oakiecokie
Well-Known Member
From City OS UNFORTUNATELY !!
Season 2010/11
Malcolm Allison 1927-2010
Fri 15 Oct 2010, 12:11PM
It is with great sadness that we report that Malcolm Allison has passed away aged 83.
Perhaps City’s greatest ever coach, he joined the Blues in 1965 when Joe Mercer brought him to City in the summer of 1965 from Plymouth Argyle where his innovative methods marked him out as a talent with huge potential.
Alongside Mercer, ‘Big Mal’ formed a formidable partnership which oversaw the greatest period of success in the club’s history, thanks in no small part to Malcolm’s willingness to try new and often untried training techniques.
The Mercer/Allison team helped the Blues secure the League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup-Winner’s Cup during an unforgettable three-year spell.
Later, Malcolm had two separate spells in sole charge of the club and continued to be held in high esteem by players and fans alike, though without Mercer at his side, they proved frustrating periods for such a talented coach.
Club Ambassador Mike Summerbee said: “Malcolm changed football by making us train like athletes, in that respect he was ahead of his time and he was a great tactician as well. He was also one of the lads - in effect he was the twelfth player from the sidelines but he knew how to crack the whip and we respected him.
“He was a great psychologist; he knew how to handle me and how to get more out of me. He did the same for Colin Bell, Francis Lee, Neil Young and all of that great side.”
City Life President and former general secretary Bernard Halford, who knew Malcolm for over 40 years said, “We will never see the likes of him ever again, and he did so much for the club. The signing of Tony Book was a masterstroke, but he enhanced the careers of so many other players and they worshipped him.
“You knew he was in a room with you, not many people have that kind of presence but Malcolm did, and he transferred the confidence he had in himself to the team. He felt we could beat anybody and he wanted the players to think that way too.”
Flamboyant, brilliant and larger than life, Malcolm will be sorely missed by everyone at the Club and beyond.
The Club, whose flags are at half mast, will pay tribute to Malcolm at the forthcoming game against Arsenal. There will also be an appropriate commemoration to his life and work in the memorial garden at the City of Manchester Stadium.
You can pay your own tributes to Malcolm on Facebook or email the club at your.shout@mcfc.co.uk.
Season 2010/11
Malcolm Allison 1927-2010
Fri 15 Oct 2010, 12:11PM
It is with great sadness that we report that Malcolm Allison has passed away aged 83.
Perhaps City’s greatest ever coach, he joined the Blues in 1965 when Joe Mercer brought him to City in the summer of 1965 from Plymouth Argyle where his innovative methods marked him out as a talent with huge potential.
Alongside Mercer, ‘Big Mal’ formed a formidable partnership which oversaw the greatest period of success in the club’s history, thanks in no small part to Malcolm’s willingness to try new and often untried training techniques.
The Mercer/Allison team helped the Blues secure the League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup-Winner’s Cup during an unforgettable three-year spell.
Later, Malcolm had two separate spells in sole charge of the club and continued to be held in high esteem by players and fans alike, though without Mercer at his side, they proved frustrating periods for such a talented coach.
Club Ambassador Mike Summerbee said: “Malcolm changed football by making us train like athletes, in that respect he was ahead of his time and he was a great tactician as well. He was also one of the lads - in effect he was the twelfth player from the sidelines but he knew how to crack the whip and we respected him.
“He was a great psychologist; he knew how to handle me and how to get more out of me. He did the same for Colin Bell, Francis Lee, Neil Young and all of that great side.”
City Life President and former general secretary Bernard Halford, who knew Malcolm for over 40 years said, “We will never see the likes of him ever again, and he did so much for the club. The signing of Tony Book was a masterstroke, but he enhanced the careers of so many other players and they worshipped him.
“You knew he was in a room with you, not many people have that kind of presence but Malcolm did, and he transferred the confidence he had in himself to the team. He felt we could beat anybody and he wanted the players to think that way too.”
Flamboyant, brilliant and larger than life, Malcolm will be sorely missed by everyone at the Club and beyond.
The Club, whose flags are at half mast, will pay tribute to Malcolm at the forthcoming game against Arsenal. There will also be an appropriate commemoration to his life and work in the memorial garden at the City of Manchester Stadium.
You can pay your own tributes to Malcolm on Facebook or email the club at your.shout@mcfc.co.uk.