he was let down sadly by his managers, alan ball , steve coppell, and frank clark.
he gave them money to spend , and backed them both to the hilt, ( when he should have let them go, he stood by them. coppel shit on him)
if you recall george graham, gave all the noises he wanted city , but just used us . and it became hard to get a manager at the time.
the MEN never gave him any good press at all, and all the media did not want to see an expro make it as a chairman ,fullstop.

i would love to see a statue outside the staduim of franny , and sooner than later.
it would be a fitting tribute to a player who never left the pitch without given 110%

 

[noely]

When City replaced the Kippax and spent 13m on it, there was already talk of moving to the CoMS(even though it hadn't been built, but was on the cards) Something that always bothered me that!

It did seem a monumentally stupid idea, even at the time. Everybody knew the COMS was imminent; even if we never got it, it was a huge gamble to blow £13m on a new Kippax, knowing it might one day be left behind.

I've read this post several times and still don't get it? what was he supposed to do leave the Kippax standing which would have been completely illegal. The Kippax was redeveloped almost 10 years before City moved.

Well Swales just want to put flat seats in the old kipppax like how the old wembley had them mushroom seats