Peter Swales

[BringBackSwales]

I think you misunderstand my intentions somewhat. I am not arguing that Francis Lee was ever going to emerge as a sugar daddy to turn City into a super rich powerhouse club nor would I attempt to justify many of the claims that were made at the time of this low period in City's history. What I am saying is that I fell for the promises made hook, line and sinker and many others did too. We thought times were so bad we didn't think they could only improve if Peter Swales went and "Forward with Franny" seemed the only way to go. We weren't using our critical faculties because at the time it seemed so obvious and Mike Summerbee seemed to take the same view. His statement was ill advised and quite clearly had no basis in fact but I think Mike was expressing a hope which many of us shared and this hope obscured his view as well. I'm not justifying it because quite clearly it is unjustifiable and before very long I was one of those who wanted to "free the Manchester 30000". But looking back I think there are some shades of (dark) grey to the Lee years rather than the uniform black. I know the playing side of things was a total and utter disaster, and that's what we all cared about and that we never saw any of the big money that was supposed to buy players. I know too that Lee actually put virtually no money of his own into the club and yet behaved so dictatorially as a chairman that one might have thought he had bought 99% of the shares. I also pointed out that it was Lee's version - not mine - that it was the state of Maine Road which sabotaged his big spending plans, though I do think there were immense problems with the ground which made the decision to leave it ASAP inevitable. But my only argument "in mitigation of the charges" is that in some ways - and opinions will certainly vary on the importance of these - he was not without some merit. I know very well that the junior blues predate his chairmanship but I believe that, like so much at City as the Swales era progressed, they were stagnating at a time when a very successful United team posed a real risk to our "share" of young support. I believe that the junior blues' numbers began to grow again and in some part due to Lee's efforts.

I thought Franny was a bigger **** than Swales. We knew what Swales was but we believed in Franny, and he let us badly down

 

[johnnytapia]

Lee is the reason I can never quite warm to Mike Summerbee as much as I used to. I remember a Lee in and Swales out rally at the GM bus club on Mount Road and I remember these words from Buzzer “Francis and his backers will spend sums of money on Manchester City which will make Jack Walker look like a pauper”, well that worked out well didn’t it? Lee was as shit a chairman as Swales he just didn’t do it for as long. I will never know whether Buzzer actually meant what he said, but he may well have been taken in by Franny like we all were. Fuck, did we inhabit a dark and different world in those days

Summerbee said he’d never step foot back in Maine rd after hearing the abuse Nicky got when he returned for Sunderland. Soon changed his mind when the good times started and we got some real £ behind us. Chancer.

 

[Gazza]

Swales used the club for celebrity in the way that the Glaziers use United for money.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

I thought Franny was a bigger **** than Swales. We knew what Swales was but we believed in Franny, and he let us badly down

I think Franny was a bit naive in his assessment of what he was getting into. The Club was run like cross between a working mans club and a money laundering operation. It was such a mess and Lee was not the man to clean it up. He was out of his depth from day 1 and didnt have the money to sort it out. Add some terrible managerial appointments to the mix and you have the perfect storm. At least Lee left as soon as it was clear he was not helping.

 

[nmc]

I thought Franny was a bigger **** than Swales. We knew what Swales was but we believed in Franny, and he let us badly down

Franny is a right crook... (allegedly) ! the only person to invest serious money into City during his reign was Swales mate Boler who underwrote a rights issue - which Lee promptly handed to Frank Clark who pissed it away on the likes of Lee Bradbury. !

 

[BringBackSwales]

Franny is a right crook... (allegedly) ! the only person to invest serious money into City during his reign was Swales mate Boler who underwrote a rights issue - which Lee promptly handed to Frank Clark who pissed it away on the likes of Lee Bradbury. !

I think there is only a very short list of 2 people who can hold their heads high in terms of investment in City, Sheikh Mansour and John Wardle

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

Both Swales and Franny shared huge egos. Franny played to the gallery both on the pitch and in the Forward with Franny campaign and he seemed to lap up the attention.........but what a player he was and what a personality on the pitch. Swales had nothing to offer, no financial acumen, no class, no vision, nothing other than his narcissism. Franny too clearly was out of his depth as Chairman and a nuclear warhead detonated at Maine Rd couldn't have caused us more upset than his managerial appointments.
Apart from the huge changes to football between their eras, I think you've got to look at their starting points and compare. We were a top side when Swales took over with star players and the Pride of Manchester. Look at us just 10 years later........relegated and skint. Lee's starting point was so much lower, he didn't have the money or the he foundations despite some good players. Did one great thing in buying Gio but appointed Ball and the facade quickly crumbled.

 

[Chris in London]

Big Mal on Swales:

“He wore a blazer, high heels and a wig. As a man, he really impressed me.”

 

[Dodge]

My mum used to be a barmaid in the Hare and Hounds in Timperley. A few players used to be regulars, Swales an occasional visitor.
She got quite friendly with Asa Hartford and for my 13th birthday, he arranged for me to spend the day at Maine Road. Cracking day, played 5 a side with Big Joe, Rodders pinged a few penalties at me. Stuff of dreams. Asa gave me a pair of boots, because my mouldys were shite.

A few days later, Swales came into the pub. He'd heard about my treat and presented my mum with a £20 bill for the boots and the "privilege" of my day at City. The landlord settled the bill with a few drinks and a meal on the house.

Joyless twat of the highest order.

 

[Maintainin]