Sir Joe ?

The Wigan playoff semi at Maine Road in 99 was one of the best atmospheres I can ever remember at a City match. That night was a combination of pure passion, nerves and probably desperation. Only time I ever got on the pitch at Maine Road after that match. A mate of mine turned up at half time because he'd been to a classic car show in the Midlands (getting his priorities right then!).
Talking of VAR, had it been a 'thing' back then , Wigan would almost certainly have had a penalty and The Goat's goal may well have been chalked off too!
 
The Wigan playoff semi at Maine Road in 99 was one of the best atmospheres I can ever remember at a City match. That night was a combination of pure passion, nerves and probably desperation. Only time I ever got on the pitch at Maine Road after that match. A mate of mine turned up at half time because he'd been to a classic car show in the Midlands (getting his priorities right then!).
Talking of VAR, had it been a 'thing' back then , Wigan would almost certainly have had a penalty and The Goat's goal may well have been chalked off too!
I agree with you on VAR in theory but we'd probably still have been ok. They used Blobby Madley instead last weekend and Morecambe are now on the climb.
 
Got loads of history - I have just converted a dozen VHS tapes to USB from the 20th century - still a load to do. Some super football, goals, players, games played on paddocks (including the league cup final at Wembley after the Horses ripped the pitch up). And it had snowed as well - I should know, my wife and I were there and shivered for much of the game.
And those trolls that do not think we have European history - we had just won the Cup Winners Cup.
I know I’m being pedantic, but we won the League Cup before we won the ECWC.
 
I have a lot of time for Joe Royle.

He was on a hiding to nothing when he took over, and losing the relegation battle wouldn’t have endeared him to many.

However, his acquisition of The Goat, though it might not have been immediately obvious, and later, Andy Morrison, were master strokes.

The team had a great mix of guile, hard work and physicality and Joe and Willie created a great "Us against the world" mentality within the squad.

1999/2000 was my first season as a ST holder at Maine Road and I loved it. There were many highs and very few lows. I went along, with a couple of friends, to watch the reserves at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke in early spring of 2000. At half-time, we were walking back to our seats as Joe was making his way down to the dugout, and my mate asked him if we’d gain promotion.

"Yes, we’re going up," was his confident reply.

City supporters owe a great dealt of gratitude to Joe Royle and Willie Donachie
 
Joe Royle certainly had an interesting career at City as player and manager.
Part of a very good mid/late 70s team that won Lge Cup and almost the league.
Always felt he had a fair bit of 'timber' on him compared to current players, Pep would certainly have him cutting down on the puddings!
It was 2:2 with relegations and promotions when he was the gaffer wasn't it!
In truth the rot had long set in long before he arrived in 98, and we were never realistically going to stay in the Prem in 2001 though.
Like many others, I feel he certainly turned things round between 98 and 2000 and did put us on the road to recovery when he was our boss. The games against Blackburn and especially Gillingham are ones I was lucky to have been at and will always be up there among my favourite games. Those games were undoubtedly just as important and valid as all the recent fantastic football and phenomenal success we have witnessed recently imo.
 
One of our all time great managers assembled a side which were a band of brothers and so much more than the sum of their parts. A captain in Andy Morrison willing to sweat blood for the club, the legend that was the goat, the Whitley's and Paul Dickov to name but a few. I always think of the Wigan play off home leg as the day a long nightmare ended. A night of such passion and emotion and despite one more relegation don't think the club has really looked back since. Younger blues will have no idea the debt we owe Joe Royle, he gave us back our pride and joyful days like Gillingham at Wembley, and Birmingham at home and Blackburn away the season after times we thought had gone forever. So thanks Sir Joe the man who saved Manchester City.

Always remember the thousands of excited blaring horns after the home game against Wigan as we drove away from Maine road. As a kid I'd only ever known defeats and relegations so I definitely agree that night seemed to be a turning point. No way we'd be in our current position if not for Joe steadying and turning the ship. Thanks Joe!
 
That was more out of surprise than an agenda. There wasn't an agenda then. They'd never been in the 2nd tier of English football so it was a David and Goliath battle and I think their voices rise because of that.
Sorry I wasn't suggesting an Agenda - just commenting how excited commentators got when the "little boys" score against the "big boys" even if they have fallen.
 

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