Pivotal Sky Blue Moments (8 Viewers)

[steve cooper]

Clough was allegedly approached to take over from Jimmy Hill when JH announced his departure (just prior to start of season 1967/68)
Legend has it that a verbal agreement was struck - but nothing more.

I seem to remember Malcolm Allison being offered the manager's job about that time, but he blabbed about it and we withdrew the offer, or something like that.

 

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[blunted]

Nakhi Wells?

Yes, thats the one.

 

[SkyblueDad]

Were 10 year contracts usual back then? Admire what he did for the club but don’t think anyone deserves a 10 year contract in football.

There have been plenty of stories around this ten year contract. When Hill was manager here he a chap called John Campkin was vice-chairman Campkin was a big noise at ITV who knows what exactly went on behind the scenes but in the summer after our promotion no money was spent on new players and as we all know on the eve of our first top division game at Burnley Hill resigned was the timing deliberate ? Who knows JH soon move on to head ITV football and John Campkin left.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Yes, thats the one.

It should be taken into account of course that we were playing at Northampton in front of 2,000 fans. Had little wiggle room, as Grendel said did we well out of it, the sell on money came just at the right time really.

 

[TM8792]

Clarke-Harris winning and converting a late penalty at Mansfield away over 3 years ago.

 

[SkyblueDad]

I seem to remember Malcolm Allison being offered the manager's job about that time, but he blabbed about it and we withdrew the offer, or something like that.

That is correct Malcolm Allison got the job it got into the papers our pompous chairman got the hump and vetoed the deal. Bloody shame Alllison would have been a perfect replacement for the flamboyant Jimmy Hill and would have attracted top players. Noel Cantwell was an opposite dull as ditch water unfortunately.

 

[Grendel]

That is correct Malcolm Allison got the job it got into the papers our pompous chairman got the hump and vetoed the deal. Bloody shame Alllison would have been a perfect replacement for the flamboyant Jimmy Hill and would have attracted top players. Noel Cantwell was an opposite dull as ditch water unfortunately.

Before my time but history shows Cantwell in terms of league position was the clubs most successful manager

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Clarke-Harris winning and converting a late penalty at Mansfield away over 3 years ago.

Bayliss also won one a few days later at Wycombe which McNulty scored. Freezing that night

 

[JulianDarbyFTW]

The moment that stands out for me was one that was out of our hands, but not being able to play European football after winning the cup was a real disappointment; the money and gravitas that could have brought could have changed the direction of the club completely.

 

[oscillatewildly]

That is correct Malcolm Allison got the job it got into the papers our pompous chairman got the hump and vetoed the deal. Bloody shame Alllison would have been a perfect replacement for the flamboyant Jimmy Hill and would have attracted top players. Noel Cantwell was an opposite dull as ditch water unfortunately.

He did lead us to our highest finish in the top flight though - Our reward being our one and only ever venture into European football.
He deserves some recognition for that, surely?

 

[ajl]

The moment that stands out for me was one that was out of our hands, but not being able to play European football after winning the cup was a real disappointment; the money and gravitas that could have brought could have changed the direction of the club completely.

Yeah was before my time but I've always wondered what if we had had a chance to play in europe that season

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

 

[steve cooper]

Before my time but history shows Cantwell in terms of league position was the clubs most successful manager

Anyone when compared to Allison would seem dull. I liked Cantwell and remember some really good football with him in charge

 

[SkyblueDad]

Before my time but history shows Cantwell in terms of league position was the clubs most successful manager

Sorry will never agree on that Noel Cantwell broke up the 1967 promotion winning team, the likes of Gould, Tudor, Clements, Rees, all went on to have good top division careers. Cantwell bought centre-forwards as if they were going out of fashion, Neil Martin, John O’Rourke, Tony Hateley, Chris Chilton, Bobby Graham all for big money only Martin did any good. He also bought Wilf Smith for big money, Peter Hindley , Geoff Strong none did much good and we struggled. Had success with the signings of Ernie Hunt, Chris Cattlin and Maurice Setters. We struggled in the first two seasons staying up the first two years on the last day, yes finished sixth the third year but that was short lived.

 

[sotvtoday]

What do you think are the pivotal moments where it all went wrong or right?
Not giving Jimmy Hill the contract he wanted (10 years) - Massive financial risk and we stayed up for 34 years
Not employing Brian Clough as manager - he went to Forest instead. - Was that our choice or his?
Selling Highfield Road - Clearly crap.
Sacking Eric Black and employing Peter Reid. Not saying Black would have been that good but light years ahead of Reid. - Eric never did much afterwards did he?
Most of the managers from Coleman onwards Yes, but choosing a manager is a lot of luck - How many thought MR was the way forward?
Selling Wilson too cheaply - No, circumstances decide the price.
Letting Sisu take all the shares. - Did we have a choice?

All a bit Captain Hindsight obviously.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Without doubt getting sisu involved with our club

The alternative was ........

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

The moment that stands out for me was one that was out of our hands, but not being able to play European football after winning the cup was a real disappointment; the money and gravitas that could have brought could have changed the direction of the club completely.

All ifs and maybes but was bloody annoying

 

[Grendel]

The alternative was ........

Administration and a bidding war

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Administration and a bidding war

Or ........ but yep most likely I agree

 

[Grendel]

Or ........ but yep most likely I agree

There were of course other bidders even before admin

 

[Deleted member 4439]

 

[Sick Boy]

Didn’t Joe Elliot visit shareholders in their homes to get them handed over?

 

[steve cooper]

Sorry will never agree on that Noel Cantwell broke up the 1967 promotion winning team, the likes of Gould, Tudor, Clements, Rees, all went on to have good top division careers. Cantwell bought centre-forwards as if they were going out of fashion, Neil Martin, John O’Rourke, Tony Hateley, Chris Chilton, Bobby Graham all for big money only Martin did any good. He also bought Wilf Smith for big money, Peter Hindley , Geoff Strong none did much good and we struggled. Had success with the signings of Ernie Hunt, Chris Cattlin and Maurice Setters. We struggled in the first two seasons staying up the first two years on the last day, yes finished sixth the third year but that was short lived.

If we ever get to the Premiership in the future and survive for 2 seasons and in the third, finish above the likes of Man U, Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham, West Ham, I'm sure that would be classed as a success. I know it would be more difficult today but it was a pretty decent feat even in those days. He didn't get us relegated, got us into Europe, and we finished above Leicester seeing them relegated in the 1968/69 season. Not bad.

 

[Pricey1984]

This post feels like it belongs in 2016 when it felt like we were just waiting to be wound up as a club. So I'm going with a positive pivotal point of bringing back MR. Also winning the checkatrade really feels like a turning point looking back. In recent years we've been on an upward trajectory for the first time in a very long time and long may it carry on please

 

[South West Sky Blue]

McAllister leaving on a free same summer as selling Keane. Should have tied McAllister down long before Liverpool turned his head. Cba to do the maths but the 2 of them going can't have been far off 2/3rds of our goals taken out of the team. What could go wrong?


Lots of individual moments rather than one glaring moment, but this stands out. From memory, Keane had 14 goals that season and Macca 13. Few teams in the world can maintain a level if you lose your top two scorers.
I don’t blame the club too much. Keane was getting too big for us. Macca was out of contract. That year at around 35 was his best year for us.
We invested in Bellamy, but Keane was never going to be replaced that easily.

 

[shmmeee]

Still getting over @Greggs owl revelations TBH

 

[shmmeee]

The alternative was ........

At the time? We go pop, get taken over, and if Leicester are any measure eventually win the Premier League.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

 

[skybluepm2]

In recent years, for me it’s the League 2 play-off Semi’s, particularly the second leg, where Lady Luck appeared to shine down on us for a change. Had we lost that tie, I dread to think where we could be now. The rest is history

 

[Skyblueweeman]

At the time? We go pop, get taken over, and if Leicester are any measure eventually win the Premier League.

The way Leicester dealt with admin was different to every other club since. Begrudgingly, they did well out of it. Rules were changed after they did it so it had much more of an impact and meant clubs didn't get away scot free.

 

[Esoterica]

Wycombe away in the L1 promotion season was a big moment. Hadn't won away all season up that point and although we'd only lost 3 games we'd drawn far too many. We were at the back of a long chasing pack with a poor Goal difference. Matty Godden's hattrick and crushing the league leaders on their own patch was the catalyst for the unbeaten run and promotion.

 

[wantageskyblue]

The moment when some bright spark came up with the idea of Arena 2000.

 

[skybluetony176]

Text a sub and the arrival of Max.

 

[NortonSkyBlue]

That is correct Malcolm Allison got the job it got into the papers our pompous chairman got the hump and vetoed the deal. Bloody shame Alllison would have been a perfect replacement for the flamboyant Jimmy Hill and would have attracted top players. Noel Cantwell was an opposite dull as ditch water unfortunately.

No evidence to suggest your assumption is correct. Allison did nothing as a manager but was very successful number two to Mercer, thought he was the main man but was exposed when in the top job. Thought nothing of back stabbing Mercer at Manchester City and was exposed as a fraud once in the position.

 

[steve cooper]

Wycombe away in the L1 promotion season was a big moment. Hadn't won away all season up that point and although we'd only lost 3 games we'd drawn far too many. We were at the back of a long chasing pack with a poor Goal difference. Matty Godden's hattrick and crushing the league leaders on their own patch was the catalyst for the unbeaten run and promotion.

View attachment 20305

13 games later, still only lost 3, goal difference of +18 only bettered by Rotherham, Oxford, and Peterborough.

 

[NortonSkyBlue]

Big picture moments like the stadium or Hill leaving are historically massive but as a supporter with my eyes on the pitch my thoughts go to players that changed the paradigm such as Quinn when he came in and couldn’t stop scoring or Dublin giving us a focal point that wasn’t there prior to his arrival, thinking of the impact of Wise and a glorious cameo in 06 or Stein and Hutchison in 72 but I can’t think of a bigger shape shifting than when Curtis and Sillet took over. There was before and there was after.
Or is Robins rejoining the club even greater?