What was the most toxic period at City?

Nicky Summerbee’s name has been mentioned a few times here and it’s true that he was a main target of abuse at a particularly toxic period in the club’s history, nevertheless I’m going to stick up for him a bit. It seemed pretty obvious that his confidence was very shaky and for large parts of his time at City he was devoid of any self-belief. However, in the second half of the 96/97 he rehabilitated himself considerably to the extent that he used to have his name sung at Maine Road - people will say that never happened but it did. Along with Rosler he was the only player in the side on the same wavelength as Kinkladze and they became very effective for a time. Unfortunately, Frank Clarke ripped up what had worked quite well, signed Ged Brannon and promptly swapped Summerbee for Craig Russell. Summerbee scored in a play-off final and was eventually promoted with Sunderland, becoming very popular with their supporters along the way. We were relegated.

That said, Colin Schindler’s assertion that Summerbee was unpopular at City because he didn’t celebrate a goal away at QPR as fulsomely as some others might is probably the most disingenuous piece of nonsense about a City player ever committed to print. When Summerbee’s head went down so did his work rate and at times his performances were poor. However, the idea that he didn’t try at City because he grew up supporting the rags is equally absurd.
Bob on. Wavelength is the right word. The Summerbee, Rosler, Kinkladze triumvirate seemed to be working. Horlock playing nicely too after signing. Remember great performance at Oxford and a few others. Didn't last!
 
Thinking back it has to be Stuart Pearce, i was unlucky in that for a long time I just knew shit City, for decades. But for those decades it was bad but oddly interesting, almost comical but never boring

Then in the modern era that fucking dullard turned up, I can't remember the game because let's face it they were all.the sane but I said to the guy next to me what are we doing here, what is the point. We have family friends, we could be with them or in the pub. It's cold, it's quiet, no one can even muster an ironic chant. If someone offered me money to come here I would say no, but here I am paying for this shit.
The highlight of his tenure was a kids stuffed animal, a fuckin toy on the touchline. It can't have ever got lower than that surely.
 
In my living memory, any day we lost in the 90s was pretty toxic. Pretty sure my Dad didn't enjoy navigating us through Moss Side alleys and streets.
We used to park on Acombe Street, always paid the lad on the bike "To mind yer car". We seemed to get away from there quite quickly, and we never encountered any problems as far as I can remember.
 
The Swales and “Swales Out” era without doubt. He hung on too long for the sake of his seat at the FAs top table and put self interest above everything. By way of closure I made sure that on the night of our greatest triumph we remembered the dark days. If I could get one chant reinstated “Swales Out” would be it. ( The reaction to those of a certain age seeing this flag in Istanbul was priceless).
 

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