If my Dad was alive today he would have agreed with every word you have written. I remember he was so excited when big Mal came back and ultimately extremely disappointed, like all of us, how it turned out. He used to say to me that Malcolm was a great coach but not so great as a manager. All in all a great man who was great for us in the late sixties and not so good in the late seventies. They say never go back, in this case you can see why.A big man with with a real charisma about him,the perfect partner for genial Joe. A wonderful time to be a Blue following the slump of the early 60's. Unfortunately the decision to dispense with Joe's services to be replaced by Mal proved to be a big mistake.
He brought in Derek Ibbotson as fitness coach. Derek was an Olympic athlete winning a Bronze in 1956. He was also world record holder for a time for the mile.A fantastic coach who got the absolute best out of the players he had to work with. City were by far and away the fittest team in the league and could go flat out for the full 90 minutes.
13 years today. I'd just pulled outside one of my customers and it came on the radio. I was stunned for a couple of minutes and very sad. Within a few minutes my phone went mad with people texting and phoning me. The man loved City to his core. Whatever is said about the 2nd time around which was a disaster, the first time is where I like to remember him from. And who can forget him running over to the Kippax against Palace in 81(Get a lump in my throat every time I see that) Had the pleasure to have a quick drink with him in the Faulkeners in Altrincham around 2001/2 and I was totally in awe. It might piss a few on here off, but I'd have a statue of him at the ground. A City legend in my humble opinion.