The "Swales Out" Campaign

[pauldominic]

Me. I was certainly involved. He was a disaster.

I knew something was wrong when Tony Book was kicked upstairs.

We had a side packed with internationals and potential / future internationals. We'd also come second in the league behind the dippers.

Joe Corrigan, Kenny Clements, Dave Watson, Mike Doyle, Willie Donachie, Asa Hartford, Gary Owen, Peter Barnes, Dennis Tueart, Mike Channon, Brian Kidd.

Imagine if Bell hadn't been injured by Buchan (never forgave him for that).

Wasn't Swales responsible for selling Lee as well?

Everything went downhill after Tony. Allison ripped the heart of the team out and within a year or two we were fighting relegation. Joe Corrigan almost single handedly kept us up in about '78/79.

My first season as a season ticket holder and big joe truly was superb!
Swales was a clown - however he was city through and through.
I always looked forward to the first home match of the season in anticipation of all the ground improvements that had been promised by swales - i soon learnt that this usually meant a bog seat had been replaced. He did however one year treat us to a new range of crisps called 'footballs' (i think) and they were thrown into the crowd at half time!!

Joe was fantastic that season. Undoubtedly the best in England that year.

 

[BlueMoonraker]

I know fans of a certain Trafford based outfit like to think that we have no history. I think this thread is absolute proof that our history is as colourful as any other football club.
Everything that we have been through has made us appreciate our current situation - and we still haven't won anything .........yet!
Best fans in the world.

-- Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:56 pm --

 

[jrb]

I was also involved.

Even managed to get on the BBC Nine O'Clock News. Pushed the barriers over outside the Maine Stand and jumped on the large metal bars protecting the main entrance, along with numerous other fans.

I'll never forget that night. Police and police horses charging City fans, only to be met by bricks and bottle. Being in my late teens at the time it was a buzz TBH. In those days when it went off, it went off properly.

TBH I think Swales got a raw deal. He was City through and through. Unfortunately he had the business brains of Gerald Ratner. Probably the smallest and non-profitable souvenier shop ever.

RIP Peter.

 

[BlueMoonraker]

My memory of Reid's sacking is that Swales told Reid that Ellis had to go. Reid responded with "If he goes, then I go!". Not a great move in my book, given Swales record for getting rid of managers.
To be fair, watching City under Reid was terrible. You could hear people on the way out after a game saying 'I'm not coming again'. It was all 1-0 or 1-1. Really dull stuff.

 

[fbloke]

I was also involved.

Even managed to get on the BBC Nine O'Clock News. Pushed the barriers over outside the Maine Stand and jumped on the large metal bars protecting the main entrance, along with numerous other fans.

I'll never forget that night. Police and police horses charging City fans, only to be met by bricks and bottle. Being in my late teens at the time it was a buzz TBH. In those days when it went off, it went off properly.

TBH I think Swales got a raw deal. He was City through and through. Unfortunately he had the business brains of Gerald Ratner. Probably the smallest and non-profitable souvenier shop ever.

RIP Peter.

Whilst you ruffians and urchins were causing trouble outside I had to settle for chatting to FHL, Buzzer and others whilst drinking free booze!

Shame on you little tinkers!

 

[jrb]

Does anyone have a picture of the model showing the plans for a redevloped Maine Road, under Swales. They Main Stand was completed first and then the proposal ground to a halt. All the stands were supposed to have a similar roof.

Seen the model numerous times, but I can't find it on Google.<br /><br />-- Sun Feb 20, 2011 1:12 am --<br /><br />

I was also involved.

Even managed to get on the BBC Nine O'Clock News. Pushed the barriers over outside the Maine Stand and jumped on the large metal bars protecting the main entrance, along with numerous other fans.

I'll never forget that night. Police and police horses charging City fans, only to be met by bricks and bottle. Being in my late teens at the time it was a buzz TBH. In those days when it went off, it went off properly.

TBH I think Swales got a raw deal. He was City through and through. Unfortunately he had the business brains of Gerald Ratner. Probably the smallest and non-profitable souvenier shop ever.

RIP Peter.

Whilst you ruffians and urchins were causing trouble outside I had to settle for chatting to FHL, Buzzer and others whilst drinking free booze!

Shame on you little tinkers!

Unlucky you. You missed the fun. ;-) Did you see me on the news by any chance, swinging from the bars like a demented monkey?

Made Tahrir Square in Cairo look like a peace gathering.

 

[Blumers Bloomers]

fbloke sounds like you were in the thick of the boardroom action back in the day, rubbing shoulders with the big wigs (literally)..............do you still have any connections to any of the current directors/honarary presidents etc now?

 

[Bluefen]

I had one of those "Swales Out!" car stickers on my car...an old dear stopped me once in a car park and asked me what's wrong with South Wales !! Bless her :-)

 

[fbloke]

fbloke sounds like you were in the thick of the boardroom action back in the day, rubbing shoulders with the big wigs (literally)..............do you still have any connections to any of the current directors/honarary presidents etc now?

Sadly almost none.

I picked the wrong era to be close to the club ;-)

 

[Asasdickyheart]

Although a confirmed KIppaxite of about 20 years at the time I spent that season and a couple more as a regular in the Directors box.

The shenanigans that went on through that period marked everyone involved out as rank amateurs, something I have talked about before.

I was as happy as anyone to see Swales move on but I didn't celebrate the anointing of FHL and have very little time for him as chairman.

There was talk at the time of a much richer person being willing to take on the clubs debt, invest what was then the astronomical figure of £10m on the team and develop Maine Road. The person had apparently provided proof of funds but decided against buying the club as he saw the FHL campaign as to powerful.

We got Franny and as you all now know he made some awful decisions, was worse than Swales for getting involved in team affairs and had now real desire to invest in the club.

Swales might well have loved the power as much as the club, but it is my humble opinion, based on conversations I had with all of those big names at that time (including Buzzer BTW) that FHL loved City less, far less. FHL was in it for profit and for profile.

Fbloke this is spot on - i know for a fact that one of frannie's backers at the time did not have a spare pot to piss in so to speak and that Lee is was totally in it to raise his own profile. TBH i think he did more damage in the short space of time than Swales did.

As a blue at the time of the swales out campaign and being part of the demonstrations - i really wanted him gone we were slipping further and furter behind teams and some of the players who wore the blue shirt at the time were a disgrace, anyone else would have done at the time, but Lee mounted a great campaign saying he was going to invest all this money which never materialised, and we fans took the bait hook line and sinker, in hindsight would have been better if Swales had held on whilst finding an alternative with real money.

In retrospect i think Swailes has always copped the shit end of the stick, his heart was in the club, he just didnt open up to sharing power and possibly floating the club quicker enough. He didnt deserve the abuse he got, but i was one of the ones shouting it too and for that i will always regret to an extent