Tony Books team - late 1970's

[Blue Streak]

Just a reflection and interested in seeking opinions of the Blues around at the time really? after finishing 2nd and 4th as well as winning the League Cup in 76 what was required to really 'kick' City on?

Obviously the choice was taken to bring back Allison and we all know that didn't work? but what were the options at the time? or would sticking with Skip have resulted in further success?

I know many think the injury to Colin Bell effectively ruined City's chances and I believed they tried in vain to sign Alan Ball but just wondered if any others had any alternative viewpoints?

I'm bored of discussing food ;-)

 

[TGR]

We should have stuck with Bookie for sure.
Yet again the lack of stability was our undoing.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

By 1979 that team was ageing and when discussing this people often forget that we performed poorly in the league in the 1978/9 season. Skip had signed the Futcher twins and Colin Vilgoen that summer (1978) iirc, which was hardly inspiring. Our run in the UEFA Cup was an achievement, but up to playing AC Milan, the opposition (FC Twente and Standard Liege) was pretty average. We were destroyed by Simenson's Borussia Monchengladbach in the Quarters.

I think a degree of surgery was required. Dave Watson was a truly great player, but it may be that the club had to sell him in any event. I have heard that he needed to move abroad for financial reasons. Owen and Barnes were favourites but neither could be said to have had stellar careers.

There was gong to be work required whoever was in the box seat imo, but I doubt they could have made much worse a job of it than Big Mal.

 

[Rascal]

Fuck a long time ago.

We always struggled to replace Skip at right back......Geoff Hammond and Dochertys lad anyone.

But i do believe the crucial decision of that time was Dalglish. We were heavily linked to him but for whatever reason we didnt get him and spunked huge money on Channon instead.

We did sign Kaziu though, one of my favorite ever City players. He was magnificent

 

[East Level 2]

We did sign Kaziu though, one of my favorite ever City players. He was magnificent

He was past his best when we got him but every so often he showed just why he'd been rated as one of the best in the world.
The main problem at the time was not replacing Colin Bell. We may have won the League Cup without him in 76 and finished runners up in 77, but he was an incredible player and the rest (mostly very good players) couldn't compensate for his loss.
Peter Swales was once asked about finishing a point behind Liverpool in 1977 and said something along the lines of "You can't tell me having a fit Colin Bell for the season wouldn't have generated an extra few points".
The return of Big Mal was ill thought out as he was never going to work alongside Tony Book. Once he gained control and conducted some very strange transfers we were deep in it. John Bond did well to paper over the cracks and got us to a final and semi-final.
I still believe the real chaos would have been avoided if we'd have gone for the jugular against Luton on the day in 83.

 

[cibaman]

Forest and then Liverpool left City and a few teams behind at the end of 70's. Their football evolved whereas we stood still.

Book always seemed more of a General Manager type rather than a hands on coach. He never came across as being either a great tactician or a great motivator. He was that father figure type, typical of many managers at the time.

In those days when squads were very small one or two decent signings could make all the difference. We had a terrible record in that respect from the mid 70's onwards.

 

[geoff hammond]

We always struggled to replace Skip at right back......Geoff Hammond and Dochertys lad anyone.

Hey! Lay off Geoff Hammond

 

[Bill]

we only had to show some stability. big Mal completely destroyed the squad. I thought at the time we'd have work to do to get back to the level we were once at. the decline afterwards though was unbelievable culminating in the hiring of Alan fucking Ball.

 

[nijinsky's fetlocks]

We did sign Kaziu though, one of my favorite ever City players. He was magnificent

He was past his best when we got him but every so often he showed just why he'd been rated as one of the best in the world.
The main problem at the time was not replacing Colin Bell. We may have won the League Cup without him in 76 and finished runners up in 77, but he was an incredible player and the rest (mostly very good players) couldn't compensate for his loss.
Peter Swales was once asked about finishing a point behind Liverpool in 1977 and said something along the lines of "You can't tell me having a fit Colin Bell for the season wouldn't have generated an extra few points".
The return of Big Mal was ill thought out as he was never going to work alongside Tony Book. Once he gained control and conducted some very strange transfers we were deep in it. John Bond did well to paper over the cracks and got us to a final and semi-final.
I still believe the real chaos would have been avoided if we'd have gone for the jugular against Luton on the day in 83.

In fairness replacing Colin Bell was always going to be a pretty big ask, as players like that only come round once in a lifetime - you could equally claim that the rags never really replaced Best, and you would be right.
You are right in saying that John Bond did well in making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, and Allison's second coming was an epic mistake.
I disagree with you on the home defeat with Luton being pivotal, as we would have only bought another stay of execution given the squad we had then, and money simply wasn't available to strengthen the squad at the time.
Then just when you thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, along came Alan Ball, as de niro correctly mentioned, and they did.
Dark days indeed, and perhaps ones worth remembering when folk view one trophyless season as the epitome of failure.

 

[SWSB]

Worst thing we ever did getting Allison to replace Book.We had a great squad under Book and a couple of signings was all we needed. Allison was offered Ian Rush by Alan Oakes and bought Mike Robinson instead!! Thought Rush wasnt ready for the 1st Division!